Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:05.719
Our scripture reading this morning is the
same as it was last week. Matthew
2
00:00:05.799 --> 00:00:12.070
Chapter Five, verses one to twelve. Matthew Five, verses one to twelve.
3
00:00:12.070 --> 00:00:16.829
Will be looking again at the beatitudes. Today we have the second beatitude.
4
00:00:16.910 --> 00:00:20.949
So whenever I preach on the beatitudes, I figured we'd read the whole
5
00:00:21.109 --> 00:00:27.660
thing, for it hangs together.
The Gospel according to Saint Matthew, beginning
6
00:00:27.699 --> 00:00:32.020
in chapter five and the first verse. This is the word of the Lord
7
00:00:32.020 --> 00:00:36.729
and seeing the multitudes, he went
up on a mountain and when he was
8
00:00:36.810 --> 00:00:41.170
seated, his disciples came to him. Then he opened his mouth and taught
9
00:00:41.210 --> 00:00:45.729
them, saying blessed are the poor
in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom
10
00:00:45.770 --> 00:00:50.479
of Heaven. Blessed are those who
mourn, for they shall be comforted.
11
00:00:51.320 --> 00:00:56.039
Blessed are the meek, for they
shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those
12
00:00:56.119 --> 00:01:00.840
who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be filled. Blessed are
13
00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:06.549
the Merciful, for they shall obtain
mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart,
14
00:01:06.989 --> 00:01:11.510
for they shall see God. Blessed
are the Peacemakers, for they shall
15
00:01:11.549 --> 00:01:17.230
be called the sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for Righteousness
16
00:01:17.269 --> 00:01:21.140
Sake, for theirs is the Kingdom
of Heaven. Blessed are you when they
17
00:01:21.219 --> 00:01:25.219
revile and persecute you and say all
manner of evil against you falsely. For
18
00:01:25.379 --> 00:01:30.379
my sake, rejoice and be exceedingly
let Gret Lad for great is your reward
19
00:01:30.459 --> 00:01:36.689
in heaven, for so they persecuted
the prophets who were before you. Thus
20
00:01:36.769 --> 00:01:40.250
far this reading of God's holy word, the grass withers in the flower fades,
21
00:01:40.329 --> 00:01:49.280
but the word of our Lord endears
forever. Please be seated well.
22
00:01:52.079 --> 00:01:59.920
Last week we began our study of
the introduction to Jesus's greatest recorded sermon,
23
00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:05.069
the sermon on the Mount and we
saw that he begins his great sermon with
24
00:02:05.150 --> 00:02:12.710
these eight beatitudes, these eight statements
that immediately grab our attention. Jesus tells
25
00:02:12.750 --> 00:02:15.939
us that the blessed people, that
is, as we saw last week,
26
00:02:15.979 --> 00:02:22.460
the happy people, even the supremely
happy people, the blessed people are the
27
00:02:22.539 --> 00:02:25.900
people who are poor in spirit,
who are mournful, who are meek,
28
00:02:27.580 --> 00:02:34.409
who are starving, even those who
are persecuted. Jesus here begins his greatest
29
00:02:34.490 --> 00:02:40.449
sermon ever with some of the most
absurd and seemingly ridiculous statements that he ever
30
00:02:40.490 --> 00:02:46.840
uttered. And he does this because
he wants to grab our attention and get
31
00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:51.520
us to see something. He wants
us to see in this sermon that the
32
00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:57.840
way that we think about life,
goodness, the way we think about righteousness,
33
00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:01.590
obedience, in fact the way we
think about most every aspect of our
34
00:03:01.750 --> 00:03:09.270
lives, is backwards by nature.
Jesus preaches a sermon to us here that
35
00:03:09.550 --> 00:03:15.500
he wants to change to the way
that we look and think about our lives.
36
00:03:15.659 --> 00:03:22.180
And that's because Jesus wants us to
have a kingdom mindset. He wants
37
00:03:22.219 --> 00:03:27.729
us to look at the world with
kingdom glasses, and that's because he wants
38
00:03:27.810 --> 00:03:31.490
us to be faithful citizens of his
kingdom. And to do that, if
39
00:03:31.569 --> 00:03:37.729
we're going to be faithful citizens of
Jesus's kingdom, we have to have Jesus's
40
00:03:37.810 --> 00:03:45.000
kingdom worldview. And so he begins
this sermon with these eight beatitudes that describe
41
00:03:45.159 --> 00:03:50.840
to us a process. It's a
process of heart and thought change the citizens
42
00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:55.750
of Jesus's kingdom go through as they
grow in grace with him. And last
43
00:03:55.830 --> 00:04:01.870
week we saw that the foundational be
attitude, the beattitude that's the foundation to
44
00:04:02.030 --> 00:04:06.789
all the others, is that we
ought to be poor in spirit. He
45
00:04:06.909 --> 00:04:15.579
says supremely happy are the spiritually destitute. And now this week he says to
46
00:04:15.740 --> 00:04:21.019
us, blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. And
47
00:04:21.139 --> 00:04:25.569
I'd like us to look at this
in three parts. First, I'd like
48
00:04:25.730 --> 00:04:30.889
us to see that happy are the
sad. Second, I'd like us to
49
00:04:31.009 --> 00:04:35.930
see what morning is and third,
I'd like us to see the comfort of
50
00:04:35.970 --> 00:04:41.720
the Gospel. So happier the sad, what morning is and the Comfort of
51
00:04:41.879 --> 00:04:45.879
the Gospel. And so as we
come to this be attitude this morning,
52
00:04:45.959 --> 00:04:49.240
the first thing that we ought to
notice is that if we thought that last
53
00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:58.550
week's beatitude was backwards, this one's
really does seem to be nonsensical. Jesus
54
00:04:58.629 --> 00:05:03.149
says, bless it are those who
mourn, or, very literally, happy
55
00:05:03.189 --> 00:05:10.860
are the sad. You stop and
think about that, happy are the sad.
56
00:05:11.899 --> 00:05:16.420
How could that possibly make sense?
Now I've said that these beatitudes run
57
00:05:16.620 --> 00:05:20.769
contrary to the grain of how we
tend to think, but this one isn't
58
00:05:20.889 --> 00:05:28.689
just odd, it seems downright contradictory. It is a paradox. Right,
59
00:05:29.050 --> 00:05:34.129
happy are the sad. Jesus is
saying something here that is contradictory, or
60
00:05:34.170 --> 00:05:43.360
so it would seem. But we
know that Jesus is God, not me.
61
00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:49.470
God is God and I am not, and therefore Jesus defines what makes
62
00:05:49.550 --> 00:05:56.269
sense and what doesn't make sense,
and therefore there must be some way that
63
00:05:56.389 --> 00:06:01.990
this statement does make sense. But
what can that be? Well, I
64
00:06:02.029 --> 00:06:05.579
would submit that if Jesus is right
here, and of course we know that
65
00:06:05.699 --> 00:06:11.860
he is, then it would seem
that it is we who need to change
66
00:06:12.019 --> 00:06:17.019
our definitions of these words here.
And, as I said last week,
67
00:06:17.060 --> 00:06:23.730
we tend to have this idea,
or certain ideas, of what will make
68
00:06:23.810 --> 00:06:29.370
us happy in life. We think
that favorable things make us happy. We
69
00:06:29.610 --> 00:06:33.279
think that the stuff that we longingly
gaze at through the shop window or the
70
00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:40.279
Internet browser will make us happy.
We think that getting what we want,
71
00:06:41.399 --> 00:06:46.589
what we think is good in life, will make us happy. Every one
72
00:06:46.709 --> 00:06:54.269
of US imagines certain circumstances or relationships
and so on that would make us happy,
73
00:06:54.550 --> 00:06:59.269
and we tell ourselves that because either
we have or do not have these
74
00:06:59.430 --> 00:07:03.300
things, or because things go my
way or don't go my way, then
75
00:07:03.300 --> 00:07:12.220
therefore I'm happy or sad. But
again, according to the logic of the
76
00:07:12.300 --> 00:07:17.170
beattitudes. That just is not so. Solomon says that there is a way
77
00:07:17.329 --> 00:07:21.529
that seems right to a man,
but in the end it's the way of
78
00:07:21.649 --> 00:07:29.290
death. Jesus tells us here that
the sad folks are, in reality the
79
00:07:29.490 --> 00:07:34.600
happy folks in Luke. Jesus says, woe to you who laugh now,
80
00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:43.240
for you shall mourn and weep.
So it seems that scripture says that what
81
00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:48.069
makes us happy is pretty much the
opposite of what we think makes us happy,
82
00:07:49.470 --> 00:07:54.189
and in fact that we see in
the Bible that God tells us that
83
00:07:54.230 --> 00:08:03.060
almost all the time, almost all
the time, the route to happiness and
84
00:08:03.300 --> 00:08:09.860
joy in life is not through some
rosy parade of good times that we hope
85
00:08:09.980 --> 00:08:15.250
for, but rather the route to
happiness in life is through the very bowels
86
00:08:15.370 --> 00:08:20.490
of the Valley of the shadow of
death. And though we don't like to
87
00:08:20.610 --> 00:08:26.009
think like this, though we really
hate it, according to the old man
88
00:08:26.370 --> 00:08:31.319
the flesh, very often our lie
in our lives. The very best thing
89
00:08:31.560 --> 00:08:35.879
that can happen to us is to
be crushed low. I found in my
90
00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:41.909
life that the greatest blessing God's ever
given me is to be utterly and completely
91
00:08:41.950 --> 00:08:48.789
humiliated at my own hand. God
blesses us through his rod of iron and
92
00:08:50.509 --> 00:08:54.940
through his letting us be racked with
unspeakable grief. And that is because happiness,
93
00:08:56.820 --> 00:09:01.779
from a gospel perspective, true abiding
happiness, the joy of the Holy
94
00:09:01.899 --> 00:09:11.769
Spirit, so often comes through not
in spite of sorrow. In Ecclesiastic Solomon
95
00:09:11.929 --> 00:09:18.169
says God gives wisdom and knowledge and
joy to a man who is good in
96
00:09:18.289 --> 00:09:26.200
his sight. Solomon says that wisdom
and knowledge come hand in hand with joy
97
00:09:26.279 --> 00:09:35.600
or happiness. But in that very
same book of the Bible Solomon says that
98
00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:41.149
in much wisdom is much grief,
and he who increases in knowledge increases in
99
00:09:41.429 --> 00:09:48.029
sorrow. Now that's a conundrum,
isn't it? But the resolution to this
100
00:09:48.149 --> 00:09:56.220
seeming contradiction is this. It was
through the sufferings and sorrows of his life
101
00:09:56.340 --> 00:10:01.659
that Solomon became the wise man that
we think of when we think of him.
102
00:10:03.419 --> 00:10:07.370
But lest we think that Solomon was
some miserable fellow, I want you
103
00:10:07.409 --> 00:10:09.730
to notice what, or pay attention, we just read it a couple of
104
00:10:09.809 --> 00:10:15.769
minutes ago, to what the Apostle
James tells us. He says that it
105
00:10:15.929 --> 00:10:22.559
is through this growth in wisdom and
suffering and grief that one becomes happy.
106
00:10:22.600 --> 00:10:28.639
He said lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning
107
00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:37.629
and your joy to gloom. Now
I'm pretty sure that whenever any of us
108
00:10:37.629 --> 00:10:43.950
read that our first response is to
say right, that doesn't sound very good,
109
00:10:45.070 --> 00:10:50.379
does it? But then James said
something else. He tells us what
110
00:10:50.620 --> 00:10:58.659
the fruit of mourning and lamentation and
gloom is. He says humble yourself in
111
00:10:58.740 --> 00:11:07.490
the side of the Lord and what
he will lift you up? He will
112
00:11:07.370 --> 00:11:13.610
lift you up. You See,
the pattern of scripture is that when we
113
00:11:13.809 --> 00:11:20.360
go through these wisdom inducing trials and
miseries in life, God will bless the
114
00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:26.559
man who is poor in spirit,
the spiritually destitute mourner. He will bless
115
00:11:26.679 --> 00:11:35.870
that person by lifting him up to
the very heights of joy through that process.
116
00:11:37.149 --> 00:11:41.070
But how on Earth does he do
that? When we're going through it,
117
00:11:41.190 --> 00:11:45.389
it doesn't seem like it's possible.
So how does he do that?
118
00:11:45.830 --> 00:11:50.019
Well, he does it when we
start to build our happiness on the right
119
00:11:50.100 --> 00:11:58.259
foundation. He does it when we
really are poor in spirit, when we
120
00:11:58.460 --> 00:12:03.529
no longer look for happiness in the
things of life but in the daily hand
121
00:12:03.610 --> 00:12:11.529
out that comes from our father in
heaven, but more specifically, I believe
122
00:12:11.570 --> 00:12:16.720
he stays it. When we understand
what true godly mourning is, and if
123
00:12:16.759 --> 00:12:20.720
we're to understand what godly mourning is, first of all we need to understand
124
00:12:22.120 --> 00:12:28.759
what we mean when we talk about
mourning in a biblical sense. Now you
125
00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:31.950
know you're in a Presbyterian church,
I think, when the minister starts to
126
00:12:31.990 --> 00:12:35.590
quoting Greek every sermon that he preaches. But if you look in the Greek
127
00:12:35.669 --> 00:12:43.470
New Testament, there four main words
that are used for mourning. The first
128
00:12:43.549 --> 00:12:50.980
of those is simple sadness, just
weeping, crying. Another one refers to
129
00:12:52.340 --> 00:13:01.769
wailing or lamentation, when you're crying
out in sadness. The third word refers
130
00:13:01.850 --> 00:13:09.169
to mourning that's manifested in lamentation,
as well as some external show of mourning,
131
00:13:09.610 --> 00:13:15.840
you know, when you're crying out
and beating your breast. But the
132
00:13:15.879 --> 00:13:18.679
word that Jesus uses here in his
sermon on the mount is far more extreme
133
00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:24.320
than any of these. He uses
a word that means this to grieve with
134
00:13:24.440 --> 00:13:31.269
a grief which so takes possession of
the whole being that it cannot be hid.
135
00:13:33.669 --> 00:13:39.590
It is a grief that consumes a
person. So what Jesus is describing
136
00:13:39.669 --> 00:13:45.419
here when he says blessed are those
who mourn? He's describing a great,
137
00:13:46.259 --> 00:13:54.419
wrenching, ongoing, agonizing grief.
It's a continual grief. That's the word
138
00:13:54.500 --> 00:14:01.570
that he uses here. And what
is it that we mourn for like this?
139
00:14:03.730 --> 00:14:07.529
Well, if you ask the psychologists
in the psychiatrist they'll tell you that
140
00:14:07.570 --> 00:14:16.639
all mourning involves loss. All mourning
involves the loss of something, and it
141
00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:20.840
can be something great or small.
It's relative to your own self. It
142
00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:24.990
could be the loss of a child
or it could be the loss of a
143
00:14:24.029 --> 00:14:30.190
dream. It could be the loss
of a job or the loss of one's
144
00:14:30.309 --> 00:14:33.350
youth. It could be the loss
of a friendship or the loss of the
145
00:14:33.470 --> 00:14:39.820
good old days. It really doesn't
matter what it is. But all mourning,
146
00:14:39.860 --> 00:14:46.460
all grief, involves laws and it
also involves a process. Typically,
147
00:14:46.740 --> 00:14:50.379
when we mourn, most all the
time, there is first a sense of
148
00:14:50.659 --> 00:14:54.809
disbelief. Right we say, this
hasn't really happened, this, this,
149
00:14:56.809 --> 00:15:03.370
this can't have happened, this cannot
be the case. We start with disbelief,
150
00:15:03.250 --> 00:15:07.759
but that disbelief quickly turns into anger
of some sort and it can be
151
00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:20.080
a towering rage or it can just
be a simmering sense of disquiet. And
152
00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:22.870
then, after the disbelief, in
the anger, there's some sort of resignation
153
00:15:22.950 --> 00:15:30.549
in that resignation takes one of two
forms. Either it can become a bitter,
154
00:15:30.789 --> 00:15:39.139
depressed, self pitying, angry resignation, or it can be a resignation
155
00:15:39.580 --> 00:15:46.620
of acceptance, comfort and joy.
And how we react at this point of
156
00:15:46.740 --> 00:15:52.289
the grieving process all depends upon what
kind of mourning we're going through, whether
157
00:15:52.330 --> 00:16:00.889
we're going through godly or ungodly mourning. Corinthians Chapter Seven says this Godly sorrow
158
00:16:02.090 --> 00:16:07.080
produces repentance, leading to salvation,
not to be regretted, but the sorrow
159
00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:15.399
of the world produces death. They're
two kinds of sorrow or mourning. Either
160
00:16:15.799 --> 00:16:21.309
Godly sorrow that leads to salvation,
that is to a closer walk with God,
161
00:16:22.629 --> 00:16:29.909
or an ungodly sorrow that leads us
to death. So this raises another
162
00:16:29.950 --> 00:16:37.419
question. How can we know which
kind of mourning we're going through? Well,
163
00:16:37.139 --> 00:16:42.220
each kind has a different root.
The root of ungodly sorrow is a
164
00:16:42.460 --> 00:16:49.250
frustration with not getting what I want. The man who is not poor in
165
00:16:49.409 --> 00:16:55.970
spirit remember he thinks he deserves something
and when he doesn't get it, he
166
00:16:56.289 --> 00:17:00.919
mourns for the loss of what he
wanted for himself. And the symptom of
167
00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:08.039
ungodly mourning is first an inability or
an unwillingness to let go of it.
168
00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:15.950
When we mourn in an ungodly fashion, we're clinging to the memory of what
169
00:17:15.430 --> 00:17:22.750
was or what could have been.
We cling to it with despair or anger
170
00:17:22.069 --> 00:17:30.900
or bitterness toward God or some people
or just circumstances in general. For instance,
171
00:17:30.980 --> 00:17:37.339
I've seen someone have an ungodly mourning
by being bitter for years at someone
172
00:17:37.500 --> 00:17:45.930
just for dinging up his new car. or it could also be a doubt
173
00:17:45.970 --> 00:17:53.170
God's goodness because you're dying or because
a loved one is or because they have
174
00:17:53.450 --> 00:18:02.200
died. And the chief symptom of
ungodly mourning is that it does not point
175
00:18:02.279 --> 00:18:07.480
you to the goodness of God.
In Christ ungodly mourning doesn't point you to
176
00:18:07.640 --> 00:18:12.589
the comfort of the Gospel, but
rather it points you to selfishness and selfpity.
177
00:18:12.950 --> 00:18:19.869
And Paul says that this kind of
mourning leads to death. But in
178
00:18:21.309 --> 00:18:25.789
in that passage and Second Corinthians that
I quoted from, Paul says that we
179
00:18:25.910 --> 00:18:30.500
need to repent of this sort of
mourning. And the way to repent of
180
00:18:30.660 --> 00:18:40.140
ungodly mourning to know what godly morning
is. And Godly morning comes from a
181
00:18:40.339 --> 00:18:45.730
very different rout than does ungodly mourning. And if we're to mourn in a
182
00:18:45.809 --> 00:18:52.529
godly fashion, we have to change
the way we think about our losses in
183
00:18:52.650 --> 00:19:00.559
life. Now, when we mourn
in Christ we don't mourn the loss of
184
00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:07.519
what I want, but rather we
mourn the loss of Eden. Let me
185
00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:14.750
say that again. WHEN WE MOURN
IN CHRIST WE mourn not for the loss
186
00:19:14.829 --> 00:19:21.910
of what I want, but for
the laws of Eden. What do I
187
00:19:22.029 --> 00:19:27.059
mean by that? Well, godly
mourning is a morning over sin and over
188
00:19:27.220 --> 00:19:33.299
sins effects on me, on others
and on the world, because, you
189
00:19:33.420 --> 00:19:40.809
see, sin isn't just something that
you or I do. Sin is a
190
00:19:41.089 --> 00:19:47.009
power. Sin Is a cosmic state
of affairs, as it were, that
191
00:19:47.170 --> 00:19:52.279
has come to pass because of the
fall from grace. Sin is a power
192
00:19:52.519 --> 00:19:57.559
that has corrupted and laid waste to
the whole world, and it's effects are
193
00:19:57.599 --> 00:20:04.839
awful. And it is good,
very good, to weep over sin and
194
00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:10.029
the fall, because when we do
that we find that we weep with Christ,
195
00:20:11.990 --> 00:20:15.150
and Jesus gives a great example of
how to do that. You remember
196
00:20:15.190 --> 00:20:19.829
when his friend Lazarus died in John, Chapter Eleven, and they bring Jesus
197
00:20:21.069 --> 00:20:25.339
to the tomb where Lazarus was laid
and we find the shortest verse in the
198
00:20:25.420 --> 00:20:34.220
entire Bible. It says Jesus wept, but literally John says that Jesus burst
199
00:20:34.259 --> 00:20:40.650
out in tears. It's that third
kind of mourning, the crying out,
200
00:20:40.730 --> 00:20:45.569
the beating of the breasts, and
John tells us that right before he burst
201
00:20:45.650 --> 00:20:52.559
out in tears and right afterwards it
says that Jesus groaned within himself, but
202
00:20:52.720 --> 00:21:00.559
that word really means that Jesus was
outraged. When Jesus was faced with the
203
00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:07.269
effects of the fall on his friend
Lazarus, Jesus was outraged over what sin
204
00:21:07.470 --> 00:21:15.869
had done and he wept over the
pain that sin had brought. He was
205
00:21:17.069 --> 00:21:22.420
outraged at what the falls affects had
done to his friend and he mourned the
206
00:21:22.539 --> 00:21:27.940
hurt that it caused those whom he
loved. See, the point is,
207
00:21:29.099 --> 00:21:34.970
Jesus hates what our sin and the
sins of others and the general effect of
208
00:21:36.049 --> 00:21:45.369
the fall has done to his people
and Jesus mourns with us, and the
209
00:21:45.529 --> 00:21:49.920
godly person also mourns the effects of
the fall. We mourn over death,
210
00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:56.039
sickness, terrorism, what someone has
viciously done to me. We warn.
211
00:21:56.400 --> 00:22:02.750
We mourn over war, natural disasters, job loss his bank failures, broken
212
00:22:02.869 --> 00:22:07.069
relationships, you name it. There's
a lot of stuff in this life to
213
00:22:07.309 --> 00:22:15.299
mourn over, but most especially we
mourn over our own sin that, the
214
00:22:15.339 --> 00:22:21.619
shorter catechism tells us, makes us
liable to all miseries in this life,
215
00:22:22.420 --> 00:22:26.859
to death itself in the pains of
hell forever. You see, wo any
216
00:22:27.019 --> 00:22:33.849
mourn in a godly fashion. We
mourn the effects of sin, my sin,
217
00:22:33.809 --> 00:22:40.130
the sins of others, the fall
which came from the Furt, the
218
00:22:40.250 --> 00:22:45.400
sins of our first parents. To
mourn in a godly fashion, you see,
219
00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:49.440
is to stop mourning the loss of
what I want. It's to stop
220
00:22:49.559 --> 00:22:53.839
mourning the loss of what I think
is best for my life, for the
221
00:22:53.960 --> 00:22:59.789
lives of those around me or the
world at large. When we repent of
222
00:22:59.990 --> 00:23:06.349
that selfish mourning, we find that
we are liberated to be transformed by the
223
00:23:06.470 --> 00:23:11.029
renewing of our mind, so that
we can now mourn over the hurt of
224
00:23:11.349 --> 00:23:19.700
sin and its effects and the penny
drops when we become poor in spirit.
225
00:23:22.579 --> 00:23:29.210
Spiritual poverty allows us the freedom to
see that my truest need is not what
226
00:23:29.369 --> 00:23:36.289
I want, it's not what I
think is best for life, but it
227
00:23:36.529 --> 00:23:41.960
liberates us to see that what is
truly best for me is whatever my God
228
00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:48.559
and his omniscience and his one a
full sovereign plan knows is best for me
229
00:23:48.680 --> 00:23:56.549
in the long run. To put
it very simply, godly mourning trusts Jesus.
230
00:23:59.910 --> 00:24:07.390
Godly mourning trusts Jesus, and that
liberates us to receive the comfort of
231
00:24:07.430 --> 00:24:11.700
the Gospel, for with the Lord
there is comfort for those who mourn.
232
00:24:12.460 --> 00:24:18.579
Now, a few minutes ago I
said that resignation takes one of two forms.
233
00:24:18.619 --> 00:24:26.170
It can either become bitter, depressed, angry resignation, or it can
234
00:24:26.210 --> 00:24:32.130
be a resignation of acceptance, comfort
and thus joy. So I want to
235
00:24:32.170 --> 00:24:36.210
read y'all something. It's a paragraph
from a book that I found to be
236
00:24:36.410 --> 00:24:41.720
profound and I think it well describes
this godly form of mourning. Listen,
237
00:24:44.759 --> 00:24:49.440
acceptance is the answer to all of
my problems. Today, when I am
238
00:24:49.559 --> 00:24:55.150
disturbed, it is because I find
some person, place, thing or situation,
239
00:24:55.470 --> 00:25:00.470
some fact of my life unacceptable to
me, and I can find no
240
00:25:00.710 --> 00:25:06.549
serenity until I accept that person,
place, thing or situation as being exactly
241
00:25:06.670 --> 00:25:11.980
the way it's supposed to be at
this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing,
242
00:25:11.019 --> 00:25:15.660
happens in God's world by mistake.
Until I could accept my loss, I
243
00:25:15.779 --> 00:25:21.930
could not be happy. Unless I
accept my life completely on life's terms,
244
00:25:22.009 --> 00:25:26.690
I cannot be happy. I need
to concentrate not so much on what needs
245
00:25:26.730 --> 00:25:30.569
to be changed in the world as
on what needs to be changed in me
246
00:25:30.769 --> 00:25:38.480
and in my attitudes. When we
find this kind of acceptance and mourn with
247
00:25:38.640 --> 00:25:45.640
the Gospel, we really do find
God's comfort, and that is because all
248
00:25:45.960 --> 00:25:53.349
losses that cause us to mourn are
there to serve to remind Christians of the
249
00:25:53.470 --> 00:26:00.950
Gospel. When we mourn over the
losses and hurts of this life, we,
250
00:26:00.309 --> 00:26:07.579
as Christians, have the hope of
the Gospel. As we go through
251
00:26:07.619 --> 00:26:14.579
them, we remember that through Jesus
is loss, through Jesus is suffering.
252
00:26:14.700 --> 00:26:19.569
He gave us all things, most
especially, he gives us his covenant promises.
253
00:26:21.930 --> 00:26:26.609
When we remember that sin and its
effects and the fall are not God's
254
00:26:26.730 --> 00:26:33.880
intention for us or for the world, our mourning becomes a constant reminder of
255
00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:41.759
our need for God and the promise
that he is swiftly bringing to fruition,
256
00:26:42.039 --> 00:26:52.589
and that draws us into his gospel
hope. You see, mourning ultimately makes
257
00:26:52.630 --> 00:26:57.670
us happy because when we are poor
in spirit, mourning drives us to the
258
00:26:57.910 --> 00:27:07.339
Gospel. Losses and mourning in life
they'll either drive you to selfishness, hardheartedness
259
00:27:07.420 --> 00:27:14.180
and misery or, through the acceptance
only the poor in spirit have, they
260
00:27:14.220 --> 00:27:18.170
drive you to Christ and to the
comfort and happiness that his covenant promises bring.
261
00:27:19.369 --> 00:27:23.569
And when Jesus says that those who
mourn shall be comforted, he's telling
262
00:27:23.730 --> 00:27:27.529
us about the work of the Holy
Spirit, isn't he? This isn't just
263
00:27:27.690 --> 00:27:32.440
some pie in the sky and the
by and by promise. He's telling us
264
00:27:32.519 --> 00:27:37.000
of the work of the Holy Spirit. And so when loss is come and
265
00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:45.990
when mourning comes in their wake,
the Holy Spirit himself reminds us, either
266
00:27:45.109 --> 00:27:51.269
directly through a word to our hearts
or through scripture, or through a sermon
267
00:27:51.309 --> 00:27:55.349
or a song, or through the
encouragement of a brother and sister in Christ.
268
00:27:55.789 --> 00:28:00.500
Somehow the Holy Spirit reminds us of
the hope and the Comfort of the
269
00:28:00.619 --> 00:28:07.299
Gospel, and that hope begins as
we see that scripture tells us quite plainly
270
00:28:08.980 --> 00:28:18.490
that Christians will will suffer. This
isn't something contrary to God's will for us
271
00:28:18.609 --> 00:28:23.289
in this time. Scripture tells us
that Christians will suffer. That Prosperity Gospel,
272
00:28:23.369 --> 00:28:26.920
that health and wealth stuff, that
is a damnable heresy from the pit
273
00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:33.519
of Hell, because sorrows will come
to us. But if we hold onto
274
00:28:33.599 --> 00:28:38.079
the Gospel, we are prepared,
because God has given us his promises beforehand.
275
00:28:38.119 --> 00:28:42.269
And so I want to bring this
in for a landing this morning with
276
00:28:42.430 --> 00:28:48.869
just a few of those covenant promises
to hold onto. there. These are
277
00:28:48.910 --> 00:28:52.630
some things that I particularly have held
on to when I've had great mourning,
278
00:28:53.589 --> 00:29:00.299
when we're faced with our deaths.
Paul says this for me, to live
279
00:29:00.380 --> 00:29:06.619
as Christ but to die gain,
and I am hard pressed between the two,
280
00:29:06.700 --> 00:29:10.289
having a desire to depart and be
with Christ, which is far better,
281
00:29:11.529 --> 00:29:17.210
and sickness and infirmity. But scripture
says this. God said to me,
282
00:29:17.410 --> 00:29:22.250
my grace is sufficient for you,
for my strength is made perfect and
283
00:29:22.369 --> 00:29:26.880
weakness. Therefore, most gladly,
I would rather boast in my infirmities that
284
00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:32.200
the power of Christ may rest upon
me for when I am weak, then
285
00:29:33.240 --> 00:29:40.670
I'm strong. Second Corinthians Chapter Seven. We worry when we're faced with job
286
00:29:40.710 --> 00:29:47.069
laws or calamities or reversals of fortune
and so on, but our God is
287
00:29:47.109 --> 00:29:51.430
the one who tells us that he
works all things together for good for those
288
00:29:51.470 --> 00:29:55.180
who love him, to those who
are called according to his purpose. In
289
00:29:55.220 --> 00:30:03.819
Romans Chapter Eight, we tremble when
our loved ones die, but we have
290
00:30:03.059 --> 00:30:11.250
confidence because Paul says this. Behold, I tell you a mystery. We
291
00:30:11.450 --> 00:30:14.930
shall not all sleep, but we
shall all be changed in a moment,
292
00:30:15.009 --> 00:30:18.289
in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last trumpet, for the trumpet
293
00:30:18.329 --> 00:30:23.880
will sound in the dead will be
raised, incorruptible and we shall be changed,
294
00:30:25.480 --> 00:30:30.240
for this corruptible must put on incorruption
and this mortal must put on immortality.
295
00:30:30.000 --> 00:30:34.039
So when this corruptible has put on
in corruption and this mortal has put
296
00:30:34.119 --> 00:30:38.069
on him mortality, then she'll be
brought to pass. It is saying,
297
00:30:38.109 --> 00:30:42.670
Oh death, where or death is
swallowed up in victory? Oh death,
298
00:30:42.869 --> 00:30:51.339
where is your sting? Oh Hell, where is your victory? First Corinthians
299
00:30:51.460 --> 00:30:56.940
fifteen, and most especially, we
mourned over our own sin. Don'tly,
300
00:30:57.099 --> 00:31:02.019
but in the face of that,
we remember Jesus as good news, that
301
00:31:02.140 --> 00:31:07.089
all that we have to do is
simply trust Jesus and know that he has
302
00:31:07.170 --> 00:31:14.369
already forgiven us, for he tells
us, if we say that we have
303
00:31:14.690 --> 00:31:18.640
no sin, we deceive ourselves in
the truth is not in us, but
304
00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:22.720
if we confess our sins, he
is faithful and just to forgive us our
305
00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:30.519
sins and decleanse us from all unrighteousness. First John Chapter One. And at
306
00:31:30.559 --> 00:31:33.109
the end of the day we have
the promise of revelation, Chapter Twenty one,
307
00:31:34.230 --> 00:31:40.029
where we read that at the end, on that Glorious Day, God
308
00:31:40.109 --> 00:31:44.589
will wipe away every tear from their
eyes. There shall be no more death,
309
00:31:45.190 --> 00:31:48.539
nor sorrow, nor crying. There
shall be no more pain, for
310
00:31:48.660 --> 00:31:53.859
the former things have passed away.
Then he who sat on the throne said,
311
00:31:53.980 --> 00:32:04.210
behold, I make all things new. So Cheer Up, Mourner.
312
00:32:05.930 --> 00:32:15.170
Cheer up by embracing our poverty of
spirit, by letting our mourning be transformed
313
00:32:15.289 --> 00:32:21.880
through repentance and by holding on to
the Gospel. That good news. You
314
00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:30.670
will find that truly, truly,
the Lord comforts all those who mourn,
315
00:32:31.990 --> 00:32:37.789
and that is good news. Amen.
