MAIN SCRIPTURE:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Matthew 5:6

BIG IDEA: Crave righteousness and you will be filled. 

OUTLINE: 

1. We all have a spiritual "hunger and thirst" (Psalm 42:1-2)
   
   • “Thou hast made us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in Thee.” St. Augustine
2. We crave the wrong things
   • Emotionalism is hungering and thirsting for an emotionally high. 
   • Materialism is hungering and thirsting for worldly things.
   • Sensuality is hungering and thirsting for physical pleasure. 
   • What do you crave more than God -- that is an idol that you need to confess. 
3. We should crave righteousness
   • “Righteousness is fulfillment of the expectations in any relationship, whether with God or other people.” Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel
   • Three dimensions of righteousness
     1. Vertical Righteousness - An external righteousness in which we are declared to be in good standing with God (legal)
     2. Internal Righteousness - A heart that is pure and longs for God's will to be done (moral)
     3. Horizontal Righteousness - When God's will is done on earth among people (social) 
4. If we crave righteousness, we will be "filled"
   • Filled with vertical righteousness means a restored relationship with God (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 8:1)
   • Filled with internal righteousness means we are filled with the Holy Spirit to have our hearts changed from the inside out  (John 16:13)
   • Filled with horizontal righteousness means that God will bring justice and righteousness to peole (Habakkuk 2:14)
5. Applications
   • Recieve vertical righteousness today by trusting in Jesus (1 John 1:9)
   • Grow in internal righteousness by putting to death sinful habits (Colossians 3:5) and thinkinging about what is righteous (Philippians 4:8)
   • Pursue horizontal righteousness by serving the poor and the fatherless (Psalm 82:3) 

Bottomline: Crave righteousness and you will be filled.