Rethink Happiness - Beatitude 7

What's great? Everybody here? As we continue. Our series on rethink happiness for looking at 8 secrets to a happy life walking through the Beatitudes of Jesus, you know, there's no more quintessential teaching of Jesus and what we find in the Beatitudes in The Sermon, on the Mount, the greatest sermon ever preached. We find Kore, the message the Beatitudes, kicking it off. And so what Jesus says to us way back then is as powerful and pertinent to us here today. And I know that you're diving into this as much as I am, you know, we've been talking about each week, you know, what makes us happy when you know, what is happiness all about and that was just thinking about the fact, you know, Kathy Mathews who attends our tradition service asked me to do a 2-hour sermon this morning through the Book of Leviticus. But I'm not going to do that. That's another thing for you to be happy about. Indy Canal, Gengras asked me to do a 3-hour sermon this morning on the genealogies of the Bible and I'm not going to do that either. So you have two more things to be happy about. So you came in here, may be happy, maybe sad. Those are two more things to be really, really happy about. I thought it was interesting to read this week, that happiness is maximized in our life at 57 degrees Fahrenheit. How many knew that 57 degrees man? And here you thought it was 95° healthier people, or 20% happier than average at Nick sent people exercise regular happy. That might make sense to me, people who get enough sleep or happier. That would also make sense. I read a little further. And it said, sleep-deprived students, remember 81% of negative words and only 31% of positive words that we need to get more sleep folks is what that tells me. I love this quote by Victor Hugo. He says, the greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved loved for ourselves or rather love in spite of our That's a powerful powerful quote and it's Christians. We understand that better than anybody because Jesus Christ loves us even when we don't deserve it. Jesus said, true happiness. Internal Joy Is Anchored in an eternal God. And as we walk through these eight secrets to a happy life. We find the secret to happiness, that Jesus was trying to communicate through his tears. Back then. It was Radical, radical news back then, but it's just as radical and just as important today. Number one, accurately, assess yourself, blessed are the poor in spirit. Realize who you are, and who you're not admit, your mistakes. Blessed. Are those who mourn. Guaranteed number three, respect others. Blessed are the meek less. What are the humble? Yamcha number for do the right thing. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Number five, for give freely. Blessed are those who are merciful, who want in other people's shoes, if you will. Question your own motives. Number 6, blessed are the pure in heart. There's no dial or manipulation. Today, promo piece blessed are the peacemakers. Peacemaking is noble, noble work. It's something we have called to. It's something that Jesus exemplified and it's something that is. So so important, peacemaking takes many different forms. You know what? All of us have experienced Conflict at one time or another. How many have experienced conflict with somebody else? Let me see your hands. The rest of you are liars. I mean conflict. I've got two hands up and all ten toes. Conflict has natural. Conflict is normal. Conflict is a part of life, unless you're a Hermit living up in the mountains, and you're never ever, ever, ever, ever around people or anything, you're going to experience conflict. It happens in Nations country State, County, City Schools, families internally, an individual people. I feel like my life is about 95% conflict. I got my own issues that I kind of working on and you know, my family related circumstances and conflict isn't always bad. It's just you're working through issues and then as a pastor, you've got several hundred people and you kind of are involved in their conflict. And then you're leading an organization, like a church and there's conflict, and there's Financial conflict and there's people conflict, and then there's a staff and there's missions organizations and denominational concerned. It just seems like there's a lot of conflict. And so you have to decide early and How you're going to deal with conflict? Because conflict is basically automatic. The only thing that you can really count on is is that there's going to be some kind of conflict. So we got to decide in advance. How are we going to deal with conflict? And to me the Beatitudes are so violent portent because they must inform us and guide us. I'm in either rise above conflict, or I'm going to be buried by it. Here's what the Mayo Clinic says, letting go of grudges and bitterness Can Make Way for improve health, and peace of mind. Forgiveness. We should be out who number five can lead to healthy relationships, improve mental health, less anxiety, less stress, and hostility lower blood pressure. Fewer symptoms of depression a stronger immune system improve, heart, health improve self-esteem. Derwin gray goes on to write in his book on the Beatitudes, despite the benefits of being a peacemaker, which entails forgiveness, patience, Grace and humility. Essentially all the Beatitudes. We often choose not to engage and Reconciliation forgiveness because it's just too hard. It's just too hard. But I would say this while peacemaking is hard. Jesus Christ causes to it. There's nothing simple about the gospel. There's nothing simple about living, the Jesus life. We need to sacrifice myself, and we need to live for God and for other people. Take a look at peace and peacemaking here today in these few moments that we have. I want you to first of all, look at three types of Peace. Number to look at 3 Troost about piece of the three types of pieces. You see on the screen is first of all peace with God. That's what Jesus Christ came to Earth, to provide for us. We can make peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ. We are estranged from your family. With God. Our sin has separated us from God. There is no hope to be reconciled to God. Accept. Jesus came, and he became the bridge between sinful, man, and a holy God. And through Christ. We can find peace with God. Can I hear a big? Amen? To that? But there's also the peace of God, and that's what we need almost every day. That's when we're going through the storms of life. We need the peace of God. When we're going through crisis, in life, when we're going through the losses in life, when we're grieving, when we're deeply chat. We need to peace of God, that passes all understanding that is the piece that will guard our hearts and Minds in Christ Jesus, and then, we also need to make peace with other people, peace with other people. And that's really the important work of peacemaking. Cruise and I want us to look at and I listed them here with a variety of scriptures. Not all of these are in your note. So we're not going to spend all the time. We would normally spend because they're all there in the notes. When I want you to notice. The first truth about peace is that we need peace like in be painful, how many would agree with that and certainly can be unsettling,, you would agree with that challenges can be overwhelming. Anybody agree with that. Yours with Jesus said he says I told you these things so that in me you may have peace in this world. You will have trouble, but take heart. I have overcome the world, Isaiah 26:3, you will keep in perfect. Peace. Those whose minds are stayed on you. Peace, I leave with you. Jesus said my peace. I give you do not let your hearts. Be troubled. Don't be afraid. Paul said in Romans, 15:13 me the god of Hope. Fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him and the peace of God that passes all understanding will guard your hearts and mind in Christ. Jesus full of beings chapter 4. We need peace and every one of us, know that, and that's the easy thing to understand. We're also called to peace. God wants to promote peace. He wants to promote, peace through us. He wants us to be peacemakers. I want you just to think about the condition of your relationships. The status of your relationship. Are they troubled? Are they going? Well, are there areas that need to be addressed? Are there people problems that you're having conflicts that need to be reconciled? God wants us to promote, peace. Look at it says here in Colossians 3:15, Let the Peace of Christ rule in your hearts because you are called to peace 2nd. Corinthians 13:11. Finally Brothers strive for full restoration. Encourage one another be of one mind. Live in peace. Proverbs, 12:22, promote. Peace, promote. Peace, Isaiah 52:7 Proclaim. Peace Proclaim. Peace. Matthew 5:9, of course, blessed are the peacemakers and then 1st, Peter 3:11 seek peace and pursue it all over scripture. We are challenged to be peacemakers. And we need to really think about it because we live in a day and an age where contempt and hatred and Discord and mudslinging is the order of the day. And I want to challenge you to try to reconcile that with the scriptures. And let me just give you a little clue. You can't you either choose that path or you choose the Jesus path, which is all about peacemaking and you have to decide for you. I've already decided for me and I've already decided for this church. This church is about Grace, not grievances. This church is about peacemaking. It's about living like Jesus. Loving like Jesus and leading like Jesus. It's about building bridges to lost people who are on their way to hell and helping them find peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ. I want you to think deeply about that today. Number 3. Jesus is our peace and he desires to work. His peace through US, Isaiah 9:6. We're coming up on Christmas. And of course, this is scripture with quote, almost every Christmas. She is the Prince of Peace, Ephesians. 2:14. Paul says, for he himself is our peace. The Angels proclaimed. Peace on Earth Goodwill toward men. That's only possible through. Jesus Christ. Who is our peace. He brought us. Peace, Isaiah 53:5 says we can have peace with God. Romans 5:1. Jesus saying here in these Beatitudes. What is he saying in this particular? Beatitude beatitude number seven? I want to give you just a few overarching principles, and then we're going to dive into some application points. He says in this B Attitude rob. You will be blessed when you promote. Peace. Secondly, others will be blessed when you promote. Peace people around, you will be blessed by your faithfulness. And God has blessed when you promote. Peace. Those are three things that he says for peace is not the absence of trouble is peace in the middle of trouble. I think that's important, you know. Doesn't say having to give you a piece. So you'll never ever have trouble. I'm going to give you peace in the middle of trouble. There's going to be a hurricane, but you can find peace in the eye of the hurricane. You may be going through a storm, but you can rest in the palm of his hand. It's not the absence of trouble peace in the middle of trouble. Peacemaking is not the same as peacekeeping. I mean, we don't just make peace, you know, we don't keep peace. No matter the, the topic or the cause it's not Keys. Keeping never have any conflict. It's there's going to be conflict. There's going to be problems are going to be things that need to be reconciled. And so do the noble work, the christ-like work of making these build people, build relationships and build relational bridges of peace with people. It's going to be hard hard work. It's not peace at all costs of peacemaking. Regardless of the cut Making Peace require engagement, dealing with issues resolving conflict and peacemaking is about right relationship with God. And man, then we talked about peacemaking. Obviously. This is a message about how we deal with people how we deal with conflict and how we be like, Jesus Christ in the midst of those kinds of things. I like William Barclay says, in his commentary, says the man who divides man is doing the devil's work. The man who unites man is doing God's work. Jesus says, blessed are those who build people, build relationships and build relational Bridges to people. You said that's what my kingdom is. All about. My kingdom is about peacemaking. My kingdom is about these AP, out of this is what my kingdom is about. What is your kingdom about? That's what Jesus is asking us today. Blessed are the peacemakers, you build people. You don't break people down, you build Bridges to people. You don't blow up Bridges between people. What is a hard season? I talked with many of you and many others, besides who have talked about families who have been fractured relationships, ruin friendships destroyed. I'm just all sorts of people believe what they believe, and they oppose those who don't believe is, they believe? And there's just no mixture. There's no understanding. There's definitely no peacemaking. It's a really really challenging season and I think this beatitude as well as all the others, but maybe mostly this one, especially since we're talking about it here today is one that we really really need to think through thoroughly. You know, when I talk to people does, if they say, you know, the Bible was written in Jesus, shared his teaching and all, that is what we need to follow. Except when you come to 2020-2021 and maybe they're after, that's where you throw all of the Bible out the window and go with contempt. That will be much more effective. Go with competition. Go with hatred. How about Discord? How about anger? You know, when you get to 2020, Jesus says, that's when you forget about the Beatitudes, you throw it all out the window and you just go gunning for people. You say Rob, I can't help myself when I get on social media. I just get so mad at people. I throw hatred and discordant contempt at him. I've got a piece of advice for you, stay off social media. You say, Ron, I just can't help myself when I get around this person or that person. I just turned negative and sour, build some boundaries, and put you in a better position to succeed. There's no, where in the Bible where Jesus says, Hey throw out my good teaching and my kingdom way of living and go with what you want to go with. And yeah. We see it everywhere and we have to constantly evaluate ourselves. Determined to emulate Christ, if we're going to elevate the level of our living. And that's a message for me. That's a message for you. That's a message for all of us. God help us as Christians Point people to Jesus help us as a church, not drive people away, but drop people to Jesus. The mission of God. The purpose of the church is to bring people to a better understanding of faith in Jesus Christ. Now, in the few minutes that we have. I want to get really practical. I want to talk about the path to peacemaking. I want to talk about how do we become peacemakers? Because I know this if I know anything there are people within the sound of my voice to say, Rob. I really want to honor Christ. I want to put Jesus first. I want to, I want to be a great ambassador of him. I want to point people to him, but I am in some very conflicted actual relationships. Right now, things are really a strange really difficult. It may be with my spouse and maybe with my parents with my children with people outside. My immediate family extended family, maybe maybe circle of friends work, Associates, school, friends, whatever the case may be. So what is the path to peacemaking? What does Scripture say about how I become a peacemaker well-liked? Start with the first principle. That is this. If I am going to be a peacemaker, I must be ruled by Christ. I must be dominated. I must be monopolized by Jesus Christ. I should not just Fairweather Christianity. It's not just hearsay Christianity. I am determined to be completely dominated by Jesus Christ. My Lord and Savior, Let the Peace of Christ rule in your hearts such as members of one body. You were called to peace and be thankful. Be thankful. If you look at this next slide, you've seen this before, but I made the case throughout the series that the Beatitudes are sequential. And I want you just to notice for a moment that if I am going to be an effective Peacemaker, I need to have the reservoir of the first six flourishing in my soul. I need the power and the strength in the benefit of Beatitudes, 1 through 6. If I'm going to make number seven, you know, make a chance at that being a win. Beatitude number one, most of the poor in spirit. I need to know that. I desperately need Jesus Christ. As my Lord and Saviour. I am lost without him. Blessed are those who mourn? I realize that I'm a sinner and I need to run from sin. It is destructive and it is devastating. And I need to run from at this fast. I can't, I need to be saddened. I need to be sickened by sin. Relational, send contempt, hatred Discord. I need to run from that. Like I can run from nothing else. I need to run from sin, busser the make I need to be humble. I need to have pride and arrogance and narcissism Yuna flushed out of my life completely. I need to be more like Jesus Christ. Philippines Chapter 2 talks about how he humbled himself. I need to have the same attitude is out of Jesus Christ, live in a day and age. When people say, no, it's my rights. It's this, it's that the other thing. And, and we and we fight for me, myself and I Jesus says, Unique be humble serve God first other second self 3rd. I need a hunger and I need a thirst after righteousness to do the right thing. The Godly thing. The kingdom of God thing, the Heavenly thing. How can I become more, like Jesus? How can I live like, Jesus? Love Like, Jesus and Lead, like Jesus blessed. Are the merciful I need to be forgiving. Peacemaking and forgiveness. Worked together a lot and many, many circumstances. Am I willing to forgive freely? Remind me to not forgive and when I don't forgive, I throw that person and myself in a dungeon like we talked about a few weeks ago.

Your heart is my heart. Pure that manipulative. Is it Angry? Is it jealous? Is it resentful? What's going on in my heart? You see, if I build my life on those first six. I've got a fighting chance to be of good. Peacemaker. But if I'm ignoring the first six and just kind of going off on my own strength and ability. Good luck. It's just not going to happen. I need the strength of God to help of God. The wisdom of God, the heart of God, the knowledge of God to help me. That's why I think these are sequential. They helped me be the people God wants me to be at the core of conflict. Have you ever thought about that? Recently? James tells us some 4:1. He said, what causes fights and quarrels among you don't? They come from the desires that battle within you. You desire, but you don't have. So you kill you covet but you cannot get what you want. So you quarrel and fight. You do not have what you want. You do. Not have because you do not ask God. And when you do ask, you, ask with the wrong motives. Basically, at the core, a conflict. Most often is selfishness wrong motives in a battling, you know, desires that battle within you. Therefore anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. But he gives us more grace. That is what the scripture says. God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. Therefore submit yourself to God. Resist the devil. He will flee from you humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up. So, I'm going to ask you again. What defines your life? Grievances or Grace. I know a lot of people that what defines our life is grievances. Grievances against this person grievances against that person, get grievances against Society grievances against government grievances grievances, grievances is what defines them. It's how it defines you. Is that what you want to Define you? Is that what Jesus wants to Define you? Or is it Grace? She being a peacemaker, doesn't doesn't mean that we just ignore the problems. No, it means with the help of Jesus Christ. We try to bridge prompt. We deal with the prompt in a christ-like, man. And that requires Grace. how I relate to God and relate to other people. Is the grace question, is the grace of Jesus flowing into my life? If so, we must allow it to flow from our life to other people. And that is how we build people, that's how we build relationships and that's how we build relational Bridges to people. You don't get together with somebody that's on the other side of an issue and just kind of beat them into submission.

That's how you win Hearts. That's how you win souls. And it's certainly not how you win people to faith in Christ. So, I just asked you the question you choose for you. I've already choosing for me and I have chosen for our church. At every possible opportunity. We want to elevate and celebrate the grace of Jesus Christ. I'm a live one more day. I may live one more month, any live one more year and they live a little bit longer but in every way in an everyday, I want the grace of Christ to flow through me.

We'll have to figure out what that means and how that must be applied in every circumstance. The one thing we know what scripture says, what causes fights and quarrels among you? It's the battles that desires. The motives the wrong motives that battle within you. number to commit to being a virtuous Christ, follower virtuous, Christ, follower As a Christian. Does following Jesus Christ matter? You say Rob? Of course, it does. What he has really think about it. I'm not sure if Christians think about this a lot. It's kind of like I'm a Christian name only and they'll let me just kind of go through life and do whatever I want to do. But if we're going to be peacemakers, if we're going to walk the path of peacemaking, we need to commit to virtuous Christ following. I need to become a virtuous Christ follower. Jesus said if anyone has come after me must take up his cross denying self daily and follow me. Following Jesus is what Christianity is all about living. The Jesus life is what Christian is all about doing, what Jesus wants us to do. Its what Christianity is all about. Paul said, follow me as I what follow Christ.

So what does it mean to follow Jesus? Well, it means that Living Like Jesus, loving like Jesus and leading like Jesus really matters. Was it mean to follow Christ means living out the eight Beatitudes really matters? What does following Christ mean? Well, it means living in accordance to 1st Corinthians 13. The love chapter, really matters and the fruit of the spirit. Really matters, and peacemaking, really matters. What are some examples of peacemakers in the Bible? They just give you a couple. First of all. Joseph remember the story of Joseph? Chapter 37 Genesis. He's the favored son gets the coat of many colors. His dad loves him. His brothers know that he's the favorite son. Then he has this Vision this dream that he's going to be over his brothers and they're going to bow down to him. They didn't take too kindly to that. So they beat him up and throw him in a pit. They wanted to kill him but decided not to Soul into slavery and the rest of his life was up and down up and down. He rises to number two in the governor's house potiphar. Ladies falsely accused and thrown into prison that he's forgotten in prison, and he's there for many many, many years. You didn't bring any of this on self really other than the contempt and anger of his brothers. And then finally, he interprets some dreams for some guys, they get out of prison and one of them remembers. Hey that guy Joseph. He was a guy who interpreted dreams and he tells Pharaoh because Ferrell has is this dream?

And so they get Joseph out of prison and Joseph. Explains the dreams that they're going to be 7 years of of a fruitfulness and then there's going to be a famine. So you need to say about drink plenty. So you have during times of want need to find somebody really smart to manage this. Control says well that someone is you you're the guy that's going to do this for me and Joseph Rises. Number 2 in all the land II Alicia Farrell. Any Stewart's entire operation flawlessly. And then his brothers come to town from up in Canaan and they come to Egypt. And Joseph recognizes them immediately, but they don't recognize him. And the Bible says, he goes around the corner and he weeps violently. He is overcome by a tsunami of emotions. He is totally devastated. It's all flooding back to him. What they did, how he hasn't seen his, his younger brother who he loved deeply forever and ever, how he's been robbed of all this time, with his father, who he loved forever and ever. And he had an opportunity to decide. Am I going to allow resentment and grudges and hatred overcome me or not?

He reveals himself to his brothers and they're fearful of course, and he said, what you meant for wrong. God intends for good to save the lives of many people knowing my family, but not only all of Israel, but all the people in Egypt Any builds a Bridge of Peace? Where he had every right? To call them to account. Presley Grace examples. Jesus, no greater example, he came to Build a Bridge of Peace making bridge between simple, man and a holy God. Jesus, on the cross. He said, father forgive them for. They don't know what they're doing. Did they find peace with God Through My Sacrifice? Jesus Christ came? To allow us all to find peace and it's Paul who started as an anti-christian and then became an all-in Christian and is Paul who said follow me as I follow Christ. Joseph, Jesus Paul great examples. All three. You see what we do and say, flows out of who we are those back. Do last week's beatitude blessed are the pure in heart? what we do and say, flows out of who we are, just think about that for a moment, what we say and do flows out of Who We Are, So what am I saying? And what am I doing? Am I building people building relationships and building relation of bridges to people? What we say, and what we do.

Pulls out of who we are. Number three, conflict is not always a choice. But how we deal with conflict is a choice. Conflict is not always a choice and how we deal with conflict is a choice. I want to put a bunch of scriptures on screen, and I just wanted, it was straight. Something. These are in the notes were not going to go through these, but I want to just make this point for some of you, they're interested because many of our small groups are studying, sermon notes, and individuals are using this in their devotional time. These are the key conflict resolution scriptures that I have spent a lot of time studying. I have encouraged you to sit and soak and simmer and saturate yourself in the scriptures. Okay. These will be familiar to you. And fact, many of you can recognize different passages just from the references, but I want to encourage you to take time individually on your own to study each and every one of these with a pen and paper and hand or at your computer and just start making devotional notes to yourself application notes to yourself. You know, we not only need to Anchor deep in the Beatitudes of Jesus, but also these other incredible. Conflict resolution passages. And so I want to give those to you. I also want to be very, very practical here today because I know that some of you are in the midst of a very conflictual situation. So I'm going to give you something. I've shared before. That. I ended up sharing this in one of my morning devotionals. Some of you follow me on Facebook, right? To a devotional every morning. And I showed these six days of conflict resolution. If we're going to build peace, we need to be able to figure out how do you resolve conflict. And just real simply going to give you the six days? I found them to be very very helpful. It's kind of a framework to help me as I go into conflicted. Situations number one affirm Express appreciation in value. The other person. Simply affirm. Hey, I know we got this conflict as a problem going on, but you know, I do appreciate you and I really want to hear what you have to say. So, please share. I want to, I want to listen. I'm going to take some notes, even, I just really want to understand as best I can. And then number to acknowledge recognize and consider their viewpoints and I kind of jumped the gun there, a firm acknowledged. I already shared on both those number three, assert respect, the other person's position, and then, clearly and calmly that your own clearlink. Almost, ate your own. You've already listen to affirm them. You've already listen to their concern, a very intently, very carefully, wanting to learn. And then you've gained the right to share your own View. And in many situations, people are open to receive that 9 degree, find common ground to celebrate it. This is the one that's Miss. So often I've been in so many counseling sessions with the husbands and wives and other people in. And the thing that everybody focus on is a thing that they're really upset about it. And that's understandable, of course, but there's so many things that they agree on that, they that they have a commonality about that. Just kind of goes out the window. And I think that's important to just stop and take a look at that. And then accept agree on what you can find. Mutual understanding for lingering differences. And if you must just agree to disagree without being disagreeable, you may leave that, you know, appointment that conversation and say, you know, we are on different sides of this matter and that's going to happen. Shirley during this season, that's going to happen a lot. You know, you believe that way, I believe this way, you know, we just disagree and then end with appreciation can like you started with affirmation and with appreciation, you know, a firm again, encourage support on her hat. I really want you to know, even though we disagree on this matter and I respect you. I love you. We honor you, I appreciate you, take extra time to work on that bridge building component and then I might even add a seventh one. That's kind of came to me who this week. You may need to ask for forgiveness. There may be something that you have done or you need a humble yourself. You need to become meek and Mild like Jesus teaches us. And just say, listen, this is one thing if I had to do it over again, I wouldn't done that. That way, I would have said that, I wouldn't have brought these other people, and I wouldn't gossiped about this or whatever the case may be. I want you to know that. I'm very, very sorry. Forgive me. 6 days of conflict resolution, maybe even one more number for pray for God dammit or you and make you a peacemaker like him? The rub is just so simple, you know, this is a step that so often is overlooked. And we pray about all sorts of things. But when it comes to these Beatitudes, I'm not sure how many people pray them. Lord help me become a peacemaker. Help me build bridges, help me build people, help me build relationships and help me build relational Bridges to other people. Pray that you will honor Christ in your relationship. Specially the tough ones, pray that you will rise above The Fray and stand on price and glorify him. But what you say, and how you behave, pray that you put into Practice, What You profess, you behave up to what you believe, you acted. According to what you assert. Saint Francis of Assisi. Is well known for many many things. He was Italian Catholic Friar, Deacon amystika preacher. Pope Gregory the 9th canonized Francis on 16th, July 12:28. Saint Francis, loved the Eucharist. He is credited with arranging the first live nativity scene. In 1223, interesting in 1224. He received the Stigmata wounds of Christ during Fashion Week, 1st to do that. So it's stated that out of all of those things. The thing that I always think about when I think of Saint Francis of Assisi, Is that when we were in Italy? A few years ago, I desperately wanted to go there just because of him, but we didn't make it. So I regret that but maybe one day, who knows? But besides that, the other thing, I really, really think about is a prayer that he penned that I read periodically, just to kind of filter my life through it. And I would encourage you to consider making this a prayer. You pray on a regular basis. Lord make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love where there is injury. Pardon. Where there is Discord Union, where there is doubt Faith, where there is despair. Hope where there is Darkness light and where there is sadness Joy. O, Divine Master grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console to be understood as to understand to be loved as to love for. It is in giving that we receive it is in pardoning that we are pardoned and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

Do Christians. Dear friends? We have a choice to make. What will the finest grievances are Grace contempt or compassion, peacemaking? Or not. Finally, number 5. Do all you can. And trust God with the rest. Look at this scripture. Look at the three phrases if it is possible. As far as it depends on you. Live at peace with everyone.

If it is possible. That means it may not always be possible.

As far as it depends on you, that means it doesn't always depend on you.

Live at peace with everybody. There are going to be times where you're. Peacemaking efforts are rebuffed rebuke denied. It's not going to work every time. I think it's important to kind of complete the circle with this Fifth and final point. It's not going to work. Every time other people won't be interested. They don't want to talk about it. They don't want to deal with it. They don't like you. They don't like me. They don't want to build a bridge. They would rather be angry or they are too hurt or whatever. The reasons might be. It's not always going to work. but, That can never be an excuse. Brush doing the noble work of peacemaking. If it is possible as far as it depends on you, as far as it depends on you, that's a key phrase to me, Rob. As far as that depends on. You got to do everything. I possibly can live at peace with everyone. I like with the rest of this chapter says it goes on a little bit further. and it just goes on and says, Basically, furthermore don't take revenge. My dear friends leave room for God's Wrath. Vengeance is mine. Saith the Lord. Never we talked about during the Forgiveness sermon, you know, we don't excuse when a person's done to us when they hurt us, but we do recuse ourselves from the situation. We don't live the rest of our life with a vendetta or Vengeance or revenge on reminder, Grudge and resentment on her mind note we forgive and and we let go and let God and we leave it to the Lord and we move on. And I can spend the rest of my life back there with that situation on the move on.

On the contrary. It says there's 20. If your enemy is hungry, feed him, if he's thirsty, give him something to drink in doing this. You will Heap burning coals on his head because I and be compassionate be empathetic. Do you like rice? Verse 21 do not overcome evil. With evil, but overcome evil with good.

People that just like you people that have different opinion, different beliefs, different Persuasions of the thought process. Overcome evil with good.

So, how are things in your relationships? How about your marriage about your family? How about your extended family? How about friendships? It's been a tough, couple of years. And if you're like many, you've experienced conflict. What is God saying to you in this moment about your role being a peacemaker? I guarantee you he didn't say anywhere in the Bible. Hey when it comes to 2020, just forget all that stuff. I said. That's nowhere. The Bible. Fact, when times are hardest is when we need to Anchor deeper. God's words and God's ways Lord. I pray, your blessing upon everybody that's here. But I know for a certainty that many many many. Many, within the sound of my voice, both in this service other services and online would say, Lord. I want to be like you, I want to do the noble work of peacemaking. Give me Grace. Give me the strength to do it. Well. Going to pray. First of all for those that need to make peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ. I pray. Board for each and every one of those dear friends, within the sound of my voice. If you're hearing this, and you have not committed your life to Christ. I invite you to do so. You say Lord. I want to make peace with you through faith in Christ. Forgive me of my sins. I want to follow you. The rest of my life. I want to become a Christian. I want to be a person of Faith. Christian. I want to go to heaven.

You pray. Those words Bible says, God will come into your life and save you and forgive you, we need the peace of God. How many are here today? And would say, what? I need your peace with regard to this situation. What are you going through right now? What storms? Are you going through right now? I'm going through a couple myself and things that just have my insides kind of all tied up and not. How about you. What are you going through right now? Where you need the peace of God, that passeth all understanding, knowing that it will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus reach out to him. He surpasses all understanding. I need that piece to guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

How about peace with other people which has been the major focus of our study here today? Ask God to help you be a peacemaker in that situation. As far as it depends on you. People, people build relationships and build relational Bridges to people.

You're committing your life to Christ. If you have a special prayer need, would you tell us about it on that connection card as a physical one in front of you? If you're here live, if you're online, there's a digital version. We want to pray with you. We want to pray with you and help in any way. We possibly can. What I pray. Your blessing. As we get ready to leave this place in just a moment and we go in your grace and we go in your piece and then we go in your love, in Jesus name. We pray. Amen. But you two stand with me are proteins going to come down and we're going to sing a final song. And as we do, I invite you to step out come forward for prayer, and maybe we can encourage you as we pray together. Let's sing together.