Brian's Sermons

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4 “You know what I love about funerals? It’s great having all those sad, grieving people all in one room. I love all the tears. I love the misery. Most of all, I love the clichés and the platitudes…” said no one ever. One of the universal experiences of life is the experience of sorrow; ever since Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden and death entered the world, we all experience grief. There are times when grief is so strong that you feel like you can touch it. When you’re grieving, nothing else makes sense. The strangest experience is leaving a graveside to see people going about their everyday business. Going to lunch. Taking walks. Going to work. Meanwhile your soul is screaming. Everything around you is darkness. Jesus speaks into the darkness with the second Beatitude: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4 There is an old saying: Time heals all wounds...

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:1-12 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be c...

...for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:1-12 Mourn = to feel or express sorrow; lament; grieve; to grieve for someone who has died Last week we heard that God blesses the poor in spirit – those who are at the end of their rope and realize their need for God. While it doesn’t feel much like a blessing while you’re at the end of your rope, being in complete trust in God is the best place you can be in. Today we hear that God blesses those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Any of us who has lost a loved one knows what it feels like to mourn. How is that a blessing? And though most of us have been comforted from that loss, is the benefit we get from the comfort actually worth the loss? Let’s look at it from a cost/benefit point of view: when we buy something, whether we think about it consciously or not, we’re always making a judgment about something’s worth. Is it worth what I’m paying? Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances; we all complain about gas prices, but they haven...