PURSUING THE WAY OF HAPPINESS -THROUGH MOURNING (PSL)

( Matthew 5:4 )
A Message by Rev. Dr. Stanley Lim on 27 & 28 January 2001

INTRODUCTION:

As stressed the last time, the teachings of the Beatitudes were meant for the disciples not for unbelievers. Verse 4 says, “Blessed are those that mourn.” Does this mean that the person goes around with a dismal, deary, gloomy, mournful countenance? No, not at all! J.B Philips translates this verse as Christ saying, “How happy are those who know what sorrow means, for they will be given the courage and comfort!”

They are two kinds of sorrow. One leads to happiness and the other leads to misery. One has a blessing and the other has no blessing at all. One leads to life and other leads to death. Paul distinguishes between the two in 2 Cor.7: 8-10. One he calls, “Godly sorrow” and the other he calls “worldly sorrow”. He states, “Godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation,…but the sorrow of the world produces death.” To understand this Beatitude and to experience the happiness it promises, we need to distinguish between sorrow that leads to misery and sorrow that leads to happiness.

I. SORROW THAT LEADS TO MISERY

What kind of sorrow is this that leads to misery?

A. It is sorrow because of getting caught

Psalms 32:10 – Many sorrow shall be to the wicked.

The thief who is arrested, the dope pusher who is apprehended, the student who cheats, the husband or wife who is unfaithful may be sorry because they have been caught, but this sorrow has no blessing. It is void of repentance. Our prisons hold many who are sorry they are caught, but they are not sorry for their sin. If given another chance they would do the same things as is evidenced by the number of repeat offenders. Theirs is a sorrow that leads not to happiness but misery.

B. It is sorrow because of failing in some sinful scheme

1 Cor.3:19 – He catches the wise in their own craftiness.

Psalms 7:15 – He made a pit and dug it out, and has fallen into the ditch which he made.

A person has wrecked his car. The frame is bent. He gets the body repaired and painted and then attempts to sell it, never telling the prospective buyer the whole truth. Liking the care the buyer takes it for a drive and has a mechanic friend look at it. To his trained eyes the bent frame is quite obvious. The buyer returns the damaged merchandise and the sale falls through. The owner is sorrow but only because he failed in his scheme to deceive others.

C. It is sorrow because of the consequence suffered

Simon the sorcerer thought Simon Peter had some magic more powerful than any he knew about, so he offered Peter money. Let’s read Acts 8: 19-24. Simon did not seem to be sorry for his sin, but rather asked Peter to pray that the consequence of it might be removed. This is the sorrow that leads to misery because of the consequence suffered.

But the sorrow that Jesus spoke is quite different.

II. SORROW THAT LEADS TO HAPPINESS

A. Sorrow that leads to happiness is born of conviction

Philips’ translation of 2 Cor.7:8 stresses the right kind of sorrow: “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.” Their sorrow eventually led to happiness because it was born of conviction.

Edward Hastings interprets the Beatitudes, “Blessed are they who are ashamed of themselves, of their shabbiness of character, their meanness of conduct.” Sorrow for sin is not a symptom of a sick soul. It is evidence of returning health. The person who is deeply convicted of his sin will come to the Savior as instinctively as an ill person will go to a physician. It is this kind of sorrow that will lead to happiness.

B. Sorrow that leads to happiness is expressed

This kind of sorrow cannot be contained! The use of the Greek for the word “mourn” is the strongest which describes that kind of grief which so grips a person that it cannot be hid. It brings not only heartache and tears but confession and a changed life.

1. Through confession

David’s return to goodness and thus happiness began with his confession. (Psalms 51: 3,4). The prodigal son’s return to happiness came only when he confessed, “I have sinned against heaven and before thee.”

2. Through a changed life

Philips’ translation of 2 Cor.7:10 – The sorrow which God uses means a change of heart and leads to salvation.

A person is really changed when he suddenly comes up against something which opens his eyes to what sin is and to what sin does. A boy may go his own way, and may never think of the effects and consequences. Then one day something happens, and that boy may see a young friend destroyed by drugs or alcohol. Suddenly, he sees sin for what it is. Then he experiences an intense sorrow, for his own sin is expressed through a changed life.

C. Sorrow that leads to happiness is blessed

Jesus said, “Blessed are they that mourn.” Here the word has a dual meaning. It means happy and it means blessed. There are 4 blessings that come as a result of sorrow.

1. With forgiveness of sin [ 1 John 1:9 ]

No soul who mourns over his sins can know the comfort that is promised until his sins are forgiven. So long as the burden and guilt of sin rests heavy on him. He can never be comforted. It is when he experiences the loving forgiveness of Christ that comfort and the “peace that passes all understanding” become his.

2. With restoration of fellowship [ 1 John 1:7 ]

The lust of David led to murder and murder to falsehood. His fellowship with God was broken. Following the accusation of Nathan, David became deeply convicted and sorrowful for his sin. His personal anguish is recorded in Psalm 51. Then he prayed for the restoration of fellowship.

Psalm 51:12 – “Restore to me the joy of my salvation and uphold me with your generous spirit.” His sorrow led to confession, and confession to forgiveness and forgiveness to restoration of fellowship.

3. With strengthening of character

God uses sorrow to build character and thus to bring happiness. If there were no suffering and no sorrow there would be no sympathy. If there were no danger there would be no heroism nor character. Sorrow can have a godly reference. God can turn sickness and sorrow into good. (Rom.8:28)

4. With the comfort of God

Jesus said that those who mourn “will be comforted”. Hastings says that the word, ‘comfort’ is suggestive of bracing rather than that of soothing. It speaks of the strength that comes from companionship with God. Jesus is assuring us here, out of His knowledge of life and His rich experience, the human heart, that it is only those who enter richly feelingly into the deeps of life – their own and others – who are truly blessed. It is such people who enter into the richness of God’s life and receive the blessing of divine comfort.

CONCLUSION:

On the Pennsylvania Railroad during the early 1900′s two trains collided. Several people were killed. It was determined that the surviving engineer had been at fault. He was questioned again and again. The whole experience was too much for him. He went into a psychotic state. He could hardly carry on an intelligent conversation.

The president of the railroad asked to meet with the engineer. With real dread the engineer walked into the president’s room. Mr. Atterbury, the president, placed his arm over the shoulder of the engineer and said, “Old man, we have had a streak of bad luck, haven’t we?” For sometime both the president and the engineer stood there weeping.

Then the president said, “One thing I want you to remember as long as you work for us and whenever any employee of the Pennsylvania Railroad is troubled, I am troubled, too.”

In a short time the old engineer began to speak and think clearly. Because his boss wept he has healed.

All about us are faultfinders on the prowl for those on whom they can heap guilt and blame. But you and I can join that blessed minority which has the heart to mourn even with those who are to blame. When we become such mourners we shall both comfort and be comforted.