Discipleship Bible Studies

Bethel MBC

Discussion #3 

09/19/07    DWS

Lesson text: Matthew 5:4, 5

Quick Review:

The 5 Prerequisites for discipleship: Lk 14:33; Lk 14:27; Jn 8:31; Jn 15:8; Jn 13:35

What does it mean to be “poor in spirit”? 

What is the result of being poor in spirit?

How do we become poor in spirit?

How do we know if we are poor in spirit?

I. Preliminary thoughts

Our purpose tonight is to review our lesson from last week (verse 3), add verse 4 and mesh it with last week’s thoughts.  Then, we hope to add verse 5 and see the “fitting” of verses 3, 4 and 5 as seen together. 

II. Those That Mourn Shall Be Comforted

As discussed last time, we must be made poor in spirit (cower like a beggar) to inherit the kingdom of heaven (our salvation experience).  After this, we will begin to mourn because of our poverty in spirit.  Then, and ONLY then, God is able to comfort us!  What about this “mourning”.

a. What does it mean to mourn?

There are different types of mourning we all experience.  We have a natural mourning associated with loss or sorrow.  Abraham mourned Sarah at her death (Genesis 23:2) and this is considered a natural part of the healing process.  We also may have an unnatural sorrow ormourning which is opposite of the first type.  While the natural sorrow is a part of the healing process, the unnatural mourning is destructive in nature.  David experienced this unnatural mourning in II Samuel 18:33.  His sorrow did not reflect sorrow for the rebellion of Absalom or the risk of David’s men in fighting with him.  It was a destructive sorrow with no healing process possible.  The last type of mourning is the type that Jesus had in mind…a spiritual sorrow.  It is not associated with the natural losses and pains of life.  It extends beyond the normal experiences of emotion.

This spiritual type of mourning can only be experienced in conjunction with a poverty of spirit.  Without the attitude of being poor in spirit, there is no reason to mourn.  We mourn after seeing the contrast between God and ourselves.  Isaiah saw this contrast in Isaiah 6:1-3.  Job shows evidence of it in Job 42:5-6.  Daniel expresses another way in Daniel 9:4-8 and the psalmist describes this realization in Psalm 99:1-3.

b. What is it, specifically, that is the cause of such mourning?

1.  Our own personal sin         Luke 16:15; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23

2. The state of the whole world because of sin

Have you ever felt an overwhelming sense of loss on behalf of lost sinner’s everywhere?  Jesus did, does and so do His disciples!

Can we see this characteristic in the Lord’s earthly life?

Isaiah 53:3-4 He was prophesied as a man of sorrows, well acquainted with grief, etc.

John 11:33-35 He wept over Lazarus

Luke 19:41-44 He wept over Jerusalem

Can you recall a verse or passage telling us that Jesus laughed?!?!?!

GEM THOUGHT

Jesus came to be “sin” for us (Acts 5:31). He was made poor in spirit, mourned and was heavy so that He might be comforted???  NO!!  He did all the suffering and mourning so that WE might be comforted!!  He paid the first two “Beatitude steps” that we might enjoy and have access to the third.  All He asks is that we “partake” in His work (that is already finished) by repenting and believing.  Isn’t that absolutely amazing grace?!!  Read Ephesians 1:7 about the “riches of His grace” and then rethink the above thought. It ought to melt our hearts.

c. Mourning is NOT an end in itself

This mourning is the beginning of the work of faith in our hearts and souls.  This sorrow is designed to produce a faith response!  When all hope it gone, all self-power is depleted, and we know that no other choice but to “give up and give in”, we have faith in Jesus.  We both acknowledge the reality of sin (confession) and repent of those sins.  Thus, mourning over sin is a sorrow that enables us to acknowledge our sin by confessing it and to repent of our sin by turning away from it.