“The Resistance” Beatitudes Bible Study – Lesson 4

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Matthew 5:6

“The Resistance” Beatitudes Bible Study Lesson 4: Priority and Passion

We began this Beatitudes Bible study series with an acknowledgement of our weakness in a specific area.  This acknowledgement is a critical first step for growth to occur.  However, it is not enough to just be aware of weakness, we have to be willing to act.  The want must become strong enough to do something about it.  This week we address our motivation and intended outcome of our objective using an illustration of a boat. 

Hunger and thirst are to crave and seek with an eager desire.  This describes what produces our passion, it generates locomotion similar to using an oar to paddle a boat.

Righteousness is a condition acceptable to God, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting.  This gives us direction for the utilization of locomotion, in other words it is our rudder and it is how we steer.  Jesus modeled righteousness for us and how we are to seek, rightly.

Satisfied (filled) is to supply in abundance, to fulfill the desire of; the reason for the journey.  Knowing where we are going is key to making the journey and effort all the more worthwhile.  It puts current events in better perspective when we look at them regardless of the circumstances.

An easy exercise to demonstrate what may be a priority for us, is to imagine one-by-one, certain areas of your life are removed until you only have one area left for the rest of your life to focus on.  Spend some time thinking about this going into our homework for this week.

Application

As leaders, this verse addresses the oars and rudders on our boats.  It is what drives you and also gives you direction in life.  Being a human creature, we are going to hunger and thirst for something.  This passion will dictate our priorities, sacrifices and investments in life and will ultimately be what leaves us feeling empty or satisfied at the end of the day whether we have success or failure.

At times obedience is similar to the drudgery of rowing a boat, the daily grind.  The dry seasons.  The desert.  These are the very circumstances that we are to seek God during.  At some point, we have to allow God room to operate and convert our oars of mere obedience to sails of passion for God’s righteousness to lead us through these weak areas.

For us to develop a proper passion, we have to acknowledge what we are thirsting for and be willing to exchange it for seeking what God has for us.  And for that to happen, we have to ask some serious questions and identify some actions that may generate some pain and discomfort, even nausea…

Character in Action

Read and memorize Matthew 6:33 and Luke 12:34 and answer the following questions.

• Practice the previously mentioned exercise by listing areas of your life that would be removed.  What would be the first area you would be willing to give up? (Least important)
• What would be the last area you would be willing to lose? (Most important)
• Does your life currently reflect these priorities?  If not, what needs to happen?

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, we know that Your ways are not our ways and that You are greater than we are.  You do not have a beginning nor an end.  Please forgive us for the amount of time and energy we dedicate to activities that do not build up Your kingdom here on earth.  We are thankful that You know all things and know what is best for us.  Please help us become more like Your Son Jesus and seek You with earnest!  In Your Son’s holy name, Amen.

For more information or to purchase “The Resistance” by Josh Staton to use as a Beatitudes Bible study, or curriculum for a Sunday school class, please visit:

The Resistance: Becoming A Servant Leader Through the Beatitudes Book

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Did you miss the other lessons? Click see the entire Resistance: Becoming a Servant Leader through the Beatitudes Biblical Leadership Series.