“Blessed are they who mourn”

Matthew 5:1-12

Pastor Tom Johnson, November 2, 2014

Today I want to highlight just one of the many profound and perplexing things Jesus says in our Gospel reading; that is, when he says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Why would those who mourn—those who sorrow— be blessed? How could our sadness be evidence of God’s hand of blessing? Or more personally, how can our grief be a good and gracious sign that we are exactly where God wants us to be? Jesus does not tell us exactly what these blessed people are mourning about or sorrowing over. I think that is by design. Sadly, there are a number of things that can cause us grief.

The Bible itself calls us to mourn or lament loss of all kinds. Jesus says it is not while the Groom is with you on his wedding day that you grieve but later on when he is taken away (Matt 9:15). This pointed to the time when the disciples were in mourning and weeping after he was taken away and crucified. Paul told the Corinthians that they should mourn and grieve over destructive, sinful behavior in the Church. James tells that we should “be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let [our] laughter be turned into mourning and [our] joy to gloom”—this sorrow over our own worldliness and our own sinfulness (James 4:9). Scripture calls us to join God’s sadness over his creation. And so Jesus says “Blessed are those who mourn” to invite us into this godly sorrow (2 Cor 7:10). We are blessed who feel the pain of separation—for whatever reason—whether it be circumstances in the world, evil, our own sin, or even death.

It goes without saying that you and I would be unfeeling, cold, and heartless if we did not feel the pain of loss for any of these maladies. It is normal and healthy to be shocked at the news of loss. It is normal to express sadness and shed tears, be depressed and lonely, experience anxiety, and to even feel anger and resentment. It is normal to experience this wide range of mourning and sorrow and grief—and for it to change day to day.

Jesus calls us deep into this sorrow—deeper than just mourning over loss but grief over the whole human condition. He invites us to lament the pride that we puff ourselves up with. He invites us to lament the lack of empathy and lack of compassion we feel toward one another. He calls us to grieve over our persecution and believers around the world will face on his account. Later in this Sermon on the Mount, he will express words of sorrow over murder—and not just literal, physical violence but also hateful thoughts and hate-filled words. This is a sorrow that goes deep and wide—deep into the sinful heart of humanity and its devastating effects on a global scale. Jesus invites us into his sorrow—the sorrow of God over the loss of his creation to sin, evil, and death.

But God does not grieve over us without hope; his sadness is not without love for his creation. And so he sends his only Son, Jesus, the Man of Sorrows. He will become acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3) so that he can bring hope, healing, forgiveness, and life to the whole world. And so Jesus says,

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

“For they will be comforted.” “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning!” (Ps 30:5). Here we have the promise that no pain or sorrow is too deep or out of reach that God’s grace, love, and joy cannot go deeper still. This promise of comfort is what gives us the courage to confront our sorrows. It strengthens our faith to go down the path of grief with the assurance that it will one day lead to joy and celebration of life. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” And so we soberly enter the darkness of this world and of our hearts often with deep sadness—but not with despair—and not without hope—but with the promise of the dawn of a new day and the assurance of a Savior who delivers forgiveness and eternal life.

This is what our choir will preach to us in just a few moments from our hymn:

The golden evening brightens in the west; Soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest; Sweet is the calm of paradise the blest. Alleluia! Alleluia!

And we respond:

But, lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day: The saints triumphantly rise in bright array; The King of Glory passes on His way. Alleluia! Alleluia!

Blessed are those who courageously confront their hurts and their faults. Blessed are those who feel the pain of loss and fractured relationships. Blessed are those who long to be reunited with those they love and the Savior who longs to bring us to himself.

“Blessed are those who mourn—for they will be comforted.”