Mourning but Comforted

Do you mourn? What if I were to tell you, you should be a mourner? WHat if I told you happy people mourn? Not only do they mourn, but they mourn consistently. When we think of mourning, we do not think of blessed. We think of mourning as someone who is mourning the lost of a loved one. But God here says that blessed is someone who mourns, because they will be comforted.

Jesus is in His earthly ministry. He has been baptized, defeated the devil’s tempation, and started healing and preaching. He is now going through the sermon on the mount, and He is starting with the Beatitudes. As we’ve discussed these, are the complete opposite of what we think. Because when Jesus says “Blessed” He means happy. Happy is he that mourns.

This is not talking about mourning over the death of a loved one, but rather mourning over sin. That is something we have lost. No longer do people mourn over our sin. We play with it. We excuse it, we justify it. We hide it. We call it a mistake. But we do not mourn.

Ezra weeped at seeing the sin of his people. David mourned when his sin with Bathesheba was uncovered. Peter wept when he denied Christ. Yet we sin, and we just go about, and think no big deal.

Last week we talked about being poor in spirit. People who are poor in spirit, will mourn over sin. Because people who are humble see their sin for what it’s worth. And they will mourn.

Knowing the cost of our mistakes, causes people to warn others and not to take it lightly. When I say mistakes, I do not mean sins, I mean, you mess up something not immorally. Sometimes people can be so careful, after they make a mistake. An example is I was working at a place that made chemical dispensing equipment. I was building these manifolds and we would test to make sure, the pressure was fine. They had a part that would allow 4 different lines of chemicals to be attached, and a knob to make sure each one works. We would make sure that the parts that prevented leaks, such as a gasket, and a certain stopper we would drill in would not leak. Now, one thing is we would test it with water. We had these water testers that were built to test. So we would hook this up to a machine, that ran through water in it. A magnet controlled the water switch. If we turned the machine on, and the water was not off. The water would shoot out, and get you wet. Also I worked in the kits department, where we would make the small parts, such as valves and hoses that go with the chemical dispensing equipment, How many of you have ever seen those bags with screws, or anchors when you buy something? One thing I did sometimes, was do our auto bagger where we would put the tools in the bag, and seal it. It was a machine that helped it. Now there were times when I would type the wrong label, or I would miscount, or whatever. Imagine going through 300 bags to find one with a wrong number of o-rings or anchors, or screws. Imagine redoing 250 bags because you put the wrong label, or you grabbed the wrong part or wrong sheet. Me making those mistakes caused me to be extravigilant.

It is the same with moral failures. People who go to jail, can be the biggest influence for keeping people out of jail. That is why former inmates and gang members try to keep young people from making the same mistake. People who have done certain things, can be the biggest influence to keep other people from doing those things. One of the biggest deterences for me getting in a certain bad situation, was someone who was in that situation. However our sin had the biggest cost. It put Jesus on the cross. Every little sin put Jesus on the cross. So why do we take it lightly? Why do we think it is ok and all good if we just continue to live in the sin?

Romans 6:1 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?”

How are we comforted when we mourn for sin? God forgives.

For salvation

Colossians 1:14 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

Ephesians 1:7 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”

For fellowship

If we sin, the relationship we have with God is not right. Fellowship is broken. But if we mourn for our sin, we will repent.

2 Corinthians 7:9–11 “Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

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.”

It is time to mourn over your sin.