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Message # 2 "The Attitude that Aims at our Solitude"

Text:  Matthew 5:4

Intro:  The word "mourn" basically means 'sorrow" or "to grieve". 

               There are two kinds of sorrow or grieving:

               1.  Worldly sorrow: means we are sorry that we are not doing

                     better, or sorry that we go caught, or sorry that we have lost

                     a possession.

               2.  Godly sorrow:  means we are sorry that we grieved God,

                    and we are sorry that we have sinned against God and

                    others.

               Worldly sorrow leads to reformation.  Godly sorrow leads to

               repentance.(IICor7:10).  This godly sorrow is basic and funda-

               mental in forming our attitude toward salvation, seperation,

               and service.  The modern, worldly and liberal church knows

               nothing of this attitude adjustment.   This is why we do not have

               the power that was displayed in the early church.  Verse 4 of

               our text has a very blessed meaning and order.  It means that

               there has to be sorrow (mourning, grief) before there can be

               joy(comfort).  The world grieves because their joy of things has

               gone.  The child of God grieves as a result of the joy that is to

               come.

I.  "To Mourn" brings a New Morning

   A)  The Morning of light

          God's Word tells us that we were dead in trespasses and sin.

          Death means darkness.  Only when a person has a godly sorrow

          for their sinful state, can the light of God shine on their lost soul

          and bring the dawn of a new, eternal morning.  Joy comes in the

          morning of salvation, and the "Son" will shine as a result of "godly

          sorrow that leadeth to repentence"

  B)  The Morning of love

         Only when this godly sorrow is present, can we see the awesome

         love of God.  Calvary was the ultimate display of God's love. 

         "Greater love hath no man that this, that a man would lay down his

         life for his friends".  At Calvary, a new morning of God's love

         dawned upon mankind.

  C)  The Morning of life

         Conversion is the "passing from death unto life".  it is the transition

         from the grave unto grace.  When a baby is born in the physical

         world, thei eyes are opened to a new world.  Likewise, when a per=

         son is born again, their spiritual eyes are opened into God's world

         of eternal, everlasting life.

II.   "To Mourn" brings a New Mandate

   A)  Mandated Thinking

          Our thinking as a result of our mourning will include:

          1.  we will be shocked over the results of our sin and the sins of

               others.

          2.  we will sick over the results of our sins and the sins of others

          3.  we will be seeking to restore fellowship with God that was lost

               as a result of our sins and other's sins

    B)  Mandated Tactics

         When we apply the mandated tactics of God to our lives, then the

         result of "denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live sober-

         ly, righteously, and godly in this present world".  Three tactics apply:

         1)  do not compound sin (when we know we have sinned, but refuse

              to confess it, then we have compounded our sin with another sin.

         2)  do not comply with sin (one of the greatest dangers in our Christ-

              ian life is when we allow sin to hang around without our condem-

              ning it.

   C)  Mandated Truth

         We have to understand and learn that there are ungodly root attitudes

         that lead to sin in our lives.  They are:

         1.  insecurity (lack of belief in sovereignty of God)

         2.  greed (unbelief in the priorities of God in our life)

         3.  bitterness (unbelief in the love of God)

         4.  impurity (unbelief in the holiness of God)

III.  "To Mourn"brings a New Mission

     A)  Of a Broken Heart

            1.  Over the lust of the world (the realm of God operates in love. 

                 The realm of the world operates in lust.  We are to be grieved in

                 our spirit when we see the destruction that lust imparts in our

                 society.

            2.  Over the lost of the world ("hell hath enlarged itself".  Too much

                 preaching and witnessing of today condemns the sinner, but

                 lacks the compassion for the sinner.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ

                 is "good news" for the sinner.

       B)  Of a Believable Honesty

             1.  Honesty with God (to grieve over other's sins, is to agree with

                 God that we are guilty also.  The Pharisees never got this truth.

                 Pious self righteousness is one of the most damning sins of our

                 day.   Only by the grace of God are we not the murderers, child

                 abusers and homosexuals of the world.

       C)  Of a Blessed Hope

              Weeping (godly sorrow, grieving, mourning) may endure for the

              night, but joy(comfort, solace, blessing) cometh in the morning.

              What a glorious thought.  This joy will result in "God shall wipe

              away all tears".  But until then, we must have the attitude of

              mourning.