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Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn (Matthew 5:4)

                                                                                                                     Visit fbcpierz.org/sermons to listen to this sermon. 
Outline: Matthew 5:4
  1. The meaning of mourning
  2. The promise of comfort
Summary: The Beatitudes are invitations from Jesus to experience more of God's blessing, joy, and favor in our lives (Matt. 5:3-12).  Each Beatitude is a pointed description of Christian character, that is, what every Christian's character should be like.  And these character qualities attract the blessing of God and, as we shall see, also enhance our witness in the world (Matt. 5:13-16).  The second Beatitude ("Blessed are those who mourn") flows naturally from the first ("Blessed are the poor in spirit"), for it is only after we recognize our need for God that we will begin to feel as we ought to feel.  Those who mourn are those who are grieved by what grieves God.  This godly grief attracts the blessing of God, especially in the form of comfort (some comfort in this life and complete comfort in the life to come). 

Discussion Questions:
  • Review: Define "blessed." Beatitudes are invitations, invitations to what?
  • What is the meaning of mourning? [Hint: look at it through a narrow lens and a broad lens].  
  • How do we learn to mourn?  [Hint: Analogy: a child watching daddy's tears]
  • Thought experiment: what are some things that grieve the heart of God?
  • Reflect on this phrase: sometimes "weeping is our worship"
  • Can you think of a godly person in your life who is often grieved by what grieves God?
  • In what sense is the promise of comfort a present and a future reality?
  • Look up these cross-references and consider the comfort that we get to experience in part now and in full later: Isa. 61:1-2; Jn. 16:20-21; Ps. 30:5; 126:5-6; 45:15; Rev. 21:4.
  • Comfort is only promised to "those who mourn." How does the gospel make it possible to be one who mourns?
Application Questions:
  • How often do you grieve over things that grieve the heart of God? 
  • What sins in your live should you be mourning over?
  • When it comes to your response to the sins of others and the brokenness of society, are you more marked by frustration, irritability, impatience, a critical spirit, etc or by godly grief?
  • What would it look like for you to mourn over the sins of others and the brokenness of society?
  • What hinders you from grieving over things that grieve the heart of God?
  • Why do you think "those who mourn" attract the blessing and favor of God?
Prayer points:
  • Confess any of your ungodly responses to the sins of others and the brokenness of society.  
  • Mourn any sin in your own life.
  • Praise God that He mourned our sin and sent His Son to die to pay the penalty for our sin
  • Praise God that you have the very Spirit of the Man of Sorrows within you, that you now have the capacity to be grieved by what grieves God.  This is a miracle of God's grace!
  • Ask  God to break your heart for what breaks His
  • Ask God to grow your capacity for mourning