Introduction:
In Ecclesiastes 3:1, the Bible says: There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. And one of those seasons that this passage focuses on that I want to discuss today is found in verse 4. A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
We have been looking at the Beatitudes the past five weeks, and today we come to one of the Beatitudes that tells us, “Blessed are those who mourn.” There are times when the right thing to do is mourn.
But, do you realize that we live in a world that does not want us to mourn? Let me show you what I mean. Each day we are to wake up and are supposed to drink milk from Happy California Cows. We go to work, it’s lunchtime, and we decide to stop at McDonald’s to pick up a Happy Meal. We get an afternoon break, so you start to read your Facebook post. And posted across your smartphone screen is happy Facebook emojis everywhere. You get home from work, and you realize your floor is dirty and you pull out your Hoover Vacuum cleaner because you remember their ad “You’ll be happier with a Hoover.” I sit down after that my vacuuming and pop open a Coca Cola to drink because, according to its commercial, I just opened happinesses. I look at my daily planner as I am drinking my coke and realize I got to plan for my child’s Happy Birthday party, and since it is so close to Easter, I got to get the dye, Easter baskets, candy so my child can have a Happy Easter.
The world preaches happy, happy, and happy; the Bible says wait a minute there are sometimes you need to mourn. And so this morning, I want to share with those times we ought to mourn.
Let’s begin by reading our Scripture.
Scripture
Matthew 5:2-11 (NKJV)
2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
Point #1
DON’T LET THE WORLD CHOKE OUT MOURNING BECAUSE MOURNING IS THE NATURAL PROGRESSION OF BEING POOR IN SPIRIT. WHEN I REALIZE THAT MY PERSONAL SIN HAS HURT GOD, MYSELF, OR SOMEONE I LOVE, MOURNING SHOULD BE THE NATURAL OUTCOME.
If being poor in spirit is the right attitude to have. And we said last Sunday; we need that for our life. Then that attitude says that I am spiritually bankrupt without God, I need you God, for everything, becomes the driving force for exhibiting my emotion of mourning. In other words, people who are poor in spirit, mourn.
If I get unbroken in my sin, then I will begin to mourn or grieve over that reality that my sin has hurt God, possibly myself, and maybe someone I love dearly. And what does God do? His presence is made more real in my life than ever.
There is a story in the Old Testament about Nathan the prophet confronting King David about his sin in 2 Samuel 12. And we are told as the story progresses that as a result of his sin, David is told by the prophet Nathan that David’s young son is going to die. That moment David, King David with all His power as king, realizes that he is poor in spirit, spiritually bankruptcy without God, and recognizes the trouble that his sin has caused and begins to mourn. He pleaded with God for his child; he fasted and laid himself upon the bare earth as a sign of mourning. We know sadly the story ending with his son dying. But that is not the end; God’s presence was made more real in David’s life. David tells his servant, my son may not return to me, but I will go to Him. That’s comfort. God has just comforted him.
But, let me ask you when was the last time you knew what you did hurt God, yourself, or someone you love, and it moved you to mourn? There is that season to mourn over your personal sin, but the world says get over it and be happy.
Point #2
DON’T LET OUR NATION CHOKE OUT MOURNING BY FLYING THE FLAG OF PATRIOTISM AND TELLING US OUR NATION IS STRONG BECAUSE IF OUR NATION IS DOING WRONG AND MOVING AWAY FROM GOD, YOU AND I NEED TO MOURN OVER ITS ACTIONS.
I love America. The greatest nation in the world. Anne and I feel blessed to live in America. But let’s take an honest look. For those of us in our 60’s, these are the things that our nation has done to move away from God.
On June 25, 1962, they took prayer out of school.
In 1971, in the legal case of Lemon vs. Kurtzman, the teaching of the Bible in public school was struck down.
In January 1973, Abortion became legal.
In 1980 The Supreme Court struck down a Kentucky statute that has mandated every public school classroom in Kentucky have the Ten Commandments.
On June 28, 2005, the Supreme Court struck down the display of the Ten Commandments in Courthouses.
On July 7, 2008, The Us Supreme Court rued that saying of public prayer before a football game was a violation of the separation of church and state. And that ended prayer for the safety of our athletics.
In 2016, the Supreme Court ruled you can only have a public nativity scene only if it does not mean anything. And what they were saying if you can equate Santa Claus and Christ as just a part of the Celebration of Christmas and not a religious symbol, then it would be acceptable.
On June 25, 2015, The Supreme Court declared that Same-Sex Marriage is legal in all 50 states.
Now let’s go back to today’s Scripture. “Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.” Now on February 2, 2020, those things I mentioned are still the way of the land. So, I can say that in all honesty that I have not been comforted. Did God let us down? Absolutely not. The problem is not God; the problem is us. I have not mourned over these things, and we as the Church of Jesus Christ have not mourned over these things. And until we do, more and more things of God are going to be taken away, and we are not going to be comforted as things get tighter and tighter for Christians.
Jesus made the same kind of offer to the Jews of the Old Testament. It is a well-quoted verse.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)
14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Our nation says be happy we are still the greatest place in the world; Jesus says mourn, and you can return to the greatest you once had in My eyes.
Let’s be honest; there are not enough tears in our pulpit; there are not enough tears in our prayers, and there are not enough tear stains at our altar.
Point #3
DON’T LET APATHY FOR THE CONDITION OF THE SOULS OF OTHERS KEEP US FROM MOURNING THAT GOD MIGHT GET A HOLD OF THEIR LIFE AND CHANGE THEM.
In Luke 6 verse 25, the Bible says, Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep.
What God through Luke is saying that there are people maybe in your family or some of your friends or possibly acquaintances that think this life is one big party. And they deny the need to have God in their life. They are going to laugh now, but they will mourn and weep through eternity.
If you love them like you say you do, you would mourn and weep for them now that they can have joy eternal.
Our apathy says, be happy that we know Christ. Jesus says, mourn because they do not know me.
Point #4
DON’T LET BEING A MEMBER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST, FOOL YOU INTO THINKING THAT ALL IS WELL IN THE BODY OF CHRIST. IF YOU SEE THINGS THAT ARE WRONG OR HEAR OF THINGS THAT ARE WRONG, MOURN FOR THE CHURCH.
Many denominations are being torn apart over the issue of homosexuality. We ought to mourn over the body of Christ.
We ought to mourn that some churches are about building empires and not building the body of Christ. We ought to mourn over those who preach more about money than about salvation through Jesus Christ.
We ought to mourn that good old fashion preaching has given way to preaching that tickle our ears.
The church may say be happy all is well. But Jesus says mourn because my church has departed from my teachings.
CONCLUSION:
Let me leave you with some good news. If you mourn for these things, you are with pretty good company.
Moses comes down from the mountain and smashes the Ten Commandments when he sees the Golden Calf. Joshua tears his clothes and falls on his face as a result of the sin of Achan in the camp. Eli falls over backward, breaks his neck, after hearing the Philistines have seized the Ark of the Covenant. Samuel cries all night to the Lord over the disobedience for Saul. Jeremiah, the weeping prophet was weeping over the sin of the nation. Jesus wept over Jerusalem. And wouldn’t it be great if your name was added right after that?
Let us pray!
