Blessed are those who mourn
Be these attitudes • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Title: Be These attitudes pt2
D.T In order to experience comfort; we must admit our brokenness.
Introduction: (Tell middle of Jane Doe story)This woman was mourning.Jesus tells us this in Matthew 5:4
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
The idea of mourning can be uncomfortable for us, it makes us sad to think about periods of mourning in our life, and it makes us sad to witness. I believe one of the reasons mourning makes us uncomfortable is because we recognize the mourning is inevitable. Each of us are going to mourn the loss of a loved one in our life. The only way to escape mourning is passing away before losing a loved one. For many of you in this room, that phrase “mourning is inevitable” could be tattooed on your forehead, because you know the inevitability of mourning all too well. It’s no coincidence that Jesus talked about mourning in his greatest sermon, because he also knew that mourning was inevitable to the human condition. As I read through this Beatitude and meditated on it for a while. I came up with 3 observations I believe people may feel or express when reading this verse. They are as follows.
What does it mean to mourn?
When will I feel comforted?
Blessed? I don’t feel blessed! I feel broken!
So I think the best way to unpack and discuss this verse is to flesh out and discuss these observations.
What does it mean to mourn? We are going to answer this question by looking at the instances in which Jesus mourned. One example is famous and well known, the other is not quite as well known.
The first example is in John 11, when Jesus visits the mourning family of Lazarus. When Jesus approaches the tomb, we see one of the shortest yet well known passages about Jesus. John 11:35
Jesus wept.
Jesus was mourning because he lost someone very close to him. Jesus was mourning because someone he loved died.
Let’s take a moment to contextualize Jesus' mourning here, because below the surface it teaches us so much about what it means to mourn in the face of death. As Christians we have this temptation to refrain from mourning the loss of a loved one. Why? Because we know this isn’t the end, they are going to be with Jesus. We will be reunited, this isn’t the end. All of this is true, however it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t mourn. Watch Jesus in this passage. As Jesus approaches the tomb, we encounter that ever famous verse “Jesus wept.” Jesus knew he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, he knew his death wasn’t permanent. Jesus wasn’t going to have to wait a lifetime to be reunited with his friend. Jesus would be reunited with Lazarus that day, he would probably laugh and joke with him within the hour! However, despite that Jesus still wept. Why? Because even in the most hopeful of situations, the idea of our friends and loved ones dying still brings sadness. Because even in the most hopeful of situations; death still hurts.
READ Luke 19:41-44
And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
Jesus weeps because people he loves; people whom he knows their name are dedicated to their brokenness, sin, and corruption. Jesus weeps because hope is passing them by and they are indifferent. We know what this is like, don't we. We know what it’s like to watch people we love and care about embrace sin and corruption and dedicate themselves to their broken nature. This makes us weep, and gives us a need for comfort.
When will I feel comfort? To answer this question we look to the Old Testament in Isaiah 61:1-7
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers; but you shall be called the priests of the Lord; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast. Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy.
I don't know about you, but this sounds great. It sounds like the restoration we all need. It sounds like the comfort we all seek. What’s being described here by Isaiah is what will happen after Christ has restored everything back to him and his glory. This describes the completion of our comfort. This is what lies and the end of the road. However comfort doesn’t just have a completion or conclusion. Comfort is something which is actively growing. Comfort is something which is a journey, a process, or a cycle. In order to understand the cycle of comfort, we look to our last point.
Blessed? I don’t feel blessed? I feel broken! Last week we talked about how the word 'blessed ' appears in the greek. The greek word for “Blessed” is Makarios which means to be “fortunate, lucky, or happy” So when Jesus says “Blessed are those who mourn” it might initially sound strange. Fortunate is the person who mourns? Happy is he who mourns” I just lost my sister last month Jesus, and I’ve been mourning ever since. Are you telling me I’m fortunate to be doing this? I lost my son last year Jesus, I’ve been devastated ever since, are you seriously telling me that I am in a happy position? This might seem insensitive on the part of Jesus, it might even seem disingenuous to suggest these people going through mourning are fortunate or blessed. That is until you add part 2 for the statement, for they will be comforted. However there is a stipulation which comes with the comfort that Jesus promises. In order to experience comfort; we must admit our brokenness. The scriptures attest to this turn many times.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
In other words, you mourn if you are broken. Perhaps you are mourning because of death, whether it be the death of someone dear to you, or perhaps your own mortality. Perhaps you are mourning because of the sin corruption of others? Perhaps you are mourning the sin and corruption of yourselves. The process of mourning starts a cycle. We mourn because we are broken. Brokenness is a stepping stone to becoming blessed. We are blessed because we experience comfort from brokenness and mourning. In order to experience comfort; we must admit our brokenness
