Blessed Are The Peacemakers
Notes
Transcript
We’ve covered 6 beatitudes in our study so far.
This morning, our seventh one is so pertinent for today’s cultural climate…both outside, and inside the church.
Let’s jump right into it.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Let’s pray.
Peace is something that most people long for. And some don’t realize it’s peace they are longing for.
We can talk of peace in terms of the absence of war.
We can talk of peace in terms of the absence of hostility.
We can talk of peace in terms of circumstance.
We can talk of peace in terms of inner feelings.
We can talk of peace in terms of pacification.
But the peace, that most people long for, and many don’t realize it, is peace that only comes from God.
An inner, soul-peace…true peace...
A peace that isn’t affected by war, hostility, division, or circumstance…or human emotion.
Perfect peace.
A stillness, a quietness, of spirit.
Many people long for that; and again, don’t realize that’s what they are longing for. So they try to satisfy and pacify and even numb the noise, hurt, hostility with so many things…so many temporal things that is.
Many yell, scream, fight, throw tantrums, and more…to obtain peace.
You ever see a parent at the end of their patience with a house of noisy kids? Some walk away and seek solitude, some yell and scream and throw tantrums too, just for a little...”peace and quiet.”
Again, our text this morning speaks about peaceMAKERS. Someone who has already known what true peace is, where it comes from, and how to, therefore......make it…infuse it.
We have to get a better picture of how to obtain the peace it’s talking about, so that we have a clear picture of peacemaking…again, the peacemakers are blessed because they have peace…but furthermore, because they are called the children of God.
So, how do they get peace, and why do they/we need peace?
Scripture is clear about man apart from a reconciled relationship with God, through Jesus Christ...
And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
Apart from being reconciled…we were strangers/foreigners…and ENEMIES by wicked works.
That’s the condition of all man…remember? All have sinned and fallen short of God’s holy standard...
So, aliens from God and His Kingdom…and enemies…and because man, apart from a reconciled relationship with God through faith in Christ, is God’s enemy…man faces God’s wrath.
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Sin, made us an enemy of God. Hostile towards Him and His holy standard.
Our flesh, therefore, is a weapon of sin and unrighteousness…something the enemy of God, Satan, who is the prince and power of this world…the god (little ‘g’) of this world, uses in conjunction with the system of this world that is set against God.
So, as sinners, before Christ, which we all are…we are on the enemy’s side…therefore, because of sin…we are enemies of God.
Bad news when you know there will be a day of reckoning when God will right all wrongs and judge all evil forever.
A day when He destroys His enemies in His righteous wrath.
Many people don’t realize that the peace they long for and are void of is because of their own hostile and sinful condition.
Don’t get the wrong picture of God in this though. God is love, it’s clear in scripture and clear in His grace and mercy...
But the fierceness of His Holiness and Glory…demand a justice of evil…so while God is love, He is just and pure, and His righteous justice, will be carried out, in order to remove all evil.
The big problem with us, as men, even in today’s society, is that we try to make ourselves much better than we really are.
We downplay evil.
We disregard sin.
We apply what is convenient and disregard what is not…what suits our desires or agenda.
Sadly, even in Christianity…we attempt to interpret (wrongly) what God says in His word so that it suits our lifestyle.
We truly are living in a culture that calls evil, “good” and good “evil.”
So, to try to rationalize from a humanistic perspective that we are “bad”…or “evil” because we have sinned……is hard to do for a society that thinks man is the answer and not God.
And this humanistic…”man is the answer” warped worldview…has indeed penetrated the walls of the church’s heart.
In the world, many today are so self-justified that they can’t even fathom how they would ever be in line, or deserve, experiencing God’s full wrath against evil. Maybe the “really” bad people…but not the regular old Joe.
The problem is still, man tries to judge ‘good’ and ‘evil’ based on what WE deem good and evil.
But that’s why the law entered. See Rom. 7. That’s why God gave His clear commandments. Paul said I had not known sin except by the law....the law showed me that I was a sinner.
The law came to show (from righteousness/holiness) that to hate someone, really is, at the heart…murder.
To lust after someone, really is, at the heart…adultery.
To use the name above every name, the Most High, Holy God…who’s name is power…in a vain/empty expression and even beyond that, coupled with a curse word…really is blasphemy.
But we dismiss hate at times, and lust, and blasphemy…even paying to be entertained on screens, in our flesh, at their expence. We’ll pay to hear our Lord’s name blasphemed. We will pay to watch hate exercised for the sake of entertainment.
I want to qualify something here: To hate is ok, but hating the “right” things…like sin.
God hates...
These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.
So, it’s clear, we are, as sinners, enemies of God. In a hostile relationship…facing His wrath. Without Christ. Not at peace and not possessing peace.
It’s also clear in scripture, that we CAN’T make peace as hostile enemies, and it’s clear the cause of the hostility being our own sin and unrighteousness. Remember, we saw that last week, that you can’t bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing.
With that, we know, and scripture has told us, that it’s GOD who made a way to remove the hostility, to reconcile our relationship, and take us from hostile enemies, to His peace-filled children who make peace.
He did that for us because of His love for us.
How then, and who then, are those who are blessed because they are called the children of God…because they make peace?
We can be peacemakers because we have:
I. Peace with God
Because of Jesus Christ - Is. 9:6-7 NASB
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 9
6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.
Prince of Peace…the increase of His government and peace will never end.
Rom. 5:1-2 NKJV
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Rom. 5:6-10 NKJV
6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Col. 1:12-14;17-23 NASB
giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
The Incomparable Christ
13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,
20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,
22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—
23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.
Eph. 2:13-18 NKJV
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Christ Our Peace
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
The hostile relationship that we had with God because of our sin was made peaceful through the death, the blood, the cross of Christ and His resurrection.
WHILE WE WERE ENEMIES. WHILE WE WERE SINNERS. WHILE WE WERE HOSTILE…God made the way to have peace with him. The wrath of God on sin, the culprit of our hostile relationship, was poured out on Jesus Christ, the innocent, spotless sacrificial Lamb of God…on our behalf.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Only those who have peace WITH God…through faith/trust/surrender to Jesus Christ, His death in their place for their sin…and His resurrection to life…can be peacemakers…and it’s evident they are because they are MAKING PEACE.
But once we have peace WITH God…we have the peace OF God...
II. The Peace of God
John 14:27 KJV
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 16:32-33 KJV
32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to ohis own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Phil 4:6-9 NASB
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Col. 3:15-17 NKJV
15 And let the peace of God rule (or govern as an arbiter) in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
2 Cor. 13:11 NKJV
11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
The peace of God indwells the children of God…it’s a part of the fruit of the Spirit…a blessing/gift from God.
It settles and calms and it guides…if we allow it to be the governor arbitrating our thoughts, words, and decisions.
And peace will do this…and this will be our lives…IF we fix our focus on the Father. Always.
But…that’s key...one of the major factors of the peace that God gives being negatively affected in our lives, is distraction.
Often, if the enemy can get us distracted from fixing our minds on things above, as Col. 3:2 says, and off of the Lord and fully trusting Him, then he can move us to anxiety, fear, discouragement, and even depression.
Scripture clearly says, in Is. 26:3-4 “ You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”
It’s a spiritual discipline to be able to push through all of the smoke screens and auxiliary and peripheral distractions and keep your eyes fixed on the God of our salvation…but that’s where God’s perfect peace is experienced.
So, it’s only the children of God…who are clearly children and blessed…who can make peace on the earth.
We make peace because we are ministers of reconciliation and ambassadors of His Kingdom.
2 Cor. 5:15-20
The New King James Version Chapter 5
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Our mission is to bring the same gospel/good news that the angels(messengers) brought to the shepherds…that would offer peace with God to hostile/sinful man…and the peace of God to those who receive Him.
Luke 2:10-14
10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings (GOOD NEWS - GOSPEL) of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
Peace was offered through Jesus Christ.
So...How do we make peace? By sharing the Prince of Peace... with all.
Instead of ‘going off’ or ‘speaking our minds’ or trying to fix the wrongs and evils in this world of darkness controlled by the Evil One…and those who’s minds have been blinded by Satan...we should speak life…share Christ…the One who brings peace, gives us peace, and allows us to be makers of it by sharing Him.
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Our efforts in this world, to help, to serve, to speak against evil and wrong…all should point to the solution of it all…and remember the problem? Man is sinful and hostile toward God…and going to be so until peace comes to him...
That’s the problem...and Jesus is the solution.
Make peace=share Jesus.
Make peace=share Jesus.