PENITENCE OR SPIRITUAL MOURNING

Sermon #30

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted, MAT 5:4.

We find in JOH 2:19-22 that the temple was a symbol of the body of Christ. "Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said."

The temple that is being built is the body of Christ. The body of Christ is the body of believers. Every believer in particular is a symbol of a stone used to build the temple of the body of Christ. This temple, or body, is His church. 1PE 2:5 says, "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

The Lord Jesus Christ gave the building of His temple as the symbol of His church. Each person in His church is considered as a lively stone. We are all a part of the building of the body of Christ.

In the building of this temple, the seven beatitudes symbolize the staircase that leads into it. There is only one way to ascend into the temple of the body of Christ. The beatitudes are the steps which lead into this temple. MAT 5:3 says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit...." The first step is humility. The second step is found in MAT 5:4, "Blessed are they that mourn...." The second step is penitence, or true repentance.

What is true penitence? MAT 5:4 says, "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." Mourning is true penitence. It is evangelical repentance. This is the second step of coming into the true temple of Christ. The temple is His body, which is His church. To come into the temple means to partake of the benefits of Christ.

This verse, "Blessed are they that mourn...," is a tremendous paradox to the human mind. Everything in the way of God's leading becomes human impossibility. It is against our human thinking. Our Saviour is telling us that those who mourn are blessed. The average human today sees that as a paradox because we naturally think that happy are those who are joyful and that only those who have entertainment can be happy. Wouldn't it seem like a paradox to say, "Blessed are they that mourn...?" These are the words of our Saviour. With God's help we want to unfold what our Saviour is saying.

The world today tries to fill the empty place caused by the loss of God's image by saying, "Blessed are those who can forget their troubles by entertainment or even superficial religion, i.e., a religion that says all you have to do is accept Jesus and rejoice." That is a superficial religion because our Saviour says, "Blessed are those that mourn...."

In the world today, don't we see people trying to forget their troubles by using drugs, alcohol, and legal repentance? I want to share with you the distinction between those who truly mourn and those who have only a legal repentance.

FOR OUR FIRST POINT, legal repentance is the repentance of those who mourn after the flesh and the consequences of sin but who never mourn over the sin itself.

FOR OUR SECOND POINT, let's consider those who truly mourn over sin and sorrow after God.

FOR OUR THIRD POINT, let's see how they shall be comforted. The Scriptures speak so blessedly clear when bringing forth these truths.

FIRST, let's look at the distinction between a legal repentance and a true evangelical repentance. The Webster's Christian Series Dictionary defines legal repentance as: "The pain, regret or affliction which a person feels on account of his past conduct, because it exposes him to punishment. Legal repentance is excited by terrors of legal penalties, and it may exist without amendment of life." People who are only concerned with heaven and hell can be heaven-seekers outside of Christ. They are mainly concerned with the penalties or consequences of sin.

Evangelical repentance is that which our Saviour is speaking of in our text. Webster defines true evangelical repentance as: "Real penitence; sorrow of deep contrition for sin, as an offense and dishonor to God, a violation of His holy Law, and the basest ingratitude towards a Being of infinite benevolence. True evangelical repentance is always accompanied with an amendment of life." In our text our Saviour spoke of a true evangelical repentance when He spoke of those who mourn. He was speaking of those who mourn over sin, not just its consequences.

True evangelical repentance is sorrow over sinning against such a loving, good-giving God. Heaven and hell are not the primary concern. The primary concern is that we have sinned against our loving God causing a separation between us and the Lord. Because of our sin, God has become our stranger. We have lost communion with God. This offense against such a benevolent God, not just the consequences of sin, causes us to mourn.

Cain had only a legal repentance. He was not one of the mourners Jesus called blessed. Cain committed the first murder. He rose up against his brother Abel out of jealousy. The Lord accepted Abel's offering of the flock, but He did not accept Cain's offering of the fruits of the field. Abel's offering pointed to the sacrifice of Christ. Cain's offering pointed to his own works. Out of jealousy, Cain slew his brother.

GEN 4:9-14 shows us a true illustration of legal repentance. Cain mourned over the consequences of his sin; he mourned over the punishment the Lord placed upon him for killing his brother. He didn't mourn over his sin. "And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? [This shows no penitence; it shows arrogance.] And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;[The Lord pronounces a curse upon Cain for slaying his brother.] When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. [He didn't repent over his sin. He mourned over the consequences.] Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me."

Esau had only a legal repentance. He was not one of the mourners Jesus called blessed. Esau, like Cain, mourned over the consequences of his sin, but he never mourned over his sin. We read the history of this in HEB 12:16-17. "Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears."

Don't misunderstand that Scripture. Many think that Esau wanted to repent, but the Lord didn't give him repentance. The Scripture is telling us that Esau was seeking for his father to repent of pronouncing the blessing upon his brother. Esau begged his father to repent, i.e., change his mind, and pronounce the blessing upon him instead.

Esau did not repent of his sin of selling his birthright. Esau showed such disgrace and dishonor to the birthright the Lord had given him by selling it for a morsel of bread. Esau asked his father to repent instead.

Esau mourned, but he was not blessed. GEN 27:33-34 says, "And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed. [Now watch where Esau 'was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears'.] And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father."

Esau wanted his father to change his mind. He sought repentance by his father for blessing Jacob instead of him, but he had no remorse over his sin. He did not repent for selling his birthright which entitled him to the blessing.

We see this legal repentance in GEN 27:37-38. "And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son? And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept."

HEB 12:16-17 says, "For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, [i.e., He could not get his father to change his mind.] though he sought it carefully with tears."

Esau was not one of those mourners our text calls blessed. He had no remorse over his sin. He was not concerned with evangelical repentance. He mourned over the consequences of his sin, but he never repented of the sin itself.

King Saul had only a legal repentance. He was not one of the mourners Jesus called blessed. 1-SA 15:28-30 says, "And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better than thou. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent. Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God."

Samuel told Saul that the Lord had rejected him from being king for his disobedience and his sin. The Lord was going to take the kingdom from him. Did Saul then confess his sin and ask forgiveness for his sin? No! No! He said "honour me now." Saul wasn't concerned for the honor of God. He wanted to be honored before Israel. Saul mourned over the consequences of his sin, but not over sin.

1-SA 28:5-7 shows how Saul mourned. "And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor."

Saul went to a witch because the Lord had forsaken him. Saul never once mourned over his sin. Saul only had a legal repentance; he only mourned over the consequences of sin.

Through witchcraft Saul saw Samuel. Samuel said to him in 1-SA 28:18-20, "Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day. Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: [In other words, you will be with me in the grave tomorrow.] the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. [What was Saul's reaction to the consequences of his sins?] Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night."

Even then, Saul never once repented of his sin saying, "Lord I have sinned; I have sinned. Pardon the iniquity of my sin." He had no evangelical repentance. He only mourned the consequences of his sin.

Judas Iscariot, who betrayed our Saviour, had only a legal repentance. He was not one of the mourners Jesus called blessed. MAT 27:3-5 says, "Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself."

Judas Iscariot never went before the Lord and repented of his sin. He repented the consequences of his sin because he saw that he was condemned. He saw how he had betrayed innocent blood. This never brought Judas Iscariot before the Lord to confess his sin. He never mourned over his sin.

FOR OUR SECOND POINT, let's consider those who truly mourn over sin and sorrow after God. These are the people whom Jesus called blessed. They aren't self-centered; they are God-centered. They aren't concerned about the consequences to themselves. They were concerned about the effect of their sin to the honor of God. Mourning in a blessed way is when you consider your sin in the light of what you have done to bring dishonor to the holiness and righteousness of God. It is not primarily being concerned with heaven and hell. It is being concerned with your reconciliation with God. The mourners that Jesus calls blessed are those who mourn over having offended the Majesty of heaven and earth with such base ingratitude.

Job was God-centered, not self-centered. Everything was taken away from him, i.e., his property, his children, and his health. Every one of his friends were turned against him to destroy his integrity accusing him of things he had never done. Yet Job still raised his eyes unto the Lord. JOB 23:2-4 says, "Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning. Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments."

See the difference between Job and those who had legal repentance. Job did not complain about the loss of his children. He was not self-centered or concerned with heaven and hell. Job was not concerned for his own benefit. He was concerned with God's honor, with being brought again into harmony, unity, and blessed communion with his God. Job saw that something stood between them causing God to withdraw Himself. Job's cry was, "Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!"

Job didn't complain about the consequences. He sought for the cause of his separation from God. Job wanted to be restored into the blessed fellowship of God. He was a blessed mourner because he mourned over sin and over offending the benevolence of such an infinite being. He mourned over his separation from God.

JOB 1:18-19 says, "While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee."

Job did not complain about the loss of his property. JOB 1:14-19 says, "And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house. And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee."

The Lord took away the hedge and let Satan take all that Job had. Satan took everything of Job's in one day. While one messenger was yet speaking, the next one came. What did Job say? "...Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

Job wasn't concerned with his possessions. He was concerned with the withdrawal of the Lord. Job mourned over the absence of the Lord, who before had brought such sweetness in his soul.

Job did not complain about his sore boils. We read in JOB 2:7-8, "So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes." Job's body was filled with boils and sores, but he did not fret over them. Job was not self-centered. Job looked for the glory of God.

Job knew the Lord had brought him into the furnace. JOB 23:10 says, "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."

Job was one of those blessed mourners. He mourned the absence of the Lord. He said in JOB 23:8-9, "Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him." Job mourned over the absence of the Lord. He needed the love of God in his heart. He wanted the Lord's presence and nearness. Job was one of those mourners whom Jesus called blessed.

It is so blessed if we can understand mourning over the absence of God, as Job did. That is to mourn over losing the image of God in paradise, to mourn over sinning against God so we can no longer reflect His blessed image, to mourn over the absence of the Lord and the loss of His blessed nearness in our soul.

Job learned why the Lord withdraws. He learned to mourn over his sin. JOB 42:1-6 says, "Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

Now Job came before the Lord repenting in dust and ashes. He was sorry for his sin. Job was not concerned with his health or problems. Job complained because the Lord had withdrawn Himself. Job's complaint was seeing his sins in the light of God. Job abhorred himself and repented in dust and ashes.

There is such a difference between true mourning before God and a legal repentance. True mourning is mourning over the loss of His presence and over the power of sin. Legal repentance is mourning over the consequences of sin.

True love is not contained in emotions. True love is not contained in excitement or thrill. True love is demonstrated by a desire to please the loved One.

When we truly love the Lord, we keep His commandments of love. The commandment of love is found in MAT 22:37-40, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

What does it mean to love God above all? We must desire with our whole heart to do that which is pleasing to Him. What does it mean to love our neighbor as ourself? We must prefer our neighbor before ourselves. This is always giving your neighbor the benefit of the doubt. Upon these two commandments hang all the law and the gospel.

The first four of the ten commandments are the commandments of love under the first table of the law. They are about loving God above all. The next six commandments are the law of love to your neighbor. They say to not covet, steal, or do anything against your neighbor. That is the commandment of love in the second table of the law.

Do we understand what it means to love God? Do we mourn every time we have broken His law? Does it cause us to mourn that we are displeasing Him in so many ways? We desire after the inner man to obey His law, but we come so short. This is not with a desire to merit heaven because Christ purchased it with His blood. We mourn over sin because we have sinned against such love by every violation of His commandments.

Sin is the transgression of that law of love. 1JO 3:4 says, "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." Any violation of that law of love is sin.

The mourners who are blessed mourn over those sins against the law of love. You should mourn when you sin against your neighbor as well as when you sin against God. If you have broken the commandment under the second table of the law, you have sinned against God. If you have sinned against your neighbor, you have transgressed the commandment of God. You are just as liable before God for this sin as if you had transgressed any one of His other commandments.

ROM 2:4 says, "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" If we understand God's displeasure upon sin and how He would rather give His own Son to pay the penalty of sin than leave one sin unpunished, won't we mourn when we see that we have sinned against such love? Shouldn't we mourn when we see we have sinned against His love and goodness?

This verse says, "...not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" We should come to a change of mind and become sorry for our sins. We should repent with a true, evangelical repentance. We shouldn't repent only because of the consequences of sin which will send us to hell, but because we have sinned against the goodness of God. This should draw us near unto the Lord. We will repent, be sorry, and mourn over what we have done against the goodness of God.

There is a difference between original sin and actual sin. Original sin is that which we have inherited through our fathers from Adam. Our actual sins are the sins which we commit personally.

Those blessed mourners, as David, mourn over actual sins. 2SA 12:7-9 says, "And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon."

David's actual sin caused him to mourn. He had actually committed a sin against his neighbor. In so doing, he broke the commandment of the Lord. When we commit a sin against our neighbor, we are committing a sin against the Lord. David committed a sin against Uriah the Hittite.

David mourned over his actual sin. He repented of his sin. 2SA 12:13 says, "And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD...." There is such a difference between David and King Saul. King Saul had sinned, but he was only concerned with the consequences of sin to his own honor. David confessed his sin. The verse continues, "...And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die."

Nevertheless, see what V:14 says, "Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die." The Lord was still going to reprove him by taking away the child that was born illegitimately.

V:15 says, "And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick." Watch how David mourned in V:16, "David therefore besought God for the child...." David pleaded with the Lord for the child, not for himself. He saw that the child was going to die for his sin. David mourned because he saw that his sin had brought a reproach and blaspheme against the name of God.

V:16-17 say, "David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them." David's actual sin caused him much grief.

If we understand what true mourning is, then we have much grief over our actual sins. If we have sinned against our neighbor, if we are in our right place before the Lord, we must ask the Lord for His forgiveness. Then we must ask our neighbor for his forgiveness. This is the type of sorrow which Christ has pronounced blessed. Those who mourn over their sins rather than the consequences are of whom Christ speaks.

Original sin causes us to mourn because we see that the fountain is corrupt. These are the sins which we have inherited from our fathers and which we pass on to our children. We realize that the fountain is corrupt, and then we mourn over the sinfulness of sin. It is such an offense to God.

What did Jacob see when he was brought the news that Joseph was yet alive? He understood original sin. His sons told him that they had deceived him with the coat of their brother and the blood of a kid. They had told him that their brother was dead, but now they had to come and confess their sin and tell him that Joseph is alive! They had let their father pine away in his sorrow for many years thinking Joseph was dead.

This would have caused Jacob to confess to his children that he deceived his father with his brother's coat. He stole his brother's blessing with his brother's coat and a kid. The seed of the sin of deceit was inherited and passed on from one generation to the next. This sin of deceit did not originate in Jacob; His mother was as deceitful as he was. The seed of deceit was sown in Paradise and has followed down the generations as original sin from Adam our covenant-head.

We have inherited original sin from Adam our covenant head. The fountain is corrupt, and our best thoughts are unrighteous before God. Our best righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight of God. This brings us to mourn over original sin. We have no place of rest outside of Christ. We need the perfect righteousness and the perfect atonement of Christ to reconcile us with the Father.

We can say with Job, "Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him," JOB 23:8-9. Our sins have come between us and God. They have caused Him to withdraw.

The blessed mourn over the clouds of their sin. As the clouds come between the earth and the sun making the sun disappear, so do our sins come between us and the Lord. The Lord withdraws. ISA 59:2 says, "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear."

Job understood that his sins came as a cloud between him and the Sun of Righteousness. The Sun of Righteousness was not being revealed because Job's sins stood between them. When the Sun of Righteousness shown through the clouds of Job's sins, he saw them in their true nature and said, "Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth," JOB 40:4.

After he had come through the furnace, Job said, "Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes," JOB 42:6. This is what the true mourners do when Christ is revealed; they repent in dust and ashes.

FOR OUR THIRD POINT, let's consider how these blessed mourners shall be comforted. The Lord Jesus says, "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted," MAT 5:4.

Our comfort is found in seeing Jesus. MAR 5:2-6 says, "And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. [He was a maniac living in total insanity.] And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. [But see the remedy!] But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him." That is how the Lord comforts us.

By nature we are spiritual maniacs. Spiritually we destroy ourselves among the things of death and of this world. Then Jesus is lifted up before the eyes of our faith. We see how He paid the penalty of our sin. We see how He stepped into death by His perfect obedience. Jesus was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. By an act of obedience, He stepped into the wrath of the Father to pay the penalty of our sin.

Beloved, what a comfort it is for a sin-sick soul to understand this, to see God's displeasure upon our sin satisfied by the price that Jesus paid, to see how in the garden of Gethsemane He sweat blood. When the wrath of the Father came upon Jesus Christ for our sin, His life's blood was pressed out through the pores of His skin by the pressure He was under for our sin. When we see the sinfulness of sin, we become comforted by seeing that Jesus paid the price and took the penalty for us. We are comforted when this Jesus is lifted before our eyes by the eyes of faith.

The man in the tomb is a beautiful illustration of who we are by nature. We are among the stench of death. When our souls are quickened to see the beauty of life in Christ, we see the stench of the things of this world. They are spiritual death.

Then Jesus becomes so beautiful. ISA 53:2 says, "For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him." If we have learned to see the thick clouds of our sin which have separated us from our God, we can understand what a wonderful comfort the blessed Sun of Righteousness is when He comes shining through those clouds, "...with healing in His wings," MAL 4:2.

We see also the comforts of the dew of the Spirit in DEU 33:27-28. We do not always have that blessed nearness of Christ. Sometimes we have to long after Christ. Sometimes we have to cry after Him and mourn over our sins. Then we receive the comfort of the dew of the Spirit day by day.

When you walk in the grass early in the morning, your shoes will get wet with the dew. It is tremendously refreshing at that moment, but an hour later when the sun has come up, the dew is gone. Then the grass becomes hard and dry again. When we have such a coldness and hardness in our hearts, a little dew of the Spirit will refresh us for the morning, but it doesn't have a lasting effect.

We can have this on a day to day basis. The Lord comes with a little dropping in of His Spirit or some little revelation of Christ and the beauty of His love. Then an hour later it is withdrawn, and we are just as hard and dry as before. It doesn't have a lasting effect, but while it lasts our souls are watered with His love.

We are also comforted by the Spirit coming down as the rain. A rain leaves a more lasting and durable effect as we see in PSA 72:6-7. The Lord gives us the comfort of coming with the Holy Spirit as a rain in our soul to reveal more and more of the blessedness of Christ. V:6 says, "He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth."

What does this mean? "He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass." The Lord will not come with His Spirit in our hearts while we are living in rebellion and sin. He will not nourish us in our sin. He will come down upon the mown grass; He will mow us to the ground and haul away all of our rubbish. He will bring us to where we are no longer self-centered serving ourself in sin. He will bring our desires to be right before the Lord. Then He will come down as rain upon the mown grass. Isn't that blessed?

Then you will see a new growth. The Lord will not put rain upon the old rubbish and expect it to grow. After it has been hauled away, He will put rain upon the mown grass. V:7 describes that new growth. "In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth." This comfort received by those who have become spiritual mourners is so blessed.

The Lord comes to comfort those spiritual mourners with His time of refreshing. Spiritual mourners are the ones who know they have sinned and offended God. The Spirit comes as the rain upon that mown grass with a refreshing in the soul and is such an assurance of faith. We are reassured that Christ has forgiven our sins. Then the cloud of sin is removed. Again we can bathe in the Sun of Righteousness. We can have His love in our soul. Then we won't have to cry like Job, "Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!" JOB 23:3. We will know His presence. We will have the nearness and the fellowship of His Spirit in our heart. He will come into our soul.

Our text says, "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." They shall be comforted for all eternity in the mansions of heaven to be forever with the Lord.

REV 19:7-8 says, "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." After we have learned to part with sin, after we have received the imputed righteousness of Christ in our soul, we are walking in the ways of the Lord through the imparted righteousness of Christ. He looks upon us as dressed in the robes of righteousness--fine linen, clean and white.

V:8 says, "And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." That word righteousness means: "conformity of life to the divine law." This shows us how we have received a new heart. We have mourned and repented over sin. The Lord delivers us from the power of sin.

Not only does the Lord give us His blessed comforts in this life, but we also have an eternal comfort of being able to be forever with the Lamb. We will be forever with the Lord.

How can we make ourselves ready to come to the marriage union of Christ? This is explained by the beatitudes! It is through those seven steps of preparation by God's grace for each individual lively stone used to build the temple of the Lord, which is the body of Christ or the church. This shows the perfect harmony between those who love the Lord and the lively stones in the temple of the Lord. They are forever and ever in that blessed temple, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

This is such a blessedness for all eternity. Our text says, "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." Amen.

These on-lines sermons are a ministry of Gospel Chapel located in Conrad, Montana. We also have a book ministry and a daily devotion. For a list of sermons on cassette please visit our on-line tape catalog.

We pray this sermon has been a blessing to those who read it. If you share this sermon with a friend, please let us know. Thank you.

FEEDBACK