Blessed are the Peacemakers Part 1. Matthew 5:9 – Bible study
HOW TO BE HAPPY
Happy are the Peacemakers
Matthew 5:9
- INTRODUCTION:
1. Peace was broken in the Garden of Eden when man sinned. Atthe cross it became a reality again as Christ became our peace.
2. In understanding what a peace maker is we must find the sourceof true an authentic peace. Jesus Christ is the only source ofpeace and is given the title: “the Prince of Peace” in Isaiah 9:6.
3. Not only did the Lord mention it here in the Sermon on theMount, but it importance is shown in that there are about 400references to peace in the Bible.
4. The opposite of peace is a state of confusion dissatisfaction andwar. It is man who is a war…not God. God is at peace and seeksthat all men everywhere also come to know perfect peace.
5. Man is the author of war and conflict and it is sin that destroyspeace.
6. Jesus in Matt. 5:9, is saying happy are those who arepeacemakers, they will be called the sons of God. This is not justsaying believers are to be at peace, but more God is instructing usto be peace-makers. It is difficult to be at peace with others, itis much hard to be one who seeks to make peace. Yet, that iswhat the Lord is asking us to do.
I. What is the meaning of Peace?
A. The world would define it as the absence of conflict.
1. There is no strife in the cemetery. That is kind of peace few people are seeking.
2. Biblically peace is so much the absence of conflict..but the presence of righteousness. Righteousness means being “right.” Where things are right there is no conflict and things go smoothly.
ILLUS: Last month on the way back from Ogden we were on I15 between Brigham City and Tremonton. Without warning the engine in my truck began to skip and run badly. I tried to keep itgoing by patting the accelerator but when we came to that big dipat the river the truck quick running. I had to call a tow truck tocome and help. The problem was the truck was “unrighteous.” The fuel pump was defective and not being right it cause the truckto quit running.
3. Peacemakers, Scripturally do more that stop conflict,they replace conflict with friendship and love.
4. Jew says, “Shalom”, it means “peace.” The greeting issaying more than “I wish for you no conflict.” The salutation is saying, “I wish for you all the righteousness of God can bring.” Itis a wish for rightness in one’s life.
B. There is a difference between a “truce” and “peace.”
In a truce folks stop shooting, however peace comes whenthe problem is solved. In war a “cease fire” means you stopshooting at each other, but that does not mean there is peace. Eachside stands on alert watching their enemy ready to resume fightingif they are threaten.
C. True peace comes from wisdom based on a knowledgeof God.
James 3:17, “The wisdom that is from above first pure,then peaceable.”
1. Only a wise man can have peace! He uses theknowledge he receives from God.
The wise man seeks God, he believes what God has saidabout Himself and this man wisely puts his trust and faith in thatknowledge.
The fool, hears the truth, will not accept it as truth andfoolishly and tragically believes a lie.
2. However, peace has a price!
Matt. 10:34, Jesus seems to contradict Himself is saying,”Think not that I am come to send peace on earth, I came not tosend peace, but a sword.” He was saying He did not come tobring peace at any price. That is important to understand. Thecause of conflict is sin and because sin exists it has to beeradicated.
ILLUS: The Gospel message is of the death, burial andresurrection of Jesus Christ, and that by believing in Christ one canhave eternal life is first always preceded by the acknowledgementof that we are all sinners and need salvation.
Folks that causes strife. Many people will die in their sinsand spend eternity in Hell because they will not deal with the strifethe truth causes.
ILLUS: Everything has a cause and to solve the problem thecause must be acknowledged. The reason my truck quick was thatunrighteous fuel pump. The problem had to be addressed. Firstwe had to accept that we were struck on the Interstate, and becauseof the metal barriers there was only enough shoulder for the truckand about 18 inches from the highway. It was ten degrees andwith the engine not running we started to get cold.
Thankfully we had our cel-phone and called our towingservice. We accepted the problem and took steps to solve it. Ofcourse, you would say, only a fool would ignore suchcircumstances.
That is certainly true, but although the danger does not seemto be a pressing when we thank of our eternal souls and the fate ofthe lost around us….it is even more serious.
When a person receives Jesus Christ as their Savior, therecomes peace. . . an eternal peace from becoming reconciled to Godour Creator. Once a person receives peace and realizes what itmeans to be a peace. . .he should then want to help others find thesame peace.
Many say, I do not want to offend anyone who isn’t abeliever. That is not the statement of a true peacemaker nor ofone who truly loves his neighbor.
Note what Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-39 “Thou shalt lovethe Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and withall thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And thesecond is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
In this same sermon where the Lord Jesus gave the B-attitudes he also referred to loving one’s neighbor. In Matthew5:43-44 He said, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shaltlove thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Loveyour enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hateyou, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecuteyou.”
Therefore being a peacemaker comes from loving one’sbrother.
3. A true peacemaker gives people God’s truth which is theonly thing that brings true peace.
ILLUS: Have you ever heard the statement “It’s OK, youbelieve your way, I’ll believe mine…we are all working for thesame thing aren’t we?” Is this true? You see some think that weshould compromise the truth to avoid peace. If that is my attitudethen I’m no peacemaker.
God is not at peace with false doctrine or with error and sinin our lives. He seeks to help us overcome the source of strifeand conflict that is so destructive in our lives. Therefore wecannot be at peace with sin in our lives, or with false doctrine. Until there is error is removed and corrected there will be nopeace. We can ignore the problem that all that amounts to is a”cease fire” it does not bring true peace.
It is interesting to note that believers in Christ are the mostpersecuted people on earth. The Jews are perceived as being themost persecuted because the lost 6 million in the horror of WWII. My wife and I personally have seen the concentration camp ofDachua, Germany. Yet, since the time of Christ it is estimated bysome over 40,000,000 Christians have died for their belief in theWord of God and Jesus Christ as their Savior. Even at this veryhour in Muslim countries Christian are being murdered by thehundreds.
Luke 12:51-53. READ
Some have said to me over the years, “you are too narrow inyour beliefs!” You need to have a non-denominational churchwhich simply means a church of no doctrine or truth. Someproclaim that preachers should say nothing negative about falsebeliefs and those that teach them. We should find a commonground and discover and emphasize what we agree on.
ILLUS: A good example of this modern trend to accept allreligious beliefs as valid was demonstrated during President’sBush’s inauguration when the Washington Times Foundationsponsored an inaugural prayer luncheon. Those that attendedincluded well know religious leaders such as Jerry Falwell,Kenneth Copeland, Pat Boone, and also leaders from non-christianreligions Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus. RobertSchuller, of the Crystal Cathedral was asked about the religiousdiversity represented at the meeting. He said “…the only way Ican explain it in my theology is the Holy Spirit [and that] JesusChrist has really diversified His investment portfolio.” (FRIDAYCHURCH NEWS NOTES, March 9, 2001, Way of Life Literature,P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061)
Folks, if the Bible is true, then we have the revealed truth andthat truth tells us what is right. It is not my truth, or someoneelse’s truth, but God’s pure truth. Then if I have the truth, whichshall make me free, why should I not make a stand for truth andwant to help others find that truth and the peace that it produces inone’s life.
ILLUS: Should you and I not proclaim that salvation is the freegift of God, apart from works, churches, ritual, and all the manmade religion? Should we not love my neighbor enough to tell himor her the true. If they are deceived into believing they will get toheaven by being good, shouldn’t I lovingly teach and
tell them the true?
D. Biblical peacemakers are not easygoing people who goaround trying to smooth out conflict or who do not makewaves.
He is a person who loves the truth and faithfully proclaimsit in love and concern for the souls of others. If you refuse to sharethe truth with someone who believes a lie for the sake of so calledpeace…..that are not showing love and concern for that person.
That is not peace, but a truce. To bring God’s peace is tobring truth and that will bring true lasting, eternal peace.
We must be aware that our seeking to win the lost itselfshould not be offensive and be source of strife.
ILLUS: When we lived in Beaver we had many LDS friends. Onelady told Carolyn that while she was on a mission in New Jerseyshe was run out of a person yard with a running chain saw! Wemust take care that we not be offensive in our witness and seekingto help other find God’s truth. I visited a pastor’s home in NorthCarolina and he had a large sign on his door warning Jehovah’sWitnesses and all the cult to keep off his property. He certainlyhad no witness to them and was in fact saying he did not care fortheir souls. I have written a booklet that has been widelydistributed titled “What to do when the Mormon Missionariescome to my Door?” The reason for it was that some many peoplein churches I visited told me proudly of their running LDSmissionaries out of their yards like they had done some good deed! The booklet explains how the visit of LDS missionaries shouldseek to help them and leave a positive witness for Christ. Somemissionaries have been won to Christ by Christians treating themnicely.
II. What does the true Peacemaker do?
A. The true peacemaker helps men to make peace withGod. The conflicts of men are temporal and the conflict withGod that is not settled ends in eternal damnation.
B. However, before one can lead others to know the peaceof God they themselves must have the peace of God.
1. That means trust Christ as your Savior and become aChristian.
2. Next, you must be in fellowship with God yourself.
Sin in the life of a Christian, hinders and breaks
fellowship with God.
3. True peace comes from having and living a life ofrighteousness before the Lord.
That means confession of sin. I am not talking about,doing good works and outward acts, I’m talking about confessingsin, fighting sin in your life and yielding to the power of the HolySpirit.
C. Second a peacemaker must seek to win other to Christ.
1. Jesus is the only cure for the strife and conflict that iswithin the heart of man.
Note what Paul said to the Ephesians who were once lostGentiles:
Eph. 4:11-22, “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time pastGentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision [Lost] by thatwhich is called the Circumcision [Jews] in the flesh made byhands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliensfrom the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from thecovenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in theworld:
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are madenigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath madeboth one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partitionbetween us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even thelaw of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make inhimself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that hemight reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, havingslain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to youwhich were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through himwe both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now thereforeye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens withthe saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon thefoundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself beingthe chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framedtogether groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom yealso are builded together for an habitation of God through theSpirit.”
2. That dear friend is what the Lord Jesus has done for usand will do for all who will believe and accept him as their Savior.
a. The verse says the lost person is without hope, and astranger to the covenants of the promise meaning God’s plan ofsalvation (v12). The lost person is a alien to God and stranger tothe Gospel.
b. Thank God the verse continues with the wonderfultruth that Jesus Christ is our peace (v14). That means withoutHim there can be no peace. Jesus Christ himself broke down thewall that separates us from God by His shed blood for our sins.
c. V15, says He went to the cross to make us a new manand man at peace with God and with himself. That means wehave the peace of knowing we have eternal life. Death has no fearfor the child of God and we know that when we die will be inheaven with God. It does not mean that we will not suffer or bepersecuted or that we will not have troubles and conflicts in ourlives. It means we will have peace and joy in our hearts nomatter what our circumstances.
You see the lost man’s peace rests on being free of strifeand conflict. He may have periods when there is not conflict, butstill in his heart there is not real peace. He cannot be satisfied andall he does to bring satisfaction always end in failure.
But for the Christian, he may be in the midst of a storm,yet knows he is OK. . . He has the assurance of God’s presence inHis life.
ILLUS:In 1999 we were on deputation and had our travel trailerparked by Faith Baptist Church in Onley, VA. While we werethere Hurricane Floyd hit. The rain came down in sheets and thewind rocked the trailer. The eye of the storm passed directly overus. But we were safe….in the hands of a loving and caring God. Carolyn and I read during most of the storm. When the back sideof the hurricane came through it was rough….and things wereoutwardly uncertain, yet we have peace.
CONCLUSION:
1. Is there true peace in your heart? If you are then you atpeace with God.
2. Even as a Christian we can lose the sense of our peacebecause we are out of fellowship with the Lord. That simplymeans it is time to go to the Lord and get what ever is the problemsolved. If it is being disobedient then we confess that and askingfor God’s strength we start obeying and doing that is right.
3. If we are peace with God are we then being peacemakershelping others to find the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. Helping those who are in false religions to find God’s truth.
Do we really care and have a love for the souls of others Ifthe answer is in question…then now is the time to get the mattersettled and with God’s help become a peacemaker.
“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called thechildren of God.” Do you note that the verse says peacemakersare known as the children of God. Do you want to be known asGod’s child?
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