Peace Maker

Matthew 5:9

Before we get into todays text lets look back at the other Beatitudes

Talk about Ennegram

Terryn Ennegram coach

Peacemaker #9

No Confrontation

Keep the Peace at all costs

Hold in Anger

How much this verse hits home. Preparing for this sermon and really digging into this text has helped me see things in a different light. Everything this text calls us to be is something that I struggle with.

Matthew 5:9

Text Breakdown

First, there is the word peace.

In Greek, the word is eirēnē, and in Hebrew it is shalōm. In Hebrew, peace never means only the absence of trouble; in Hebrew, peace always means everything which makes for a person’s highest good. In the middle east, when people say to one another Salaam—which is the same word—they do not mean that they wish for the others only the absence of evil things; they wish for them the presence of all good things. In the Bible, peace means not only freedom from all trouble, it means enjoyment of all good.

We tend to think of peace as a state of calm enjoyment or relaxing, we are at Peace.

Peace comes when all the kids are asleep in there bed and you sit down and take a big giant breath or when your standing in front of a window looking outside at the rain falling with a cup of coffee.

A state of peace can be alot of different things for different people.

When we look at Peace in the bible we have to understand that the meaning is for a persons highest good, or finding our best self or being in the presence of all good things. Kind of like I opened with we use that Ennegram personality typing thing to help us better understand how we work so we can use it to help us think and act.

Where do we find true Peace? Romans 5:1

The state of harmony that is available to believers through having a right relationship with God and others and is especially associated with the presence of the Holy Spirit. We cant find true peace without Christ. He came and died so that we can have an open pathway to God and thats where true peace is found.

That is how peace is defined

Second the blessing is on the peacemakers not the peacelovers.

As christians how can we be a peacemaker but also show love at the same time?

As I mentioned earlier about the ennegram personality typing there is an unhealthy version of the peacemaker personality and that is someone who loves peace and doesnt make peace. I am terrible at that I would rather keep things in harmony rather than cause conflict. That can be extremelly damaging to relationships with other people. Its impossible for true peace to be found if thats how you live. It can also lead to really bad decisions and we can find ourselves in a deep hole with only one way out. Like I said this text has challenged me and really made me think on some of my own faults.

The peace which the Bible calls blessed does not come from the evasion of issues; it comes from facing them, dealing with them and conquering them. What this beatitude demands is not the passive acceptance of things because we are afraid of the trouble of doing anything about them, but the action facing of them, and the making of peace, even when the way to peace is through struggle.

The best person to illustrate this is Jesus himself in

Matthew 21:12-13

Paint the picture describe the emotion that Jesus has contrast that with the other way. Mel Gibson in Braveheart or the guy driving the Toyota Prius

Its sanctification in action. Which that word means the process of gradual purification from sin and progressive spiritual growth that should mark the life of the believer. We have to be willing to do things that take us out of our comfort zone so that we can rely on the holy spirit to guide us and work through us. We have to be willing to take steps of Faith and action if we dont have any outward expression than what good are we doing? Like we see from Jesus to be a peacemaker its going to take action not a passive mindset.

Children of God

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God, what it means is blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be doing a godlike work. Those who make peace are engaged on the very work which the God of Peace is doing. Romans 14:19

How do we tell what godlike work is? First we must know Christ to be able to discern what it is. John 14:23-27

I love what Jesus says in this text. Its the perfect outline on how to be Godlike. It says love me.. plan and simple. Then you will recieve the spirit and that will help us to decide whats right and wrong. Also in the last verse he says alot about peace but what really stands out to me is do not be afraid. We are not called to be timid we are fearless with the lord. When we looked at Jesus in the temple we see that plain as day.

Now that I have dived off in a lot of different directions lets try and tie everything together.

What does the text mean as a whole?

1.)Blessed are those who make this world a better place for everyone to live in .

As an outward expression as believers we have the ability to use the spirit to help uplift those in need.

For that to be work we have to be willing!! and Listening!!

Look at Matthew 21:14

After Jesus storms the temple and straightens everyone out people still wanted to approach him. How many of us can get steaming mad and still be approachable? Or are people scared to even come close? Thats the kind of Godlike Peacemaking that needs to take place. If we light a fire we need to do it in a way that people get something from it and they still trust us and our motives.

We can also share our faith with them offer the same peace we have recieved to them. Share the Peace!

Proverbs 12:20 “Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy.”

2.) Blessed are those who make peace in their own hearts and in their own souls.

In every one of us there is an inner conflict between good and evil: we are always being pulled in two directions like a walking civil war.

Spiritual Warfare is a real thing! Its not only around us in the world but it takes place in our body. It can happen fast to you can be walking on this spiritual high and then boom your knees get taken out.

Before we can share out faith or make bold statements like Jesus did we have to have our own hearts in order things in us have to be in line. The first step is a right relationship with Christ.

We have to be ready for battle at all times.

How do we combat that inner conflict to find true peace? We put on our spiritual armor thats talked about in Ephesians 6 and we get after it.

Happy are those who have won through to inner peace in which the inner warfare is over and whole hearts are given to god.

Its a daily battle we have to rise above

Closing

What is the true meaning of peace and this text?

The highest task anyone can perform is to establish right relationships with other people.

We need to be the light of the world. We need to be those people that bring peace to everyone.

We have to be a body that brings people together thats doing the lords work anybody who divides people is doing the devils work. Ephesians 2:14-18

Guys the world needs more peacemakers not peace lovers. Things are going to continue going the way they are unless we stand up for what we believe. We need to hurt some feelings. I know that sounds bad but look at society all because we are afraid to say no and make someone feel excluded. Thats a peace lover not a maker.

Lets be like Jesus in the Temple lets stand firm on what we believe and still be approachable to share our faith.

God is the supreme Peacemaker and this quality marks disciples out as his son, for the son shares the characteristics of the father.

We have access to that only through his son Jesus. We have to share the Gospel or people will never understand true peace.

He destroyed the barrier so that we can live in peace and sent his spirit to be with us