Blessed Are The Mourners

The Holy Spirit tells us there is a sorrow that is of this world and then there is a godly sorrow. The second type we have already described. It is a mourning over the denial of our physical cares, wants, passions, lusts, greed, or longings. Throughout our life there have been and will be times when we mourn or sorrow over negative events in our life unless we are hard hearted. There are some people who are like that. But this first type of mourning is not the type Jesus described - one that continues and never stops.

When Jesus described a person who was constantly mourning and mourning, He was referring to the first type of sorrow referred to in 2 Cor. 7:10. He was referring to a person who is mourning his or her sin. It is these individuals who will be comforted. The Greek word means “to encourage.” Jesus was talking about an ongoing pattern of life. All true followers of Jesus came to Him because they were mourning their sin, and our mourning should not stop after we find Him.

Those who are poor in spirit will be mourning their sin. It is not possible to be mourning our sin unless we believe that we are spiritual beggars. These two beatitudes characterize the true followers of Jesus. This is the heart of the beatitude. True followers never stop mourning over sin.

The present age is definitely not an age of mourning. Instead, people deliberately turn away from anything unpleasant, determined to fill their lives with those things which will divert their minds from anything serious. In their preoccupation with momentary pleasures and diversions, people settle for shallow and empty substitutes for reality. Millions give more thought to what programs they will watch tonight on TNT, [DVD,] or what videotape they will rent for the weekend than they do to the things of eternity. (Billy Graham. The Secret of Happiness. Word Publishing. 1955)

And he is correct. But Jesus was not talking about our culture but about the man or woman who is concerned about eternity.

Today, many folks do not want to hear that they are sinners and need to have their sins forgiven. A few years ago Newsweek wrote the following,

The notion of self esteem may put off anyone old enough to remember when “Christian” as an adjective was often followed by “humility.” But American churches, which once did not shrink from calling their congregants wretches, have moved to a more congenial view of human nature . . . Chastising sinners is [now] considered counterproductive: it makes them feel worse about themselves.” (quoted from Dan Burrell, Montana News Association)

But in the second beatitude Jesus told His audience that unless they saw themselves as spiritual beggars, they could not see the kingdom of God; and those who were mourning their sin would be encouraged.

Conclusion. Anyone who sees himself/herself as a spiritual beggar and who is mourning his or her sin can be comforted by God and only by God. We are first comforted when we believe in Jesus since we know that He forgives our sins,

Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins. (NASB) Acts 10:43

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men . . . looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed . . . (NASB) Titus 2:11-14