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years ago just before Christmas my father died of Lou Gehrig's disease. He was diagnosed one year before his
death with a most aggressive form of the disease, Bulbar syndrome. His first symptom was difficulty in speaking.
As the disease progressed, he had difficulty swallowing and eating and eventually he lost the ability to speak
or eat. In the summer of 1998, he starting "eating" through a tube in his stomach and the disease
began to paralyze his lungs. It was a slow death and he went home to be with God just before Christmas. We
rejoiced and mourned. We rejoiced because he had the best Christmas of the entire family. We mourned because
we lost a loved one.Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. (NASB) Matt 5:4 This Greek word for mourn, PENTHEO, is the strongest word that
Jesus could have used for deep emotional grief, sorrow and mourning. Jesus message must have been a surprise, "Happy
are those who are utterly consumed with grief for they shall be comforted." "Happy are the sad!"
Happy Are The Sad? But what does Jesus mean by this? He is not referring
to the future fulfillment promised in Isaiah 61:1-3. 2 Cor. 7:10
is the key to understanding Jesus' beatitude,
For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 2 Cor 7:10 (NASB) The Holy Spirit tells us there is a sorrow that is of this world and then there is a godly sorrow. Throughout
our life there have been or will be times that we mourn or sorrow over negative events in our life unless we
are hard hearted - and there are some people who are like that.
Not This Mourning. We can mourn, grieve or sorrow over a wide variety
of negative circumstances. Here are some biblical examples,
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| Sermon on the Mount | |||||
