We are going to start 2020 with an eight part series "The Way To Happiness". Everyone wants to be happy, and the New Testament is our greatest authority on the subject. Jesus Christ gives us the key that will unlock the door to happiness in the eight Beatitudes.
Matthew 5:3-12 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
The word translated “blessed” is sometimes translated “happy.”
In this sermon, the second in this series we prove that sorrow (blessed are those who mourn) is the way to happiness
The audio recording of the sermon is at the YouTube link at the end of the manuscript.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord , my strength and my Redeemer.
Psalms 19:14 NKJV
Matthew 5:3-12 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
The word translated “blessed” is sometimes translated “happy.”
In this sermon, the second in this series we prove that sorrow (blessed are those who mourn) is the way to happiness
The audio recording of the sermon is at the YouTube link at the end of the manuscript.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord , my strength and my Redeemer.
Psalms 19:14 NKJV
Scripture Reading:
Matthew 5:1-12 ESV Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Text:
Matthew 5:4 ESV "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
2 Corinthians 7:10 ESV For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
Introduction
The way to happiness is outlined in the first twelve verses of Matthew 5, which are known as the Beatitudes which means supreme blessedness. We just read them.
Last Sunday we said that the word translated “blessed” in the Beatitudes may also be translated “happy.”
In the first beatitude, the one that we talked about last week, Jesus said the first step toward happiness is being “poor in spirit” or humility.
Then we find a very strange statement in the second beatitude: “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”
What would you think of a person who said to a crying child, “Why are you so happy?” You probably would think that the person was either cruel or nuts!
Christ’s remark that a mourning person is happy just does not seem to add up.
First of all we need to remind ourselves that the sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes were to the disciples not unbelievers.
Matthew 5:1 ESV Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
So,what Jesus said about the way to happiness is directed to Christians.
“Blessed [happy] are they that mourn.”
Does this mean people who go around with a sad face, the kind of person you hate to see coming because they are always bring bad news?
No Jesus is not talking about these folk!
The J. B. Phillips translation of the Bible renders Matthew 5:4 as “How happy are those who know what sorrow means, for they will be given courage and comfort!”
There are two kinds of sorrow.
2 Corinthians 7:8-10 NIV Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
One kind of sorrow leads to happiness and the other kind to misery. One carries with it a blessing and the other no blessing at all. One leads to life and the other to death. One is "godly sorrow" and the other "worldly sorrow"
To understand this beatitude;
Matthew 5:4 ESV "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted,
and experience the happiness it promises, we need to recognize the kind or sorrow that leads to misery and the kind of sorrow that leads to happiness.
Sorrow that leads to misery.
When Jesus said, “Blessed are they that mourn,” he meant a different sort of mourning than what most people experience.
Too often our sorrow is the wrong kind, the kind that brings misery. The “worldly sorrow [that] brings death”
But exactly what is this kind of sorrow?
1. Sorrow that comes because of getting caught is the kind of sorrow that brings misery.
Psalms 32:10 ESV Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord .
The thief who is arrested, the drug pusher who gets caught, the student who cheats, or the husband or wife who is unfaithful may be sorry to have been caught, but this sorrow has no blessing because it often doesn’t result in repentance. There are a lot of people in prison who are sorry they were caught but who are not sorry for their sins. If given another chance, they would do the same thing again, as is evidenced by the alarming number of repeat offenders. Theirs is a sorrow that leads not to happiness but to misery.
2. Sorrow that comes because of a failure to execute a sinful scheme is the kind of sorrow that brings misery.
The Bible warns us that “whoever digs a hole for somebody else to fall into falls into it themselves.
Psalms 7:14-16 ESV Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies. He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made. His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends.
The Bible also says that “[God] catches the wise in their craftiness”
1 Corinthians 3:18-20 ESV Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness," and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile."
For example, a man crashed his car and its frame is bent. He has the body repaired and painted, and then attempts to sell it without telling the prospective buyer the whole truth. Liking the car, the buyer takes it for a test drive and has a mechanic friend look it over. To the mechanic’s trained eye, the bent frame is obvious. The buyer returns the damaged vehicle, and the sale falls through.
The owner is sorry but only because he failed in his scheme to deceive somebody else. This same type of sorrow may result from failure when we try to be accepted as more than we really are.
Romans 12:3 ESV For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
3. Sorrow because of the consequences suffered but not sorrow for the action or sin, is the kind of sorrow that brings misery.
Sorrow for consequences rather than for sin leads to misery. Here's an example.
Acts 8:18-24 ESV Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, "Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity." And Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."
Simon didn’t appear to repent or seem to be sorry for his sin instead he asked Peter to pray so its consequences might be removed.
There is sorrow that leads to misery because of the consequence suffered.
Sorrow that comes because of getting caught, Sorrow that comes because of a failure to execute a sinful scheme and Sorrow because of the consequences suffered but not sorrow for the action or sin are examples of sorrow that brings misery.
But the sorrow Jesus talks about is quite different, it is sorrow that leads to happiness, a godly sorrow
Matthew 5:4 ESV "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Or like it says in the J. B. Phillips; “How happy are those who know what sorrow means, for they will be given courage and comfort!”
2 Corinthians 7:8-10 NIV Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
One kind of sorrow leads to happiness and the other kind to misery. One carries with it a blessing and the other no blessing at all. One leads to life and the other to death. One is "godly sorrow" and the other "worldly sorrow"
To understand this beatitude;
Matthew 5:4 ESV "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted,
and experience the happiness it promises, we need to recognize the kind or sorrow that leads to misery and the kind of sorrow that leads to happiness.
Sorrow that leads to misery.
When Jesus said, “Blessed are they that mourn,” he meant a different sort of mourning than what most people experience.
Too often our sorrow is the wrong kind, the kind that brings misery. The “worldly sorrow [that] brings death”
But exactly what is this kind of sorrow?
1. Sorrow that comes because of getting caught is the kind of sorrow that brings misery.
Psalms 32:10 ESV Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord .
The thief who is arrested, the drug pusher who gets caught, the student who cheats, or the husband or wife who is unfaithful may be sorry to have been caught, but this sorrow has no blessing because it often doesn’t result in repentance. There are a lot of people in prison who are sorry they were caught but who are not sorry for their sins. If given another chance, they would do the same thing again, as is evidenced by the alarming number of repeat offenders. Theirs is a sorrow that leads not to happiness but to misery.
2. Sorrow that comes because of a failure to execute a sinful scheme is the kind of sorrow that brings misery.
The Bible warns us that “whoever digs a hole for somebody else to fall into falls into it themselves.
Psalms 7:14-16 ESV Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies. He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made. His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends.
The Bible also says that “[God] catches the wise in their craftiness”
1 Corinthians 3:18-20 ESV Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness," and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile."
For example, a man crashed his car and its frame is bent. He has the body repaired and painted, and then attempts to sell it without telling the prospective buyer the whole truth. Liking the car, the buyer takes it for a test drive and has a mechanic friend look it over. To the mechanic’s trained eye, the bent frame is obvious. The buyer returns the damaged vehicle, and the sale falls through.
The owner is sorry but only because he failed in his scheme to deceive somebody else. This same type of sorrow may result from failure when we try to be accepted as more than we really are.
Romans 12:3 ESV For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
3. Sorrow because of the consequences suffered but not sorrow for the action or sin, is the kind of sorrow that brings misery.
Sorrow for consequences rather than for sin leads to misery. Here's an example.
Acts 8:18-24 ESV Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, "Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity." And Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."
Simon didn’t appear to repent or seem to be sorry for his sin instead he asked Peter to pray so its consequences might be removed.
There is sorrow that leads to misery because of the consequence suffered.
Sorrow that comes because of getting caught, Sorrow that comes because of a failure to execute a sinful scheme and Sorrow because of the consequences suffered but not sorrow for the action or sin are examples of sorrow that brings misery.
But the sorrow Jesus talks about is quite different, it is sorrow that leads to happiness, a godly sorrow
Matthew 5:4 ESV "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Or like it says in the J. B. Phillips; “How happy are those who know what sorrow means, for they will be given courage and comfort!”
Photo credit: Pure Life Ministries Sorrow that leads to happiness
In contrast to the world’s sorrow that brings death, Paul talks about a “godly sorrow [that] brings repentance that leads to salvation”
2 Corinthians 7:8-10 ESV For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
1. Sorrow that is born of conviction is a sorrow that brings happiness.
Here's the way the Phillips version translates 2 Corinthians 7:8;
“I can see that the letter did upset you, though only for a time, and now I am glad I sent it, not because I want to hurt you but because it made you grieve for things that were wrong.”
The Corinthians’ sorrow eventually led to happiness because it was born of conviction. Edward Hastings interprets this beatitude, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted, as “Blessed are they who are ashamed of themselves, of their shabbiness in character, their meanness of conduct.”
Sorrow for sin is not a symptom of a sick soul; it is evidence of a healthy soul. People who are deeply convicted of their sin will come to the Savior as instinctively as sick people will go to a doctor. This is the type of sorrow leads to happiness.
2. Sorrow that is expressed is a sorrow that brings happiness.
Sorrow that leads to happiness inevitably expresses itself. It can’t be contained! The Greek word used for “to mourn” thrino, is a very strong word. Often it is used for mourning for the dead. It is the kind of grief that is so intense that you can’t hide it. It brings not only heartache and tears but also confession and a changed life. For example;
Through confession, David’s return to purity and happiness began with his confession:
Psalms 51:3-4 ESV For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
People are really changed when they suddenly come up against something that opens their eyes to what sin is and what sin does. Let’s say you go about your merry way doing whatever feels good never thinking of the effects or consequences. Then one day you see a friend destroyed by drugs, alcohol, or immorality. Suddenly you see sin for what it is. That can create sorrow for your own sin, and cause you to change your life style.
Here’s Corinthians 7:10 in the Contemporary English Version of the Bible
2 Corinthians 7:10 CEV When God makes you feel sorry enough to turn to him and be saved, you don't have anything to feel bad about. But when this world makes you feel sorry, it can cause your death.
3. Sorrow that is blessed is a sorrow that brings happiness.
Jesus said, “Blessed are they that mourn.” Here “blessed” has a dual meaning. It means “blessed” and “happy.” Four blessings result from sorrow that leads to happiness.
If you are mourning over your sin you won’t know the comfort that is promised until the sins are forgiven. Then you find happiness. As long as the burden and guilt of sin rests heavily on you, you cannot be comforted. It is when we experience the loving forgiveness of Christ that comfort and peace become ours.
Romans 5:1 ESV Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
David’s lust led to murder, which in turn led to lieing and estrangement from God. Following Nathan’s accusation, David became deeply convicted of his sin.
His personal anguish is recorded in Psalm 51. Where he prayed for the restoration of fellowship:
Psalms 51:12 ESV Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
His sorrow led to confession, which led to forgiveness, which led to restoration of fellowship with God.
1 John 1:5-10 ESV 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. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 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. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Sorrow can have a godly reference. God can turn sickness and sorrow into good.
“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28 NIV).
God uses sorrow to build character and thus to bring happiness.
Jesus said that those who mourn shall be comforted.” Being comforted means strength that comes from companionship with God. Only those who enter into the abundance of God’s life receive the blessing of divine comfort. Jesus assured us here that only those who enter fully into the depths of life—their own and others— are truly blessed.
“How happy are those who know what sorrow means, for they will be given courage and comfort!”
In contrast to the world’s sorrow that brings death, Paul talks about a “godly sorrow [that] brings repentance that leads to salvation”
2 Corinthians 7:8-10 ESV For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
1. Sorrow that is born of conviction is a sorrow that brings happiness.
Here's the way the Phillips version translates 2 Corinthians 7:8;
“I can see that the letter did upset you, though only for a time, and now I am glad I sent it, not because I want to hurt you but because it made you grieve for things that were wrong.”
The Corinthians’ sorrow eventually led to happiness because it was born of conviction. Edward Hastings interprets this beatitude, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted, as “Blessed are they who are ashamed of themselves, of their shabbiness in character, their meanness of conduct.”
Sorrow for sin is not a symptom of a sick soul; it is evidence of a healthy soul. People who are deeply convicted of their sin will come to the Savior as instinctively as sick people will go to a doctor. This is the type of sorrow leads to happiness.
2. Sorrow that is expressed is a sorrow that brings happiness.
Sorrow that leads to happiness inevitably expresses itself. It can’t be contained! The Greek word used for “to mourn” thrino, is a very strong word. Often it is used for mourning for the dead. It is the kind of grief that is so intense that you can’t hide it. It brings not only heartache and tears but also confession and a changed life. For example;
Through confession, David’s return to purity and happiness began with his confession:
Psalms 51:3-4 ESV For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
People are really changed when they suddenly come up against something that opens their eyes to what sin is and what sin does. Let’s say you go about your merry way doing whatever feels good never thinking of the effects or consequences. Then one day you see a friend destroyed by drugs, alcohol, or immorality. Suddenly you see sin for what it is. That can create sorrow for your own sin, and cause you to change your life style.
Here’s Corinthians 7:10 in the Contemporary English Version of the Bible
2 Corinthians 7:10 CEV When God makes you feel sorry enough to turn to him and be saved, you don't have anything to feel bad about. But when this world makes you feel sorry, it can cause your death.
3. Sorrow that is blessed is a sorrow that brings happiness.
Jesus said, “Blessed are they that mourn.” Here “blessed” has a dual meaning. It means “blessed” and “happy.” Four blessings result from sorrow that leads to happiness.
- Forgiveness of sin. First John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
If you are mourning over your sin you won’t know the comfort that is promised until the sins are forgiven. Then you find happiness. As long as the burden and guilt of sin rests heavily on you, you cannot be comforted. It is when we experience the loving forgiveness of Christ that comfort and peace become ours.
Romans 5:1 ESV Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
- The next blessing from the sorrow that leads to happiness is the restoration of fellowship with God.
David’s lust led to murder, which in turn led to lieing and estrangement from God. Following Nathan’s accusation, David became deeply convicted of his sin.
His personal anguish is recorded in Psalm 51. Where he prayed for the restoration of fellowship:
Psalms 51:12 ESV Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
His sorrow led to confession, which led to forgiveness, which led to restoration of fellowship with God.
1 John 1:5-10 ESV 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. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 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. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
- The next blessing from the sorrow that leads to happiness is the strengthening of character.
Sorrow can have a godly reference. God can turn sickness and sorrow into good.
“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28 NIV).
God uses sorrow to build character and thus to bring happiness.
- The fourth blessing from the sorrow that leads to happiness is God’s comfort.
Jesus said that those who mourn shall be comforted.” Being comforted means strength that comes from companionship with God. Only those who enter into the abundance of God’s life receive the blessing of divine comfort. Jesus assured us here that only those who enter fully into the depths of life—their own and others— are truly blessed.
“How happy are those who know what sorrow means, for they will be given courage and comfort!”
Sermon Audio
RSS Feed