Jesus makes a startling claim in the second beatitude: those who mourn are blessed. This sounds backward to us. Why would mourning be something to celebrate?
In this episode, we discover that Jesus is talking about a specific kind of mourning: grief over our own sin and spiritual poverty. This mourning is not weakness or depression. It is the appropriate emotional response to recognizing how far we are from holiness and how incapable we are of fixing ourselves. Jesus promises that those who mourn in this way will be comforted when God's kingdom comes.
In this week's episode, we explore:
After listening to this episode, you will understand that spiritual mourning is not about being gloomy or depressed. Instead, it is about honestly facing your sin, longing for holiness, and trusting God to do what you cannot do for yourself. You will see how mourning fits into the larger picture of repentance and saving faith. Most importantly, you will discover the hope embedded in this beatitude: God promises to comfort those who mourn. The very problem you grieve over now will one day be completely solved when Christ returns and makes all things new.
Series: Gospel of Matthew: Behold, the King!
Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity is available now wherever books are sold.
