Sermon Tone Analysis

Review

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

This is what we focused upon during our last time together.

We saw that the chief characteristic of any true disciple of Christ, and any citizen of God’s kingdom, is humility.

To be poor in spirit is to be spiritually bankrupt, and utterly dependent upon God - this is the essence of humility.

Jesus reminds here us that our citizenship in his kingdom is totally owing to the grace of God, that there’s nothing in us that warrants God’s favor.

We surveyed the Scriptures to find that it’s often the poor, the despised, the sick, the weak and the ignoble who are the first to respond and follow Jesus.

That they’re the first to respond to the gospel of the kingdom.

And that it’s often the powerful, the wealthy, and the famous who stumble at the words of Christ.

Like the rich ruler who asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” we are prone to turn away from following Christ because our riches in this life are too great, they become a stumbling block to us.

We are often deceived to think that our present good circumstances (whether it be wealth, praise or health) warrant an attitude of self-sufficiency, so when Christ offers us salvation we think little or nothing of his offer, supposing that we aren’t in need of such a thing.

Our pride wells up and causes us to trust in our own resources and gifts, while Jesus calls us to a humble estate.

That we would take a biblical assessment of ourselves and find ourselves lacking, to find that we depend upon our Creator for our every breath, that every good and perfect gift that we posses comes down from our heavenly Father.

While the world prescribes self-esteem to cure what ails us Jesus says, no, humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and you will inherit His kingdom - you will live forever in a heavenly city whose builder and maker is God.

While the world prescribes self-esteem to cure what ailes you Jesus says, no, humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and He will give you His kingdom.

Blessed are those who mourn

This week we’re going to continue looking at the rest of these beatitudes one at a time, so if you’ll read with me again verses 2-12,

2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

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.

There are at least 122 references to all kinds of mourning throughout the Scriptures, most of which are found in the OT, which means the concept of mourning should be nothing new to Jesus’ disciples, but the question before us today is this, What type of mourning is spoken of here by Jesus?

What is it that Jesus intends to teach us?

Comfort is not promised to all unconditionally

On the outset there is something we can be sure of, and it’s that this promise that those who mourn will be comforted is not universal.

Scripture is manifestly clear that not all, without qualification, will be comforted, instead the Scriptures teach us that many will be justly punished in Hell for their sin and rebellion against God, that they will not be comforted, and that “the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.”

That in Hell their will be much weeping and gnashing of teeth, that there will be no rest for the wicked.

So first and foremost the promise of comfort to those who mourn is for those who are poor in spirit, those who humble themselves before almighty God, who turn from their sin, and who are united to Christ by faith.

It is not for those who remain alienated from God.

These promises are for the citizens of God’s kingdom.

Those alienated from God turn and trust in Christ

So if you are here today and stand alienated from God, I plead with you to repent, to turn from your sin, and to turn to Jesus.

He will clothe you in his righteousness and present you justified before his heavenly Father.

And you will have all the blessings of this text, you will be made a child of God, adopted and redeemed.

Jesus’ atoning sacrifice absorbed the wrath of God against sinners for those who trust in his righteousness.

Blessed are those who mourn over their sin

Blessed are those who mourn over their sin for they shall be comforted.

I think this is the primary thrust of the text here before us today.

Those who are poor in spirit, those who are knowingly destitute of anything that might merit their salvation are those who mourn over their sin.

They are grieved by their sin, because their sin grieves God.

They understand that their sin is utterly destructive to not only to their earthly relationships but that sin is ultimately an offense against God, in fact, it’s a despising of God.

Sin is a despising of God and his law

When David struck down Uriah with the sword of the Ammonites and committed adultery with Uriah’s wife the prophet Nathan exclaimed, “Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight?”

Our sin is a despising, or a deep loathing of God’s word and ultimately, by extension, a despising of God himself.

It is for this reason that a true son or daughter of God is genuinely grieved by their sinful actions.

Godly versus ungodly grief

However, there is a mourning over sin that brings no comfort.

Many weep over their sin yet are never comforted.

Judas grieved over his betrayal of Jesus but it wasn’t a grief that produced repentance.

You see, godly grief produces repentance.

Paul says this when he writes to the church in Corinth in ,

10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

We grieve over sin because it grieves God.

We often see examples of ungodly grief in ourselves and others.

It’s all too common that when we’ve been caught in wrongdoing that we are quick to say “sorry”, but so often our apology is a shallow one, a sorrow that grieves only over the consequences of our sin rather than a genuine grief that causes us to turn from our sin.

Attrition & Contrition

In theological terms we call repentance that’s motivated simply by the fear of punishment attrition.

Whereas contrition is a real repentance that “is generated by a profound sorrow from the soul in which we are heartily sorry for our sins.”

(R.C Sproul, Matthew p.81)

says,

But this is the one to whom I will look:

he who is humble and contrite in spirit

and trembles at my word.

says,

15  For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,

who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

“I dwell in the high and holy place,

and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,

to revive the spirit of the lowly,

and to revive the heart of the contrite.

And reads like this,

We grieve over sin because it grieves God.

16  For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;

you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

We grieve over sin because it grieves God.

A child of God is mournful over his sin, because it grieves God, and a child of God is comforted because he has an advocate, who is Christ, who, as the writer of Hebrews puts it, “is able to save to the uttermost, those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

This is the comfort we are promised.

Those who mourn over their sin are promised forgiveness, and it’s by his forgiveness that we find lasting and permanent comfort.

John, in one of his letters writes,

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

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

10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Jesus our great Consolation

Now there are

Jesus our great Consolation

You see this is why Jesus is our great consolation - our great comfort.

He is the one who is making all things new, he is the one who will have vengence against the unrighteous, he is the one who will one day set all things right, he will bring justice on the earth and comfort to our mourning.

We not only know that there is a future, or eschatological, reality that God will one day wipe away every tear from our eyes, but that very reality brings us comfort, even now, in our tribulations.