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Truly happy. Jesus Himself said it is possible.
So far we have learned that to begin the transformation into Godly happiness, you must first recognize your need for God and your total helplessness and dependence on him.
Once that is established, we now begin to see what that understanding reveals about us. The first and most obvious is our sinfulness.
And it causes us to mourn. Or it should.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”. Matt 5:4
Greek: Pentheo (pen thay oh)
To mourn over; inner grief; related to the greek terms for grief which speak of striking your bosom, or beating your chest in grief
I. Normal Sorrow as a Part of Life
A. Proper Sorrow
Obviously there is a proper time and reason for sorrow and mourning in the course of every day life. This sorrow is a God-given way to deal with loss and heartache. God will comfort us through these times.
1. Grief
2. Loneliness
3. Suffering
4. Sadness
B. Improper Sorrow
As with all things, mankind can take proper sorrow and make it sinful. We have a knack for corrupting all things!
Sorrow can be used as self-pity, pride, attention getting or manipulation.
1. Sorrow for more sin
Man being desperately wicked can actually mourn over missing out on MORE sin! This is a heart truly given over to sin. [14] Amnon actually mourned until he was sick because he couldn’t sleep with his own sister.
Remember that ONLY God’s mercy and grace keeps us from being even MORE wicked than that, so avoid the temptation of thinking you “would never do that”.
2. Extended mourning over loss
There is a proper time and duration for mourning over loss whether of a loved one, of opportunity, of freedom or anything else we love.
Mourning helps us to relieve the stress, shelter our self in God and transition through times of loss.
However, there comes a point in time where the time for mourning over a loss ceases to fulfill its God-given purpose and becomes corrupted by our sin.
Extended mourning because you can’t release the burden to God, or because of spiritual immaturity, or mourning used for manipulation (pity, control, personal gain, etc) becomes sin.
3. Melodramatic sorrow for attention
The use of sorrow to gain attention, sympathy and favor is a distortion of God’s purpose for mourning. We should grieve together, and share our sorrows appropriately, but it should never move into a realm of using that sorrow to get others to “feel sorry” for you and show you attention that you would not otherwise get.
4. Sorrow motivated by improper guilt or motive
Sorrow must be produced from Godly motives and Biblical principles. If we sorrow because of improper guilt (“sorry you got caught”) or selfish motives (sorrow because you didn’t get something you wanted) then it is sinful, and the sorrow will not be comforted by God.
II. Godly Sorrow That Leads to Repentance
A. Sorrow over the existence of sin
Sorrow and mourning and tears over the very fact that sin exists [15] and grieves our God. Every aspect of our existence is currently tainted by sin.
B. Sorrow over what sin has done to God’s creation
Sin has caused creation to deteriorate, has influenced costless souls to choose eternal condemnation and keeps us from closer fellowship with God. It should cause us to sorrow deeply as we begin to learn of sins effect on man.
C. Sorrow for sin’s place and effect in our life
We should mourn how much of our life we give over to sin and how deeply it penetrates everything we do. It causes us to hurt others, lose fellowship with God, experience guilt and loss and causes us to battle daily to choose God and not our sin.
D. Sorrow over our love for sin
We love sin. It is (or should be) a daily battle to give it up for God. It should grieve us that deep down we would love to sin if we could get away with it. As we begin to truly understand sin, we will diminish our love for it.
E. Sorrow over the result of sin left unresolved
Sin that is ignored, excused or rationalized results in loss of fellowship and intimacy with the Lord. It seems we all have that one (or more) bastions of sin that we choose to ignore because deep down we don’t want to change:
· Movies
· “Innocent” fun (that’s really not)
· Taxes
· Recreation
· Laziness
· Gluttony
· What’s yours?
F. Sorrow for the suffering Jesus endured because of our sin
As the Elect, every sin we commit, is one more sin that Jesus bore and was tortured for. Every time we sin it would do us well to acknowledge and admit that we are adding to Jesus already considerable suffering with every indulgence.
Is the brief fulfillment of your fleshly lust worth another thorn in Jesus sinless head? Another tearing, ripping lash of the whip on His back? Another strike of the hammer on the nails in His hands and feet? Increasing the blackness and burden of bearing the punishment for your sin?
Next time you are about to sin, think of Jesus. Is the pleasure you are about to receive going to be worth the tears and sorrow you will feel the day you meet your Lord, look Him in those Innocent Eyes and realize you willingly increased His suffering so that you could enjoy sin?
G. Hindrances to Godly mourning
· Denial of sin
· Rationalization of sin
· Improper view of, or knowledge of sin
· Despair that God can’t “forgive” you for how bad you’ve been
· Conceit or arrogance that convinces you “I’m not that bad”
· Easy believism – “I prayed the prayer. I’m fine”
· Waiting…. Putting off the decision until….
· Pleasure seeking
III. The Result of Godly Sorrow
A. Joy, happiness
B. Comfort
C. Guilt free living
Lesson 3 Notes – Blessed Are Those Who Mourn Sin
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be _______________________”. Matt 5:4
Greek: Pentheo (pen thay oh)
________________________________________________________
Normal Sorrow as a Part of Life
Proper Times to Sorrow
1. ________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________
Improper Sorrow
1. ________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________
Godly Sorrow That Leads to Repentance
Sorrow over the _______________________ of sin
Sorrow over what ______________ has done to God’s ____________________
Sorrow for sin’s _______________________ and _____________________ in our life
Sorrow over our _______________________ for sin
Sorrow over the _______________________ of sin left _______________________
Sorrow for the _______________________ Jesus endured because of our sin
Hindrances to Godly mourning
1. ________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________
6. ________________________________________________________
7. ________________________________________________________
8. ________________________________________________________
The Result of Godly Sorrow
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Lesson 3 – Group Discussion, Private Contemplation & Application
Group Discussion:
1. Why is Godly sorrow a little taught or discussed subject in today’s church?
2. In what ways does our behavior announce that we do not mourn sin?
Private Contemplation:
1. Do you hate sin?
2. Does sin cause you to grieve, mourn and weep over the destruction it causes?
3. In private, do you really think YOUR sin is not that significant?
4. In what ways are you ignoring certain sin in your life because, truthfully, you don’t want to “quit” whatever it is?
Life Application Suggestions:
1. If you do not have a time of regular prayer, commit to spending the first ten minutes of each day this week asking God to instill in you the desire to “mourn sin” and to instill in you the true meaning of it.
2. Besides your spouse, choose one other person in this group and pray each day that God will make these truths REAL in that person’s life.
3. Read Matthew 5:1-12 one time each day this week and spend 5 minutes contemplating and meditating on the words. Ask God to reveal the truth of the words to your heart and mind.
4. Ask God to purge you of any self deception or wrong attitudes about sin. Ask God to give you wisdom and understanding (James 1) concerning true, Godly hatred of sin.
5. Ask God to supernaturally impart the joy that comes from God sorrow of sin and the comfort that God gives you when you grieve over sin’s effect on your life.
[1] Some say the Beatitudes apply to the Millennial time because the standards are impossibly high. This cannot be for several reasons: He wasn’t preaching to Millennial people, he was preaching to people sitting in front of him; Believers won’t be persecuted in the Millennium so Matt 5.10 won’t apply; Matt 5.44 would be meaningless… “Love your enemies…”
[2] Remember, this was very scandalous and difficult for both the common people and the Pharisees. The Pharisees had set up an impossibly complex system of laws and rituals, but not so complex that they couldn’t give the appearance of keeping it themselves. So in the eyes of the people (and their own!) the Pharisees were the most righteous on earth. And yet the Lord was saying that you had to be more righteous (in truth they were not righteous at all) than them if you wanted eternal life.
[3] Luke 18:9-14 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
[4] Matthew 12:31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.
[5] 1 Thessalonians 2:12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
[6] Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
[7] 1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
[8] Luke 6:20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: “Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God. This verse is part of Jesus overall teaching and should be interpreted in light of Jesus commandments. No where in Scripture does it specifically state that wealth in and of itself is sinful, nor is poverty somehow innately righteous. It is always a matter of the heart.
[9] Mark 10:25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
[10] Psalm 27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the Lord will take care of me.
[11] 1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
[12] Psalm 50:10 For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills.
[13] Romans 8:28-30 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
[14] 2Samuel 13
[15] Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
(seriesid:2)