Kingdom Truth - What is the Kingdom of Heaven in the Bible?
Chapter 8, Part 2
Blessed are Those Who Mourn
Mourn here is not an admonition for believers to cry day and night. Neither should we have low self esteem and feel sorry for ourselves because of our sins. If we have sins in our lives, we should immediately hand them over to the Lord (repent). Afterwards, we must believe that "Though my sins are as scarlet, they have (already) become as white as snow." (Is. 1:18). We should no longer have a sullen face and despise the all mighty God by doubting. On the contrary, we are to "rejoice always" in the Lord. What then is the meaning of the word "mourn"? Mourn refers to a saddened attitude of our heart as in Ecclesiastes 7:4: "The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, while the mind of the fools is in the house of pleasure".
In the Chinese custom of filial piety, if the father dies, the son shows his filial piety by not combing his hair, shaving his face nor attending celebrations among friends and relatives. This is the meaning of the "house of mourning". From the spiritual perspective, the Lord Jesus is with us all the time. But from a human perspective, our Lord has left us on a far off journey! He is to receive a Kingdom and return. What should be our attitude in His absence? When a husband goes on a long trip, the wife writes and tells him that she can't sleep at night, lost her appetite for food and interest in going out. These are all because her beloved husband is not at her side. Consequently, she can't enjoy life. At the end of the letter, she will often conclude with "My dear, please come back soon!” Dear readers, our beloved Lord is on a far journey to receive a Kingdom and He has not yet returned. Where is our heart? If our heart is with Him, the vanities of the world cannot rob away our love for Him. The pleasures of life are unable to steal our heart. Because our joy, enjoyment...are all in our dearly beloved Lord! I am eagerly waiting for His return with the Kingdom. When He returns, He will see me as an adorned bride! No wonder John said, "Come, Lord Jesus." (Rev. 22:20)...for They shall be Comforted
We are children of the Kingdom of Heaven and our hope is not in this present world. Certainly, you have the freedom to love the world, love entertainment and love not the Lord! But if you want to have part in the Kingdom, please remember the Lord's words: "A disciple is not above his teacher, a slave is not above his master." (Matt. 10:24) In this verse, the terms disciple, teacher, slave and master are not used in the normal sense. They refer to the relationship between the believers and Jesus. If we live in the "house of mourning" for the Lord on earth, the comfort we receive shall be eternal. This is in accordance with the Scriptures: "Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace." (2 Thess. 2:26) This eternal comfort and excellent hope certainly refers to the Kingdom because only those things inherited in the Kingdom are eternal and excellent. This comfort and hope are intended to encourage us to keep ourselves pure and good. They are for the enjoyment of those whose heart is set upon the Lord. At the same time, let us remember also that everything in the Kingdom is prepared by the Father and it is the Father who gives (Matt. 20:23)! Our attitude should be: "When we do all the things commanded, we say we are unworthy slaves, we have done only that which we ought to have done." (Luke 17:10) Amen!Chapter 8, Part 2
Shepherd His Sheep
