1. Jesus gave this perfect formula for happiness. (Matt. 5:3-12).

• Last week we began a study of these beatitudes found in Matthew the fifth chapter.

• We studied the first beatitude and its importance to the Christian life. We concluded from our study that no man will be in the kingdom of heaven who is not filled with humility toward God and man. No man will enter into the heaven who does not feel and confess his unworthiness to God and depend on Christ's righteousness, not his own for salvation.

2. Today I would for us to study the second beatitude. It is also absolutely essential to salvation and is the outgrowth of the first beatitude - having a realization of one's spiritual destitution before God.

3. The second beatitude reads, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." (Matt. 5:4).

1. We do not think of one who mourns as being blessed and many mourners are not. There are, however, tears that bless, that wash our eyes, and fill the face with beauty and clothe the soul with holiness.

2. It will help us to understand this strange beatitude if we will consider some things it does not mean before we define its meaning.

1. By the words "Blessed are they who mourn" Jesus did not mean that God wants His people to be sad and gloomy.

• The Bible teaches that God wants His people to be happy. (Psa. 118:24; 148:15; Prov. 17:22; Jno. 16:33; Phil. 4:4; 1 Pet. 3:10).

• These scriptures and scores of others that could be added to them all teach God's people are to be happy. Those who wear a long face and teach you cannot have a good time and enjoy yourself and be a Christian just do not know Christ or what it means to be a Christian. Christianity is intended to make us happy, not sad. Christians should be the happiest people in the world. The happiness begins within and radiates his whole being.

2. By the words "Blessed are they who mourn" Jesus did not mean the deliberate pessimist is blessed.

• There are people who are gluttons for wretchedness. They seek for despair as bees seek for honey.

• They seek to change Paul's words.

• Paul wrote. (Phil. 4:8).

• They change the words to say, "Whatsoever things are false, dishonest, unjust, impure, unlovely, of evil report, if there be any vice, if there be any condemnation think on these things." (Phil. 4:8).

3. By the words "Blessed are they who mourn" Jesus did not mean that all who mourn will be comforted.

• Take the example of Judas, the apostle. He betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. After he realized the terrible thing he had done, he cast down the blood money before the Jewish leaders and went out and hung himself. Jesus said of Judas, "It would have been better if he had never been born." Judas will not be comforted.

• There are many today who mourn over the consequences of sin. They mourn over the evil effects of sin that have come to them, but they are not actually mourning over sin. They do not loathe or hate it - only its evil results. This kind of mourning is not comforted.

1. This beatitude teaches that those who allow godly sorrow to lead them to repentance will be comforted by God. They will receive the remission of their sins. They will be washed in the blood of the lamb.

• This was true of Saul of Tarsus. (Acts 9:1-9; 22:16)

• Prodigal Son. (Lk. 15:11-24).

• Sinful Woman (Lk. 7:36-38, 47).

2. Those who let godly sorrow lead them to Christ not only find comfort at conversion, but they find it throughout the Christian life.

• When they commit sin, it crushes them and breaks their hearts. It casts them down and causes them to mourn.

• They then find comfort once again by remembering the words of God. (Isa. 1:18; 1 Jno. 1:9; 2:1,2).

3. Furthermore, those who truly mourn over sin will find comfort in the life which is to come.

• This life has many sorrows and many disappointments, but these things will disappear in the blessed time to come.

• God will bless those who hate and mourn over sin with eternal life in heaven. (Rev. 7:13-17).

1. The great principles of this beatitude have been summarized by J.W. McGarvey who wrote:

"We may take it, therefore, that in its widest sense the beatitude covers all those who are led

by mourning to a discerning of sin, and who so deplore its effects and consequences in the

world as to yearn for and seek the deliverance which is in Christ."

2. The story is told of a man who raised a wolf cub as one of his children. Like the lamb of Nathan's parable, it ate of his own morsel, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom. But one day, when the cub had become a full-grown wolf, the call of the wild came to him and the ferocious wolf attacked his master. When the men who had heard the man's cries had beaten off the wolf and had put the rescued, but mutilated, woodsman to bed, he exclaimed. "Thank God I have been torn by the fangs of a wolf, and not by the fangs of conscience!"

• It is horrible to be torn by the fangs of conscience. Conscience can make every waking moment a living hell.

• But thanks be to God the person who sincerely mourns over sin and repents can be freed from a guilt ridden conscience and have the joy of forgiveness, the joy of knowing that when God forgives us He remembers our sins no more.

3. Those in Christ can have the joy of forgiveness by repenting and asking God's forgiveness. The Bible teaches that those outside of Christ must trust in Jesus, repent, be baptized, and live a new life walking with God.

• Peter said to the believing Jews who were pricked at heart because they were responsible for killing the Son of God. (Acts 2:38).

• They repented, were baptized and their sorrow turned to joy. God will do the same for you. Will you come as sing?