Hungering for Righteousness: A Journey to Justice

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we explore the profound concept of righteousness as presented in the Beatitudes, specifically focusing on the phrase, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." This journey begins with a re-examination of the word "righteousness," which often carries connotations of self-righteousness or sanctimoniousness. However, the true essence of righteousness, as Jesus teaches, is deeply intertwined with justice and the pursuit of inner goodness. This is not merely about personal morality but involves a broader societal dimension where justice and righteousness coexist.

Dallas Willard's insights remind us that the quest for a meaningful life has been a central concern throughout history, from ancient philosophers to the prophets of Israel. This quest is about understanding what makes a person truly good or right. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, emphasizes that seeking God's kingdom and His righteousness is paramount. This pursuit is not optional but essential, much like the necessity of air and breath for life. Righteousness, or "dikaiosune" in Greek, is the kingdom of God manifesting within us, transforming our minds and bodies to align with His will.

The narrative of Mr. Williams from the movie "Living" serves as a powerful illustration of this transformation. Initially a lifeless bureaucrat, Mr. Williams undergoes a profound change upon realizing the brevity of life. His journey from a state of living death to one of vibrant life mirrors the spiritual awakening that Jesus offers. This transformation is marked by a newfound hunger and thirst for righteousness, leading him to advocate for justice and bring about positive change in his community.

To embody this righteousness, we are encouraged to approach our daily tasks with excellence and a spirit of service. Whether it's making a bed or engaging in a meeting, doing these tasks well reflects the kingdom of God within us. This mindset shift from self-protection to generosity and service is a step towards becoming truly alive, as Jesus intended.

Key Takeaways:

- Righteousness is not about self-righteousness but a deep, inner goodness that aligns with God's will. It involves both personal character and societal justice, reflecting the kingdom of God within us. [02:31]

- The pursuit of righteousness is essential, akin to the necessity of air and breath. It is about seeking God's kingdom first, allowing His will to transform our lives from the inside out. [05:57]

- The story of Mr. Williams illustrates the transformation from a lifeless existence to a vibrant life filled with purpose and justice. This change is possible when we hunger and thirst for righteousness. [10:09]

- To live righteously, we must approach our daily tasks with excellence and a spirit of service, reflecting God's kingdom in our actions and interactions with others. [13:38]

- Embracing a mindset of generosity and service over self-protection leads to a fuller, more meaningful life, as we become conduits of God's justice and righteousness in the world. [14:04]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:56] - Introduction to Righteousness
- [01:22] - Misconceptions of Righteousness
- [02:31] - Historical Quest for Meaning
- [03:40] - Justice and Righteousness
- [05:08] - True Inner Goodness
- [06:16] - Kingdom Within Us
- [06:44] - Illustration from "Living"
- [08:25] - Mr. Williams' Transformation
- [10:09] - Awakening to Life
- [11:36] - Pursuit of Justice
- [12:35] - Inner Quality of Goodness
- [13:23] - Practical Steps to Righteousness
- [14:25] - Series Information and Engagement
- [15:02] - Prayer Requests and Conclusion

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 5:6 - "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
2. Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
3. John 1:3-4 - "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind."

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Observation Questions:

1. What does the term "righteousness" mean in the context of the Beatitudes, and how does it differ from self-righteousness? [01:22]

2. How does the story of Mr. Williams from the movie "Living" illustrate the transformation that comes from hungering and thirsting for righteousness? [10:09]

3. According to the sermon, what is the relationship between righteousness and justice, and how are they interconnected? [03:40]

4. How does the sermon describe the kingdom of God manifesting within us, and what role does righteousness play in this process? [06:31]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. In what ways does the pursuit of righteousness resemble the necessity of air and breath for life, as described in the sermon? [06:16]

2. How does the transformation of Mr. Williams reflect the spiritual awakening that Jesus offers, and what does this suggest about the nature of true life? [10:09]

3. What does it mean to embody righteousness in our daily tasks, and how does this reflect the kingdom of God within us? [13:38]

4. How does the sermon suggest that a mindset of generosity and service can lead to a fuller, more meaningful life? [14:04]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your understanding of righteousness. How can you shift your perspective from self-righteousness to a pursuit of inner goodness and justice in your life? [01:22]

2. Consider a situation in your life where you feel "lifeless" or stuck. How can you, like Mr. Williams, experience a transformation by hungering and thirsting for righteousness? [10:09]

3. Identify a daily task you often overlook. How can you approach it with excellence and a spirit of service to reflect God's kingdom? [13:38]

4. Think of a recent interaction where you prioritized self-protection over generosity. How can you change your mindset to embrace service and generosity in similar future situations? [14:04]

5. How can you actively seek God's kingdom and His righteousness in your daily life, and what changes might this require in your priorities or actions? [05:57]

6. Reflect on a community issue you care about. How can you advocate for justice in this area, embodying the righteousness that Jesus teaches? [11:03]

7. What practical steps can you take this week to ensure that your actions and interactions align with the kingdom of God within you? [13:38]

Devotional

Day 1: Righteousness as Inner Goodness and Societal Justice
Righteousness is often misunderstood as self-righteousness or sanctimoniousness, but its true essence is a deep, inner goodness that aligns with God's will. This righteousness is not just about personal morality but also involves a broader societal dimension where justice and righteousness coexist. It reflects the kingdom of God within us, transforming our character and actions to mirror His justice and goodness. This understanding calls us to live in a way that embodies both personal integrity and a commitment to societal justice, demonstrating the presence of God's kingdom in our lives. [02:31]

Isaiah 1:17 (ESV): "Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause."

Reflection: In what ways can you actively seek justice in your community today, reflecting God's righteousness in your actions?


Day 2: The Essential Pursuit of God's Kingdom
The pursuit of righteousness is not optional but essential, akin to the necessity of air and breath. Jesus emphasizes the importance of seeking God's kingdom and His righteousness as a primary focus in life. This pursuit involves allowing God's will to transform our lives from the inside out, aligning our thoughts, actions, and desires with His purposes. It is a journey of continuous growth and transformation, where we prioritize God's kingdom above all else, trusting that everything else will fall into place as we do so. [05:57]

Matthew 6:33 (ESV): "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Reflection: What is one specific area of your life where you can prioritize seeking God's kingdom today?


Day 3: Transformation Through Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness
The story of Mr. Williams illustrates the transformation from a lifeless existence to a vibrant life filled with purpose and justice. This change is possible when we hunger and thirst for righteousness, allowing it to lead us to advocate for justice and bring about positive change in our communities. This spiritual awakening is marked by a deep desire to live a life that reflects God's justice and goodness, moving from a state of complacency to one of active engagement in the world around us. [10:09]

Psalm 42:1-2 (ESV): "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God."

Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper hunger and thirst for righteousness in your daily life, leading to transformation and purpose?


Day 4: Excellence and Service in Daily Tasks
To live righteously, we must approach our daily tasks with excellence and a spirit of service, reflecting God's kingdom in our actions and interactions with others. This mindset shift from self-protection to generosity and service is a step towards becoming truly alive, as Jesus intended. By doing our tasks well and with a heart of service, we demonstrate the presence of God's kingdom within us, impacting those around us and bringing glory to God through our everyday actions. [13:38]

Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV): "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

Reflection: What is one daily task you can approach with greater excellence and a spirit of service today?


Day 5: Generosity and Service Over Self-Protection
Embracing a mindset of generosity and service over self-protection leads to a fuller, more meaningful life, as we become conduits of God's justice and righteousness in the world. This shift in perspective allows us to live out the values of God's kingdom, prioritizing the needs of others and seeking to serve rather than be served. By choosing generosity and service, we align ourselves with God's purposes and experience the abundant life that Jesus offers, impacting the world around us in profound ways. [14:04]

Proverbs 11:25 (ESV): "Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered."

Reflection: How can you practice generosity and service in a specific relationship or situation today, moving beyond self-protection?

Quotes


"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." And your first thought might be who in the world would want to do that so we got to talk about this word righteousness it's a very important word particularly in The Sermon on the Mount but um not not well thought today. [00:01:08]

Dallas talks about how the human need to learn how to live what do I do with my life how do I invest it um is quite desperate and it's always desperate it always has been and that in about the middle of the first millennium BC um sustained examination of this question in ancient Greece Plato Socrates Aristotle confucious in China uh the great prophets in Israel gave a quite remarkable attention. [00:02:27]

This book is really a study of the human soul and of the condition in which the soul must be in order for human beings to live well and manage to do what is right the condition required is called precisely de sun in the Republic this is exactly the term that Jesus centers on in his Ser on the mount. [00:03:13]

There will not be Justice in a society if there are not P persons of good character and on the other hand persons of good character will always be working for justice in the society around us so this word also involves the liberation of humanity from oppression and the appropriate care for God's creation. [00:04:32]

Above All Else seek first the kingdom of God and his deun his righteousness or Justice and those are two elements that cannot be ordered all a cart they go together it would be something like saying seek first if you want to be alive air and breath because very hard to look for breath without looking for air. [00:05:48]

Righteousness to kayaune is just the kingdom that has gotten inside of you the kingdom is where God's will is to be done and that starts in my mind and in my body that's the relationship of his kingdom and his kingdom within righteousness and I want to give you a picture of this so that you understand how much you actually wanted. [00:06:24]

The movie begins when this lifeless bureaucrat Mr Williams is in an office and three women that bring in a petition to have this uh toxic horrible Refuge filled bombed out area in their neighborhood turned into a playground for children and Mr Williams says to them your petition is very well presented and laid out but it must be taken to Parks and Recreation on the third floor. [00:07:36]

He ends up having a conversation with a young woman that he used to work with that he runs into and she is filled with life and he is drawn to her uh and it's not really a romantic Pursuit it's it's that she has such a joy the V or however you say that that he thinks maybe I could learn to live from her. [00:09:04]

To live a life of sin to not be connected to meaning and to God is to be in a kind of living death and there were all these statements about Jesus uh he says I have come that you might have life and he uses this word Zoe not just bios not just biological life Mr Williams Mr zombie has that but to truly come to life. [00:09:56]

Today hunger and thirst for righteousness and begin to be fill build and here's how you do it the very next task you have to do do it really well be a kingdom bringer walk briskly wherever you go and walk briskly if you have to make the bed make the bed really well if you're in a meeting listen to people really well. [00:13:26]

I want to be the kind of person who would say yes what would someone who want to say yes do in this situation be that one Mr zombie M zombie come to life today that is deaun that is righteousness and Justice be a righteous babe make it a golden rule day. [00:14:02]

If you want to help us spread the word about become new the best way to do it is just to watch like and comment each video that we put out so we would love to hear your thoughts if you want to chime in in the comments that would help us and we'd love to engage with you there. [00:14:47]

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Transcript
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