Comfort in Sorrow

Upside Down 
Comfort In Sorrow 
Matthew 5:4

“Paradox has been defined as Truth standing on her head to get attention.”  G. K. Chesterton

Types of Mourning

1. Natural mourning
2. Sinful mourning
3. Spiritual mourning

“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10, ESV)

“For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” (Psalm 32:3–5, ESV)

What Do We Mourn Over?

1. Personal sin

“And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”” (Isaiah 6:5, ESV)

“The more we grow in Christlikeness, the more sin we will see in our lives. It isn’t that we are sinning more; rather we are growing more aware of and more sensitive to sin that has been there all along.” Jerry Bridges

2. Sin in the Church

“And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.” (1 Corinthians 5:2, ESV)

A genuine, loving concern for the spiritual well-being of God’s people will lead us to mourn over the sin of others.

3. Sin in the World

“Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.” (Acts 17:16, ESV)

“And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,” (Luke 19:41, ESV)

Question: Does my heart break over what breaks the heart of God?

God’s Response To Mourning: Comfort

The root of the word ‘comforted’ is “parakaleo”, which means ‘to call to one’s side’, and there are many New Testament illustrations of its use.

 Our English word is very much like the Bible word: com-, meaning “with,” and -fort means “strength”—“with strength.”

Conduits Of God’s Comfort

1. God The Father

“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,” (Romans 15:5, ESV)

2. God The Son

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1, ESV)

3. God The Holy Spirit

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16–17, ESV)

4. God’s Word

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4, ESV)

5. God’s People

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ESV)

6. Certainty of Christ’s Return

“Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:18, ESV)

Am I A Mourner?

Blessedness comes to those who genuinely mourn over sin, not because they are sad, but because their brokenness leads to God’s comfort.

1. Are you increasingly Sensitive to sin?
2. Are you Rejoicing in the forgiveness and cleansing that only comes through Jesus Christ?

Making It Personal:

• Would you say that you have a growing sensitivity to sin in your own life?
• Are you growing in your appreciation of and rejoicing in the forgiveness that is found only in Jesus Christ?
• Pray regularly for a fresh awareness of your sin and God’s grace and generosity toward you.
• What do you sense God is calling you to adjust in your life to cultivate a healthy mourning over sin and resting in His comfort?
• Who can you share these truths with?

Ready to take your Next Step?

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