The Peace Makers
Spiritual Growth, The Keys • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 3 viewsPeace within and peace in the world.
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Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
God placed this message in my heart two months ago. Something led me to put it aside. I sensed it in my spirit last Wednesday. Little did I know a new war would break out in Israel.
Responsive Reading: Eph. 2:14-18.
Matthew five introduces what is known as Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,
I had the good fortune to go the Galilee and stand on the hill where Jesus delivered his great message. Galilee is a giant portrait of land and sea. I could imagine thousands of people finding themselves in Jesus word. Imagine those who heard words of oppression and a hard religion all their lives, heard a word that spoke to their condition. The multitudes found themselves in the kingdom of God.
May you find yourself today. May the Holy Spirit speak directly into your heart. May you acknowledge the length, the depth, the height and breadth of God’s loving kindness.
There are eight statements in the Beatitudes beginning with the word, Blessed.”
The Greek word is makarios. It means happy or fortunate by means of divine favor.
Many in the church have missed the gospel. Many hear you are blessed without condition. Many believe they have royalty or divine favor without regeneration, consecration, obedience or purpose. Paul saw this error in the Corinthian church. The Corinthians claimed authority and blessings without the marks and scars Paul experienced. He said, 1 Corinthians 4:8 “Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you!”
Salvation is all of Grace; but eternal reward is earned
People want position without conditioning. You earn your position before you receive your title.
Paul, the slave - the doulos of Christ. He learned to be the slave of Christ.
Peter, the apostle… all earned. Peter failed many times before he could call himself an apostle. When Jesus identified the blessed, they met a condition. The condition was so difficult that the blessing seemed anything just the opposite. The Christian’s blessing is not more things; it is more of God and more of Christ. Being blessed was not a statement of advantage; it identified those who God accepted in their disadvantage.
Blessed are the poor in spirit.
Blessed are they who mourn.
Blessed are the meek.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
Blessed are the merciful.
Blessed are the pure in heart. Then
BLESSED ARE THE PEACE MAKERS.
Jesus brought about new insights into the kingdom of God.
The crowds who followed Jesus was like the crowds who followed the cloud by day and the fire by night. The mountain by the Sea of Galilee fulfilled Mt. Sinai were Moses delivered the Law of God. Just as Jesus turned passover into communion; he turned the message of Sinai into a new message on the mountain.
This was Jesus fulfilling Moses’ prophecy.
The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.
Jesus revealed new insights no one had ever seen and understood before. He is the Logos- the Word of God himself. Do not dismiss the Word because you are familiar with it. Listen to Jesus with your heart and spirit. The Holy Spirit guide you into the mysteries of Christ..
What fascinated me is THE WORD FOR PEACEMAKERS IS USED ONLY ONCE IN THE ENTIRE BIBLE.
There were some who thought they could bring the kingdom of God by violently attacking the Roman Empire. Jesus reversed the whole idea of power.
Peace is mentioned 265 times in the Bible.
In the Old Testament, one Hebrew word for peace, šālôm, where we get the word, Shalom. King David named Solomon, Peace.
In the New Testament, the Greek word, eirēnē. It means totality or completeness, success, fulfillment, wholeness, harmony, security and well being.
This is
εἰρηνοποιός ĕirēnŏpŏiŏs, i-ray-no-poy-os.
PEACE ALLUDES US.
Most of us lack Peace.
I recently heard a report that Generation Z -those ages between 15 and 21- are experiencing the highest rates of depression and suicide in this country. They are dealing with natural disasters, the increasing threat of war and the instability of our government. If you are a young person, you need Jesus Christ more than ever before.
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.
Many people know a scripture or two about peace, but they still lack peace.
At one time I thought the only answer to America’s racial conflict would be the church. The church would bridge the racial divide through reconciliation. Paul said, “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself and giving us the ministry of reconciliation.”
True followers of Jesus Chris, black and white, would work for reconciliation. However, The principalities and powers of this world are dividing the church. The peacemakers to heal the land.
WHO ARE THE PEACEMAKERS?
Peace makers are not pacifists. They are more than those who oppose violence. They do not merely want to get along at any cost.
Peace makers are not optimists. They are more than those looking for the good outcome. They do not put a smile on evil and darkness.
Peace makers are peace- workers. They do not like to see friends fighting, or abuse in a marriage, or people assaulted in the streets. They are humanity’s last hope. They wage peace.
They do not just want to win the argument. They want totality or completeness, success, fulfillment, wholeness, harmony, security and well being for all God’s children.
Peacemakers are not weak. You are strong. You do not go around singing, “Can we all get along;” you are not afraid of reality. You look deeper into the root of the human spirit, and search for God’s will for all the humanity. You believe Love covers a multitude of sins, Mercy will outlive violence. Although righteousness and truth may be crucified in the streets, it shall rise again.
Peace makers see God’s will. You are prophets. You can see the struggle and brokenness in others. You call for the potential grace in a person. You are not petty gossips. You know if you speak evil about another, you create a picture in your own spirit. You are willing to look past the hostility in the present to draw out the godliness of the future. You believe, “Love bears all things; believes all things and hopes all things.”
Peacemakers are the greatest threat against the devil. The kingdom of heaven suffered violence. And you were willing to suffer for the sake of God‘s kingdom. Prepare to stand alone, but God is on your side and what you have inside of you is enough to bring about change.
No one can hurt you because you were not afraid. Perfect LOVE casted out fear. You learned something about Peace.
Peace is an act of faith.
He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
Jesus healed the woman’s body and spirit through her faith.
Peace is from God and requires discipline. Do not be distracted.
I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants— but let them not turn to folly.
Peace is part of your covenant relationship with God.
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
The Lord called us to work for peace.
Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
There will be such a heavy grace upon your life that you will love your enemies and bless those who curse you- Not without paying a heartache, but because you are child of God.They chose one side, God’s side. They are the most like God.
The peace of God that passes all understanding will flow through you.
God’s Peace is in attendance wherever you go.
The song writer said, “When peace like a river attends my way…”
You have a vision for what is better.
You have all the tools. You have the presence of the Holy Spirit, you have the word of God, you have angels, and you have proof of God's promises.
Come into yourself, people of God. The call of Gideon is on you. While he hid in the wine presses, the angel declared him a mighty man of valor. The mighty man of valor lay low while Gideon himself hid. Stop hiding in your circumstances and become the mighty instrument of peace God ordained.
The kingdom of God will not come by human advancement; but through the peacemakers—men and women of God who have the courage to bring about reconciliation, who have the vision to see the future and who have the grace to be patient with hurting people.
Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Jesus is the source of peace
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
We’ve been justified by faith.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Sometimes I am poor in spirit
I mourn
I believe in meekness
I hunger and thirst
I try to be merciful
I desire a pure heart
I intend to be a peacemaker
You cannot be a peace maker if you do not have peace. When the storms rise and I seek the Lord, a calm comes upon me...
I intend to share it.
How about you?
Strong, James. A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible, vol. 1, Logos Bible Software, 2009, p. 25.
Walker, W. L. “Peacemaker.” The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, edited by James Orr et al., vol. 1–5, The Howard-Severance Company, 1915, p. 2294.