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MATTHEW 5: 4

"BLESSED ARE THEY THAT MOURN"

Intro: When you think that blessed means "happy" this seems like complete
contradiction.

I. CONTRAST BETWEEN CHRISTIAN AND NON-CHRISTIAN.
        A. How unlike the things the world admires.
                1. "Poor in spirit."
                2. "They that mourn."
                        a. Mourning to be avoided and shunned.
        B. The things they seek.
                1. World seeks happiness.
                2. Christian seeks righteousness.

II. PROBLEMS WITH THIS BEATITUDE.
        A. Affected piety.
                1. Equated sadness with righteousness.
                2. Dark colors, long faces.
                3. Spirituality questioned if you smiled, all doubts
                   removed if you laughed.
        B. Backlash of affected joviality.
                1. Look how happy we are.
                2. Some cases a giddiness.

Ill. JESUS AS EXAMPLE, "MAN OF SORROW."
        A. Wept at tomb of Lazarus.
        B. Wept over Jerusalem.
        C. Didn't weep because Lazarus dead.
                1. Blindness and unbelief of followers.
        D. Wept for blindness and missed opportunities.

IV. BLESSED ARE THEY THAT MOURN - (3 INTERPRETATIONS).
        A. They that go through bitter sorrow.
        B. Those who sorrow and mourn over the conditions of the world.
        C. Those who mourn over their own sinful state.
                1. This is the most accurate of the three.
                        a. Follows are poor in spirit.
                        b. Seeing my sin, failure, weakness.
                        c. When I look at the cross, I see what sin can
                           do.

V. "THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED." 
        A. "Godly sorrow leadeth to repentance."
                1. Sorrowing over my sin, confession and forgiveness.
                2. Comforted by cleansing.
        B. Those who mourn over world conditions comforted by hope of
           world to come.
        C. What hope has the man who does not trust in Christ?
        D. True comfort never comes from perceiving your own wretchedness,
           but from perceiving Christ.