Kingdom of Heaven Economoy: Peacemaker

What is a Peacemaker?

A peacemaker is not one who is peaceful or one who desires peace. A peacemaker is one who intentionally works towards peace.

Some personalities lend themselves to this characteristic.

A peacemaker wants all things to work together. Peace is not separating but working together in harmony. It is all parties existing in unison.

Peacemakers are people who breathe grace. They draw continually on the goodness and power of Jesus Christ, and then they bring his love, mercy, forgiveness, strength, and wisdom to the conflicts of daily life. - Sande, Ken. The Peacemaker (p. 11). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

The Greatest Peacemaker

Jesus is the perfect example of peacemaker. He goes out of his way to make, or create, peace between man and God. He puts the needs of the Father and others first for the end of peace. Jesus even asked in the Garden if there was another way but the will of the Father be done. He later says in the Sermon on the Mount in the “Model Prayer” that the will of the Father should be done.

Romans 8:28 “28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Colossians 1:17 “17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

Jesus holds all things together in our lives today

Colossians 3:12-17 “12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Peacemaking for Today

We have a responsibility to live according to the peace we have experience. When we have peace with God it should drive us to be a peacemaker.

Romans 12:18 “18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

We are peacemakers when we witness to others. We are offering them the greatest peace someone could ever experience.

Isaiah 52:7 “7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.””

Romans 10:15 “15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!””

The Peacemaker. Ken Sande.

Preface

“Fortunately, God has provided a way for us to overcome our innate weakness as peacemakers and learn to respond to conflict constructively. His solution is the gospel, the good news that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15).”

“Through the gospel, God provides both the model and motivation for peacemaking!”

Steps for Peacemaking

“Whenever you are involved in a conflict, you may apply the four basic principles of peacemaking by asking yourself these questions:”

“Glorify God: How can I please and honor the Lord in this situation?”

1 Corinthians 10:31 “31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

“Focusing on God is the key to resolving conflict constructively. When we remember his mercy and draw on his strength, we invariably see things more clearly and respond to conflict more wisely. In doing so, we can find far better solutions to our problems. At the same time, we can show others that there really is a God and that he delights in helping us do things we could never do on our own.”

“Conflict always provides an opportunity to glorify God, that is, to bring him praise and honor by showing who he is, what he is like, and what he is doing. The best way to glorify God in the midst of conflict is to depend on and draw attention to his grace, that is, the undeserved love, mercy, forgiveness, strength, and wisdom he gives to us through Jesus Christ.”

“Every time you encounter a conflict, you will inevitably show what you really think of God.”

“By your actions you will show either that you have a big God or that you have a big self and big problems. To put it another way, if you do not focus on God, you will inevitably focus on yourself and your will, or on other people and the threat of their wills.”

“The message given by Jesus and the apostles is resoundingly clear:Whether our conflicts involve minor irritations or major legal issues, God is eager to display his love and power through us as we strive to maintain peace and unity with those around us. Therefore, peacemaking is not an optional activity for a believer.”

“Get the log out of your eye: How can I show Jesus’ work in me by taking responsibility for my contribution to this conflict?”

Matthew 7:5 “5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

“When you are in a dispute, it is natural to dwell on your difficult circumstances or on the wrong things that the other person has done or may do to you. The best way to overcome this negative thinking is to replace it with more constructive thoughts, such as praising God for his grace through the gospel, thanking him for the many things he has already done for you in this and other situations, and praying for assistance in dealing with your current challenges (cf. Matt. 6:25–34). When you remind yourself of God’s faithfulness in the past and ally yourself with him today, you will discover that your anxiety is being steadily replaced with confidence and trust (cf. Isa. 26:3).”

“When you use God’s principles to check your attitude and make needed changes, you will be surprised how often you can overlook offenses and experience the truth in Paul’s marvelous promise: “The God of peace will be with you.”

“Gently restore: How can I lovingly serve others by helping them take responsibility for their contribution to this conflict?”

Galatians 6:1 “1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.”

“Although this restoration process may sometimes require direct confrontation, the Bible teaches that there are often better ways to approach people regarding their wrongs. In fact, Scripture rarely uses words we would translate as “confront” to describe the process of talking to others about their faults. Instead, it calls us to use a wide spectrum of activities to minister to others, including confessing, teaching, instructing, reasoning with, showing, encouraging, correcting, warning, admonishing, or rebuking”

“By God’s grace, most conflicts between Christians can be resolved by talking personally and privately with someone who has offended you. When personal efforts do not succeed, Jesus has given us a simple yet effective process for involving other people who can promote understanding and agreement. When this involvement is carried out with prayer, wisdom, and reliance on the power of the gospel, God is pleased to use our efforts to promote just settlements and preserve relationships that would otherwise have been lost.”

Matthew 18:15-17 “15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”

Step 1: Overlook minor offenses

Step 2: Talk in private

Step 3: Take one or two others along

Step 4: Church accountability

Step 5: Treat him as a non-believer

“Go and be reconciled: How can I demonstrate the forgiveness of God and encourage a reasonable solution to this conflict?”

Matthew 5:23-24 “23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

“Christians are the most forgiven people in the world. Therefore, we should be the most forgiving people in the world. As most of us know from experience, however, it is often difficult to forgive others genuinely and completely. We often find ourselves practicing a form of forgiveness that is neither biblical nor healing.”

“‌As Christians, we cannot overlook the direct relationship between God’s forgiveness and our forgiveness: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Eph. 4:32). “Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Col. 3:13b). God has given us an incredibly high standard to live up to when we have the opportunity to forgive someone. Fortunately, he also gives us the grace and the guidance we need to imitate him by forgiving others as he has forgiven us.”

“It is impossible to truly forgive others in your own strength, especially when they have hurt you deeply or betrayed your trust. You can try not to think about what they did or stuff your feelings deep inside and put on a false smile when you see them. But unless your heart is cleansed and changed by God, the memories and the feelings will still be lurking in the background, poisoning your thoughts and words, and preventing the rebuilding of trust and relationship. There is only one way to overcome these barriers, and that is to admit that you cannot forgive in your own strength and that you desperately need God to come in and change your heart.”

Sons of God

teknon vs huios

KJV translates “children of God” but that does not encompass the total meaning

“Partaker of character”

Sons of God will receive the ultimate result of peacemaking in eternal life. The intimacy we will experience in being in God’s full presence is beyond understanding. There is no hesitancy about showing one’s full self to God in heaven.