Last week we discussed the first Beatitude of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In that Beatitude we discovered that the true Christian recognizes above all else their need for God. The true Christian is humble and aware of their own failings and sin. This very thing leads to the next Beatitude. The true Christian who is aware of his or her own failings will undoubtedly be brought to a place of sorrow over the state of sin in their life.
Perhaps this blessing in particular sounds a little confusing to you. Why in the world does Jesus call people that mourn blessed? Mourning is deep sorrow or sadness over something. How can someone who is mourning be blessed? Certainly, you don’t feel blessed when you are very sad.
At surface level it may be really easy to suggest that Jesus simply meant that people that live sad lives on this earth will one day be blessed and comforted when they leave this earth and enter heaven. But while there is truth to this statement, Jesus means something much deeper. Jesus is speaking of those who are sorrowful over a specific thing. Perhaps the best example of what Jesus meant is seen in the life of Jesus Himself.
One of the most famous verses in Scripture is John 11:35 Jesus wept. There are many various ideas out there as to what Jesus is actually weeping about, but He is certainly not weeping about Lazarus being dead. Jesus is about to raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus knows Lazarus’ death sentence is almost over. There is no reason for sorrow at his dead state. No, Jesus is sorrowful because the people did not believe. Jesus is sorrowful over the state of people’s minds. He is sorrowful that they do not believe in Him and in the power of God to resurrect Lazarus. He is sorrowful that their own sin is what has led them to this place of unbelief. Therefore, He is sorrowful about their sinful state. Jesus was a mourner. This is not the only time in Scripture that Jesus weeps or is in great sorrow over the sinful state of the world. If we are to be like our Lord and master, we must remember that Jesus was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.
Should not the things that grieve our Master Jesus not grieve us too? The mourner that Jesus speaks of is the person who mourns over sin. There are two specific aspects of sin that lead the Christian to sorrow: The truly Christian person is one who recognizes the terrible effects of sin upon his or her soul. Above anything else a Christian must be sorrowful over their own sin. If our sin doesn’t disturb us we may not be near enough to God.
The closer we grow to God the more grotesque all sin appears to be in our eyes. If something truly brings us sorrow we do well to forget about it, cast it out of our life, and the same is true of sin. The person that mourns over their sin will repent of their sin.
2 Corinthians 7:9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death
A prime example of this sorrow that leads to repentance is the story of David, the king. (2 Samuel 12) When confronted with his own sin by Nathan the prophet David immediately felt sorrow over his own sinful actions and repented before the Lord. The truly Christian person is one who recognizes the terrible effects of sin upon the world.
But one day this world will no longer be. It will be replaced with a new one, a better one: a new heaven! (Revelation 21)
Revelation 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
Comfort comes in knowing our sins are forgiven. Comfort comes in knowing we have repented of our sins. Comfort also comes when we exit this world and enter a new one where sin and its consequences are no more.
