Text:             LUKE 6:21

By:                Adeoye, Emmanuel (Evang.)

Download Lesson

Poverty, Hunger, Sadness, Persecution, Isolation Being Falsely Accused Seemingly A Recipe For DESPONDENCY.  Yet Such Has Been The Lot Of The Faithful Who Sought The Lord And Not Merely Popular Religion.

If These Condition Arise Out Of Faithfulness To Christ They Are Cause For Rejoicing (1 Peter 3:14).

DESPONDENCY

Despondency is a state of deep sadness, low spirits, and loss of hope or courage, often stemming from difficulties where one feels unable to overcome, like job loss, failure, or major disappointment, leading to feelings of hopelessness and dejection. It’s a profound unhappiness, a gloomy emotional state similar to depression, where enthusiasm and confidence are gone, leaving a person feeling utterly downcast and without motivation. 

KEY CHARACTERISTICS:

HOPELESSNESS: A fundamental belief that things won’t get better.

SADNESS/GLOOM: Intense unhappiness, sorrow, and melancholy.

DISCOURAGEMENT: A severe lack of motivation or confidence.

DEJECTION: A feeling of being cast down or in low spirits.

The Sermon on the Mount applies to life today and describes the kind of godly character we should have as believers in this world. Certainly our Lord describes a life situation quite unlike that of The glorious kingdom, including hunger, tears, persecution, and false teachers.

 What Jesus did was to focus on attitudes: our attitude toward circumstances (Luke 6:20-26), people (Luke 6:27-38), ourselves (Luke 6:39-45), and God (Luke 6:46-49).

HE EMPHASIZED FOUR ESSENTIALS FOR TRUE HAPPINESS:

1. FAITH IN GOD,
2. LOVE TOWARD OTHERS,
3. HONESTY WITH OURSELVES,
4. OBEDIENCE TOWARD GOD.

 SERMON ON THE PLAIN, PRONOUNCES A BLESSING ON THOSE WHO ARE HUNGRY NOW BECAUSE THEY WILL BE FILLED. This verse is understood to have both a literal and a spiritual meaning, referring to those with physical hunger and those who long for God and righteousness. The blessing is a present one, though the full satisfaction is a future promise of God’s kingdom where all needs are met.

LUKE 6:21 means that those who are currently suffering physical hunger and hardship are blessed because they will be spiritually and physically satisfied in God’s kingdom. The verse can be interpreted as referring to both literal hunger and the deeper spiritual hunger for righteousness, and the weeping now is for a future of laughter and joy in the Lord. Ultimately, it offers comfort to the oppressed, pointing to a future where their present suffering will be replaced by future fulfilment.

PRESENT HARDSHIP FOR FUTURE BLESSING:

The verse offers comfort and hope to those suffering now, such as the poor, the hungry, and those who weep. It suggests that their current difficulties are not without purpose, as they point to a future of profound satisfaction and joy.

PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL HUNGER:

While Matthew’s version of the Beatitudes specifically mentions “hunger and thirst for righteousness,” Luke’s version, which begins with physical hunger, is also understood to include spiritual hunger. It suggests that those who experience physical need may have a deeper understanding of their spiritual needs.

1. The soul doth clearly apprehend and is thoroughly convinced that it hath need of a righteousness to enable it to stand before the holy and righteous God. That is the first thing that raises this hunger and thirst.
2. The soul comes to be convinced of the insufficiency and imperfection of its own righteousness.
3. The soul comes to see that there is another righteousness beyond its own.
4. The soul likewise must be enlightened in the way of the gospel’s making over this righteousness to the creature. Then mark how the soul puts forth itself in the hungering and thirsting after this righteousness. 

PHYSICAL NEED:

Jesus was addressing a reality for many in his time, who often missed meals due to poverty or to follow him.

PRESENT BLESSING:

The blessing is immediate, occurring even in their current state of hunger.

FUTURE FULFILLMENT:

The promise of being filled points to the ultimate satisfaction and provision found in God’s kingdom.

SPIRITUAL HUNGER

LONGING FOR GOD: This refers to a deep, spiritual longing for a relationship with God and for righteousness, which is often more profound than physical hunger.

THE “STRONGEST” HUNGER: The Greek word for hunger is one that implies a desperate need, like a starving person who cannot function until they eat.

PRESENT AND FUTURE SATISFACTION: This hunger is satisfied now through Christ, who is the “Bread of Life,” and will be completely fulfilled in the future at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

THE PROMISE OF SATISFACTION AND JOY:

The promise that those who are hungry will be satisfied and those who weep will laugh is a guarantee of God’s future provision. This fulfilment will be both physical and spiritual, culminating in the new kingdom and the joy found in God’s presence.

A FOCUS ON THE FUTURE:

The “now” in the verse refers to the present suffering, while the satisfaction and laughter are promised for the “then”—the future consummation of God’s kingdom.

This encourages believers to remain hopeful and faithful, even in difficult circumstances.

Jesus was preaching to His disciples as well as to the multitudes for even the Twelve had to unlearn many things before they could effectively serve Him. Furthermore, they had left everything to follow Jesus and no doubt were asking themselves, “What is in store for us?” The Lord explained in this sermon that the truly blessed life comes not from getting, or from doing, but from being. THE EMPHASIS IS ON GODLIKE CHARACTER.

TIMES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS PROMISED TO THE CHURCH

FIRST, We shall open what this righteousness of Jesus Christ is which the saints do hunger and thirst after.

 SECONDLY, We shall show what their hunger and thirst is; the working of their hearts in their hungering and thirsting after this righteousness.

THIRDLY, What a desirable object this righteousness is; what there is in this righteousness that makes the saints so desire after it.

FOURTHLY, Those that do thus desire after it are blessed. They are blessed for the present.

Fifthly, That they certainly shall be filled with this righteousness. 

CONCLUSION

HUNGER-A SIGN OF HEALTH:

It is a good sign of a thriving Christian; not only of a living Christian, but of a thriving Christian. As you find it by experience in the body, when a man or woman begins to have a good appetite to their meat, to be hungry.

HYMN – BY MORGAN WILLIAMS, “IT WONT BE VERY LONG”

Download Lesson