As long as Jesus is one of many options, he is no option. As long as you can carry your burdens alone, you don’t need a burden bearer. As long as your situation brings you no grief, you will receive no comfort. And as long as you can take him or leave him, you might as well leave him, because he won’t be taken half-heartedly. – Max Lucado, The Applause of Heaven, p. 56

Here is my sermon skeleton from Sunday’s message

Title: “Those Who Mourn”

Text: Matthew 5:4

Sermon Series: The Beatitudes: The Life God Blesses

Theme: The blessed paradox of godly sorrow.

Point: God blesses those who mourn.

Outline:

I. The sorrow of the mourners (5:4:a)

A. This beatitude affirms the place of natural sorrow.

1. Natural sorrow can be evil (2 Sam. 12:3; 1 Kings 21:4)

2. Natural sorrow can be beneficial – if it leads you to God.

B. This beatitude emphasizes the priority of spiritual sorrow.

1. We should mourn the sin around us.

2. We should mourn the sins against us.

3. We should mourn the sin within us.

II. The comfort of the mourners (5:4b)

A. God is the source of this comfort.

B. Repentance is the requirement for this comfort.

C. Forgiveness is the basis of this comfort.

D. Jesus Christ is the means to this comfort.

E. The Holy Spirit is the agent of this comfort.