2. Mourning. Each Beatitude is placed into a very definite order. There is a sequence of thought linking one to another.

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1 2. Mourning Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4 Each Beatitude is placed into a very definite order. There is a sequence of thought linking one to another. With regard to this second one, we find that It is the product of seeing our spiritual need, or our poverty of spirit. With this in mind we may state immediately: a. What the Lord did not mean by mourning: He did not mean grief which is caused by the loss of a loved one. It is important to remember that He is in this sermon setting out the pattern of true religion. We must, therefore, raise our thoughts far higher than the natural plane when we come to consider the various statements which our Lord Jesus makes. Indeed it is difficult to see that there is any blessedness in natural mourning, and in so many cases there is certainly no comfort at all. It is not the kind of sorrow that we often experience when we cannot get our own way This is selfish sorrow, and never receives the blessing of God s comfort. We see this sorrow in operation in the life of Ahab, one of Israel s kings (1 Kings 21) It certainly didn t bring any blessing into his life. Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who lives in Samaria. There he is, in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to take possession of it. You shall speak to him, saying, Thus says the LORD: Have you murdered and also taken possession? And you shall speak to him, saying, Thus says the LORD: In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs shall lick your blood, even yours. So Ahab said to Elijah, Have you found me, O my enemy? And he answered, I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD: 1 Kings 21:17-20 So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning. And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house. 1 Kings 21:27-29 To prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up Ephesians 4:12 1

2 Neither is it the sorrow which we often find in criminals who have been found out. They are sorry not for what they have done, but for the fact that they have been caught, and now must face the consequences of their crime. This is seen particularly in King Saul: Then Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 1 Samuel 15:24 When he confesses to his sin, it is not as result of seeing how disobedient he has been, But because he is sorrowing that the Lord has taken away the kingdom from him. Also that he is being dishonoured before all the people. Don t think that this could affect You? Saul tried again, "I have sinned. But don't abandon me! Support me with your presence before the leaders and the people. Come alongside me as I go back to worship GOD." 1 Samuel 15:30 We live in a society today where what counts is IMAGE, not character! All these kinds of mourning are described as the sorrow of the world which worketh death There is quite obviously NO comfort or blessedness in any of these situations. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 b. What the Lord did mean by mourning? 2 Corinthians 7:10 Paul speaks of Godly sorrow which produces Repentance- Leading to salvation, We come to a very important understanding, That we are sinners- that is poverty of spirit Then we begin to mourn over our sinful condition. To prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up Ephesians 4:12 2

3 a. It is our attitude to sin and sins 1. As unconverted men and women we used to sin with importunity. Sin never effected us, indeed we often found it pleasurable 2. However as we become enlightened by the Word and the conviction of the Spirit we see the reality of sin and also its loathsomeness. 3. We begin to lament those things which we have done. This is the godly sorrow which leads to true repentance 4. Now as those who have been regenerated, we mourn every time that we fall into sin. Not only do we grieve over specific sins but also the very principle of sin which is rooted in our beings. Before God works upon us to make us see our true condition, sin never troubled us a great deal. We sinned without thinking that we were offending the Lord. We found sin to be very pleasurable. Now we come to the realisation that ALL sin is an offense to God, that our transgressions grieve Him. This is in connection with the first beatitude. It is a complete change of attitude to our sins A new attitude to sin begins to take hold of us. We grieve that we have offended the heart of a loving God. We begin to see sin as God sees it- as a thing to be hated, a loathsome thing. We begin to mourn over the sins we know we have committed. This is the mourning which our Saviour calls blessed. It is this mourning, that produces repentance, and repentance brings salvation. Now every time we transgress it will weigh heavily upon our hearts till we come to God for pardon, and make it right with him. That you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, Philippians 2:15 It is blessed because: The Holy Spirit acts like an internal plumb line, keeping us safe on the path of Righteousness. It is stupid to set out a building without first checking that the walls being built are perpendicular- if they are not straight the wall will collapse. If our lives are not straight- they will collapse. To prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up Ephesians 4:12 3

4 One of the most wonderful pictures of this spiritual mourning is found in King David (Psalm 51- see 2 Sam for background; the story of David and Bathsheba, and the prophet Nathan s challenge to David.) David did not mourn because of the punishment, but because he realised that he had deeply offended God. What a cry came from his heart, what a desire for pardon and cleansing. This is what will happen when we sin if we truly belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. If our evil doings cause us to mourn and turn to Christ in confession and repentance it is a sure sign that we are true subjects of the heavenly kingdom. We see sin as a sword thrust in the heart of God and thus we come to abhor it even as God does. Tragically it is now quite common to find a message preached in mainstream Christian churches, which says: only follow imitate the lifestyle of Jesus and you will be saved. This is nicknamed- Easy Believeism, or these churches are called seeker friendly. We don t want to upset anybody or make them feel uncomfortable A message which says: Jesus understands and does not condemn anybody- which is true But This does not mean that he will overlook sin. In the first sermon Jesus preached the necessity of repentance. In Matthew 4:17 it says: From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. There is no salvation without repentance. Repentance is the first step. If we fail to preach REPENTANCE Then we cheat people out of genuine Salvation Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight That You may be found just when You speak, [ And blameless when You judge. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart These, O God, You will not despise. Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar. Psalm 51 THE LORD IS IN THE BUSINESS OF CLEANING HOUSE NOT SWEEPING THE DIRT UNDER THE CARPET To prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up Ephesians 4:12 4

5 b. It is our attitude to the sins of others 1. We mourn because we see the dishonour that sin brings to the Name of Christ 2. We mourn when we see the lives of others blighted and ruined by sins awful power. 3. This mourning is a product of the compassion of Christ within us. He wept over sin and sinners. And He glanced around at them with vexation and anger, grieved at the hardening of their hearts, and said to the man, Hold out your hand. He held it out, and his hand was completely restored. Mark 3:5 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who continue to kill the prophets and to stone those who are sent to you! How often I have desired and yearned to gather your children together around Me, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you would not! Luke 13:34 AND IN that day you will say, I will give thanks to You, O Lord; for though You were angry with me, Your anger has turned away, and You comfort me. Isaiah 12:1 Blessed are they that Mourn for they shall be Comforted We shall be comforted- by assurance of forgiveness. By the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Comforter. Greek= Parakletos Called to one s side to give aid. ALL sin now brings displeasure to our hearts. When we see men do evil it grieves us to think they are bringing dishonour to God, that they are offending Him. We mourn because of the misery that sin brings into the lives of men and women. OH, THAT my head were waters and my eyes a reservoir of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! Jeremiah 9:1 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it Luke 19:41 c. What is the blessedness of this mourning? Here there seems to be an obvious contradiction, to the natural mind blessedness and mourning just don t go together, but the Lord Jesus speaks here of the blessedness of comfort that attends true mourning over sin. It is the comfort of knowing that there is pardon and cleansing; That there is the presence of the Holy Spirit- the divine COMFORTER. We see immediately that Christian joy is far more real than anything in this world. It is deeper and greater than anything the world can offer. Only TRUE mourning brings this blessedness; that is why the majority of people are miserable, because they have never started really grieving before the Lord. If they did they would immediately find their hearts filled with His presence and His blessing. To prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up Ephesians 4:12 5