Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God”…
Before we can understand what it means to be a peacemaker, we must understand what peace is and what it is not.
There is a ‘peace’ that is ‘no peace. We speak of keeping the peace and not disturbing the peace. there is, however, a ‘peace’ which needs to be disturbed if we are to find true peace. There is a ‘peace’ which is based on shallow superficiality. This ‘peace’, that is ‘no peace’, needs to be challenged by Jesus Christ. He is the Prince of peace. He calls us to enjoy true peace, His peace. We are not to rest content with a ‘peace’ that is ‘no peace.’ We are called by Christ to be peacemakers.
To choose Christ is to choose the way of suffering and sacrifice. This is not the world’s way. the world’s way is the way of shallowness and superficiality. Christ’s way is the way of suffering and sacrifice. Christ’s way is the way of the Cross. This is the way of peace. As we look to the Cross, we see that Christ is our Peace. In Him, we have peace with God. In Him, we enjoy the peace of God. Peace-making begins with Jesus Christ. It begins with personal faith in Him. we are to be peace-makers at home and at work. We are to be peace-maker in the church and in the community. We must seek God’s forgiveness. We must confess our failure to be peace-makers. We must respond to God’s call for conversion. He calls for a change of heart. He’s looking for a change of attitude. Before we can make peace, we must find peace. Before we can find peace with God, we must stop fighting with God and start working with God.
Can we live at peace with one another if we insist on living without God’s peace in our own lives? The answer is “No.” If we are to enjoy peace, we must also give glory to God.If we really want to be peacemakers, we must open our hearts and give our lives to the Peacemaker – our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of peace.
To be peacemakers means more than hoping for peace and talking about peace. It involves living for peace and working for peace. We must not believe the lie which tells us that violence and hatred will have the last word. We must not believe the lie which tells us that war and destruction are here for ever. We must hold on to the faith which believes that there will come a Day when death will be no more, a Day when there will be no more mourning, no more crying and no more pain. To really live according to this faith means that we must live as men and women who are different, men and women who have been changes by the God of peace, men and women whose lives have been touched by the God of hope.
Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Here, He sets before us a choice. How will we choose to live? Will we make peace? Or Will we make war? The way in which you live your life will change your world. You will change it for the better. Or You will change it for the worse. What kind of influence will you have on the world around you? Will it be a good influence? Will it be a bad influence?
Martin Luther King had a good influence on the world. Adolf Hitler had a bad influence on the world. Martin Luther King had a dream. It was a dream of a better world – a world of peace and happiness. Adolf Hitler also had a dream. It turned into a nightmare for the world. It wasn’t a God-given dream. It was a dream of power for Adolf Hitler. We dare not say, “Any dream will do.” We need a God-given dream, a dream of a world redeemed by Christ.
What kind of man was Martin Luther King? – He was a peacemaker.
What kind of influence does he continue to have? – He has changed the world. He has helped to make it a better place.
What kind of men and women should we be? What kind of influence should we have? – May God help us to be peacemakers. May we enter into the blessing promised by Jesus – “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).
There is a ‘peace’ that is ‘no peace. We speak of keeping the peace and not disturbing the peace. there is, however, a ‘peace’ which needs to be disturbed if we are to find true peace. There is a ‘peace’ which is based on shallow superficiality. This ‘peace’, that is ‘no peace’, needs to be challenged by Jesus Christ. He is the Prince of peace. He calls us to enjoy true peace, His peace. We are not to rest content with a ‘peace’ that is ‘no peace.’ We are called by Christ to be peacemakers.
To choose Christ is to choose the way of suffering and sacrifice. This is not the world’s way. the world’s way is the way of shallowness and superficiality. Christ’s way is the way of suffering and sacrifice. Christ’s way is the way of the Cross. This is the way of peace. As we look to the Cross, we see that Christ is our Peace. In Him, we have peace with God. In Him, we enjoy the peace of God. Peace-making begins with Jesus Christ. It begins with personal faith in Him. we are to be peace-makers at home and at work. We are to be peace-maker in the church and in the community. We must seek God’s forgiveness. We must confess our failure to be peace-makers. We must respond to God’s call for conversion. He calls for a change of heart. He’s looking for a change of attitude. Before we can make peace, we must find peace. Before we can find peace with God, we must stop fighting with God and start working with God.
Can we live at peace with one another if we insist on living without God’s peace in our own lives? The answer is “No.” If we are to enjoy peace, we must also give glory to God.If we really want to be peacemakers, we must open our hearts and give our lives to the Peacemaker – our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of peace.
To be peacemakers means more than hoping for peace and talking about peace. It involves living for peace and working for peace. We must not believe the lie which tells us that violence and hatred will have the last word. We must not believe the lie which tells us that war and destruction are here for ever. We must hold on to the faith which believes that there will come a Day when death will be no more, a Day when there will be no more mourning, no more crying and no more pain. To really live according to this faith means that we must live as men and women who are different, men and women who have been changes by the God of peace, men and women whose lives have been touched by the God of hope.
Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Here, He sets before us a choice. How will we choose to live? Will we make peace? Or Will we make war? The way in which you live your life will change your world. You will change it for the better. Or You will change it for the worse. What kind of influence will you have on the world around you? Will it be a good influence? Will it be a bad influence?
Martin Luther King had a good influence on the world. Adolf Hitler had a bad influence on the world. Martin Luther King had a dream. It was a dream of a better world – a world of peace and happiness. Adolf Hitler also had a dream. It turned into a nightmare for the world. It wasn’t a God-given dream. It was a dream of power for Adolf Hitler. We dare not say, “Any dream will do.” We need a God-given dream, a dream of a world redeemed by Christ.
What kind of man was Martin Luther King? – He was a peacemaker.
What kind of influence does he continue to have? – He has changed the world. He has helped to make it a better place.
What kind of men and women should we be? What kind of influence should we have? – May God help us to be peacemakers. May we enter into the blessing promised by Jesus – “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).
