The Beatitudes series — Matthew 5:3–12
By Chip Starnes
I remember very vividly seeing my friend, Bobby, walk the aisle as the invitation was given at the conclusion of a Sunday evening service. That night he prayed to receive Christ as his Savior. As I approached him in the receiving line, I noticed he was crying. I couldn’t understand why he would cry. Was he not happy with his decision? My mother later explained Bobby’s reaction: “Those were tears of joy.”
The second Beatitude runs contrary to the pattern of thought of the first century culture in Palestine and in our culture today. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matt. 5:4). It seems ridiculous — “Happy are those who mourn?” Why would anyone think mourning is a key to happiness?
Note the progression in the statements of Jesus. The first Beatitude, “Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven,” was to recognize a deep need in our lives. That need is to recognize our sin and our need for a Savior. The second Beatitude speaks to our need to mourn over our condition of sin.
It is important to note that in Jesus’ day the Pharisees practiced what we could call “pharisaic righteousness.” This righteousness was based on the external qualities of person. But the qualities Jesus mentions in the Sermon on the Mount are qualities of the internal being. This is true righteousness in the kingdom of God.
The meaning of ‘mourn’
What does Jesus mean by “mourn?” The word “mourn” used in the text means to be saddened and to grieve over something or someone. In essence, the use of “mourn” in the text is to have a sense of anguish over sin. This, according to Jesus, is a characteristic of a blessed life.
There are many instances in life which cause us to mourn. One is caused by personal loss. All of us know this type of mourning such as the separation from a loved one by death. Another type of personal loss is the type of loss one experiences as by a storm such as a hurricane or tornado. We also mourn in the experience of a wayward child or hurting for others such as a family member or friend.
A second instance in life which causes us to mourn is caused by the sin, sorrow and suffering we see around us in the world. This brings sorrow for the hurt experienced in our world. With all we are exposed to in the information age we are in danger of becoming desensitized to the hurts and pains of this world. Yet every now and then, and for some more often, we see the reality of the hurting, the homeless, the starving. It breaks our heart and we mourn for them. Remember when Jesus wept over the world? He wept over the death of Lazarus as recorded in John 11. We also read in Luke 19:41–44 that Jesus wept over a lost city. He wept over the multitudes and over their lost condition.
A third instance in life which can cause us to mourn is grief over our own sin against a Holy God. It is this grief and mourning over our sin that our Lord is speaking of in Matthew 5:4. Surely our own sin before God should cause us to mourn over our sinfulness. Just as we have become desensitized to the world’s problems and sins, we have become desensitized to our personal sin before God.
True repentance
Jesus is instructing us to mourn over our sinful condition and seek His comfort. Mourning over our sinful condition is to lead us to true confession and repentance. True confession is not the mere mental assent that we have done wrong. Confession means seeing and agreeing with God how our sins have harmed us and others. It is pouring out our shame and deep sorrow to the Lord over our misdeeds. It is repenting of our evil ways and turning around and doing what’s right and good, and it’s seeking reconciliation with others and our God. As the Bible says: “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret; but worldly sorrow brings death” (2 Cor. 7:10).
C.E. Tanner says, “True repentance is when, by the convicting power of God’s Holy Spirit, the sinner finally has a sense … of godly sorrow for the condition of sin in his or her heart, and comes empty-handed and undefensive, without pretension or ceremony, and from a sincere heart says, ‘I’m sorry’ to the only One who can truly claim offense at sin; Holiness Himself, the God of the Ages … who alone can forgive and redeem and regenerate and reconcile.”
When Jesus says, “Blessed are those who mourn,” He is referencing personal repentance and a contrite heart before Holy God for our sin. There is forgiveness and mercy in Him when we come with repentance and contrition. When we do, we will find forgiveness and His comfort.
Our Comforter
Notice the result of mourning over our sin and repenting of our sin. “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.” Do we not long to be comforted by God? The word “comfort” is from the same word in the Greek language Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit as the Comforter — the One who comes alongside us. When we mourn, He comes along beside us. He consoles, strengthens and encourages us.
God’s comfort in our lives is readily available for all who seek Him. Author Bob Benson said, “When life caves in, you do not need reasons, you need comfort. You do not need answers, you need someone. Jesus does not come to us with an explanation, He comes to us with His presence.”
You will never know the comfort of God’s forgiveness in your life until you have mourned over your personal sin by repenting with a contrite heart. Contrition and repentance are followed by happiness when you receive God’s forgiveness and His comfort. When you do, then you too will experience tears of joy.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Chip Starnes has served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Bay Minette, for nearly 10 years and served 15 years as a pastor prior to that. He holds degrees from Mississippi College in Clinton, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham. He and his wife, Darlene, have two children.
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