The Good Life - "Blessed are the Peacemakers"

READ Matthew 5:1-12

(eirenopois) - Peace-maker, to bring about peace.

The only time this specific word is mentioned in the New Testament.

“Actions established from a foundation of peace.”

“And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.” - (James 3:18)

“For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons.” - (Romans 8:14)

Adrian Beltre during fight between Batista and Odor.

In a world characterized in conflict and rivalry, a keeper of the peace is rare, a peacemaker still rarer.

You have to answer this question to move forward in this beatitude… Am I willing to suffer for peace to a reality?

We all want to live the good life. The beatitudes tell us how to usher in the kingdom of God to the world. What does the beatitude of peace teach us?

1. God is the Author of Peace.

(Read Colossians 1:18-20)

To insure peace on earth, God acted and sent His son to a hostile world to be sacrificed by sinful men so those who are in sin can be saved.

This quality of peace was reflected in the life of Jesus and also marks his disciples who are sent out as sons and daughters. The son shares the characteristics with the father.

In Isaiah 9, the Messiah was called the “prince of peace”.

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the herald, who proclaims peace, who brings news of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!” - (Isaiah 52:7)

Clearly, both the Old and New Testaments proclaim a constant message of peace to the world.

Not a flimsy and wimpy peace that we learned from the 60’s, but a peace that is sent from the throneroom in Heaven that establishes the rule of God to the world.

The kingdom of God is ruled by a God of peace who will not be defeated. Those who dwell in his land will follow this way of life.

Being Texan makes it easy to love of good fight or conflict.

God is not a wimp. He hates injustice.

But, we don’t get to point fingers at people if we are unwilling to be held accountable ourselves.

Peace with God is living in harmony with Him in relationship.

Part of that relationship is obedience.

Peace is not a beatitude created by man. God told us what peace is.

2. Peace is an Action.

Jewish literature of the time valued those who worked for peace. Those whose lives reflect the ethics of Jesus will be clearly identified as children of God.

“To be at peace is to be in harmony. To be a peacemaker is to be a mediator and resolve conflicts between estanged parties-whether individuals or groups. You make peace by identifying the truth, adressing the sin, and constructing a bridge between those who are at adds with one another.” - Tony Evans

Jesus wasn’t teaching about being peaceable men or women.

To be founders and promoters of peace. People who not only keep the peace, but seek to bring men into harmony with each other.

“If you believe that God is watching over you with perfect love and unlimited power, you will be able to serve him in faith fully as a peacemaker, in the most difficult circumstances.” - Ken Sande

Peace is “diffused”. Notice that a diffuser requires a vessel to be poured out.

When we act as peacemakers in our home, church, work, online, etc, there will be a cost.

We have to be willing to suffer for peace. Take a hit so someone else doesn’t have to.

Jesus was the prince of peace because he suffered and died to bring peace to the world.

“Peace is not automatic. It is a gift of the grace of God. It always comes when hearts are exposed to the love of Christ. But this always costs something for the love of Christ was demonstrated through suffering, and those who experience that love can never put it into practice without some cost.” - Festo Kivengere (Anglican Bishop of Uganda known as the “The Billy Graham of Africa.”

Someone has to pour out so the rest of the world can know this love, this peace. Someone has to suffer.

The church is favored whenever we suffer for the community.

This isn’t about us.

3. Peacemakers Identify as Son’s and Daughters.

When peace is diffused by believers, people recognize our Father.

They can see that we belong to Him.

The heirs of the kingdom who, meek and poor in spiriting, loving righteousness yet merciful, are especially equipped for peacemaking and so reflect something of their heavenly fathers character.

This would have been shocking to Zealots when Jesus preached it, when political passions were inflamed.

The conflicts of the day have exposed men and women who claim to be Christians. What was in men oozed out and it wasn’t pretty.

We don’t belong here. We are called to know better. We are different.

If the world can’t see a difference in the church, they won’t see a difference anywhere.

Who is your father?