Beatitudes -- They That Mourn

1. What does it mean to mourn?

1) The dictionary defines the word as follows: "To feel or express grief or sorrow."

2) That grief or sorrow may be felt in varying degrees depending upon what is being mourned.

3) Mourning may be as little as a "tut, tut" or as great as Jesus tears in the garden of Gethsemane.

2. What do these mourn?

1) Those to whom Jesus is speaking are blessed because they are mournful.

2) But what do they mourn?

3) The scriptures most often use the word in relationship to mourning the death of a loved one.

a. Abraham for Sarah – Genesis 23:2

b. Jacob mourned for Joseph – Genesis 37:34

c. David mourned for Absalom – 2 Sam.19:1

4) Samuel mourned for Saul's sin – 1 Samuel 15:35

5) Ezra 10:6 says that Ezra mourned for the transgressions of Israel.

6) Neh.1:4 Nehemiah mourned the desolation and destruction of Jerusalem

7) What do we mourn today?

a. The death of friends and family.

b. Those who are involved in sin.

c. Calamities that come upon people around the world.

d. Other people's ignorance regarding matters that are holy.

3. Why do these mourn?

1) In death, because of personal loss.

2) In death, because of spiritual loss.

3) Because of injustice – Proverbs 29:2 "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."

4) Because sin is in control of one's life and he won't accept correction – Matthew 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"

5) Because things have been neglected for so long – Nehemiah 8:9 "And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law."

6) Because of personal sin –

a. James 4:8-10 "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."

b.

4. What blessings are associated with mourning?

1) Sobriety – "It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart." (Ecc.7:2)

2) Wisdom – "The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth." (Ecc.7:4).

3) Humility – "Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." ( James 4:9, 10)

1. What is comfort?

1) Again the dictionary states, "To soothe in time of affliction or distress."

2) The action of comfort may be active or passive.

3) We may comfort others or we may comfort self.

2. Who gives comfort and how are we comforted?

1) Ultimately God is the source of all comfort –

a. "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." (2 Cor.1:3, 4).

b. "Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work." (2 Thess.2:16, 17).

2) Our fellow Christians are a source of comfort.

a. "Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do." – 1 Thess.5:11

b. "Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men."—1 Thess.5:14

c. 2 Cor.1:4

3) God's words give comfort

a. Romans 15:4 "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."

b. 1 Thess.4:18 "Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

4) Being comforted doesn't mean that we won't have problems or difficulties.

a. God's comfort often comes in the form of knowledge.

b. God gives us comfort not to avoid difficulties, but to endure them.

3. What is comforting?

1) Knowing that faithful Christians have forgiveness of sins ( Hebrews 10:17 – "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.").

2) Knowing that the faithful dead live – 1 Thess.4:13-18

3) Knowing that God is also merciful/longsuffering and gives opportunity for repentance – 2 Peter 3:9

4) Knowing that God will be just to those who are lost – Revelation 15:3 "And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints."

4. Those that mourn will be comforted because the cause of their mourning will ultimately be removed.

1. Mourning is a natural part of life and the Bible discusses it as such ( Matthew 5:4).

2. We should not look at mourning as something to be necessarily avoided; it is better to mourn than laugh (Ecc.7:4).

3. Sobriety, Wisdom, and Humility are all great virtues associated with mourning the scriptures.

4. Comfort helps us to endure our mourning, not avoid it (2 Cor.1:5, 6).

5. God is the source of all comfort because ultimately, he has all of the solutions to the reasons for mourning. "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Rev.21:4)