The Sermon on the Mount (7)

Notes
Transcript
Today we go over the last Beatitude that deals with the Christians character, one truly living the Kingdom life. Today we talk about peace or Shalom. Shalom denotes a right relationship with God, with others and with God’s good creation. But what has been a constant throughout time, strife, or dissension. Our world is full of this for one reason, sin. People talk about wanting peace, but they fail to understand what it take for true peace to come, and that is a relationship with Jesus the Christ.
19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
It takes the Prince of Peace to bring true peace.
2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
What is a peacemaker, it is someone who actively pursues peace in it’s fullness, pursuing more than the absence of conflict, but wholeness and well being. Keeping this in mind we are going to look at a few things that a peacemaker is not. The peacemaker is not someone who is easy going. They are not someone who does not care what people do as long as it does not effect them. They are not an appeaser the one who wants peace at any cost. Appeasement does not make peace, it only puts off conflict. The true peacemaker, contrary to what people think is not afraid to make some waves. Well then what is a peacemaker, to start off they are honest. they do not claim false peace, if there is a problem they admit it. Ezekiel
10 Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash, 11 say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out.
They don’t just try to cover up the problem. We see the same type of warning in Jeremiah.
14 They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.
False peace will not last. So, the peacemaker is painfully honest. Avoiding the truth only partially heals wounds, it plasters over the cracks that will eventually come through, leading to even greater trouble. (Holding things in eventually they will boil to the surface)
The peacemaker is not afraid of pain. Anytime we attempt to bring peace we risk misunderstanding and failure. The peacemaker is also not afraid to fight. Now that sounds contrary, being a peacemaker who fights, but the true peacemaker wages peace. James
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
There is a proper way to fight for peace. The peacemaker is positive, tolerant but not compromising. The true peacemaker realizes we are all fallen and does not demand perfection, they are humble and loving. Jesus is the supreme example of sacrificial aggression in bringing peace. John
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
To be a true peacemaker one must have Christ in their hearts. This is what allows us to promote in each other everything that makes for peace. Jesus not only made peace possible with God and man, He gives us an example of how the peacemaker goes about their work. Philippians
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Jesus humbled Himself, as we must. All of this takes a change of the heart as we discussed last week. The heart must be changed, because we cannot give what we do not possess.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“sons of God” those who are true peacemakers have a divine inheritance, a gift from God. this title “sons of God” refers to character, the peacemaker partakes of the character of God, they follow Jesus example and live as He did. So, are you one who works to make peace or are you one who spreads rumors and gossip, spreading discontent. Now it is not a matter of whether you fall into these things or are struggling to control them, but rather are they elements of your character.
We must remember this Beatitude is the last one that describes Christian character and the others before it builds up to this. Peacemakers are developed as they ascend the ladder of the Beatitudes—Spiritual Logic— like ladder logic in controls.
The Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount