Blessed are the Peacemakers

Matthew 5:9

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SERMON SUMMARY:
Many who think they "keep the peace" really don't have a proper understanding of what it really means to be a peacemaker.  In this message we'll clear away the misconceptions and give a clear expression of what constitutes a peacemaker.

Message begins at approx. the 34:00 min mark.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Matthew 5:9 ESV

If there is one thing that stands out in the Bible it is the whole issues of peace and peace making.  Jesus Christ, who is the sum of every page of this book, is himself the Prince of Peace.  People who are looking for peace will find it in Christ. 

I believe I’ve mentioned before that Jesus chose for himself a group of 12 men who would have been anything but a quite and easy band of men with whom to work.  He chose, of all people, Levi, who’s job it was to collect taxes for the Roman emperor.  As a crook and a collaborator with the enemy, he would not have been a very popular with any of the Jewish people.  But there would have been a special tension between him and another guy Jesus chose; Simon the radicalized patriot.  In the Bible he’s called Simon the Zealot; he was a man who so hated the Roman occupation that he would knife them in the streets and leave them for dead.

How awkward would that have been to have these two guys sitting side by side at dinner.
Then you have James and John.  These were rowdy boys.  They were so turbulent that they were called the Sons of Thunder.  Couple them with a guy like Peter who frequently speaks out of turn, is highly opinionated, and is impulsive enough to cut off an ear of some servant.  That might be the kind of matchup you might have to get pay per view to see.

Throw in a few other young men and you have what you might politely call a boisterous crew. Yet Jesus takes this rabble and not only brings them together, but makes them live in harmony with one another.

That shows us that how Christ is the premier peace maker.  Satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but the Lord Jesus is the balm that brings healing and harmony.  And certainly that is simply an extension of the greater mission he has: to bring us peace with God.

And so, as we come to this beatitude this morning, we note again it is a fundamental trait of a Christian because it is a fundamental trait of Jesus Christ.

And it is our job today to consider again the blessed one.  We are going to zero in on this idea of the peacemaker and hopefully gain a good grasp of what constitutes a peacemaker.  And after that we’ll see explain why these peace makers are blessed.

I. Who is blessed?
But, as has often been the case with these beatitudes, before we say what a peacemaker is, it is needful to begin with the negation.  We have to take a few moments to clear away the chaff and understand what a peacemaker is not.

A. Who it is not

It is not those who walk away from the problem
This is what we call avoidance.  And there are people who think that they are peace makers because they have looked the confrontation right in the eye, witnessed it coming right down the track, and they then walked into the other room so that that train would not be wrecked.  And they think that by leaving the conversation or slipping out the door they have kept the peace.

This is not peacemaking by any means.  You cannot even call this peace keeping.  Just because there are no words being exchanged or no fists flying, does not mean there is peace.  There is enmity there.  There is at least one person who has a problem and they are definitely not at peace.  I would suggest that both parties (or however many parties are involved) are not at peace.  One has a problem, the other at the very least knows there is a problem and is to some degree unsettled about it.  Even though he has skirted the issue, he doesn’t have real peace.  He’s got to live with the fact that things are not the way they should be.

But you get the idea.  A man and a woman cannot have peace in their homes if they are constantly avoiding their problems.  They may have silence, but that is not peace.  Do not mistake a lack of arguing for peace.  Peace is much more than silence.  Even though the house is quiet, that does not mean there is peace in the house.

Take a lesson from Adam and Eve.  They ran and hid themselves in the garden of Eden.  After they had eaten of the fruit they were forbidden to eat of, they realized that there was a problem.  And when they heard God walking towards them, they sought to make some peace by running away and diving in the bushes.  But that was not peace making.  That was merely avoidance, and avoiding problems (while it may give you some quiet), it does not make for real peace.

So be sure that you do not confuse avoidance with peacemaking.  Neither should you think that a peacemaker is someone who easily gives in to the wishes of another.

It is not those who are pushovers
What I’m talking about here is someone who is a pushover.  These are the kinds of people who virtually melt when conflict is on the rise.  They are very much the cousin of those who avoid problems by walking out.  As a matter of fact, this is just another way of avoiding problems.  But instead of running away, they take a more amiable approach.  They agree to virtually anything and everything; they will concede and agree to virtually anything, just to avoid the conflict.

This person may be more of a people pleaser than the first though.  He wants everyone to be happy.  He doesn’t want there to be any kind of conflict.  And rather than avoid things by running away, why not just give in and give up.  That way the other person gets what he wants and he’s happy, right?  Sure, I might get stepped on; I may end up regretting it, but at least there will be peace.

So Joe and Carla go to the store.  Carla pulls a dress off the rack and says, “Oh, isn’t this beautiful.” And she holds it up to her torso.  Joe mildly says, “Yeah, it’s nice.”  He’s less than enthusiastic because he knows what’s coming.  “It will go great with those shoes we just picked out,” she says.  And before you know it she’s dove back into the racks again for the next item that they probably can’t afford. 

Joe knows that they can’t be buying these things.  But he’s doesn’t have the spine to pipe up and put the brakes on the whole thing.  He’s just avoiding the conflict that might arise by just giving in.

That’s not a peace maker either.  This is a guy who lacks the courage to be a real peace maker.  He’s just a jellyfish who will just keep conceding the line of propriety because he doesn’t want to rock the boat.

Now, make sure you understand that this is not the kind of person that Jesus is talking about.  A peacemaker is not a pleaser or an appeaser.  He’s got to have some guts.
I would further add that he’s not merely one who calls a truce.

It is not those who merely call a truce
e find this kind of thing happening a lot between nations or people groups who are at war with one another.  People win Nobel Prizes for this kind of thing.  They will be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize because they were able to get two factions to stop shooting at each other for a little while.

And this is the tactic you see a lot of parents use with their kids.  The kids will be arguing and the parent will get annoyed with all their bickering and he’ll say to the kids, “Okay, that’s it.  You guys better stop arguing right now or you’re both going to get it.”  Or maybe he’ll send them to their rooms.  You know, separate them. Enforce a peace treaty by sending them as far away from each other as possible.

If you do that kind of thing as a parent, you can win a Nobel Prize.  You got them to stop shooting at each other.  You’ve made peace, right? 

Maybe you just need to throw a bribe in there.  You can get them to shut up by promising to take them for some ice cream later or something.  That’ll do it.  Maybe they didn’t sign any formal agreement, but you got them to call truce, for the time being anyway. 

Again, you might have stopped the bickering, but did you really make peace?  Again, remember what I’ve said just a second ago: just because things are quiet, does not mean there is peace.  I would suggest to you that you’ve just postponed the fight.  As soon as they get their ice cream, they’re going to be at their throats again. 

Why is that?  Because you’ve not really dealt with the problem!  Think about it this way, how many Nobel Peace Prizes have been won because of so called peace agreements in the Middle East?  You might get peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians—you might get them to stop shooting at one another and blowing one another up for a little while, but it’s just that—it’s only for a little while.  The problems are not really solved.  It’s only a matter of time till they are shooting at each other again.  Then along comes someone who wins another Nobel Prize because they convinced everyone to put down their guns and call another truce.

It won’t be  long until they explode again because you have not dealt with the real problem.  And I’m not talking about the land and who gets what territory.  The problem over there is not who is in charge or who gets what sacred site or piece of property.  The real problem is found inside.  It’s the heart of man.  It’s the desires that are out of whack.

Peacemaking is not just about silence and it is certainly not about separation.  As a matter of fact, that’s where real peacemaking is to be found.  Real peace making brings people together.

B. Who it is

He is one who has first addressed God
Many of you know the financial guru Dave Ramsey.  You may have listened to his daily radio show.  If you have you have likely heard him say that the “Best way to financial peace is by walking daily with the Prince of Peace.”

This is very much true for peacemakers.  They are people who have first made peace with God and maintain a peaceful relationship with Him.

You may think back to what I said last week.  Each of these last 4 beatitudes are lined up with the initial four.  This peacemaker is aligned with the one who is meek.  You understand the connection, don’t you?  In his meekness, he has submitted himself to God.  He had recognized his poverty of spirit.  He was damned due to his sin.  He mourned the fact that his rabid lusts made him sin against God.  But he put his passions in order, submitting himself to God.  No longer was he in rebellion against God, seeking to reject God’s authority, but that relationship was fixed. He found himself in harmony with God once again.

That’s the first thing a peacemaker needs.  If you have not repented of your sin and sought forgiveness from God—if you have not put yourself in submission to his Lordship, then you are still at enmity with God.  Your soul is still disordered, and it is therefore not possible to be a true peacemaker.

That’s where you need to begin; by first addressing God.  And the good news is that God will give you that peace.  He promises to forgive any who come to him.  He promises to come to you and dwell with you.

The second thing a peacemaker does is address his own desires.

He is one who addresses his own desires
He not only addresses God, but he addresses himself.  Particularly he focuses in on his own perceived rights and self interest.  A peace maker is one who knows that if he is to make peace with those around him he must first crucify his own lusts and stop being selfishly inclined.

You know what James 4 says, don’t you?  James says, “What causes quarrels and fights among you?  Is it not that your passions are at war within you?  You desire and do not have, so you murder.  You covenant and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.”

A man comes home from work and he steps in the door and find the place disheveled.  School books and paper and pens look like they’ve been littered all over the room.  Toys are scattered on the floor.  Kids are pouncing on one another.  The dog is barking.  Thankfully, his wife comes over to him and he expects a kiss and a warm welcome, but all he gets is a list of chores that need to be done before taking little Betsy to ballet in an hour.

None of this is done the way he wants.  He expects order, love, respect, tidiness.  He has this utopic vision for home.  He’s been working hard all day and he deserves it, right!

That is a recipe for an explosion, isn’t it?  Peace is about to be blown to high heaven.

Did you know you can have peace even with clutter all over the room?  Do you know that you can have peace, even if your kids are rambunctious and it seems like there is havoc in the home?  You can have it if you first address your own heart.  If you put aside your expectations—if you are willing to slay what you perceive to be your rights—if you put your passions in line with Christ and what he wants, you can walk in that door, witness all the same things, and enjoy it all. 

Do you understand what I’m saying?  Peace can only be had when you address your own heart; your own desires and order it in the way Christ wants you to.

He is one who addresses others
You remember what I said earlier.  A real peacemaker brings people together.  It’s the kind of peace we have with God.  He not only solves the problem of our sin, but He draws near to us and dwells with us.  That’s why we have peace.  It’s about the relationship.

That’s what we need when there is a breech in a relationship.  You know what Jesus says.  He says, “You must go to him.”  You must go to him and lovingly confront him.  Or better yet, Galatians 6:1 says “If anyone is caught in sin, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness.” 

You may remember earlier I talked about the avoider, the pushover, and the truce caller.  These guys were not peacemakers because they were not addressing one another.  They were avoiding the problems and the people.

Confrontation is not peaceful, to be sure.  Confrontation can be very unsettling.  And most people don’t address the problems and the people because they are fearful of that confrontation. 

You know the best way to get a dragon to stop pillaging your kingdom, don’t you?  You have to slay the dragon.  You can ignore the dragon or yell at the dragon, but he’s going to keep on being a dragon.  The only way to keep peace is to confront the dragon and slay him.

And that’s what we must do with our problems.  We must confront them, we must lovingly speak to the people involved with the problem and we must slay the problem.

Which brings us to the fourth trait of a peacemaker. 

A peacemaker is one who addresses the issues only if its needed
You know, some people are not peaceable because they talk to much.  They dwell on issues that they shouldn’t be dwelling on.  They are not willing to overlook things and let love cover a multitude of sins.  But Scripture tells us to bear all things, to be patient with one another, to have a long suffering attitude, to turn the other cheek.

You’ll be a peacemaker if you can have a stout heart to do those kinds of things.  As a matter of fact, if you are really into avoiding conflict and avoiding problems, this is where you can do it!  You can avoid making problems by simply “holding your peace.”

Jesus came before Pilate.  There were all kinds of accusations against him.  Pilate looked at him and said, “What do you have to say?” And Jesus remained silent. He knew there was nothing that could be said.  It would be casting pearls to pigs at that point.  He was fine to hold his peace.  He had come to suffer and he was willing to suffer. 

One of the traits of a peacemaker is that he only will speak when it’s needed.
 
II. Why is he blessed?
They will be called “sons of God.” 

You will have this denomination.  You will be designated as one of the sons of God. 

Now, recognize that this does not make you a son of God.  Your being a peacemaker does not earn you the right to be a son of God.  It’s God’s grace that does that.  God in his Grace makes you a son of God.  That is what the doctrine of adoption is all about.  You were an enemy of God, living in rebellion against him.  But God in his grace saved you, forgave you, and made you his own.   He awoke you to your spiritual destitution and gave you a meek spirit which would submit to him.

You are adopted by God and made a son by means of His grace, not your ability to be a peacemaker.
What this says is that as you embody the marks of a peacemaker, you will be called a son of God.  In other words, your status will be recognized. 

It might be that men give this recognition.  They will see you in your peacemaking.  They will recognize that this trait is not common to men.  While all the world wars and fights and creates tension, they will notice that you have a different disposition.  They will see that peace is something different in you.  They will notice the resemblance between you and God.

You’ve seen boys who have looked like their fathers, haven’t you?  They not only have the same hair color, same eyes, same shape of nose and chin, but they have the same mannerisms.  They’ll say, “He’s a chip off the old block.”  The family resemblance is uncanny, as they say.

That may be something that happens.  People will see that you have an uncanny resemblance to God the Father and they will say, “You must be one of his kin.”

But what’s more likely is that God himself makes this designation.  God the Father looks down and sees your peaceable spirit.  He sees you doing the family business, so to speak.  He sees how you strive to create peace and he says, “That one is one of my sons.”

Have you dads ever had one of those proud dad moments?  Where you saw your boy doing something that just made you proud?  I’ve had the chance to watch Truman out on the little league soccer fields.  He’s a whiz out there.  He’s fast.  He’s real fast.  He gets that ball and he pushes it down the field.  He zigs and zags around the other players; he’s got incredible foot skills.  But a couple weeks ago, he got that ball—stole it away from the other team.  And he took it down field like a flash.  He dribbled around several players and then, after having gotten space from the final defender, booted that ball high into the upper left hand corner—over the goalie’s head.

It was a stellar move.  The crowd went wild.  Even the other coach was blown away.  And I said to myself, “That’s my boy.”  In that moment he had done something pretty amazing, and I couldn’t be more proud to say, “that’s my son.”

Well, let me say that the ability to be a peacemaker far surpasses anything you can do with a soccer ball.  And when God looks down and sees his children making peace, he takes great delight in them.  He is filled with joy, and he says, “That’s my boy.” 

This is an issue of status.  It is that divine recognition that you not only belong to God, but it is a denomination of stature.  You might say it is the highest compliment—the greatest honor—one could ever receive.
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God himself, who is the great peacemaker, who has made peace with men through the gospel of grace, looks down and sees his kinship with you.