The Peace Maker: Session 1

Preface

Peacemakers are people who breathe grace. They draw continually on the goodness and power of Jesus Christ, and then they bring His love, mercy, forgiveness, strength, and wisdom to the conflicts of daily life. God delights to breathe His grace through peacemakers and use them to dissipate anger, improve understanding, promote justice, encourage repentance and reconciliation. -pg. 11

Grace

Titus 2:11–14 (ESV)

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

What does it mean that the grace of God has appeared?

What does that grace then do?

it trains us to renounce...

it trains us to live as God would have us.

If peacemakers are breathing grace on other people…their must be a source to our grace. (run our of air - spaceballs)…The source of our grace is Jesus Christ.

Notice the element of time. (present age)

John 17:3 ESV

3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

eternal life begins now…and death is like a doorway that will lead into eternity face to face, but now we see in a mirror dimly.

He gave Himself to REDEEM us. What once had value, then was tarnished is not taken out of the trash heap and put back into service (Image God rightly as new creations).

Notices whose possessions we are…we are not our owe. Reminds me of 1 Cor. 6:19-20

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 ESV

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

All this is for the glorification of God as we carry out works for Him. But not only that…we are actually zealous to do so.

This indicates a deep change at the core. (asking your kids to do something - how eager do they seem sometimes) - if the responded with enthusiasm you would think, “who are you?”

If you think that way…it must indicate that there is a whole new identity here. Something happened to my child…they seem really really different. (that is what it means to be born again.

The call Jesus offered to people was to “take up their cross and follow.” That is an intense call!

They grace of God make a deep change in our core and when we have that grace we are willing to breathe that grace onto others.

So we come full circle back to the first paragraph. Peacemakers are ones who breathe grace.

His /Through Relationship

His grace - given to people - through you.

I have referred to myself as sheepdog…not a shepherd.

I simply don’t have it in me…it has to be him.

We are the body of Christ (tangible expression of Him to one another).

So, that being the case if anything good comes out of me…I can say with the Psalmist in 115 - not to us, but to your name be the glory.

2 Corinthians 5:17–20 (ESV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Read through pages 11-12 (Make comments along the way)

Acts 11:19–23 ESV

19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose,

Acts 11:24–26 ESV

24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

4 G’s

Glorify God

1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Get the Log Out

Matthew 7:5 ESV

5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Gently Restore

Galatians 6:1 ESV

1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

Go and be reconciled

Matthew 5:24 ESV

24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

This is all hard stuff that we are incapable of pulling off if we don’t have Christ in us.

WE NEED THE GOSPEL

1 Timothy 1:15 ESV

15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

Read the last paragraph on page 13-14.