The Beatitudes (Part 1) | Frank Brancato

It is wonderful to be here with all of you.

Today, we have a wonderful crowd for which we are thankful, and

it's good to be here. It's good to worship together.

As always is the case. I am honored to be your speaker

and I am very excited about this series.

Last time we had an introduction to the series that I'm going to

preach with you and for you and that is on the greatest sermon

ever preached, the great Sermon on the Mount.

Remember last time we talked about why is it the greatest

sermon ever preached? Well obviously it was preached

by the son of God. And Jesus was the greatest man

that ever lived. He was the greatest preacher,

the world ever knew. So obviously and these are the

obvious things. It's going to be the greatest

sermon ever preached, but it's not the only sermon that the

Lord preached. He preached, many sermons, Jesus

had a life of preaching he would come into areas and he would

Overlook the scene in the setting and the people and know

exactly what to preach and what to say he indeed and in fact was

the master. So why is The Sermon on the

Mount? The ETA sermon ever preached.

We mentioned this last time for three reasons, The Sermon on the

Mount. Accomplish three masterful

purposes, making, it truly the greatest sermon ever preached

for three reasons, number one in The Sermon on the Mount.

It depicted Jesus Kingdom as spiritual rather than physical.

And by the way, this literally flew in the face of Jewish

expectation, that's number one. Number two, reason it contrasted

the Mosaic law of the Mosaic law, which was imperfect with

the new law of Jesus. East, which was and is perfect.

And number three, it contrasted the religious hypocrisy of the

Pharisees with the qualities of God's children.

So for these reasons, we can say, it is the greatest sermon

ever preached. All of that was covered in our

introduction. But now we continue our series

with the sermon itself and I have to tell you as you saw on

the screen, the title, The Beatitudes.

You may be thinking of wait a minute you preached on these

about a few years ago. And that's just, that's true.

And I have to tell you what I was gonna do.

I actually was going to skip the first 12 verses of the Book of

Matthew. The Gospel of Matthew and get

into in verse 13 because I had dealt with the Beatitudes

before. And then I got to thinking how

in the world could I possibly do that?

How can I eliminate the first 12 verses of the greatest sermon

ever preached? Where Jesus lays, the foundation

for everything he's going to say in Matthew 5, 6, and 7.

So I gotta preach on the Beatitudes again, but here's my

promise to you. These are not the same sermons.

I'm not going to reteach the sermon that I preached before.

These are brand-new, and I'm going to dig deeper and I'm

going to try to have things that might be.

In addition to what I said before, okay?

And by the way, this sermon is covering two verses.

So when we talk about the series of The Sermon, on the Mount

Matthew 5, 6 & 7, it may take us a year to get through it, but

here we go. We're going to notice two of

them to versus today, but let's back up to Matthew chapter.

ER, 5 beginning in verse 1 and seeing the multitudes, he went

up on a mountain. And when he was seated, his

disciples came to him and then he opened his mouth and he

taught them saying. First of all, this phrase he

went up on a mountain. Where was the mountain?

We don't know the scripture. Doesn't tell us.

I'll tell you what. Tradition says, tradition says,

it was a mountain that was in between the Mount Tabor and the

Sea of Galilee which would be known as the Mount of

Beatitudes. Is that true?

I don't know. We don't know that for sure.

That is tradition. Other Scholars say that it

wasn't a literal Mountain like brought us.

For example broader says it was a mountain region.

It and it could have been, here's the point.

It doesn't matter. All we know is Jesus went to a

mountain and he saw the multitudes and when he was

seated, that's very important seated.

You know, it's very customary today when a speaker is going to

teach, he stands. I'm doing that right now.

That is our custom. And we stand, because we're so

we could be seen by the crowd and heard by the crowd, the

custom of the day was different than they didn't stand the

teacher. Actually, which sees himself.

So picture, this, if you will, whether it is at the sea at the

Mount of Beatitudes, that is called, or a mountain region

itself, whatever it was, Jesus found an area.

That was What happened that he could sit down creating a

natural pulpit and the multitudes came to him and when

he saw his disciples, he began to speak and that's what he did.

What's amazing to me is the first thing that he has to say.

In verse 3, he said blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is

the kingdom of heaven. Now I'm going to tell you

something of all the things to say, He sits down, he sees the

multitudes. And he begins to speak.

Can you imagine what they thought and what they were

thinking when they heard the words that first came out of his

mouth? They were sitting there ready to

hang on his every word. What is this master going to

preach? And he says, first, Blessed are

the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

All right, first of all, let's back up.

Now these are things that are going to overlap because

definitions are definitions and facts are facts and information

is information. So some of the things that I've

said in the past will overlap like this word right here and

that is the word blessed. The word blessed is comes from a

Latin term. This Latin term right here and

from that Latin term it means blessed.

That's where we get the term. Or the phrase, the Beatitudes or

the title of the Beatitudes, that's because it comes from

this Latin phrase and the sound of this Latin phrase.

That means blessed. So we call these things, the

Beatitudes in the Greek. You remember, it means.

Happy fortunate or Blissful. What an amazing thing.

Our lord said he's saying happy fortunate and blessed 'full.

Are those that are poor in spirit?

Wow, what an amazing thing to say.

He is using it to symbolize happiness.

That is based on pure character and Holiness, listen to this

quote, here very important, Scriptural blessedness is not

based on outward circumstances or superficial feeling

scriptural. Blessedness is based upon the

reality that one is dedicated to God and is approved by him.

How do you know if you're approved by God, you're approved

by God when your life is molded by the principles that are found

in his word? If you want true blessedness in

your life, it's not going to be on a superficial feeling.

It's not going to be how you feel inside.

It's not based on that. And you know what else?

It's not going to be based on the circumstances in your life.

That's the beauty of being a Christian.

You can have this even if the circumstances in your life are

terrible, How do I have this bet?

This blessedness the Lord's talking about.

Got to do two things. I got to be dedicated to God,

and I have to be approved by him and I'm approved by him when I'm

following his word. Okay.

But Jesus says this, he says blessed are the poor in spirit.

Let's back up, historically. Okay, let's go back in our mind

to the days of Jesus, when Jesus would have preached this.

What did Jesus know? That's why he was so brilliant

in the master I think that's why he's beginning with poor in

spirit, you know what, Jesus knew that maybe you and I would

not know. Jesus knew something very, very

important. Jesus knew that Judaism or the

religion of Judaism had become all about materialism.

In fact, outward form had completely replaced in word

substance. What have we said in the past?

We have said in the past that they're supposed to go together,

right? It begins in the inside,

supposed to manifest itself on the outside K, that's living the

Christian Life, That's being true.

And authentic on the inside, it's supposed to manifest itself

on the outside, what happened to under Judaism in the Lord's day,

especially among the religious leaders.

It became all about outward form and eliminated inner substance

and he knew that and he knew it was all about materialism. so,

something else about this to the current thinking of the day was

when the Messiah would come And they did believe in a messiah.

They did believe in a Messianic Kingdom.

We've talked about in the past, they just misunderstood the kind

of Kingdom. The Lord was going to establish.

It wouldn't be political and it wouldn't be physical.

It wouldn't be Earthly, they just misunderstood that.

But you know what, they really thought they really thought that

when the Messianic Kingdom came that the citizens of the

Messianic Kingdom, we're going to be blessed monetarily with

riches that were overflowing. Does that sound familiar today?

Day. How about the prosperity

preachers on TV today that say all you got to do is follow

Jesus. And if you do that, you're going

to have riches Untold. You're going to be blessed with

a windfall. I heard one man, say one time,

if you follow Jesus, then tomorrow, your bank account is

going to be overflowing. Listen, this is nothing new.

It goes all the way back to the religion of Judaism.

When it was all about materialism when they thought

the Messianic Kingdom would come and bring great wealth and

riches to its citizens. What did you say?

Uh-huh. No poor.

In spirit it's going to clarify the kind of poor just a moment,

so hang on. in this beatitude, It flies in the face of their

expectation, you know what they also believed.

They also believe that God himself would give to the higher

class, the rich, and the religious Elite, the highest

privileges in the kingdom and they were all about the highest

privileges member. We talked about that in the

past, they wanted the chief seats in the synagogue.

They wanted the best couches or the chief couches to recline on

the best seats at the at the Banquets and all of that.

And Jesus is saying the opposite in contrast to all of that, all

right. So what is it?

What is he talking about here? Well, first of all, what is the

word? Poor me.

And I know these are not very nice words.

The word poor that's used in. This passage means destitute.

It means crouching cowering or cringing Those things don't

sound, very fun. What he's saying is this is

total? Utter poverty.

Okay, but he's not talking about physical poverty.

So don't think you have to go get rid of everything you have.

Okay, he's talking about spiritual poverty.

When Jesus says, blessed are the poor in spirit, he says blessed.

Are those that understand? I am absolutely nothing without

God. I need God.

I'm destitute of Merit. I'm dependent upon him.

I've said this before, I believe this with all my heart.

Do you know what God wants you to be vulnerable?

Especially when you pray to him. I think God wants to hear words

like this when we pray. I think God wants to hear words,

like, I am nothing without you. I need you.

I need your strength. Do, you know why?

Because everything depends upon God.

So, God gets the glory and God gets to praise.

It's not about our strength. Philippians 4:13.

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ.

Who strengthens me? If you have the strength to

endure something in your spiritual life, don't think it's

from you. Don't think it's because of you.

Understand that God gives you that strength.

To persevere and endure. God gives you the strength.

I can do all things through Christ who through strengthens

me. And by the way, every time the

disciples tried to do it on their own.

They failed Every Time. Peter told Jesus, I will never

deny you. I will never leave your side, I

don't even care. If they kill me with you, I'll

never do it. And Jesus says, before the cock

crows, you will deny me three times what did he do?

He denied the Lord three times trying to do it on his own.

What about the other disciples, all forsook him and all fled?

Trying to rely on their own strength when they couldn't

perform a miracle because they lost faith, they try to do it on

their own strength, they couldn't do it.

And Jesus frustrated Lee says, how long am I going to tell you

the same stuff over and over and over and over and over again?

Oh you of little faith. On our own.

We're nothing. Jesus says, blessed are the poor

in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Let's notice Isaiah 66 and to for all those things, my hand is

made and all those things exist says the Lord.

But on this one, will I look on him who is poor and of a

contrite spirit and who trembles at my word?

That's what God wants. You know, Jesus needed them to

understand this very principle because many of the conflicts

that Jesus had to encounter in this day, arose over their pride

of self-sufficiency. But Jesus says, blessed are the

poor in spirit. And then he says, this for

theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. The first step to becoming a

citizen of Christ's Kingdom. Is to shed yourself of all

self-righteousness and acknowledge you are spiritually

bankrupt without God. What's wrong with that?

I don't know why that's a bad thing to people.

Why is it bad to say, God, I'm nothing I need you.

You have to shed yourself as one Bible passage and we're going to

get to that in just a moment speaks of the filthy rags of

self-righteousness. You got to rid yourself of that.

That's the first thing that a person has to do.

When you come to, Jesus got to rid yourself of that.

We talked about being self-righteous for just a

moment. Don't have a lot of time but I

got to take some time. What do you think about when you

think about being self-righteous?

I think about one example, I'm not going to go into the store,

you know the story, The Pharisee and the tax collector.

Okay? Why didn't Jesus give that

story? Jesus says, because of those who

trusted in themselves, that they were righteous and despised

others, okay? One translation says like this,

they trusted in their own righteousness and they look down

on. On others.

Okay. Maybe you think about this?

I kind of do sometimes when I think about somebody being

self-righteous. I think it's somebody being

arrogant and conceited. I think about somebody that

thinks they're better than somebody else.

Maybe somebody that is overly critical of others because they

do believe they're better than they are.

I think about people like that. And by the way, nobody likes

that guy. That is nobody's friend.

Nobody likes that guy. So you may be saying, no, wait a

minute, I'm not guilty, any of that.

So I'm not self-righteous. My point is, you don't have to

be guilty of any of that to be guilty of being self-righteous.

All you have to do is believe you are righteous, all by

yourself, give you an example. I know a lot of great people in

this world. Wonderful people in this world.

They'll tell you, this does say this, I don't believe in

organized, religion, I don't go to church.

I don't follow the Bible, but I'm a really good person.

So I think it's going to be okay.

I think God will save me. I believe in God, and I think

God has saved me because I'm a good person.

Oh, righteous all by yourself. Jesus says, you got to shed that

and realize you are destitute without Jesus.

You are destitute without God. Let me give you another Bible

passed into please. Isaiah 64:6, but we are all

Isaiah 64:6

like, an unclean thing. That's all of us.

All of us are and all our righteousnesses are like filthy

rags. We all fade as a leaf and our

iniquities like the wind have taken us away.

Away. So, please get this salvation is

not been offered to us. Because of our own righteousness

or because I'm a good guy, I'm a good person.

So salvation is offered. It's not about that salvation

has been offered, not received yet, but Salvation has been

offered because we were void of Merit.

Because we were destitute spiritually.

And because we needed God and we couldn't do it on our own

everything. Everything all glory belongs to

God, Romans 5:8, but God demonstrates, his own love

Romans 5:8

toward us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for

us. So, not on our own

righteousness. Was salvation offered.

It was offered when we were yet, sinners.

But let's go further. Let's go to Titus Chapter 3

Titus 3 · chapter mention

notice. This not by works of

righteousness, which we have done.

So here's another passage proven the point that I just said, it's

not on our own righteousness. Or our own Merit that God saved

us, but we are saved according to his Mercy.

Remember, Grace, is giving us what?

We don't deserve that salvation. Mercy is not giving us what we

do deserve and that's to be lost.

By God's mercy. He saved us but there's more you

have to do something. There's two things there are two

things here. Number one through the washing

of regeneration. What does that mean?

There's two things here by the way.

So God gives to things that are going to make man, righteous in

his own eyes in God's eyes, not our own eyes and God's eyes, not

our own righteousness, but we're going to do something by gods.

Mercy. He has extended a plan and

there's two things that save us in this passage number one.

It's the washing of regeneration number two, and we'll get to

that in a moment. It's the renewing of the Holy

Spirit. Okay, let's talk about the

washing of regeneration first. What is the washing of

regeneration? The washing of regeneration, is

baptism, Hebrews. Chapter 10 and verse 22.

Hebrews 10 · chapter mention

Let us draw near with a True Heart in full Assurance of

Faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil

conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Okay? Baptism is also called a washing

in Acts chapter 22 and verse 16. Very, very, very briefly here.

Acts 22 · chapter mention

This was the Apostle Paul's account of his own conversion,

okay. In Acts chapter 9, is the

Acts 9 · chapter mention

chronological account where Luke writing the book of Acts.

It's the chronological account of when he was converted.

And by then back, then he was called Saul of Tarsus in Acts

Acts 22 · chapter mention

chapter 22. He is called Paul my whole life.

I've heard people say Paul's salt I've heard he was like

Saul's name was changed to Paul. No, it wasn't.

In Acts chapter 13 and verse 9. It says, from that point

Acts 13 · chapter mention

forward, he was referred to or he was called Paul.

His name wasn't changed. His name is always Paul.

Saw was his Hebrew name. Paul was his Latin name.

So in Acts, chapter 13 and verse 9 from that point forward, he is

Acts 13 · chapter mention

now referred to as a name, he's always had his Latin name and

that's Paul. So in Acts chapter 22, this is

Acts 22 · chapter mention

Paul. Now speaking of this of this

event, let me fast-forward through the event fast here.

Jesus appears before him, he blinds him.

He says, why are you persecuting me?

He says, who are you Lord? He said, I am Jesus, whom you

are persecuting. He said, what do you want me to

do? He said, you go into Damascus,

you go down to the city, which is the street, which is called

straight and it's going to be told you what you must do.

Ananias comes on the scene right, he's praying for three

days. Couldn't pray sins away.

He's praying for three days and Acts 22:16 it says and now why

Acts 22:16

tarriest thou arise And be baptized and wash away.

Your sins washing of regeneration and wash away, your

sins. Calling on the name of the Lord.

Baptism is the washing. How does God Save Us by his

Mercy? How is that?

How do we take part in that washing of regeneration that's

baptism for the remission of sins?

Another passage here. Briefly Ephesians 5:26.

Ephesians 5:26

It talks about sanctifying her through the washing and the

word, or by the word, Folks, listen, the word is what leads

us to how to know how to be baptized?

After were baptized the word is what guides us through our life.

You can't take the word away. You can't remove the word of God

from our instruction before or after baptism.

Okay. There's another thing though.

What about this? The renewing of the Holy Spirit.

What does that mean? The renewing of the Holy Spirit

refers to the spiritual nourishment, that the child of

God needs to sustain their life as they serve him.

That is the renewing of the Holy Spirit.

It is a strengthening Okay. So baptism is a part of God's

way of making man righteous in God's eyes, but so is renewing

of the Holy Spirit, but how did all of that begin?

What was the spiritual role from?

The beginning? Here it is, the Spirit came to

the apostles. That's the Holy Spirit.

Came miraculously through them, the apostles.

Jesus Christ was preached to the world.

Number three that produced faith, it changed the heart and

led man to be baptized for the remission of sins.

Was the spirit's role originally in bringing the word of God, the

teachings of Jesus to mankind to be saved.

Okay, but there's more. The holy spirit continues to

strengthen through the word. That transforms and renews our

mind in Romans chapter 12 and verse 2 and do not be conformed

Romans 12 · chapter mention

to this world but be transformed.

Here's that word again, same word with renewing of the Holy

Spirit by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is

that good and acceptable and perfect will of God, where do we

get spiritual nourishment? We get spiritual nourishment

from the word of God. In fact, from the milk of the

word in First Peter, chapter 2 and verse 2 as On babes desire.

1 Peter 2 · chapter mention

The pure milk of the word that you may grow, thereby.

So, the first beatitude is, this blessed are the poor in spirit.

For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

As first thing you got to do. You got to say, look, I'm

nothing without you. Lord, I'm nothing without God.

I need. Jesus can't do it on my own.

We just ask you really quickly. What was wrong with that?

I'm Nothing Without You. Lord, I need you.

Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of

Heaven. That's beatitude number one.

Now comes beatitude number two. He says this blessed are those

who mourn for, they will be comforted.

First of all, let's talk about morning and I'm going to talk

about this to man is a creature. That's obsessed with physical

comfort. Enjoyment and happiness.

And you know, what we do? We do everything we can to

eliminate pain and suffering and that is normal.

We want any part of pain and suffering.

I was talking to a good friend of mine.

Yesterday he said, you know, I'm really been blessed in my life

and I was kind of wondering. You know why I've been blessed

in my life is now. I don't I'm not complaining.

I don't want any trials. I don't want any Hard Times.

I don't want any sickness or sadness, I don't want any of

that. I'm just very fortunate.

He says that in my life, it's been pretty smooth and things

are pretty well. We do everything we can to have

happiness and enjoyment and comfort.

We do everything we can to avoid the pain and that's normal.

I get it. The heartache, in fact, every

year, billions of dollars are spent to help man, forget his

Human Condition. In fact, drugs and alcohol

today. Drugs and alcohol are billed as

the prescription for happiness. And by the way, I got to say

this to when I say drugs, I'm not talking about medicine as

prescribed by a doctor for someone that is depressed, which

is a real thing. And they need medication.

That is not what I'm talking about.

When I'm talking about is I'm talking about drugs and alcohol.

And you know what that means and that's build as you got to have

that stuff for happiness. You know why?

Because people want to try To numb the senses, do the senses,

and people want to try to do all they can to avoid The Human

Condition and sometimes that's painful The Human Condition.

But Jesus says this, he tells that his followers are going to

find happiness in morning. In other words, happy are the

sad. What is this paradox mean?

Well, first of all, there's many things that a child of God can

mourn over Many. Thanks, General things.

Let's talk about those first. How about the wickedness of the

world? And I got to say, I am not one

believes that the whole world is rotten.

I am not one that says that all the people in the world are

rotten are bad or nothing because that's just flat, not

true. And if you think that everything

in the world and everybody in the world is bad and wicked and

and and awful. And as you know what, you're you

know what you're doing, you're not getting out among people

because you don't see it because there's wonderful people all

over this world. I have people that are all in my

life that are wonderful people. But that doesn't mean that there

is not wickedness in the world. There is, there's always been

wickedness in the world. So a Christian could mourn in a

general sense. It's only the wickedness of the

world. That is true.

What else? How about this?

How about the plight of the oppressed?

Certainly, that's something we're about this.

How about the Affliction of the innocent?

We look at this and we say it's not fair.

When the innocent is Afflicted, these are things in a general

sense that we could. I could say honestly mourn over.

But that's not the context of this passage, and that's not

what Jesus was talking about. Jesus was talking about a

specific kind of morning, he was talking about mourning over your

personal sins. So in the first beatitude he

reminds us that we need to recognize.

We are nothing apart from God in the second.

Beatitude he wants us to recognize that there's one thing

that separates man from God and that is sin.

That's the one thing. It separates man from God.

He ever stop to consider why God hates sin so much I think the

obvious stuff everybody. I think the obvious stuff is

number one. God is so pure and holy he can't

even look on sin. When the sins of the world were

placed on Jesus, on the cross, he turned his face away.

Jesus had to endure the Affliction of the Cross bearing

the sins of the world as Hebrews 12 says even the shame of the

cross. Though he was pure and innocent

and perfect. So yes, sin is ugly.

And God can't look at that. So God hates that.

Yes, that's true. but number two, God, hates sin folks

because that's the one thing that'll keep you from him

forever. God wants you to go to heaven.

He wants everybody to go to heaven.

The one thing that'll keep somebody from heaven and keep

somebody from the presence of God for all eternity is sin.

So what's Jesus want you to do? Understand.

I'm nothing without God. I need you, Lord, and then mourn

over your sin because that's what's going to keep you from

God. A passage here, please.

Isaiah, 59. And to but your iniquities have

separated you from your God and your sins have hidden his face

from you, so that he will not hear.

I know sin is fun and I'm not going to spend a lot of time

talking about this, but I want to say this about Sin.

I know people sometimes say, let's not talk about Sin let's

just call it something else. Remember a preacher back in the

old days you might remember this.

But one preacher in the old days says why this is kind of a

general idea today? Why can't we just say this, can

we stop calling? It's in.

Can we just call it an unfortunate circumstance in the

upward? Progress of man?

Let's call it something like that.

No, let's call it what it is. And it's ugly.

But I also know this too. I'm not naive.

Sin is fun. To the flesh.

It's fun. It is it gratifies the flesh?

But did you know that true blessedness or true happiness

and sin are completely incompatible?

They don't go together. A person may think they're happy

and joyful in their sinful life. But you can't have true

happiness and have sin in your life.

You can't, they're incompatible. Send it to, happiness are

incompatible. And by the way, God's people

have always been those who mourn when they trespass against him

at me, give you an example. When David sinned with

Bathsheba, this is what David said have mercy upon me.

O God, according to your loving-kindness, according to

the multitude of your Tender Mercies blot out my

transgressions Wash Me thoroughly from my iniquity and

cleanse me from my sin for I acknowledge my transgressions

and my sin is always, before me. Against you.

And you only have I sinned and done this evil in your sight.

Another example. When Peter denied Jesus, like I

mentioned just a moment ago. Remember what Peter did by the

way, he denied Jesus, not only three times but even the Bible

says cursing and swearing, he says I know not the man.

How did Peter feel about that? Felt pretty bad about that,

didn't he? Because in Matthew chapter 26

Matthew 26 · chapter mention

and 75, Peter says this, the Bible says is of Peter.

I mean, He went out and he wept bitterly.

Because he sinned against God. And I got to say, this is not a

bad thing, it's not a bad thing. Paul reminds us that Godly

sorrow has a vital role because it produces repentance to

Salvation. Second Corinthians chapter 7,

2 Corinthians 7 · chapter mention

and verse 10 notice. But Godly sorrow, produces

repentance, leading to Salvation, not to be regretted,

but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Let's look at the first part of this.

When we talk about morning here, what are we talking about?

We're talking about Godly sorrow.

That is a good thing, why? Why?

Because Godly sorrow produces a change in you, it's called

repentance. What's that going to do?

It'll lead you to Salvation? And what does Paul say In this

passage? That's not to be regretted

another words. That's not a bad thing.

It's a good thing, okay? It's okay to mourn for your sin.

On the flip side, though. Worldly sorrow.

Is something else. There's sorrow of the world,

produces death. What is the sorrow of the world?

The sorrow of the world is to be sorry because you have committed

a sin or because you were caught in a sin.

There's a lot of people and their past, their troubled,

about their past and their guilty about their past.

And I'm going to get to that in a moment.

But they do nothing about it. What is that?

Worldly sorrow. It didn't lead to repentance.

Worldly sorrow. They did nothing about it.

Give you a perfect example. Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus.

Was he sorrowful? Yeah, he takes the money.

He takes it back to them. He gives it back to them.

He throws it on the ground. He says, I can't take the money.

I betrayed innocent blood. You know, they said big deal,

your problem, get lost. Sorrowful.

Worldly sorrow. No repentance.

What did he do? The Bible says he went out and

he hung himself. Physical death.

He never repented. Spiritual death.

But the good kind of Sorrowing, the good kind of morning, that's

the kind that's leads to repentance that leads to

Salvation, and that's a good thing.

All right, let's talk about this word sorrow for just a moment,

the word sorrow. There's actually nine different

words for the word, sorrow or morning.

And what's amazing to me is Jesus uses the one that is the

strongest and most severe. It is the word that is used.

By the way, to those describing someone who's lost a loved one

and with gut-wrenching morning, they Mourn, their passing.

It's the same word. But please get this.

He wasn't saying you got to hate yourself.

He was saying, you got to hate your sin.

It's wrong to Hate Yourself. It's wrong to do that.

God doesn't want that. by using this term in this beatitude he's

picturing total, humility acknowledging one spiritual

plight and Jesus says, when you mourn over sin, when you do

that, You're going to be comforted.

The Lord does not leave us comfortless and he does not want

us to live our life in a state of Perpetual mourning.

He doesn't want that in our sorrow.

He doesn't want that. He promises the peace that

surpasses all understanding Philippians 4:7, what's the

Philippians 4:7

piece? Please get this The piece is

first of all, I'm mourn over my sin so that I make it right.

It leads to repentance it produces that in my heart, it

leads to Salvation. So what's the comfort?

I'm forgiven. Man.

Forgiven. Like it never happened.

And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding is

knowing. Knowing for a fact that I have

been forgiven and everything is okay between me and God, that's

the peace that surpasses all understanding.

I'm forgiven. We don't have to suffer from

Perpetual guilt. So in context, this beatitude

promises comfort from the grief of Sin from personal infractions

against God. Let me give you some passages

now. First John, chapter 1 and verse

1 John 1 · chapter mention

7 conditional here. If we walk in the light as he is

in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood

of Jesus Christ, his son cleanses us from all sin.

But I'm going to tell you something, folks.

We talked about the washing of regeneration that is baptism,

right? That's when the, our sins are

washed away, but I'm going to tell you something, you will sin

again. And God, put the plan in place

of what you do when you sin again and you will, there is not

a prayer that I pray. Where I don't ask God to forgive

me. Maybe I committed a sin and I

didn't know it. I want that one covered too.

And you know what's going to cover it, it's going to be the

blood of Jesus. How do I get the blood of Jesus

to cleanse my sin? After I've been baptized after I

have contacted the blood of Jesus.

What's the maintenance process? Brilliant passages.

First John chapter 1 and verse 9.

1 John 1 · chapter mention

Here it is. If we confess our sins, he's

faithful. And just to forgive us our sins

and what cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

This word confess means this. When you confess that sin to

God, you are literally saying the same thing that God says

about that sin. You hate that sin look familiar.

There it is morn. Same thing.

Morning, you confess that sin to God but that's not just

admission by the way, that is confession with Godly sorrow and

repentance. What happens when I do that.

He is faithful meaning I can trust him.

He's going to forgive us of those sins and even cleanse us

from all unrighteousness. That means this even the

contamination of that sin is gone.

I said that I said I was going to get back to this.

I want to talk about guilt, I want you to please listen to me.

This is very important. If God forgives you.

You must forgive yourself. I know.

Guilt is a strong terrible thing.

I know what? It's like to be hard on

yourself. but if the promise is that God is going to forgive

you, when you are repentant and you confess that to God, Why in

the world would you still hold on to it?

Let it go. We tell you what happens with

guilt. And not forgiving yourself of

your past. I know people that can't get by

their past. They're Christians, but they

just can't turn loose of the past.

The guilt is so strong, they can't lose it.

You know, what happens, it cripples them in their service,

to God, it's crippling So, please remember this, if God

forgives you, let it go. And forgive yourself, too.

There's something else too. There's even a plan for habitual

sins because you know, what happens sometimes to us, we are

weak. We are not perfect.

And sometimes our sins that we struggle with are the same

things over and over and over again.

And there's a plan for that too. There's a plan for habitual

sins. James 5:16 confess, your

James 5:16

trespasses to one another and pray one.

For another that you may be healed the effective fervent

prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Okay, I'm going to come to my brother here.

I must say, brother, I'm struggling.

With and you fill in the blank, the Senate.

I asked God to forgive me. I know.

God. Forgives me.

And I'm repentant every time I ask God to forgive me, but I

just keep struggling. I'm weak and I keep falling back

into the same habitual pattern. And I need your help.

My brother is going to pray for me.

And the effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

It's going to get the job done, right?

That's number one, but there's benefit.

Number two. I've now just become accountable

to my brother. We don't we have accountability.

And now I go to my brother and he's going to come back to me

and say, hey how you doing with that problem?

How you doing with that? Struggle still praying for you.

Pray for you everyday. I'm going to add one little

thing here. This is the pattern here for

helping us live the Christian Life and avoid habitual sins.

Like, we struggle with so, if somebody comes to you, As their

brother or sister in Christ and when they come to you, and they

confess something like that, privately, keep it to yourself.

Keep it to yourself. It's a precious precious plan.

To help you get through it. And don't broadcast it beyond

what your brother or sister confessed to you keep it there.

Stick to the plan. It's a great thing, being a

Christian, that's great stuff. Okay, in conclusion.

When add one more thing. The specific context of mourning

is mourning over your sin. That is the specific context.

In a general context because in a specific context when we mourn

over our sin, we're going to be comforted and that Comfort is

that I've been forgiven and we know that that's true, but in a

general sense, we are comforted from every get this.

Please Earthly sorrow. About the world's Injustice or

anything else. As a Christian, we also have

comfort. I don't know what you do and

it's not bad what you do and I'm not saying, don't do it.

I'm just saying what I do and what I don't do.

I don't watch the news. It is a bummer.

It is depressing. When I talk to people, they want

to talk about what they heard on the news and all the bad stuff

that's about to happen. I've been hearing about bad

stuff going to happen, by the way, for years, it was supposed

to happen like next week, so Been hearing that for years but

next week's the big thing. It's depressing.

So I don't do it. But whether I did were look at

the news or whether I don't look at the news, I do understand

that there's trouble out there. And I'm a moron over that.

And so, will you? But to the child of God, there's

comfort in that to do. You know why?

It's knowing the assurance that God is totally in control.

No matter what? so, I'm comforted Jesus says,

blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of

Heaven. Blessed are those that mourn

for? They will be comforted.

I'm nothing without God. I'm moreover my sin and I'm

comforted. When I Repent of those things,

and take care of those things in my life.

To know, I've been forgiven, I'm also comforted to know.

Listen, I'm going to put my life in the hands of God and both

Time and Eternity. And it's going to be okay

because he's in control more comfort.

That's it. I'm finished.

Let me ask you this, do you want today the benefit?

That we've talked about of piece of Salvation and comfort.

Do you want that benefit? If you do?

Here's the invitation, here's how you get it.

First of all, you got to hear the word of God.

You've done that today, Romans 10:17.

Romans 10:17

So then faith comes by hearing and hearing, by the word of God,

hearing the word of God produces something, it produces Faith you

have to believe, with all your heart.

Surely, you do Hebrews 11 and 6, but without faith, it's

impossible to please him for. He who comes to God, must

believe that he is. That he is a rewarder of those

that diligently seek him. Then what here's that word?

Again, we talked about it today, you got to repent, repent of

your life. Repent of your sins acts 17 and

30. Truly these times of ignorance,

God, overlooked. But now commands, all men

everywhere to repent And then we make the greatest statement will

ever make. We make the confession that

Jesus Christ is the Son of God acts 8:37.

Acts 8:37

Then Philip said, if you believe with all your heart, you may be

baptized. And he answered and said, I

believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

But next, the point of Salvation Mark 16:16.

Mark 16:16

You got to be baptized for the remission of your sins.

Mark 16:16. He who believes and is baptized,

Mark 16:16

will be saved. But he, who does not believe

will be condemned. If you do that.

You could be saved, you could be forgiven, you can have your sins

washed away, you can be comforted.

If you'll do that today, maybe you've taken those steps of

obedience, maybe you straight away.

What a great time to come back. Repent of those things confess.

Those things will pray with you and for you and God will forgive

and restore it. We thank you for listening to

our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.

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