The Sermon on the Mount: The King’s Mandate-Happy are the Sad
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Sermon Series: The Life of Jesus: From Creation to the Cradle to the Cross to the Crown
Sermon Title: The Sermon on the Mount: The King’s Mandate-Happy are the Sad
Sermon Text: Matthew 5:4
Sermon Date: 7-16-16
The word “mourn” (Greek-Penthountes) – it means to have a broken heart. It is the strongest word possible for mourning. It is the word to describe someone who is weeping over the death of a loved one.
It is sorrow – a desperate, helpless sorrow.
The word here in vs. 4 “mourn” is the same word used in John 11:35 “Jesus wept” at Lazarus’ death.
Point: Do the things that break the heart of God break your heart? We got a dry eyed church in a hell bent world. One of the things our churches have learned not to do is mourn.
Today/this morning we need a (Jesus is speaking of one who is broken over sin, theirs and the nations):
1. GUILT THAT CONVICT US
Much of our problems today are due to the fact that those in and out of the church have become numb to sin.
Our problem is we just don’t see anything we ought to be mourning over. The things we use to call in we practice out in public and call it a right. The 10 Commandments have been replaced with 10 Things you can do or not do based on your perception of reality.
As we think about the “guilt” that convicts us, I want us to consider…
A. The Deceiving Power of Sin
But God sees what no one else sees; He sees the heart.
Jer. 17:9 – The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; who can know it?
What do we have to mourn over – the deceitfulness of sin.
But not the Deceiving Power of Sin, but also…
B. The Defiling Power of Sin
Matthew 15:11 saysit is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
The problem is always the sin within. A phycologist told Charles Colson once “I can cure a person’s madness but I can’t cure a person’s badness.”
C. The Destroying Power of Sin
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
(Galatians 6:7-8 ESV)Numbers 32:23 But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the LORD, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.
We need to understand sin destroys.
Point: when you come to the point where you see that it is your sin that drove the nails in His hands, His feet, that is was your sin that put Jesus before Pilate and your sin that gave Him the beating that no man could take, then you will begin to see the:
§ Deceiving Power of sin
§ Defiling power of sin
§ Destroying power of sin
Then you can begin to understand why Jesus said, “blessed are they that mourn”
Now I want us to look at…
2. GRIEF THAT CONSUMES US
Grief/mourning. Again I want to point out that the word used here by Jesus is the deepest, strongest word for sorrow. It is the word that means to “lament” or to be “consumed” with grief.
Again I would also like to point out that this is what is missing from many of our modern churches today. Many people today aren’t more than baptized pagans.
What breaks God’s heart, breaks yours?
We need to be broken over sin today.
We ought to run to the altar, repenting of our sin, and they pray for our nation to repent of her sins as well.
There are 2 kinds of sorrow. Jesus here is speaking of a “Godly sorrow”.
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2 Corinthians 7: 10
What is Godly sorrow? It is not mere regret. It is not mere remorse.
Regret goes to the mind and stops. Remorse goes past the mind to the heart. But remorse without repentance can be a very dangerous thing.
A. Regret – I got caught
B. Remorse – I love what I am doing and I hate myself for doing it. But they don’t quit and they don't make an attempt to quit.
C. Repentance – a person who hates his sin and loves his savior.
We have seen many in our churches who have come down to the altar with regret, remorse, but thanks be to Christ for those who have come with repentance.
Notice 2 men we all know who committed sin against Christ, but had 2 very different outcomes.
1) Judas – Matt. 27:3-7 – “was remorseful”. He “went and hanged himself”. Judas stepped from the hell that was within him into the hell that was beyond him. He is in hell today, because he was remorseful, not repentant.
2) Simeon Peter – Matt. 26:75/John 21:7, 15-17
Peter cursed, carried on, and denied Christ 3 times. Scripture says that he “went out and wept bitterly”. Peter was filled with, not remorse, but repentance.
And it is Peter that went out after being restored (John 21:15-17) and preached Pentecost.
He saw that he had broken God’s heart and it broke his heart.
You see God can’t use a regretful heart, a remorseful heart, but give Him a repentant heart and watch what Christ not only can do but will do.
Psalm 51:4 – 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.
Psalm 51:17 – The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart – These, O God, You will not despise.
If we were to stop here, there are many of you who would walk out without hope, and that is not what God wants (nor do I). No. God wants to give hope to the hopeless and here it is. In closing notice…
3. THE GOD WHO COMFORTS US
“Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted”
Where or whom do we turn to in our spiritual lament? The God of all comfort. 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4 says
2Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
Do you know what comfort is? It is not sympathy, or a pat on the back.
It is a word much like our English word “comfort”. “Come” – means with. “Fort” – fortress, strength
In other words, God is saying “I will put my strength in you.” He will be your strength.
How does God do this? With the Holy Spirit. Notice with me in John 14:16-17
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
“comforter”.
It is the Holy Spirit that strengthens me.
Do you see your need today? Are you broken over the things that God is broken over?
Have you been forgiven? Have you ever been repentant?
You might ask, “what about after I am saved?”
I John 2: 1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Do you know the same word for advocate in I John is the same word for comforter in John 14?
Advocate – lawyer, come along side. When we sin, confess it to the lawyer. Let Him do the defending.
When you come to a place of brokenness and confess your sin (repent) God will forgive. And when life’s pitfalls come upon you, you have the Holy Spirit as your comforter, your advocate.