Peacemakers
Notes
Transcript
Intro; Last week we took a look at “Beautiful Feet” in the scriptures and saw that one who has a “beautiful heart” [Exclusive Relationship with Christ] also has “beautiful feet.” And those beautiful feet have the command and commission of Jesus Christ to carry the Gospel of peace to the world.
This morning I want to continue in that train of thought as we look at #196 In my devotion Pause for Power, which talks about sowing and reaping.
The Christian life is a life of sowing and reaping. For that matter, every life is a life of sowing and reaping, and we reap just what we sow (see Gal. 6:7–8). If we obey God’s wisdom, we sow righteousness, not sin; and peace, not war. The life we live enables the Lord to bring righteousness and peace into the lives of others. What we are is what we live, and what we live is what we sow. It is a serious thing to be a troublemaker in God’s family.
Wiersbe, W. W. (2010). Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures. David C Cook.
This morning I want us to look at being “Peacemakers”
Text; James 3:18
18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Prayer
Reflecting upon this scripture, there are at least two logical questions that anyone should ask themselves.
First, “What type of person is a peacemaker?”
Second, “What kind of fruit will he harvest?”
1. Who Is A Peacemaker?; 18b
1. Who Is A Peacemaker?; 18b
Peacemaker - a person who brings two opposing parties together in a truce by sowing seeds of reason and peace.
To sow peace to others you first have to have “real peace” in your life.
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 heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Jesus says there is a worldly peace [temporary], and there is Godly peace [permanent and brings people together].
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
Reconcile- make peace between two parties, God and man. Now christians have the ministry of being peacemakers!
[v. 13] A Peacemaker is a “wise and understanding person”;
Understanding- knowledge gained by careful observation and study
Wise/wisdom- the ability to put learned knowledge into practice
A peacemaker is one who observes a person/situation and applies biblical knowledge/principles of the gospel to it.
1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.
3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,
4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”
6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”
8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
Jesus did not condemn the woman, nor did He condemn the Pharisees. He challenged the Pharisees in their pious religion and told the woman to go and sin no more. What Jesus did was give both the opportunity to look at their own sin and repent without condemning either of them!
[v.17] A Peacemakers wisdom “comes from God”;
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Wisdom from God is;
First Pure- holy, without defilement. God’s wisdom is holy and teaches us to be holy!
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
Peaceable- to bind together; to join and weave together without compromise. Peace does not compromise with sin. Peace between people cannot compromise the purity of God’s wisdom!
18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
Gentle- meek, forbearing. It carries the idea of being prepared to see the best in the worst people and willing to forgive them instead of condemning them.
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
Willing to Yield- reasonable, submissive to God, willing to change when wrong.
Illustration: On one occasion Abraham Lincoln, to please a certain politician, issued a command to transfer certain regiments. When Secretary of War Edwin Stanton received the order, he refused to carry it out, saying the President was a fool.
When Lincoln was told of this, he replied, ‘If Stanton said I’m a fool, then I must be, for he is nearly always right. I’ll see for myself.”
As the two men talked, the President quickly realized that his decision was a serious mistake, and without hesitation he withdrew it. A teachable, open spirit is often a major key in defusing conflict.
Andrews, J. (2017). Understanding James (p. 161). Wordsearch.
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Merciful- compassionate, controlled by mercy. God in His grace gives us what we do not deserve [salvation], and in His mercy He does not give us what we do deserve [wrath].
The parable of the Good Samaritan illustrates the meaning of mercy (Luke 10:25–37). For a Samaritan to care for a Jewish stranger was an act of mercy. He could gain nothing from it, except the blessing that comes from doing the will of God; and the victim could not pay him back. That is mercy.
7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
Good fruits- there is no bad apples in God’s wisdom. People who are faithful to God are fruitful in God.
35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
Without Partiality- does not discriminate, undivided in convictions [true to God]
34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.
2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Not Hypocritical- genuine, sincere; A man of Godly wisdom will not only preach it but also live it. The walk and talk must be one!
7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,
8 sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.
18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
2. A Peacemakers Fruit; 18a
2. A Peacemakers Fruit; 18a
A peacemakers fruit is the “fruit of righteousness”!
A true “Peacemaker” is full of Godly wisdom and the seeds that he sows are seeds of righteousness. And if he sows seeds of righteousness the fruit will be righteous!
Look at how the process of sowing and reaping of righteous works;
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow…
23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
3. Worldly Fruit; 14-16
3. Worldly Fruit; 14-16
A Peacemakers Fruit and worldly fruit are complete opposites because their wisdom comes from different places.
Wisdom of man is earthly, sensual and demonic because that is who man is without Christ! And man without Christ has no idea what real peace is!
But Christians must be careful to guard against self-seeking interests in life and promote that as God’s righteousness, or we can be influenced of Satan.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
Close;
Peacemakers are righteousness men and women living like they should, fearing God like we should and treating others like God treats us. The greatest need that man has is for peace—peace with God and peace with others.
Have you made peace with God today?
Are you helping others make peace with God?
