Matthew 5:4Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. ESV
Mourning. What do you mourn about? Have you lost a loved one? Lost a career due to the cycles of the economy? Has a friend or loved one turned on you? These are all things common to the human experience each and every day. But those things do not happen to each of us every day. Thankfully.
However, a Christian should be mourning each and everyday. Why is that? Because we sin in thought word and deed by what we do and leave undone. Each and every one of these sins nailed our Beautiful Saviour Jesus to the cross. Each of these falling short of God’s glory is proof we deserve nothing but God’s wrath both in our life and for eternity.
This mourning needs to take place so that the comfort can come. When we are deeply saddened by our sinful state and inability to free ourselves from these sins each and everyday we can return to the knowledge of our baptism. In this we receive the promise of the forgiveness of sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit. We are truly washed clean by the sacrifice of Jesus and have this physical means where to look when we have nowhere to look in us for this comfort.
1 Corinthians 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. ESV
Each of us can see ourselves in that list. Certainly we have not acted out on each of those sins but have in our heart. And this is proof that we do not by nature inherit the kingdom of God. But look at the comfort we have in present tense that we were washed, sanctified and justified in the name of ht Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Totally and complete forgiveness of sin in the water that testifies on earth.
1 John 5:5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is he who came by water and blood Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. ESV
Let us believe this good news and live in the peace and comfort it offers.
In the name of Jesus. Amen †
2 comments:
St. Dave, thanks for the reminder that mourning is a natural and healthy part of the Christian life. That is one thing that I've learned from talking with you and reading this blog.
May God continue to use this blog.
In Christ,
- Andy
St. David,
I mourn many things, but never reading your insightful blog!
That we mourn, we repent, is the basis for the gospel message to act and to make new again.
If there is no need of newness, then newness won't come.
We need to be made new, each day, by the blood of Christ, His forgiveness on the cross, and He gives assurance of this in our baptisms.
If I need to be reminded of the great thing God has done for me in my baptism, I return to the font...and I return to 'Five Pint Lutheran'!
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