The Beautitudes - Continued Series

I. Introduction

A. A guy walking in the desert desperately needed a drink. As he followed the dunes, he came upon another man riding a camel. He asked the man if he had something to drink. The man on the camel said "No, but if you like, I have a nice selection of ties. Would you like to buy one?" "No!" The first man replied. "Are you crazy? I need something to drink, not a tie!" So the man on the camel rode on, and the walking man continued his slow and very thirsty trek for several days. Finally he came upon a cantina. He gratefully approached the doorman at the cantina and said, "I'm so glad I made it! Can I get in and get some water?" The doorman frowned at him. "Not without a tie."

1. The outline for this message was taken from “The Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible,” from Leadership Ministies Worldwide

B. As we started out last week we said that it is seldom in history so few words been spoken with so much meaning.

1. The Beatitudes of our Lord are powerful, holding before the world a descriptive picture of the true disciple of God.

2. The Beatitudes cover the glorious hope and reward the believer can expect, now as well as in eternity.

a. Lets make our outline as follows

(1) Jesus saw multitudes (v.1-2).

(a) Which we have already covered

(2) The poor in spirit: shall be given the Kingdom of Heaven (v.3).

(3) Those who mourn: shall be comforted (v.4).

(4) The meek: shall inherit the earth (v.5).

(5) Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness: shall be filled (v.6).

(6) The merciful: shall obtain mercy (v.7).

(7) The pure in heart: shall see God (v.8).

(8) The peacemakers: shall be called the children of God (v.9).

(9) The persecuted: shall be given the Kingdom of Heaven (v.10-12).

(a) Lets turn to Matthew 5:4

II. Body

A. Those who mourn: shall be comforted

Matthew 5:4 (NKJV)

Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.

1. Mourn means to have a broken heart.

2. The Greek here is the strongest word possible for mourning

a. It is like the deep mourning and wailing that occurs over the death of a loved one

b. It is sorrow, a desperate, helpless sorrow

c. It is a sorrow for sin, a broken heart over evil and suffering

d. It is a brokenness of self that comes from seeing Christ on the cross and realizing that our sins put Him there

3. But, lets talk about things

a. Who is it that mourns?

(1) Turn to Luke 18:13

(2) Who is it so full of grief that he cries and weeps and utters groanings deep from within? There are three persons who mourn and utter such groanings

(3) The first is illustrated in Luke 18:13, he is the person who is desperately sorry for his sins and unworthiness before God

(a) He has such a sense of sin that his heart is just broken.

Luke 18:13 (NKJV)

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!

(b) Turn to Matthew 9:36

(4) The second person who really feels the desperate plight and terrible suffering of others

(a) The tragedies, the problems, the sinful behavior of others~the state, the condition, the lostness of the world-all weigh ever so heavily upon the heart of the mourner

(b) This second person is like Christ in Matthew 9:36

Matthew 9:36 (NKJV)

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd

(c) The third person is the one who experiences personal tragedy and intense trauma

i) Turn to James 4:8 - 10

4. Men ought to mourn over their sins

a. This leads to confession and humility before God and results in being lifted up

James 4:8-10 (NKJV)

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. {9} Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. {10} Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up

(1) Turn to Isaiah 53:3

b. The person who mourns is comforted by Christ Himself

(1) Christ was called the "man of sorrows" and was acquainted with grief

(2) He is able to comfort and to draw a person ever so close and to strengthen him beyond imagination

Isaiah 53:3 (NKJV)

He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.