Blessed are the Peaceful Persecuted

Matthew 5:9-12

I. Blessed are the Peacemakers

a. A Greek word but still has the meaning of Shalom

i. More of a completeness of body, soul and spirit

ii. It occurs in every single book of the NT

“… does not only wish a man freedom from trouble; it wishes him everything which makes for his contentment and his good.” – William Barclay

iii. A peace that can only be given to us

iv. A peace that we are anointed to give away

b. So we live a life that looks to bring peace – a wholeness of body, soul and spirit to others.

c. Paul gets all the Beatitudes Romans 12:9-21

i. Read vs. 18 again – as far as it is up to you!

1. Not up to the other person – here is that whole mercy thing again

d. Again is not just about bringing about peace between two disgruntled people. But is a kindness / mercy shown that brings peace body, soul and spirit in the lives of others. Even strangers.

e. John 14:27

II. We will be called sons of God

a. We are family!!

b. See if we are peacemakers we get what it is to live as a disciple

i. Again all the other Beatitudes – but especially our ability to show mercy

1. Make that peace, create it, craft it, cultivate it.

It is hardly surprising, therefore, that the particular blessing which attaches to peacemakers is that ‘they shall be called sons of God’. For they are seeking to do what their Father has done, loving people with his love, as Jesus is soon to make explicit – John Stott

c. Jesus shows the way of the peacemaker reconciling us to the Father

d. We now live a life of reconciliation with others to lead them to the father.

i. Makes us Christ like – sons of God.

III. Connect back blessed are those who show mercy

a. Again not just a physical action but an act of the heart

i. Not about being nice but you really care about the other person - body, soul and spirit

ii. Being a peacemaker again is an overflow of our interior life. (seeking righteousness)

b. A true concern for others – again Paul shows us the way – 1 Corinthians 10:24:32-33

i. Concerned more the good of others. (Laundromat outreach)

1. Seek the good of others – look for it – go after it

2. More than just the money, prayer, human connection

a. So that they may be saved – eternity is forever – greater than this current moment of your own wellbeing.

IV. Peacemakers are for lovers – 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (study for the week)

a. I can do all the spiritual things but not love others.

i. Matthew 7:13-23 (connect the dots)

b. Love has fruit – Love is –Patient

i. Love is kind – remember we determined mercy could also be translated as kindness

ii. Does not envy not boastful, not arrogant, not rude, not self-seeking, is not irritable and does not keep record of wrongs, finds no joy in unrighteousness, rejoices in truth, bears all things, believes all things (assumes the best of others), hopes all things, endures all things

1. Sounds like a pretty good description of a peacemaker who desires the best of others body, soul and spirit

V. See your errors – Matthew 5:23-24

a. Recognize when you have wronged someone else – make the first step to repair the damage

b. Be willing to help others walk this same path.

VI. Blessed are the Persecuted – Matthew 5:10-12

a. Crazy talk – happy are the persecuted

b. Very connected to the Peacemakers – again a reflection of our interior life

c. We are outliers of society

i. The world lives the opposite of the beatitudes

ii. If we are poor in spirit, if we mourn, if we are humble, if you hunger and thirst of righteousness, if you are merciful, if you are peacemaker – people will get upset (also have to do all these to be a peacemaker)

iii. Roman persecution – just one God, caring for the poor, seeing women and slaves as equals, saving unwanted babies, not living a hedonistic life

1. Counter cultural – a disruption to the worldly way

2. In Greek the word for martyr and for witness is the same word

d. World calls us to make life about us – love yourself, care for yourself, don’t hang around people who don’t get your vision, your purpose your calling

i. Sadly the church has embraced this – an outflow of the positive thought movement, prosperity gospel and word of faith

ii. We make the Bible about me, my blessing, health, my wealth

1. But the Beatitudes make life about others, other believers and the others in the world.

a. My blessing comes when I live for others

2. Is this why we don’t see a large number of miracles today? (stop here?)

e. James leads the way – James 1:2-4

i. Trials create endurance causing us to be mature and lacking nothing

1. Remember back when we read about Love – love is patent and love endures all things (Matthew 7:13-23)

f. Also Paul – Acts 16:25-31

i. Paul was persecuted but chose to live as a peacemaker

1. Salvation of the Jailer and his whole household was more important than his own freedom and comfort

a. But Paul’s wounds were cared for and he was set free – he was lacking nothing.

VII. For our reward is in heaven – something greater than the momentarily blessing of this world.

a. On Easter we talked about how our suffering connects us to Jesus suffering – we become Christ like in all areas.

VIII. Wrap up

a. Peacemaker – make peace happen – body, soul and spirit

i. Our life Is more about others than it is about ourselves

1. But we are promised we will not lack anything

“Happy is the man whose life work is the production of right relationships in every sphere of life; and such relationships can only enrich life when a man’s own relationship to Jesus Christ is right.” – William Barclay

b. Pursue peace with everyone (Hebrews 12:14)

c. All the other beatitudes lead us to be peacemakers –they all build on each other

d. Count it all joy when we are persecuted

i. To be a pacemaker to live so counter cultural to this world will lead to persecution

e. To live all the beatitudes will lead us to persecution

i. It is a joy because we know we are living the way Christ has called us too.

f. But we will be called sons of God – we will find our reward in heaven – the kingdom of heaven