Wesley's 1st Discourse

Study Guide Questions

Sermon

SERMON 21

UPON OUR LORD’S SERMON ON THE MOUNT

DISCOURSE 1

“And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: And when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit: For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: For they shall be comforted.’”Matt. 5:1–4.

1. Our Lord had now “gone about all Galilee” (Matt. 4:23), beginning from the time “when John was cast into prison” (Matt. 4:12), not only “teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom,” but also “healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.” As a natural result, “there followed him great multitudes from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from the region beyond Jordan” (Matt. 4:25). “And seeing the multitudes,” whom no synagogue could have held—even if one had been nearby—“he went up into a mountain,” where there was room for all who came to him from every direction. “And when he was set,” as was the Jewish custom, “his disciples came unto him. And he opened his mouth” (a phrase marking the start of a solemn address) “and taught them, saying”—

2. Let us carefully consider who is speaking here, so that we may be careful how we listen. It is the Lord of heaven and earth, the Creator of all; and as Creator, he has the right to govern all his creatures. It is the Lord, our Ruler, whose kingdom is everlasting and whose rule extends over all. It is the great Lawgiver, who can enforce every law he gives, being “able to save and to destroy,” yes, to punish with “everlasting destruction from his presence and from the glory of his power.” It is the eternal Wisdom of the Father, who knows what we are made of and understands our inmost frame—who knows how we stand in relation to God, to one another, and to every creature God has made, and therefore knows how to fit every command he gives to all the circumstances in which he has placed us. It is he who is “loving unto every man, whose mercy is over all his works”—the God of love—who, having emptied himself of his eternal glory, has come forth from the Father to declare his will to the children of men, and then returns to the Father; who is sent of God “to open the eyes of the blind, and to give light to them that sit in darkness.” It is the great Prophet of the Lord, about whom God declared long ago, “Whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him” (Deut. 18:19); or, as the Apostle puts it, “Every soul which will not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people” (Acts 3:23).

3. And what is he teaching? The Son of God, who came from heaven, is here showing us the way to heaven—to the place he has prepared for us, the glory he had before the world began. He is teaching us the true way to everlasting life: the royal road that leads to the kingdom, and the only true road—for there is no other; every other path leads to destruction. From the character of the Speaker, we can be sure he has declared the full and perfect will of God. He has spoken not one word too many—nothing beyond what he received from the Father; and not one word too few—he has not held back from declaring the whole counsel of God. Still less has he spoken anything wrong, anything contrary to the will of the One who sent him. All his words are true and right about all things, and they will stand firm forever.

And we may easily notice that, in explaining and confirming these faithful and true sayings, he takes care to correct not only the mistakes of the scribes and Pharisees—those false interpretations by which the Jewish teachers of that time had twisted the word of God—but also every practical mistake that is inconsistent with salvation, that might ever arise in the Christian Church; every interpretation by which so-called Christian teachers of any age or nation might twist the word of God, and lead unwary souls to seek death by the error of their life.

4. From this we are naturally led to consider whom he is teaching. Not the apostles alone; if that were the case, he would not have needed to go up the mountain. A room in Matthew’s house, or in the home of any disciple, would have held the Twelve. Nor does it appear that the disciples who came to him were only the Twelve. hoi mathetai autou, without forcing the phrase, can be understood as all who desired to learn from him. But to remove all doubt—to make it unmistakably clear that when it says he opened his mouth and taught them, the word them includes all the multitudes who went up with him into the mountain—we need only observe the closing verses of chapter seven: “And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the multitudes (hoi ochloi) were astonished at his doctrine,” for he taught them—the multitudes—“as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matt. 7:28–29).

Nor was it only those multitudes on the mountain to whom he taught the way of salvation, but all the children of men—the whole human race—those yet unborn, all generations to come, even to the end of the world, who would ever hear the words of this life.

5. Everyone grants this, at least with regard to some parts of the discourse that follows. No one, for example, denies that what is said about poverty of spirit relates to all mankind. But many have supposed that other parts concerned only the apostles, or the first Christians, or the ministers of Christ; and were never intended for ordinary people, who therefore have nothing to do with them.

But may we not fairly ask: who told them this—that some parts of this discourse concerned only the apostles, or Christians of the apostolic age, or ministers of Christ? Bare assertions are not enough to settle a question of such importance. Has our Lord himself taught us that some parts of his discourse do not concern all mankind? Surely, if it were so, he would have told us; he could not have left out information so necessary. But has he said it? Where? In the discourse itself? No; there is not the slightest hint of it. Has he said it elsewhere—in any other teaching? Not a word, not even a passing suggestion, is found in anything he ever spoke, whether to the multitudes or to his disciples. Have any of the apostles, or other inspired writers, left such an instruction on record? Nothing like it. No statement of this kind is found anywhere in the oracles of God. Who, then, are these men who claim to be so much wiser than God—so far wiser than what is written?

6. Perhaps they will say that reason itself requires such a limitation. If it does, it must be for one of two reasons: either without such a limitation the discourse would be plainly absurd, or it would contradict some other Scripture. But neither is the case. It will become clear, as we examine the details, that there is no absurdity at all in applying everything our Lord teaches here to all mankind. Nor does it create any contradiction with anything else he taught, or with any other Scripture. Indeed, it will become clear that either all parts of this discourse must be applied to people in general, or none of it; for the parts are all linked together, like stones in an arch—you cannot remove one without collapsing the whole structure.

7. Finally, we may observe how our Lord teaches here. Surely, as always, but especially here, he speaks “as never man spake.” Not as the holy men of old—though they too spoke “as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” Not as Peter, or James, or John, or Paul: they were wise master-builders in Christ’s Church; but in heavenly wisdom, the servant is not like his Lord. No, not even as he spoke at other times or on other occasions. It does not appear that at any other time or place it was his design to set out, all at once, the whole plan of his religion; to give a complete view of Christianity; to describe at length the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. He did describe particular parts of this on countless occasions; but never, except here, did he give—deliberately and comprehensively—a general view of the whole. In fact, we have nothing else like this in all the Bible, unless one counts that brief sketch of holiness God gave in the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai. Yet what a difference there is between the two! “Even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth” (2 Cor. 3:10).

8. Above all, with what astonishing love the Son of God reveals the Father’s will to mankind here! He does not bring us again “to the mount that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest.” He does not speak as when he “thundered out of heaven,” when the Most High “gave his thunder, hail-stones, and coals of fire.” Instead, he now addresses us in his still, small voice: “Blessed,” that is, happy, “are the poor in spirit.” Happy are the mourners; the meek; those who hunger after righteousness; the merciful; the pure in heart—happy in the end and in the way; happy in this life and in life everlasting! As if he were saying, “Who is it that longs to live and wants to see good days? Look—here is what your soul has been craving! See the way you have searched for so long in vain: the way of pleasantness, the path to calm, joyful peace—to heaven below and heaven above!”

9. At the same time, with what authority he teaches! No wonder they said, “Not as the scribes.” Notice the manner—though it cannot be captured in words—the very bearing with which he speaks! Not as Moses, the servant of God; not as Abraham, his friend; not as any of the prophets; not as any mere human being. It is something more than human—something no created being could possess. It is the voice of the Creator of all. A God—God himself—appears! Yes, ho ōn, the Being of beings—JEHOVAH, the self-existent One, the Supreme, God over all, blessed forever!

10. This divine discourse, delivered with the most excellent method—each later part explaining what came before—is commonly, and rightly, divided into three main branches: the first contained in chapter five, the second in chapter six, and the third in chapter seven. In the first, the sum of all true religion is laid down in eight particulars, which are explained and guarded against false interpretations in the remainder of the fifth chapter. In the second are rules for maintaining a right intention in all our outward actions, free from worldly desires or anxious cares, even for the necessities of life. In the third are cautions against the chief hindrances to religion, and the whole closes with a direct application.

PART I

1. Our Lord first lays down the sum of all true religion in eight particulars, which he then explains and guards against false interpretations to the end of the fifth chapter.

Some have thought that in these he intended to describe the different stages of the Christian journey—the steps a believer takes, one after another, on the way to the promised land. Others believe that every one of these qualities belongs, at all times, to every Christian. And why should we not accept both? There is no contradiction between them. It is certainly true that poverty of spirit, and every other disposition mentioned here, is found in every genuine Christian, at all times, though in varying degrees. And it is equally true that true Christianity always begins with poverty of spirit and progresses in the order presented here, until “the man of God is made perfect.” We begin with the lowest of these gifts of God, yet without abandoning it when God calls us higher. Rather, “what we have already attained, we hold fast,” while we press forward to what still lies ahead, toward the highest blessings of God in Christ Jesus.

2. The foundation of all is poverty of spirit; therefore our Lord begins here: “Blessed,” he says, “are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

It is not unlikely that our Lord looked at those gathered around him and, seeing that there were not many rich among them but rather the poor of this world, took the occasion to turn their thoughts from earthly poverty to spiritual realities. “Blessed,” he says—or rather, happy, for so the word should be understood here and throughout—“are the poor in spirit.” He does not say those who are poor in outward circumstances, since it is entirely possible for such people to be just as far from happiness as a king on his throne. Rather, he speaks of “the poor in spirit”—those who, whatever their external situation may be, possess that inward disposition which is the first step toward all true and lasting happiness, both in this life and in the life to come.

3. Some have believed that by “the poor in spirit” our Lord means those who love poverty—those who are free from greed and the love of money, who fear riches more than they desire them. They may have come to this conclusion by focusing only on the phrase itself, or by recalling Paul’s serious warning that “the love of money is the root of all evil.” On this basis, many have given up not only riches but all worldly possessions. From this idea also arose the vows of voluntary poverty in the Roman Church, since such an advanced degree of this supposed foundational grace was thought to bring a person very near to the kingdom of heaven.

But such reasoning overlooks several things. First, Paul’s statement must be understood with proper limits; otherwise it is not strictly true. The love of money is not the only root of all evil—experience shows there are countless other roots. Paul’s meaning can only be that it is the root of very many evils, perhaps more than almost any other single vice. Second, this interpretation of “poor in spirit” does not fit our Lord’s purpose here, which is to lay a general foundation upon which the entire structure of Christianity is to be built. That purpose would not be served by warning against only one particular sin. Even if this were part of his meaning, it could not possibly be the whole. Third, it cannot be any part of his meaning at all, unless we accuse him of clear repetition; for if poverty of spirit meant nothing more than freedom from greed or desire for wealth, it would merely repeat what he later includes under purity of heart.

4. Who, then, are “the poor in spirit”? Without question, they are the humble—those who truly know themselves; those who are convinced of sin; those to whom God has given that first repentance which comes before faith in Christ.

Such a person can no longer say, “I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing,” because he now knows that he is “wretched, poor, miserable, blind, and naked.” He is convinced that he is spiritually poor indeed, having no spiritual good living in him. “In me,” he says, “dwells no good thing,” but only what is evil and corrupt. He has a deep awareness of the foul disease of sin that he brought into the world with him—a corruption that has spread through his whole soul and infected every power and faculty within him. He increasingly sees the evil dispositions that grow from this root: pride and arrogance; the constant tendency to think more highly of himself than he should; vanity; the craving for human praise and honor; hatred or envy; jealousy or revenge; anger, malice, and bitterness; the deep-rooted hostility toward both God and neighbor that shows itself in countless ways; love of the world; stubborn self-will; foolish and harmful desires that cling closely to his heart. He is keenly aware of how deeply he has sinned with his tongue—not only through profanity, impurity, lies, or cruelty, but even through words that failed to build others up or convey grace, and therefore were corrupt in God’s sight and grievous to his Holy Spirit. His sinful actions also remain constantly before him; and if he tried to list them, he would find them beyond counting—like the raindrops, the grains of sand, or the days of eternity.

5. His guilt is also plainly before him. He knows the punishment he deserves, even if only for his carnal mind—the total corruption of his nature—and how much more for his sinful thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. He cannot doubt that even the least of these deserves the judgment of hell—“the worm that does not die and the fire that is not quenched.” Above all, the guilt of “not believing in the name of the only-begotten Son of God” weighs heavily on him. “How shall I escape,” he cries, “if I neglect so great a salvation?” For “he that does not believe is condemned already,” and “the wrath of God remains on him.”

6. What, then, can he give in exchange for his soul, now forfeited to the just judgment of God? “With what shall he come before the Lord?” How can he repay what he owes? Even if from this moment forward he could obey every command of God perfectly, it would not make up for a single past sin; for he already owes God all the obedience he can offer for the rest of eternity. Even if he could render that, it would not repair what he failed to do before. He therefore sees himself as completely helpless to atone for his past sins—utterly unable to make satisfaction to God or to ransom his own soul.

And even if God were willing to forgive everything in the past on the condition that he never sin again, that he obey perfectly from now on, he knows this condition would do him no good, because he cannot fulfill it. He knows and feels that he is unable to obey even the outward commands of God while his heart remains sinful and corrupt; for a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. And he cannot cleanse his own heart. With humans this is impossible. So he does not even know how to begin walking in God’s ways. He cannot take a single step forward. Surrounded by sin, sorrow, and fear, and seeing no way of escape, he can only cry out, “Lord, save me, or I perish!”

7. Poverty of spirit, then—as the first step in running the race set before us—is a clear awareness of our inward and outward sins, of our guilt, and of our helplessness. Some have strangely called this “the virtue of humility,” as if we should take pride in knowing we deserve damnation! But our Lord’s words convey something very different: not a virtue to admire, but a condition of total need—naked sin, helpless guilt, and misery.

8. The great apostle speaks in exactly this way when he seeks to bring sinners to God. “The wrath of God,” he says, “is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.” He applies this charge first to the Gentile world, showing they are under God’s wrath. Then he shows that the Jews are no better, and therefore under the same condemnation—all of this not to lead them toward some “noble virtue of humility,” but “that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world become guilty before God.”

He then shows that they are helpless as well as guilty, which is the clear meaning of such statements as: “By the works of the law no flesh shall be justified”; “Now the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ is revealed, apart from the law”; and “We conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.” All these expressions aim at the same end: to strip away human pride, to humble the sinner completely, without encouraging him to admire his humility; to bring him to a deep, piercing conviction of utter sinfulness, guilt, and helplessness, so that, stripped of everything and utterly lost, he may throw himself upon his strong Helper, Jesus Christ the Righteous.

9. We cannot help but notice here that Christianity begins exactly where pagan morality ends. Poverty of spirit—conviction of sin, self-renunciation, having no righteousness of our own—is the very first principle of the religion of Jesus Christ, and it leaves all pagan religion behind. This truth was hidden from the wise of this world. Indeed, the entire Roman language, even at the height of its refinement, had no word for humility in this sense; the term we borrow from it meant something quite different. Nor did the rich Greek language have such a word until the great apostle formed one to express it.

10. Oh that we might feel what they could not even express! Sinner, wake up! Know yourself! Know and feel that you were shaped in wickedness, conceived in sin, and that you yourself have piled sin upon sin ever since you could distinguish right from wrong. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, as one deserving eternal death, and renounce every thought of saving yourself. Let your only hope be to be washed in Christ’s blood and renewed by his almighty Spirit—he who “bore our sins in his own body on the tree.” Then you will know the truth of these words: “Happy are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

PART II

1. It is true that the one who has just begun to know the inward kingdom of heaven has little understanding of this. “In his prosperity he says, ‘I shall never be moved; you, Lord, have made my hill so strong.’” Sin seems so completely crushed beneath his feet that he can scarcely believe it still remains in him. Even temptation appears silenced and does not speak again; it cannot come near but stands at a distance. He is carried along in the chariots of joy and love; he soars “as on the wings of an eagle.” But our Lord knew well that this triumphant state rarely lasts long. Therefore he immediately adds, “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

2. This promise does not apply to those who mourn only for worldly reasons—those who are sad or weighed down merely because of earthly troubles or disappointments, such as the loss of reputation or friends, or damage to their financial condition. Nor does it belong to those who torment themselves through fear of some temporal evil, or who waste away with anxious care, or with those desires for earthly things that “make the heart sick.” Let us not think that such people “shall receive anything from the Lord.” God is not in their thoughts. This is why they “walk in a vain shadow and trouble themselves in vain.” And of such the Lord says, “This shall you have from my hand: you shall lie down in sorrow.”

3. The mourners our Lord speaks of are of a very different kind. They are those who mourn for God—who long for him in whom they once “rejoiced with joy unspeakable,” when he allowed them to taste the good, forgiving word and the powers of the world to come. But now “he hides his face, and they are troubled.” They cannot see him through the dark cloud. Instead, they see temptation and sin—those enemies they believed were gone forever—rising again, pressing hard upon them, surrounding them on every side. It is no wonder if their soul is now disturbed within them, and heaviness and sorrow take hold of their heart.

Nor will their great enemy miss this opportunity. He will ask, “Where is your God now? Where is the happiness you spoke of—the beginning of the kingdom of heaven? Did God really say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’? Surely God did not say that. It was only a dream, a delusion, something you imagined. If your sins are forgiven, why are you like this? Can a forgiven sinner be so unholy?” And if, instead of immediately crying out to God, they begin to argue with one wiser than themselves, they will indeed be plunged into deep heaviness—into grief and anguish beyond words. Even when God again shines on the soul and removes all doubt of past mercy, the one who is weak in faith may still be tempted and troubled about what lies ahead, especially when inward sin revives and presses hard against him, threatening his fall. Then he may cry out again:

I have a sin of fear, that when I’ve spunMy last thread, I shall perish on the shore;—lest he should make shipwreck of the faith,and his last state be worse than the first;—lest all his bread of life should fail,and he sink down unchanged to hell.

4. Yet it is certain that this “affliction,” though “not joyful but painful for the present,” afterward produces “the peaceful fruit of righteousness” in those who are trained by it. Blessed, therefore, are those who mourn in this way, if they wait patiently for the Lord and do not allow themselves to be turned aside by the false comforters of the world; if they firmly reject all the comforts of sin, folly, and vanity—every idle diversion and amusement, every pleasure that “perishes in the using,” and that only dulls and numbs the soul so that it becomes insensitive both to itself and to God. Blessed are those who press on to know the Lord and refuse every other comfort. They shall be comforted by the consolations of his Spirit—by a fresh revelation of his love—by such a witness that they are accepted in the Beloved as will never again be taken from them.

This “full assurance of faith” swallows up all doubt as well as every tormenting fear. God now gives them a sure hope of an enduring inheritance and “strong consolation through grace.” Without debating whether it is possible for any who were once enlightened and made partakers of the Holy Spirit to fall away, it is enough for them to say, by the power now resting upon them, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:35–39).

5. This entire process—both the mourning for an absent God and the recovery of joy in his presence—seems to be pictured in what our Lord said to his apostles on the night before his suffering: “Do you ask among yourselves what I meant by saying, ‘A little while, and you shall not see me; and again, a little while, and you shall see me’? Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament,” when you do not see me; “but the world will rejoice,” triumphing as though your hope were gone. “You will be sorrowful,” through doubt, fear, temptation, and intense longing; “but your sorrow shall be turned into joy,” by the return of the One your soul loves. “A woman in labor has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth, she remembers the anguish no more, for joy that a child is born into the world. So you now have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice with a calm, inward joy, and no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:19–22).

6. Yet although this mourning comes to an end—being swallowed up in holy joy by the return of the Comforter—there is another kind of mourning, and it is a blessed one, that remains in the children of God. They continue to mourn for the sins and miseries of humanity. They “weep with those who weep.” They weep for those who do not weep for themselves—for sinners destroying their own souls. They mourn over the weakness and unfaithfulness of those who have been, in some measure, delivered from sin. “Who is weak,” they ask, “and they are not weak? Who is led into sin, and they do not burn within?” They grieve over the constant dishonor done to the Majesty of heaven and earth.

At all times they carry a solemn awareness of this, which brings a deep seriousness to their spirit—a seriousness that grows stronger as the eyes of their understanding are opened. They continually see the vast ocean of eternity, without bottom or shore, which has already swallowed up countless millions and stands ready to consume those who still remain. On one side they see the eternal house of God in the heavens; on the other, hell and destruction laid bare. From this they feel the weight of every moment—each one appearing briefly and then gone forever.

7. But all this wisdom of God appears as foolishness to the world. To them, mourning and poverty of spirit are nothing but stupidity and dullness. And if they judge it so mildly, that is fortunate; often they label it gloomy melancholy, if not outright madness. This is no surprise among those who do not know God. Imagine two people walking together. One suddenly stops, filled with fear and amazement, and cries out, “What a cliff we stand upon! Look—we are about to be dashed to pieces! One more step and we fall into this dreadful abyss! Stop! I will not go on for all the world!” Meanwhile the other, believing his own eyesight to be just as sharp, looks ahead and sees nothing at all. What would he think of his companion, except that he was out of his mind—that his head was disordered—and that too much religion (if not too much learning) had surely driven him mad?

8. But let not the children of God—“the mourners in Zion”—be disturbed by such judgments. You whose eyes are opened, do not be troubled by those who still walk in darkness. You are not walking in a vain shadow. God and eternity are real. Heaven and hell truly lie open before you, and you stand on the edge of the great gulf. It has already swallowed more than words can express—nations, families, peoples, and tongues—and it still gapes to devour, whether they see it or not, the careless and miserable children of humanity. Cry aloud, therefore! Do not hold back! Lift up your voice to him who holds both time and eternity, for yourselves and for your brothers and sisters, that you may be counted worthy to escape the destruction that comes like a whirlwind, and that you may be brought safely through every storm into the harbor you long for.

Weep for yourselves until he wipes the tears from your eyes. And even then, weep for the miseries that come upon the earth, until the Lord of all brings an end to sin and sorrow, wipes away tears from every face, and “the knowledge of the Lord covers the earth as the waters cover the sea.”

Study Guide

Week One - Blessed at the Beginning

Scripture: Matthew 5:1–4

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

Introduction

When Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount, He doesn’t start with instructions, rules, or expectations. He starts with who is blessed. And the people He names first don’t look very impressive by the world’s standards.

John Wesley points out that these first two blessings belong together. Poverty of spirit is the honest recognition that we are spiritually empty without God. Mourning is what naturally follows — a deep, sincere sorrow over sin and the brokenness it brings into our lives and the world.

You’ve probably seen this in everyday life. Sometimes it’s only when we admit, “I can’t fix this,” that the weight of what’s been lost or broken really hits us. Whether it’s a family conflict, a strained marriage, a health diagnosis, or watching a grandchild struggle — honesty often leads to grief. And Jesus says: That’s not the end. That’s the beginning of blessing.

GATHER

Purpose: To open our hearts honestly before God and one another.

Personal Discovery (Before Group)

• Think about a time when you realized you couldn’t solve a problem on your own. What emotions followed that realization?

• Read Psalm 51:16–17 and Isaiah 57:15. What kind of heart does God promise to be close to?

• How would you describe the difference between being sorry you got caught and being truly sorrowful about something?

Group Discussion

• Why do you think Jesus begins His teaching with humility and mourning instead of strength or success?

• In what ways does our culture encourage us to hide weakness or grief?

• Where have you seen honesty and humility create deeper trust — in families, friendships, church life, or community groups?

GROW

Purpose: To understand Wesley’s teaching and the work of grace in us.

Wesley teaches that poverty of spirit means knowing we have nothing to offer God except our need. It’s the opposite of spiritual pride — the quiet belief that we’re doing “just fine” on our own.

But when we truly see our need, something else happens. We begin to mourn. Not just over personal mistakes, but over sin’s damage — broken relationships, hardened hearts, injustice, and distance from God. This mourning isn’t despair; it’s the doorway to healing.

Think about moments in family life when real change finally begins. Often it’s not after an argument is won, but after someone says, “I’m sorry. I was wrong.” Tears don’t signal failure — they signal truth. And Jesus promises that those who mourn in this way will be comforted, not ignored.

Personal Discovery

• Read Luke 18:9–14. What do you notice about the posture of the tax collector?

• What kinds of grief do people carry quietly — even in church — that may never be spoken out loud?

• How does God’s promise of comfort change the way we face sorrow or regret?

Group Discussion

• Wesley believed mourning follows poverty of spirit naturally. Why do you think humility opens the door to repentance and healing?

• How can the church become a place where people don’t have to pretend everything is fine?

• What does God’s comfort look like in real life — not just spiritually, but emotionally and relationally

GO

Purpose: To live into grace through humility and repentance.

Take It Home – Mark of Holiness

This week, practice honest confession and trust in God’s comfort.

Once during the week, take time to pray quietly and name before God:

• Where you’ve relied on yourself instead of Him

• Where sin, grief, or brokenness still hurts

Then pray:

“Lord, I bring You what I cannot fix.Meet me with Your mercy and make me whole.”

Let this be an act of holiness — not perfection, but truthful dependence on grace.

Scripture Readings for the Week

• Monday: Psalm 34:17–22

• Tuesday: Isaiah 61:1–3

• Wednesday: Luke 18:9–14

• Thursday: 2 Corinthians 7:8–10

• Friday: James 4:6–10

Memory Verse

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” — Matthew 5:4

Prayer Prompt

Merciful God, teach me to be honest about my need for You.Where my heart is broken, bring Your comfort.Where pride remains, replace it with grace.Lead me deeper into the life of holiness You promise. Amen.