Happy are the Peacemakers

We have been going through the Beatitudes, one Beatitude at a time, one statement of

blessing and happiness at a time in Matthew chapter 5.

Matthew 5 · chapter mention

Today we are on the seventh Beatitude in verse 9, but I'll read verse 1 to 12.

But before I do that, let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's Word.

Heavenly Father, you are the God of peace, and you have made peace for us by the blood

of your only Son, Jesus Christ.

So Lord, make that reality, that peace that no one can take from us, grip our lives.

And change our hearts.

And even today, even this very moment, address us from your Word and by your Word, transform

us more and more to be peacemakers.

We pray this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Please stand if you're able to honor God as we read from his Word, Matthew 5, verses 1 to

Matthew 5:1–12

12.

Amen.

for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

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

blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom

of heaven blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil

against you falsely on my account rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven

for so they persecuted the prophets who are before you this is god's holy and authoritative word you

may be seated there has never been in a period there's never been a hit period in history in

recorded history at least that has been completely free of wars there have been periods of relative

peace and stability for example historians often talk about the Pax Romana the Roman peace between

27 BC and 180 CE when the Roman Empire dominated the world and enforced stability but even during

that time there were the Roman Parthian Wars and the many Jewish revolts that were brutally crushed and

suppressed by the Roman Empire some people point to the Pax Mongolica the Mongolian peace in the 13th and

14th centuries when Genghis Khan's conquest and the ensuing domination of the Mongolian Empire enforced

peace along the peace along the Silk Road but even during that time there was the Mongolian invasion of Japan and the extended war against the Mamluks in the Middle East and that's not even counting the civil wars within the Mongolian Empire

some people point to the heyday of the the British Empire the Pax Britannica but even during that time there was the war against China the opium wars against China the Crimean War against Russia

and of course American Civil War against Russia and of course American Civil War was happening during that time

we haven't yet had a World War III but the world has still been plagued by wars the Vietnam War Korean War Soviet African War the numerous Arab Israeli wars the Gulf War Iraq War Rwandan genocide civil war

second Congo war Chinese Civil War and the ongoing Russo Ukrainian war and I'm just scratching the surface of the wars that have taken place

there has never been a period in recorded human history that has been free of wars and that is no exaggeration

but why nobody claims to want war and everybody claims to want peace so why can't we have peace

we find God's answer and solution in the seventh beatitude blessed are the peacemakers

for they shall be called sons of God ultimately this passage teaches us that we are peacemakers because our heavenly father has made peace with us in Jesus Christ

and I'm going to talk about that first by defining what peace is and then we'll talk about peacemaking what that entails and then we'll finally talk about the prince of peace who enables us to have peace

we all know that peace is the opposite of war and the Bible often makes that contrast and uses that contrast

when there is peace there is an absence of conflict absence of strife

but peace in biblical terms is also more than that it's deeper than simply an absence of conflict

for example in Genesis 43 27 when Joseph meets his brothers who come to Egypt to buy grain

it says that he inquired about their welfare and said is your father well the old man of whom you spoke is he still alive

and in that questioning the word welfare is the same Hebrew word for peace

so peace is not just an absence of conflict but it can mean well-being wholeness welfare

it's the Hebrew word shalom which many of you have heard before

and this sense of well-being isn't merely about physical health and well-being either

it's about relational well-being

making covenant with someone in the Old Testament was often called making peace with someone

so if you have peace with somebody then you are in a right relationship with that person

and in that sense peace is different from a mere truce or a ceasefire

because even when there is no open fire or open conflict

the relationship between peoples and nations can be deeply disturbed and disordered

for example think about the Korean War which ended in 1953

with the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement

it divided Korea into two halves North and South Korea

and then it established a demilitarized zone in the middle along the 38th parallel

but is that peace?

there is no peace

they are still divided

they are still enemies

there is still hostility between the two nations

they are still

they are waging a war of propaganda

and posturing

they are building up their respective militaries

and securing themselves against the other

it's merely a frozen conflict

it's a cold war

but it's a war nonetheless

there is no peace

Israel and Hamas currently have a truce in place

actually may have just expired today

I forget exactly when it expires

but that's no peace either

war threatens to break out any minute

peace goes deeper than a mere truce or a ceasefire

it entails right relationship

restoration

reconciliation

and the most important peace that the Bible speaks of is peace with God

God himself says of his people in Ezekiel 34 25

I will make with them a covenant of peace

Isaiah 54 10 says

my steadfast love shall not depart from you

and my covenant of peace shall not be removed

to have peace with God then

is to be in right relationship with him

to have a covenant with him

and to have his loyal

steadfast

covenantal love upon us

to have peace then

in a full biblical sense

is to fit into God's order and plan

to be restored to wholeness

and right relationship with him

and it's only through that restored relationship

vertically with God

that there can be restored relationship

horizontally with others

it's a peace ultimately that comes from God

the peace that can only be attained

with God's help

and therefore is impossible to attain apart from him

that's why God is often called the God of peace

or the Lord of peace

and when Gideon builds an altar

to honor him and to worship him

he calls that altar

the Lord is peace

in Judges 6 24

and that's why the fruit of the spirit

and you guys know

is love

joy

peace

this is not a natural attribute

or a temperament

or an aspect of personality

that we have

naturally

this is something that is

spirit given

God given

spirit born fruit

that marks the born again Christian

that's what all of these beatitudes are

our understanding of peace

has implications for how we understand

what it means to be a peacemaker

first let's talk about what peacemaking is not

and then secondly we'll talk about what peacemaking is

since peace is more than a simple absence of conflict

but having your life rightly ordered before God

and being in restored to right relationship with him

peacemaking is not merely avoiding conflict

some people are naturally easygoing

and they are conflict averse

I think we have a lot of those in our church

I don't know if that's Cambridge or something else

but that doesn't necessarily make us peacemakers

if you seek peace at any price

then you're eventually going to pay a price that's too high for you to pay

British Prime Minister

Neville Chamberlain

is a famous example of this

in 1938

Nazi Germany invaded Czechoslovakia

France at the time had an alliance with the Czech Republic

that they were obligated to honor

they should have come to their aid

however along with Neville Chamberlain

the British Prime Minister

and the French leaders

they decided to appease Adolf Hitler

by formally requesting that Czechoslovakia

cede the territory that Germany had seized

and powerless to do anything else

they did cede that territory to Germany

and that agreement is called the Munich Agreement

but the Czechs call it the Munich Betrayal

did they keep a semblance of peace?

yes they did

but it was a peace built on injustice

and is it any wonder why that peace didn't last?

Adolf Hitler was emboldened by the cowardice of the European leaders

and then proceeded to invade Poland

in 1939 starting World War II

and World War II didn't end

until Neville Chamberlain was replaced

by someone with more backbone

you may have heard of Winston Churchill

if we subvert righteousness

in the name of so-called peace

then we are peace fakers

not peacemakers

that makes us appeasers

in Jeremiah 6 14 to 15

God denounces the false prophets

and false peacemakers of Israel

because they condoned the people's idolatry

their sins against God

and then yet they promised peace

God's not going to judge you

don't worry

you'll have peace in the future

and God denounces them

and rejects them

and says this about them

they have healed the wound of my people

lightly saying

peace peace

when there is no peace

you cannot have true peace

if you are forsaking the kingdom of God

if you're forsaking the righteousness of God

how can an idolatrous people

have peace with God?

contrast those false prophets

with Jehu in 2 Kings 9 17 to 22

Jehu is anointed to be king

by an emissary of prophet Elisha

and he is anointed by God

to go and avenge the blood

of his prophets and servants

whom Jezebel and Ahab

and their household killed

and so Jehu is riding furiously

on his chariot

going to exact vengeance

on Jehu's

sorry

on Jezebel's son

Joram

King Joram

Queen Mother Jezebel

was still alive at this time

and as he is riding to the palace

these messengers come out

repeatedly asking him

tell us Jehu

is it peace?

peace?

and then he keeps going

he doesn't stop

eventually he gets to King Joram

and King Joram asks him

is it peace Jehu?

and then Jehu tells him

what peace can there be

so long as the hoardings

and the sorceries

of your mother Jezebel

are so many

there can be no peace

in the presence of idolatry

and wickedness

peace at the expense

of truth and justice

is not peace

it's compromise

the idols must be struck down

and righteousness must reign

then and only then

can we have true peace

this explains the tension

we see in Jesus' person

and message

on the one hand

we see repeatedly

the New Testament telling us

that Jesus came to earth

to bring peace

at his birth

the angels announced

glory in the highest

and peace on earth

to those with whom

God is pleased

as he enters Jerusalem

in Luke 19 42

Jesus weeps over

this unrepentant city

saying

would that you

even you

had known on this day

the things that make

for peace

but now they are hidden

from your eyes

bringing peace was

Jesus' mission

and so he says

to his disciples

in John 14 27

peace I leave with you

my peace I give to you

not as the world gives

do I give to you

let not your hearts

be troubled

neither let them be afraid

so Jesus came to bring peace

but on the other hand

Jesus has this to say

in Matthew 10 34 to 37

do not think that I have come

to bring peace to the earth

I have not come to bring peace

but a sword

for I have come

to set a man

against his father

and a daughter

against her mother

and a daughter-in-law

against her mother-in-law

and a person's enemies

will be those

of his own household

whoever loves father

or mother more than me

is not worthy of me

and whoever loves son

or daughter more than me

is not worthy of me

so which is it

did Jesus come to make peace

or to bring a sword

the answer is both

he brings the offer

of true peace

but if our family members

and friends

reject Jesus

then our ultimate allegiance

must be to him

and not to them

that creates a disturbance

it creates divisions

that's the sword

that Jesus is talking about

but if you try to keep peace

at the expense of truth

than righteousness

then you're not making peace

you're just selling out

it is no coincidence

that the eighth beatitude

which comes after this

is blessed are those

who are persecuted

for the sake of righteousness

this is also why

the sixth beatitude

precedes this one

blessed are the pure in heart

for they shall see God

only after that

the purity of heart

do we get

blessed are the peacemakers

for they shall be called

sons of God

the importance of that order

is confirmed by James 3 17

which says

the wisdom from above

is first pure

then peaceable

gentle

open to reason

the wisdom of God

is first pure

then peaceable

and that order

is not incidental

it's only the pure in heart

who will one thing

who desire one thing

to please their Lord

their God

who can be true peacemakers

because if you're seeking

to please yourself

or if you're seeking

to please others

you will never have peace

in your life

if your first goal

is to keep peace

at all costs

you will never have

true peace

18th century theologian

Jonathan Edwards

explains this

in his book

The Nature of True Virtue

he says

private affection

if not subordinate

to general affection

is not only liable

to issue

and enmity

to being in general

but has a tendency

to it

and he gives an example

that makes it a little clearer

when a man

is governed

by a regard

to his own

private interest

independent of regard

to the public good

such a temper

exposes a man

to act the part

of an enemy

to the public

as in every case

wherein his private interest

seems to clash

with the public

is that not true?

if our highest objective

is our own

private interest

then wherever

our private interest

is at odds

with the public good

we're going to be

a public enemy

if our highest allegiance

is to our class

or to a political party

or to a race

or to a nation

or to a gender

then naturally

we will be

classist

racist

chauvinist

and sexist

let me put it

another way

how do you get

an orchestra

of 50 something people

to play harmoniously

together

not by having

the various sections

of the orchestra

the strings

the woodwinds

the brass

the percussions

all play

at their own rhythm

and pace

and key

we also do not

accomplish that

by having

every individual

musician

watch

every other musician

and try to match

and sync up

with them

that would lead

to chaos

and cacophony

we get an orchestra

to play harmoniously

together

by having

all of them

follow the baton

of the one

conductor

similarly

as long as

we are looking out

for our own interests

or the interests

of our own factions

as long as

our driving

motivation in life

is what's in it

for me

or what's in it

for us

there will never

be peace

in our personal

relationships

or in the world

because everybody

else is doing

the same thing

and our desires

are in conflict

with each other

James 4

1-2

teaches us

what causes

quarrels

and what causes

fights among you

is it not this

that your passions

are at war

within you

you desire

and do not have

so you murder

you covet and

cannot obtain

so you fight

and quarrel

this is the root

of all conflict

there will be no end

to warring nations

as long as there are

warring passions

between persons

but if our

overriding concern

is instead

our father in heaven

hallowed be your name

your kingdom come

and your will be done

on earth

as it is in heaven

if our highest

objective in life

is to please

the one true God

who is over all

and through all

and in all

then we can have

true peace

and unity

among all peoples

in his book

shining like stars

the power of the gospel

in the world's universities

Lindsay Brown

the former CEO

of international fellowship

of evangelical students

illustrates this reality

during the Burundi genocide

in the early 90s

a number of Tutsis

were killed

on campus

of Bujumbura University

by the Hutus

imagine

intentional murder

happening on your

university campuses

and many of the Tutsis

out of fear

fled to the mountains

during that time

some Hutu Christians

chased after

followed after

these Christian

Tutsis

who had fled

to the mountains

and they brought

them food

and clothing

took care of them

comforted them

and many of these

courageous Hutu

Christians

were disowned

by their own

family members

because they chose

to put their

Christian allegiance

their allegiance

to Christ

above their allegiance

to their ethnic group

and because of that

experience

the non-Christian

president of

Bujumbura University

in Burundi

made this

extraordinary remark

our culture

is disintegrating

on our campus

there are three

groups of people

Hutus

Tutsis

and Christians

if our culture

is to survive

we must follow

the example

of the Christians

the source

of all

conflicts

and wars

in the world

ultimately

is that sinful desire

and when desire

has conceived

it gives birth

to sin

and when sin

it is fully grown

it brings forth

death

the only way

to make ultimate

peace then

is not negotiations

not diplomacy

but conversions

the only way

to get ultimate

peace

is to have people

surrender

to the lordship

of Christ

and to submit

their passions

and desires

to God

and it's when

the gospel

of Jesus Christ

transforms them

from the inside

out to seek

God's will

rather than

their own wills

their own private

interests

that's the only

path

to true peace

20th century

Walsh pastor

D. Martin

Lloyd-Jones

concurs

he says

if every man

and woman

in the world

knew what it was

to hunger

and thirst

after righteousness

there would be

no danger

of war

here is the only

way to real peace

all other

considerations

eventually do not

touch the problem

and all the

denunciations

that are so

constantly made

of various

countries

and peoples

and persons

will not have

the slightest

effect upon

the international

situation

the greatest

need in the

world now

is for a

greater number

of Christians

individual

Christians

if all nations

consisted of

individual Christians

there would be

no need to fear

atomic power

or anything else

so the gospel

which seems to be

so remote

and indirect

in its approach

is actually

the most direct

way of solving

the problem

one of the greatest

tragedies in the life

of the church today

is the way in which

so many are content

with these vague

general

useless statements

about war

and peace

instead of preaching

the gospel

in all its simplicity

and purity

so few have

the theological

clarity

that D. Martin

Lowe Jones

had

it's because

of this

that Martin

Lowe Jones

understood

that because

he understood

this

that he was

not really

enthused

or excited

or impressed

when the Kellogg

Pact

was signed

how many of you

guys know

what the Kellogg

Pact is

it's not surprising

because it's pretty

irrelevant at this

point

the Kellogg

Pact

was an

international

agreement

on peace

signed in

1928

the signing

states

promised

not to

use war

to resolve

disputes

or conflicts

of whatever

nature

15 nations

signed it

including

the U.S.

the U.K.

France

Germany

Italy

and Japan

among others

and at the

time

it was celebrated

worldwide

really as

a pact

that will

outlaw

war

forever

Lloyd

Jones

shocked

his

contemporary

pastors

with his

lack

of

enthusiasm

about

the

Kellogg

Pact

his

colleagues

wanted to

talk about

nothing but

the Kellogg

Pact

this is a

momentous

occasion

he was

out

okay

yeah

he just

insisted

on continuing

to proclaim

the gospel

because he

understood

this

and Lloyd

Jones

has been

proven

right

by history

because

the three

of the

signatories

who signed

the Kellogg

Pact

started

World War

II

just a

short

decade

later

and he

hasn't

really

prevented

much

wars

ever

since

either

Lloyd

Jones

understood

the profound

reality

that the

root of

conflict

is sinful

heart

is sinful

desires

in our

hearts

we can

be

and this

is why

this is

important

we can

be tempted

to think

in our

present

climate

that the

negotiators

of the

Israeli

Hamas

ceasefire

what they

are doing

or what

President

Trump

is

attempting

to do

in negotiating

an end

to the

Russo-Ukrainian

war

or the

resolutions

declared

and proclaimed

by the

United Nations

that these

are the

big

and important

and historic

forms of

peacemaking

while our

calling people

to repent

of their

sins

and our

confessing of

our own sins

to one

another

and our

reconciliation

with one

another

these are

small

insignificant

forms of

peacemaking

and our

but to

think that

way is

a big

mistake

we are

dealing

with the

root

we have

the real

solution

the gospel

we're in

the work

of curative

care

really trying

to cure

the underlying

disease

they're in

the work

of palliative

care

managing

pain

without

actually

seeking to

heal

the underlying

disease

the work

we are

doing

is of

eternal

significance

because

every human

soul

that you

seek

reconciliation

and peace

with

is going

to live

forever

and every

single soul

that repents

of their

sins

and is

thereby

reconciled

to God

will live

forever

every person

you talk

to will

either live

forever

in heaven

or in hell

depending on

how they

respond to

the offer

of peace

that God

has given

us in

Jesus

Christ

compared to

that

all the

peacemaking

work and

the great

diplomacy

that is

happening

in place

though not

unimportant

is of

temporal

significance

because no

nation state

lasts forever

every kingdom

eventually

falls

every earthly

kingdom

this truth

by the way

is why

Jesus

and the

Bible

focus

relentlessly

on personal

repentance

and interpersonal

reconciliation

throughout

gospels

throughout

scripture

but they

don't have

much to

say about

ending

wars

and forming

international

treaties

it's not

that Jesus

was unaware

of geopolitical

realities

do you think

that Jesus

never heard

of how

King

Herod

the first

tried to

kill him

by killing

all the

males

under the

age of

two

in Bethlehem

so that

they could

eliminate

him

as a

threat to

his throne

as the

Messiah

do you think

Jesus was

unaware of

the extortionist

tax burden

that the Roman

authorities placed

on the Jews

do you think

he never heard

about that

from his

disciples

taxation

without

representation

is tyranny

right

that was the

slogan of

the American

revolution

and these

Jews

had it

worse

they asked

Jesus

is it

lawful

to pay

taxes

to Caesar

or not

and Jesus

does not

launch off

into a speech

about the

political

oppression

and injustice

of the

Romans

he says

render to

Caesar

what is

Caesar's

render to

God

what is

God's

in Luke

13

when people

tell Jesus

about how

Pilate

the Roman

governor

when the

Jews were

offering

their

sacrifices

these

Galilean

Jews

he kills

them

and then

he up

mingles

their blood

with the

sacrifices

that they

were making

an atrocity

blasphemy

injustice

and oppression

we might

expect Jesus

to rise up

with indignation

and rally

his followers

and retrofit

them with

weapons

and ride

into Jerusalem

on a stallion

and overthrow

the Roman

empire

but no

he tells

them

unless you

repent

you all

will likewise

perish

he always

turns these

things right

back around

to the

people

and to

make it

makes it

an issue

of personal

repentance

and their

relationship

with God

think about

that

that's kind

of a

confusing

response

unless you

understand

the spiritual

realities

we're speaking

of

I've spent

enough time

defining and

qualifying

peacemaking

let's get

down to

business

nitty gritty

details of what

that looks

like

sorry

the

beatitude

isn't

blessed

are

the

peace

lovers

or the

peace

talkers

it's

blessed

are the

peacemakers

people who

do

peace

first we

must make

peace in

our

relationships

with our

Christian

brothers and

sisters

the Bible

talks so

often about

this I

could have

spent the

entire sermon

just reading

quote after

quote after

quote of

this

command

I'll sample

just a couple

2nd Corinthians

13 11

says aim

for

restoration

comfort

one another

agree

with one

another

live in

peace

and the

God of

love and

peace

will be

with you

Christians

cannot

accept

conflict

as a

status quo

we are

commanded

to aim

for

restoration

we are

commanded

to agree

with one

another

to live

in peace

over the

last 10

years of

church life

I've had

number of

conflicts

with people

in church

and one

of the

things that

I'm very

proud of

of people

in our

church

and people

who are

here

is that

we have

walked

through

those

things

we did

not sit

in conflict

we didn't

let that

conflict

simmer

and exist

indefinitely

we worked

through those

things

and made

peace

peace

and I've

seen a

number of

believers

do that

in our

church

that

passing

the

peace

is not

just a

formality

real

making

peace

happens

during that

time

it starts

during those

times

and then it

continues

as

conversations

afterward

be at

peace

among

yourselves

it says

once again

this doesn't

mean to

seek

peace

at the

expense

of God's

revealed

truth

in

scripture

Paul

acknowledges

in 1

Corinthians

11

18

19

that

there

are

divisions

sometimes

in

church

and that

that

exists

he says

I hear

that there

are

divisions

among

you

and I

believe

in

in

part

for

there

must

be

factions

among

you

in order

to

in order

that

those

who

are

genuine

among

you

may

be

recognized

sometimes

there

are

divisions

in

church

along

the

fault

lines

of

truth

to

tell

the

genuine

Christians

apart

from

the

false

Christians

counterfeit

Christians

that's

inevitable

if we

stand

for

truth

but

as

far

as

it

depends

on

us

we

must

aim

for

restoration

within

the

community

of

Christians

at

peace

we

must

seek

to

live

in

this

peace

we do

that

by

being

quick

to

hear

and

slow

to

speak

and

slow

to

anger

for

the

anger

of

man

does

not

produce

the

righteousness

of

God

some

of

you

sin

more

by

being

silent

when

you

should

speak

others

of

you

sin

more

like

me

by

speaking

when

you

should

listen

we

learned

from

Titus

3

last

week

which

said

remind

them

to

be

submissive

to

rulers

and

authorities

to be

obedient

for every

good

work

to

speak

evil

of

no

one

to

avoid

quarreling

to be

gentle

and to

show

perfect

courtesy

toward

all

people

we

make

peace

by

resolving

to

speak

evil

of

no

one

do

not

speak

with

malicious

intent

about

anyone

to

do

damage

to

their

reputation

do

not

be

quarrelsome

and

there's

a

difference

between

sincere

debates

and

foolish

controversies

the

former

seeks

truth

the

latter

seeks

self

exaltation

look

at how

intelligent

I

am

look

at how

knowledgeable

I

am

the

former

is

substantive

it

deals

with

substance

the

latter

deals

with

trivialities

as

Christians

we

already

have

the

unity

of

the

spirit

that

is

a

spiritual

reality

that

God

has

brought

about

in

his

son

Jesus

Christ

but

then

we

are

commanded

to

maintain

the

unity

of

the

spirit

in

the

bond

of

peace

and

we

do

that

it

says

in

Ephesians

4

2

3

by

relating

!

with

all

humility

and

love

this

is

the

hard

but

important

work

of

peacemaking

in

the

context

of

the

church

second

we

must

make

peace

with

unbelievers

as

well

Hebrews

12

14

says

strive

for

peace

with

everyone

not

just

with

your

brothers

and

sisters

in

Christ

Jesus

says

later

in

Matthew

5

38

to

48

do

not

seek

personal

retribution

he

says

do

not

resist

the

one

who

is

evil

but

if

anyone

slaps

you

on

the

right

cheek

turn

to

him

the

other

also

he

continues

you

have

heard

that

it

was

said

you

shall

love

your

neighbor

and

hate

your

enemy

but

I

say

to

you

love

your

enemies

and

pray

for

those

who

persecute

you

so

that

you

may

be

sons

of

your

father

who

is

in

heaven

for

he

makes

his

sun

rise

on

the

evil

and

on

the

good

and

sends

rain

on

the

just

and

on

the

unjust

for

if

you

love

those

who

love

you

what

reward

do

you

have

do

not

even

the

tax

collectors

do

the

same

and

if

you

greet

only

your

brothers

what

more

are

you

doing

than

others

do

not

even

the

Gentiles

do

the

same

you

therefore

must

be

perfect

as

your

heavenly

father

is

perfect

do

you

see

the

perils

between

this

passage

and

the

beatitude

that

we're

looking

at

what

is

promised

here

blessed

are

the

peacemakers

for

they

shall

be

called

sons

of

God

we

find

the

same

promise

in

this

passage

in

Matthew

5

38

to

48

love

your

enemies

and