The Four Implications of Being a Peacemaker

Matthew 5:9 (NLT)

9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

“9 μακάριοι οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί, ὅτι αὐτοὶ υἱοὶ θεοῦ κληθήσονται.”

INTRODUCTION:

The message of Christ is counter-cultural.

According to Jesus:

The believer is to admit his absolute spiritual poverty and dependence upon God, not self.

The believer is to mourn over sin, not glory in it.

The believer is to be humble, not prideful.

The believer is to hunger and thirst for what pleases God, not self.

The believer is to be merciful, not merciless.

The believer is to be pure, not impure.

The believer is to be a peacemaker (one who works for peace).

εἰρηνοποιοί, = (derivative of εἰρηνοποιέω ‘to make peace,’ 40.4) a person who restores peace between people—‘peacemaker, one who works for peace.’ μακάριοι οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί ‘happy are those who work for peace among people’ Mt 5:9. Though in Mt 5:9 the cessation of war is by no means excluded, the focus of meaning of εἰρηνοποιός is reconciliation between persons and not primarily to cause wars to cease.

υἱοὶ = (a figurative extension of meaning of υἱόςa ‘son,’ 10.42) one who is a disciple or follower of someone, with the implication of being like the one whom he follows (a reflection of the Semitic use of υἱός in the expression ‘son of’)—‘disciple, follower.’

αὐτοὶ υἱοὶ θεοῦ κληθήσονται. = They will be called the sons <followers, disciples> of God.

I. PEACEMAKERS ARE TO PERFORM THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILING MEN TO GOD. (2 Cor . 5:18-21 )

2 Corinthians 5:18–21 (NLT)

18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.

19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

A- The ministry of reconciliation is ours because of our own reconciliation to God.

1- Due to this we have a debt to share the Word of reconciliation.

*Paul knew this. (Rom. 1:14-16 )

Romans 1:14–16 (NLT)

14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike.

15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News.

16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.

B- We are to urge others to be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:19-21)

2 Corinthians 5:19–21 (NLT)

19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

1- Knowing their fate, and the love of God, we must urge them, ( 2 Corinthians 5:14 )

2 Corinthians 5:14 (NLT)

14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.

II. PEACEMAKERS ARE TO PERFORM THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILING FELLOW BELIEVERS. (Eph. 4:1-3 ; 1 Thess. 5:13; Jas. 3: 17-18)

Ephesians 4:1–3 (NLT)

1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.

2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

1 Thessalonians 5:13 (NLT)

13 Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.

James 3:17–18 (NLT)

17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.

18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

A- This ministry of reconciliation is based on the fact that there is to be peace and unity in the fellowship of believers.

1- The Apostles worked for reconciliation in the church ( Acts 6:1-4 )

Acts 6:1–4 (NLT)

1 But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.

2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program.

3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.

4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”

B- This ministry of reconciliation has a scriptural process. (Matt. 5:23-24; 18:15-17)

Matthew 5:23–24 (NLT)

23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you,

24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

Matthew 18:15–17 (NLT)

15 “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.

16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.

17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

1- Individual contact 2- Take a delegation to make peace 3- Refer to the church for action.

+Don’t compromise truth!

III. PEACEMAKERS ARE TO LOOK TO JESUS AS THE EXAMPLE OF THEIR MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION. (2 Corinthians 5:19, 21)

2 Corinthians 5:19 (NLT)

19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT)

21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

A- Jesus continually ministered reconciliation.

1- Adulterous woman (John 8:1-11 ) 2- Zaccaeus the Publican (Lk. 19 : 1-11 )

3- The thief on the cross (Lk. 23:39-43)

B- Total reconciliation comes as we walk together in the light. (I Jn. 1:7)

1 John 1:7 (NLT)

7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

IV- PEACEMAKERS WILL BE KNOWN FOR THEIR TESTIMONY OF PEACEMAKING. (Matt. 5:9b) (I Jn. 2:5-6 ; 3:10, 14; John 13: 35)

Matthew 5:9b (NLT)

9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

A- When you seek to reconcile men to God, it demonstrates you are His child.

1 John 2:5–6 (NLT)

5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him.

6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

B- When you display your love through ministering reconciliation in the fellowship, it builds your testimony.

1 John 3:10 (NLT)

10 So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

1 John 3:14 (NLT)

14 If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead.

John 13:35 (NLT)

35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples

CONCLUSION: