Blessed are Those Who Mourn
TEXT: Mat 5:4
INTRODUCTION
· Read book recently; author said Xns too busy - learning & doing
Õ BS, Conf, Tapes, Books, doing this & that
Õ Overlook developing Xn Character
· What J was talking ab in the Beatitudes
Õ "Being" rather than "doing"
Õ Conduct flows out of character
· Each one starts w/ "blessed"
Õ Internal joy not based on circumstances
I. BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO MOURN
A. Paradox – Ever met anyone in mourning who felt blessed?
1. How does blessed go together w/ joy & mourning/sorrow?
2. We do all we can to avoid sorrow & pain
a. Called a masochist if you desire it or enjoy it
B. What is Jesus saying?
1. Keep it in context
a. Vs 3: "Blessed are poor in spirit"
b. "...recognize & admit their spir pov/sinfulness B4 a holy God"
2. "Blessed are those who mourn/are sorrowful for their sin"
3. Jesus talking about our response to our sin
C. A number of ways we can respond to our sin
1. Rationalization (talked about last time as a barrier)
a. Twist things around in our minds so it’s OK
(IL) Brenda, w/out good reason divorced husband, then began l living w/ another guy. Tried to tell me how God had brought them together. She not only rationalized her sin, but tried to give God the credit for it
2. Make excuses/blame others
a. Adam blamed Eve & Eve blamed the serpent
b. Excuses/blame without accepting responsibility & admitting sin
3. Deny it
a. Pharisees - allowed religious teaching & tradition to be more important than Word of God
b. Us: allow our ideas, society, religious tradition to determine sin rather than the Word of God, which needs to be our authority
and standard
c. Someone – “People do not reject the Bible because it
contradicts itself, but because it contradicts them.”
4. Admit it & try to change ourselves
a. New Year’s Resolutions, Self-Improvement books & programs
5. Laugh about it
a. Laugh about what they did when they were drunk
b. Make light of the way their revenge or selfishness hurt another
6. Despair over it
a. Judas betrayed J, saw J was condemned, went & committed suicide
7. Mourn over it
a. Peter denied Jesus 3 times
b. When convicted went out & wept bitterly. In pain/sorrow cause of his sin, repented, forgiven, put it behind him
c. Became leader of Jerusalem church
D. Needs to be the right kind of sorrow (3 kinds)
1. Sorrow of life - experienced by Q1
a. Death of loved one, separation, loneliness, discouragement, disappointment, problems & trials of life
2. Selfish sorrow
a. Sorry for yourself because don’t get what you want
b. Kind of an immature self-pity
c. Leads to pouting, anger, manipulating others
3. Godly sorrow
a. Sorrow for sin that leads to repentance
b. II Cor 7:10 - "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation & leaves no regret..."
c. Repent: "to change one’s mind"
d. Godly sorrow causes a person to change their mind about sin & that changing of mind leads to salv in JC
e. Rather than continuing in sin, they come to G for 4giveness, and quit practicing the sin
(IL) The Prodigal Son
"Father, I have sinned ag heaven & ag you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your servants."
Had a change of mind ab his life of rebellion & went back home
4. In his book I Surrender, Patrick Morley writes that the church’s
integrity problem is in the misconception "that we can add Christ
to our lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief
without a change in behavior."
a. Godly sorrow not only adds Christ to our lives, but subtracts sin
b. Building Christian character
c. Conduct flows out of our character
II. "...FOR THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED."
A. "Comfort" in Gr - "to call alongside"
1. When our response to sin is godly sorrow, G’s response to us is to come to our side
2. Doesn’t leave us to flounder in our grief, but He comes alongside with His presence, His love, & His forgiveness
(IL) Been in Army ab a yr and sponsored a Ch & fam at FSGA, got along well, went out together, we went to HI, they came to Pirmasens, he was killed in auto accident, left w/ 3 kids, peo responded differently to her:
1. Didn’t know what to say so they stayed away
2. Quote Scripture
3. Tell her she’d get over it, it just took time
4. Most helpful: Come to her, maybe give her hug, and say "We love you & we’re praying for you."
a. No magic words, no great cg tech, not even quoting a Scripture verse, just someone coming to her side in love
C. That’s what God does
1. We mourn because of our sin & have godly sorrow
2. God comes alongside & comforts us w/ His love
3. Says, "That’s OK. I love you. I’ve taken your sin away and forgotten about it."
CONCLUSION
· What is your typical response to your sin?
· Do you respond w/ godly sorrow that brings repentance?
