1. “Finding Comfort in Mourning” Matthew 5:1-4

2. Things We Grieve Loss of a loved one Pain, sorrow, tribulation, trials in life Our sin, or the sins + consequences of others

3. Roots of Mourn Familiar with pain of mourning “loss of a loved one” “grief over our sin / sin of others Greek = “Pentheo” ACUTE GRIEF / WAIL / MOURN “Penthera” mother in law Root Word = “beat the chest, or CUT” Acts 2:37 – “pierced to the heart” Mourning so intense it LEADS TO ACTION MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING Broken down, reduced, Jesus = “blessed” = anointed – will be comforted

4. How God Uses Sorrow God uses sorrow to rally the body of Christ to teach us the love of Christ 1 Cor 12:26 = and if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. To trust the Lord in trials 1 Peter 2:18 – 23 – follow Jesus example Also 1 Peter 4:12-14 and 19

5. God will Not Comfort Unrepentant Sin God uses pain to prompt us to repentance David Psalm 32:3-5 “His heavy hand” Luke 15 – wayward son “came to his senses in a pig pen” Father: never failed to watch / but did not chase him down Read Book of Judges – Israel wandered from the Lord; God allows calamity; people repent, cry out to God for deliverance God raises up “Judges”/leaders, then peace

6. God Also Uses Pain to Prompt Read 2 Corinthians 7:8-10 – letter caused sorrow godly sorrow leads to life; worldly sorrow leads to death * Peter / Luke 22:62 – went out wept bitterly ACTS 2 he was preaching the Gospel * Judas / Matthew 27:3-5 worldly sorrow that = death

7. How God Comforts John 14:16 – “I will ask the Father and He will give you another Comforter, that He may be with you forever #1 – His presence – you are not alone John 14:26 – But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” COMFORT IN HIS WORD – so study His Word!

8. Critical Messages For Those Who Mourn From His Word Over sin? Romans 8:1, 1 John 1:9 Over a loved one who has died? Jesus: John 14:1-3, 1 Corinthians 2:9 Salvation means they will be there! Over life? Meet the God of hope – Romans 15:13 – God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing… that you may ABOUND in hope by power of Holy Spirit