The Sermon on the Mount (2)
Notes
Transcript
Before we continue on to the second Beatitude I am going to read an account of something that happened during Adolf Eichmann’s trial in 1961—he was being charged with war crimes for his role in Auschwitz. For those of you may not know this was a Nazi concentration camp used by the Germans to supply forced laborers, and as a kill site used to execute people, Jew, Poles, and anyone else who was believed to be a threat to Nazi Germany (Read Pg. 25). When we are confronted with the reality of our sin as Dinur was we realized just how sinful we could be. We all have our own picture of what it looks like to be a Christian— certain behaviors that are right and wrong. This may mean aligning oneself with a particular political persuasion, or aligning ourselves with certain groups. Whatever that picture is Jesus has already painted the picture, and we should make sure our concept aligns with the concept of the Christian life painted on the Galilean hillside by our Lord and Savior. Scripture is to fill ones being and along with the power of the Holy Spirit change ones life. We cannot and must not twist Scripture to match our own selfish desires. The Word of God says what it says to transform us by the renewing of our minds, to bring us closer to God, to strengthen us, and empower us. It is a mirror that shows us our true self. The Beatitudes should bring us to the foot of the cross, its not about what we do we cannot earn God’s acceptance by our works. It is about the work of Christ on the cross. As we loot at the book of Matthew we need to keep two things in mind, first Matthew starts the book by calling attention to man’s sin (Matt. 1:21) the second is that Matthew ends by calling attention to the death of the Messiah. This shows us the centrality of the cross throughout the gospel of Matthew, even where we find ourselves today in the text, Christ has not yet died, but the cross is ever looming in the distance. The spiritual truths that we learn from the Beatitudes are extremely important on how they relate to the Gospel. They are not the Gospel—they do not explain Christ’s atoning death and resurrection, but what they are is a preparatory to the Gospel. The Beatitudes bring us to the end of self, so that we may be changed and prepared to accept the Gospel. They hold us up to the standards of God’s Kingdom so that we may run to Him. They cut through the false Christianity of those who do not truly know Christ. Now lets dive into the text.
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Blessed are the Mourning
Blessed are the Mourning
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
An intimate connection can be seen between the first and second Beatitudes. The first is of an intellectual matter—realizing and understanding that we are spiritually bankrupt—and the second is an emotional counterpart to the first—those who morn— When we truly see ourselves for who we are our emotions are stirred to mourning. I want to be clear that the intellectual and emotional aspect of these comes from the heart.
Mourning Over Sin
Mourning Over Sin
Matthew 5:4 (ESV)
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
As we look at this verse it is somewhat of a paradox—blessed are the mourning— it was counter intuitive in Jesus’ day just as it is in ours. As we did with verse 3 we are going to what it does not mean first. It does not mean blessed are the grim or the cheerless, some have interpreted it in this way. It also does not mean that we are mourning over the difficulties of life. Mourning by itself alone is not blessed.
Matthew 5:4 (ESV)
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
What a wonderful day when we see our sin for what it is apart from God’s grace and mourn over it devastating effects on our souls, words, and deeds.
10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.
Souls
13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
Words
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
Deeds
There is always room for decline if we refuse God’s grace. But what a wonderful day when we are truly confronted with our sins and we refuse to rationalize them, and we call sin, sin. And it is an even greater day when we truly weep over our sin and are comforted by God.
Matthew 5:4 (ESV)
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Spiritual mourning is necessary for salvation. We are not truly saved if we have not truly mourned over our sin. We cannot be forgiven if we are not sorry for our sins. One of the saddest things in life is not a mourning heart but a hear that is incapable of mourning over sin, for it is without grace.
Be Comforted
Be Comforted
Matthew 5:4 (ESV)
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
The comfort experienced is immediate, when we come to the end of ourselves, bankrupt and mourning over our sin then we are comforted, and forgiven. The Greek word used is parakaleo it is the word we get paraclete from. This word is also used for the Holy Spirit—the comforter—the One who comes alongside. God’s comfort is relational, He is our ally. It comes personally in the Person of the Holy Spirit. When we mourn we are forgiven, and comforted by the One who saves us, God comforts and helps us. We should be like the prodigal son, he recognized his sinful condition and mourned over it. Luke 15
18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
When we come to God broken and mourning He wraps His arms around us and welcomes us into the Kingdom. We are blessed-approved by God when we mourn over our ins, and He comforts us. What a beautiful truth to be comforted by God, the Creator of everything deeply cares for us. Our mourning refers to the condition of the human heart, and only when we are truly sorrowful for our spiritual bankruptcy can the grace of God be introduced to the picture. It is through God’s grace that we experience great joy and comfort for the forgiveness He offers to us through Jesus Christ.
The Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount
I want to ask, have you come to the end of yourself, knowing you are bankrupt, and because of that bankruptcy truly mourned over your sin, and experienced the peace and joy that it brings. Do you continually mourn over your sin, coming to the foot of the cross broken and with a contrite heart, experiencing the outpouring of God’s comfort and peace. “Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted”.
