Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Matthew 5:4

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.
Isaiah 61:1-3

Jesus is drawing on God’s promises in Isaiah 61 to announce its fulfillment in Him.

Mourning (Greek = penthountes) carries a double meaning:

1. To grieve one’s own sin & brokenness
2. To grieve the sin & brokenness in the world

"Blessed are those who mourn what is wrong and unjust in themselves and the world, and sincerely repent, for God comforts those who suffer and those who truly repent."
— Glen Stassen

Bottom Line

Our hearts are to break over all that is broken in the world.

We can’t afford to numb out the pain of the world.

Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria…
You lie on beds adorned with ivory and lounge on your couches.
You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves.
You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions,
but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph…
Amos 6:1-6

Action Steps

Prayer
Create some space this week to pray through the following questions:

• Is there any brokenness in my life that I need to face and lament?
• How has my brokenness negatively impacted those around me?
• Where do I notice brokenness around me (neighborhood, work, school, community)?
  

Practices:

• Use the Lament Tool on our website to grieve an area of brokenness.  
• Move toward someone who is mourning this week and be present with comfort.  
• Reminder: continue to memorize the beatitudes