HAPPY ARE THOSE THAT ARE SAD!
Scripture reading: Matt. 4:23 - 5:16.
Text: Matt. 5:4.
I propose to:
I. Examine the setting of this verse: in a general way as part of the Sermon on the Mount, and more specifically as one of the Beatitudes.
II. Prove that this mourning is of a specific kind, i.e. "godly sorrow."
Then my two main points will be:
I. The true Christian is characterised by godly sorrow
II. True joy can only come as an accompaniment to godly sorrow.
I. INTRODUCTION
1. Make a few remarks about the sermon generally.
a. The longest recorded continuous discourse of our Lord.
The greatest single sermon of all time.
b. Remember Who is speaking--the Lord of Glory, the King of kings; the Eternal Word of God, the only begotten of the Father, the one who spake like no other man ever spake. "Thou hast the words of eternal life."
c. This sermon emphasises the inwardness and spirituality of the law, which had degenerated into mere outward observances. "The law is spiritual" Rom. 7:14.
Hatred = murder
Lust = adultery
Sin is a state of heart before it is an action. You can sin without lifting a finger.
2. Make a few remarks about the Beatitudes to give the context.
a. They are CHARACTERISTICS of true Christians.
Poor in spirit; mourning; meekness (power under control); hunger after righteousness; merciful; purity of heart (intention--do all to the glory of God); peacemakers.
Every true Christian is characterised by these things. He does not exhibit ALL of these ALL of the time, but they are found in the summing up of his character.
Do we have these characteristics?
b. There are seven of them--the perfect number! (Persecution, the eighth, is a RESULT, not a characteristic.)
c. Again, emphasis is on their INWARD nature.
d. They are progressive. No time to develop this, but check it out at home.
Jesus did not put these things together haphazardly.
3. This teaching is totally revolutionary--totally opposite to the mentality of the generality of mankind.
Blessed are the poor, the mourners, the meek, the hungry. The world says "Blessed are the rich, the jolly, the self-confident, the self-assertive, the self-satisfied."
"Have a good self-image."
"Believe in yourself."
"Put yourself forward."
"Survival of the fittest."
The world admires and is envious of a self-made man.
Christ pronounces His blessing on the opposite attitude--recognition of our poverty, our lack of righteousness, our sinfulness before God, etc.
His blessings are for those who know themselves to be weak, helpless beggars; those who know themselves to be at the bottom of the pile.
This verse is not just revolutionary but a complete PARADOX.
"Blessed are they that mourn."
"Happy are they that are sad."
II. PROVE THAT THIS IS GODLY SORROW.
Everything I say from hereon depends on this.
1. Because of the immediate context--"Blessed are the poor in spirit."
Spiritual poverty, beggars in spirit.
(Do you resent being called a spiritual beggar?)
This is a WORK OF THE SPIRIT.
There is logical order (spiritual order) here.
Those who see their poverty of spirit necessarily mourn over it.
2. Because no other sorrow brings blessedness.
There are three types of sorrow:
(a) Natural sorrow--the death of a loved one or friend, partings, disappointments. This has the sting of death, no amelioration, no blessedness, no joy.
(b) Worldly sorrow; regret over some wrong action or choice, but not toward God--e.g. Esau or Judas. We sorrow over sin or wrong, but NOT because it is an offense to God. This kind of sorrow brings death.
(c) Godly sorrow--for sin because it has offended God and slighted His holiness. "Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice." Only God’s breakings bring rejoicing--no other.
Only Godly sorrow brings blessing, life, and, joy.
More proof could perhaps be deduced; this will do for us.
Now my two main points:
I. THE TRUE CHRISTIAN IS CHARACTERISED BY GODLY SORROW
Remember, all these beatitudes are characteristics of Christians.
Jesus has announced the Kingdom. He is now describing the subjects.
Look first of all at v.3 "poor in spirit."
No one is a Christian who is not poor in spirit.
You cannot get into the Kingdom except through absolute & abject poverty.
"Nothing in my hand I bring."
No righteousness, no merit, "in my flesh dwelleth no good thing."
If you are not poor in spirit you are not a Christian!
It is simply impossible.
You cannot drive from Scotland to Wales without going through England; so you cannot become a Christian without poverty of spirit.
"Woe is me, for I am undone; I am a man of unclean lips."
These two verses go together, one follows the other in spiritual sequence.
Now look at v4.
Blessed are they that mourn
We have already seen that this can be no other than godly sorrow.
As with v3, you cannot be a Christian without knowing godly sorrow.
It is simply impossible.
They are like ingredients. You cannot make bread without flour. You cannot make concrete without cement. So you cannot be a Christian without this ingredient.
1. First of all (obviously) he mourns his past sins.
I sometimes blush at things said and done in my unregenerate state.
2. He mourns his present sinfulness, weakness, and folly.
Are you in the habit of self-examination?
"So let a man examine himself..." We do this weekly.
But should we not do it more often--daily.
3. He mourns the wickedness he sees all around him. Ezek. 9:4.
We see what others do not see. We see the effects of sin all around--and we know why.
The man of the world ignores it, tries to "look on the bright side."
There is no bright side without Christ!
Not kill-joys, but realists.
Does it grieve you to see friends, relatives, etc. not loving God? Sinning?
4. He follows Christ’s example--a "man of sorrows and acquainted with grief."
There is no record of him ever laughing.
Not that He was morbid.
He sweat drops of blood in agony for your sin; He wept, suffered, and died for your sin and mine. Have you spent ONE HOUR weeping over your sin?
"He began to be sorrowful and very heavy."
II. TRUE HAPPINESS CAN ONLY COME WITH GODLY SORROW
This is a LAW of life which you defy to your own loss.
Laws in the natural world--gravity.
Laws in the spiritual world--sowing and reaping.
This is a fixed law.
This is the paradox of the Christian life: only the truly sorrowful can be truly happy.
Look at the word "blessed."
Greek = makarios--happy.
hap = chance, good luck, and so haply, hapless, happily, happiness.
All these beatitudes should be "happy are...."
Jesus thus elevates happiness to a high and holy plane.
Don’t like "happiness" of today--its associations: frivolity, FUN, etc.
Other uses of makarios: John 13:17; John 20:29; Titus 2:13 "happy hope."
Characteristic of God--1 Tim. 1:11 "the happy God;"
This is REAL happiness, as opposed to the terribly degraded idea of happiness that is current today.
i.e. happiness can come through money, possessions, romance.
Christians should not fall into this trap.
All these things are legitimate, but cannot produce REAL happiness without holiness.
Holiness is the ONLY way to happiness.
The world seeks happiness by evading reality and having "fun."
But FUN not based on godliness always has a hangover when it’s all finished.
God never sanctions seeking happiness for its own sake.
Jesus curses it: "Woe unto you that laugh now...." Luke 6:25
Happiness is never an end in itself--only comes as a by-product--comes to those who do not seek it.
This again is the paradox--only those are truly happy who have not sought to be happy.
Are you seeking happiness tonight? Forget it. Seek holiness. Ask God for true godly sorrow.
"For they shall be comforted."
Godly sorrow brings godly comfort.
Only those who have faced the worst about themselves know what it is to be comforted of God.
Only he who cries "Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me?" can cry "I thank God, through Jesus Christ."
1. The comfort of the Gospel. "Jesus died for me."
Only he who sees his sinnership knows the sweetness of forgiveness.
What can be compared to this?
See Isa. 61:3.
2. The comfort of the indwelling Spirit "I will send another Comforter."
3. The comfort of the Word of God--the promises.
The promises are only to "mourners in Zion."
4. The comfort hereafter--"enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
Unspeakable bliss for ever.
We either have our good time now, and misery hereafter ("ye shall mourn and weep), or vice versa. Remember what Abraham said to the rich man in hades, Luke 16:25.
What about you?
Are you among that company of mourners in Zion tonight?
Do you know what godly sorrow is?
Does it characterise your life?
Are you following the "man of sorrows?"
Or are you looking for happiness?
"Blessed are they--AND ONLY THEY--that mourn, for they--AND ONLY THEY--shall be comforted." Amen. Let us pray.
