Blessed are those who hunger and thirst

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

Substitute the word "righteousness" for just about anything else … is the answer (they will be filled) the same?

Power / fame / influence / wealth / health

Answer this question:

I am hungry and thirsty for a world where ____________

Righteousness defined -  about 1200 times in scripture (restorative justice) … 

Righteousness is when God restores everything that was shattered when sin entered the world and pieces it back together

• Sin destroyed not only how we relate to God … but also each other and creation itself … it's relational

• Relational breakdown is at the root of every symptom of injustice that we see around us … it's our reality, but the restoration has been underway ever since Jesus appearance

It is a struggle though … between our own version and the righteousness of God

Your own …

"within the character of (what you claim) and where it matches what you do

If you identify as a follower of Jesus … righteousness is what you claim (belief, internal) vs what you do (actions, external)

Matthew 6:1-18

Read this Lectio style

• 1st reading … listen for a word or phrase that stands out to you
• 2nd reading … what is it about that word or phrase that is calling to you
• 3rd reading … what is it calling you to do

Bringing in harmony what we claim with what we do: (restoration/redemption)

Blessed (it is well with) those who hunger and thirst for

Righteousness of God

"within the character of God and where it matches what he has done (and is doing in the person of Jesus)"

Only in the pursuit of that will we be filled … not in our own self centered pursuits

In the "public sector"

 examples of social injustice and brokenness, how do we step into those? … with everyday practices?

Racial brokenness  … who do we know, whose stories are we listening to?

Economic … Where/how do we shop?  What do we buy, where does it come from?

Environmental … how do we care for, (clean water)

Remember: "righteousness" is a relational word … and it describes the relationship between He and his creation.  It is a broken relationship that he is seeking to redeem … and his method of redemption flows through us … not in heroic feats necessarily, but also in everyday practices:

Obstacles to the pursuit of righteousness:

We can always find someone else (the faceless "they") to blame

We tend to believe the lie "what can I do, I am only _____________ or what can we (Common Table) do, we are only"

Our mission is to join in his redemptive and restorative plan … the righteousness of God

 

Kingdom Practices

    1. Holding brokenness before God every day this week, will you join us in holding injustice before God? You may choose to hold the specific brokenness you identified before God each day, or perhaps as you see injustice around you, you will hold it before God as you move about your day. Pray for justice, and listen to God. Is he inviting you to join him in any way?  Find those organizations in your neighborhood or in your social media feed … pray for their efforts

    2.   I am hungry for a world… so I will… How can you join God in bringing righteousness to the relationships around you in tangible ways this week? Where do you see brokenness and how can you begin to bring or influence healing?

    3. Connect with an organization committed to bringing justice. There are organizations all over Seattle making a difference in the areas of our hunger and thirst for righteousness. Spend some time researching these organizations and find a way to join them this week.