Peacemakers

Peacemakers

 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Matthew 5:9

 With all the events that have occurred in this country recently, there has never been a time when we have needed peacemakers more. Christians, because of who they are in Christ, should be the best in this role. Unfortunately, this has not always been the case in recent days. Jesus plainly told us that peacemakers would be blessed.  Perhaps we need to examine who peacemakers really are. What does it take to be a peacemaker? Can anyone be a peacemaker? Let us start with the above verse. Jesus states that peacemakers will be called the children of God. He did not say that being a peacemaker made someone a child of God. There is only one way that someone can become a child of God.

 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. 

John 1:12-13

To have the right to become a child of God, someone must believe in the name of Jesus. What this verse is saying is that a peacemaker will be blessed by being called a child of God. Peacemakers will be called children of God because of their actions which lead to peace and are recognized as what a child of God would do. This then leads us to the question of what kinds of actions peace makers do that lead to peace. How does one become a peacemaker? First, a person needs to come to Jesus. This means much more than just acknowledging Jesus and introducing yourself. When you come to Jesus, you should have thirst for what he has to give. Remember only he can quench that thirst.

 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." 

John 7:37-38

Then you need to understand that Jesus is our shepherd. We are his sheep. He is our protector and leads us to green pastures. This means we need to follow him when we come in and go out in our lives. This is also a part of coming to Jesus.

 Therefore Jesus said again, "Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 

John 10:7-9

Finally when you come to Jesus, you need to lay down your burden, take on his yoke and learn from him. One of the most important things for a peacemaker to learn is that Jesus is gentle and humble in heart.

 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Matthew 11:28-30

 The next important step in being a peace maker is to strive to know him and learn be like him. After Saul, who would soon be Paul, met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he would spend his entire life doing this.

 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. 

Acts 11:25-26

 Paul and Barnabas went to Antioch. They taught at the church there for a whole year. It was here that the disciples were first called Christians. They were identified as such not because of who they were but because of what they did. They followed Christ and began to know him. Paul later explained this when he wrote to the church in Philippi. He stressed to them that his goal was to know Christ.

 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 3:12-14

Paul understood that the most important thing was to know Christ, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his suffering. He knew he had not arrived at that knowledge yet, but he kept pushing forward toward that goal. He passed this same passion on to Timothy.

 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 

2 Timothy 1:6-9

 As Paul learned more and more to know Christ, he passed this knowledge on to Timothy. He knew that Timothy was going to be used for special purposes in the future. One of the important things he told Timothy was to turn away from wickedness. He told him to flee evil and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace. Timothy was to be a peacemaker. Paul also advised Timothy to not have anything to do with foolish or stupid questions. These only lead to quarrels and not peace.

 Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. 

2 Timothy 2:19-26

 These characteristics are those of a peacemaker. Paul had learned these by getting to know Jesus. These instructions to be kind to everyone and not resentful but to gently instruct all came from Paul's personal experience with Christ. He shared his life's experiences with Timothy so he could live a godly life in Jesus. The other thing that Paul shared with Timothy was the importance of knowing the Holy Scriptures. This way Timothy could be well equipped to do every good work including being a peacemaker.

 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

2 Timothy 3:10-17

 Timothy had the advantage of spending time and learning from Paul in person. He was able to get to know Jesus better through this. We don't have the opportunity to sit down with Paul and learn directly from him but we do have the Bible and many good teachers that can help us get to know Jesus. Many of these same concepts that Paul taught Timothy are what all Christians need to know today as they grown in Christ. But the important thing is that we all need to grow in whatever way we can to be more like Christ. The next important factor in being a peacemaker is wisdom.

 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and   the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord." 

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Most of us are not considered to be wise by earthly standards. Not many of us are influencers or great leaders that have the gift of worldly wisdom. But this does not mean we cannot be wise. When we get to know Jesus, he becomes wisdom for us. He is our righteousness, holiness and redemption. It is this kind of wisdom that enables a person to be a peacemaker. James explains to us the difference between earthly wisdom and the wisdom that comes from heaven.

 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. 

James 3:13-18

The other important point that James makes is that wisdom doesn't do any good unless someone can demonstrate it by leading a good life full of deeds done in humility. The life that a peacemaker lives should be a demonstration of how to live a peaceful life. A peacemaker's actions are like seeds. When others receive them, they are planted in their minds. Eventually with patience and sincerity this can result in a harvest of righteousness. The Pharisees criticized Jesus because he ate and drank with tax collectors and sinners. They thought his actions were unwise from their viewpoint. However, the proof of Jesus wisdom came in the results that he obtained. Many of those tax collectors and sinners were saved. 

 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is proved right by her deeds." 

Matthew 11:19

 Finally, a peacemaker needs to walk in the Spirit. When Jesus left this earth and returned to the Father, he gave those who believed the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit teaches the truth and tells us about what is to come.

 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you." 

John 16:13-15

 The Spirit will glorify Jesus because what he teaches us will come from Jesus. If we walk in the Spirit then we can become even more like Jesus. Remember Matthew 11:28-30 when Jesus told the people to come to him and take on his yoke and learn from him. He also said that he was gentle and humble in heart. If people want to be peacemakers, then they need to learn to be like this also. The Holy Spirit can help us learn to do this.

 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 

Ephesians 4:2-3

 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. 

Galatians 5:22-26

When the church, the body of Christ, begins to understand that being a peacemaker is one of the roles that Christians need to develop, God will use this to do great things. After Paul met Jesus, he went to Damascus. There, Ananias led by the Lord, blessed Paul and he was filled by the Holy Spirit. He immediately began teaching about the Lord. Shortly thereafter, he went to Jerusalem to meet the apostles. They were afraid of Paul because of his reputation of killing Jews who followed the Way. Soon thereafter, some Hellenistic Jews plotted to kill him. This violent act could have inflamed not only the city but the entire region.

 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. 

Acts 9:30-31

 The Bible doesn't tell us who these believers were, but they were probably just ordinary people who had become Christians. There must have been several of them working together to plan and help Paul escape from the city. They were peacemakers. Through their acts of service to help Paul, they contributed to peace in the city of Jerusalem, Judea, Galilee and Samaria. Their act of saving Paul from the angry mob of Hellenistic Jews, enabled him to go on later and establish churches all over the known world at that time. After Paul was safely in Tarsus, the church enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. How had these believers been able to do all this? They feared the Lord and were encouraged by the Holy Spirit. God then blessed their actions and the church grew in numbers.

Looking at what is happening in our country these days, there are some similarities to what happened when Paul went to Jerusalem. There were some who disagreed with what Paul was teaching and were willing to go to the extreme of doing something violent. But there were peacemakers in Jerusalem also at that time. They worked together and removed Paul from the city and prevented the violence from occurring. Our country right now has many angry people who have committed or are contemplating committing violent acts. I would argue though that there are also peacemakers across our land who through their humble acts of service in so many ways can bring peace. I am not talking about fighting violence with violence but about being humble, gentle and kind in service to all people. If the church and more specifically the individuals in the church would take on the role of peacemaker, then God will bless their actions and this country.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24