Senior Pastor Mark Stafford
Lasting Peace in a Troubled World – Matthew 5:9, Romans 5:1
In the next seven weeks, there will be a lot of talk about peace on earth. The reality is that peace in this fallen world does not seem to last very long. In the secular world, peacemakers have a terrible track record. The peace our world celebrates is momentary. Going into this election week, we have to realize that there is no guarantee any political leader will be able to bring about lasting peace. In fact, peace rarely comes from politics.
One person said that peace in our world is that brief moment where everyone stops to reload their weapons. History tells us that this comment is not much of an overstatement. The New York Times reports that people have been at war for 92% of the 3,400 years of recorded history.[1]
The world was concerned about the epidemic of war after World War II, so nations came together to begin an agency devoted to making world peace. The result was the United Nations, whose motto is this: “To have succeeding generations free from the scourge of war.” Since the UN was founded in 1945, there has not been a single day of peace on the earth. In fact, since that time, 150 wars have begun, resulting in over 100 million casualties.[2]
There is not much peace in our world.
- There is not much peace between nations.
- There is not much peace in our neighborhoods.
- There is not much peace in our families.
Mental illness and emotional disorders are at an all-time high. The World Health Organization reports that nearly one half of all Americans currently report having some kind of mental health disorder.[3] Families in our country are in disarray. The school system is riddled with problems.
The election is bringing about high levels of stress in more than half of all Americans. The New York Times says this year’s election “…has been described as one of the most contentious, tawdry and angry presidential elections in history. And it’s taking a toll on our mental health.” People are going in to doctors to be treated for what they are calling “election anxiety.”[4]
All that to say, Americans don’t seem to be at peace with themselves. So in the midst of this chaos (and by the sovereignty of God) we come to this fabulous verse in the Scripture this week about peacemakers. Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
Plainly, God says He will especially bless those who are peacemakers in this stressful, conflicted, anxiety-ridden world. So, what does it mean to be a peacemaker?
Some people define peace as the absence of conflict. The problem with that definition is that there can be an absence of conflict without there being true peace. People can coexist and tolerate each other without living harmoniously. For example, let’s say you had a really heated conflict with your spouse. The issue wasn’t resolved, because you just said, “fine” and stormed out of the room. It might be true that no one is talking or fighting for the moment, but no one is at peace either.
God sees peace as more than the absence of conflict. Biblical peace implies the presence of harmony in relationships. This harmony is founded upon principles like the meekness, righteousness, mercy and purity we’ve seen so far in the Beatitudes. To put it simply, peace is established on a foundation of truth and shared values.
So here is a carefully worded description of what the Bible means by a peacemaker:
A Biblical peacemaker lovingly restores harmony in relationships on the foundation of truth, righteousness and Biblical principles – Col. 3:14-16, James 4:4
I’ve arrived at this description of peace based on scriptures like Colossians 3:14-16.
“14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
The goal of peace is founded on love and strives for harmony, not tolerance, coexistence, or ceasefires.
“15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,“
Peace has to do with Jesus and His authority in your life.
“to which indeed you were called in one body.“
Peace and body life in the church are connected.
“And be thankful.”
Peace and thankfulness are connected.
“16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
Peace is again associated with God’s word, biblical teaching, Christian fellowship, God’s wisdom, body life in the church, and thankfulness
Peace in this context is not just stopping a war. It’s replacing the war with the all-out pursuit of God and His righteousness. The Greek word used for “peacemaker” is rare in the Bible. (To my knowledge, Matthew 5:9 is the only place where it is used.) However, the concept behind the term was prevalent in the Jewish culture.
Still today, Jews will greet one another with the Hebrew word for peace, Shalom. When they say to one-another “shalom,” they are not saying, “I hope there is no war today.” They are saying instead: “May you have all the righteousness and goodness God can give you.” Shalom points to lasting peace based on a shared knowledge and pursuit of God.
There is a big difference between a cease-fire and peace. A cease-fire means that you don’t shoot for a while. It calls for coexistence and tolerance without addressing the underlying issues. Cease-fires don’t in themselves produce harmony, brotherhood, unity and restored relationships. A cease-fire might end the external fighting for a season while the war continues to smolder right under the surface.
In reality, cease-fires often produce cold wars, not peace. During our cold war with the USSR, troops were not mobilized to fight the enemy head on, but the absence of gunfire certainly didn’t mean that the US was at peace with the USSR. During the cold war, tension boiled under the surface for years!
The foundation of peace is a shared belief in truth and values. Without two countries agreeing on a standard of truth and morality, peace is nearly impossible to achieve or sustain. We need fewer politicians and more evangelists when we negotiate for peace.
Consider the conflict our country has with ISIS. Our country is currently a conglomeration of Judeo-Christian and secular values while their culture is founded upon Islamic values. We have competing standards of truth and morality.
Before there can be lasting peace between the US and ISIS, both sides will need to bend their knee to and submit to the authority of Christ. The gospel provides a foundation of truth where real peace and brotherhood can begin.
Jesus was, and is, the ultimate peacemaker, yet He never let “sleeping dogs lie.” On the contrary, Jesus pointed out when people were living their lives on a foundation of lies. He addressed uncomfortable issues. He was a disrupter so that He could resolve conflicts on the basis of truth. It is very important for us to understand that Jesus did not come to bring us an absence of conflict on earth, but He came to bring peace with God to those who are hostile towards God!
The vast majority of people in our country today are friends of this world and therefore the Bible says they are enemies of God. They are not at peace with God, but rather they oppose Him. James (4:4) puts it this way, “…Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
The Bible does not say that God is the enemy of man. It clearly says that God loves us. 400 times in the Bible, He is called a “God of Peace.” He’s perfect in righteousness. He’s not in rebellion against truth. We are the ones who embrace sin, reject righteousness and rebel against God. James says that the friends of the world are hostile towards God.
Jesus came to establish a foundation of grace and truth so that we could have peace with God – Matthew 15:8, Romans 1:16, 5:1
Jesus provides a way to have peace with God. Romans 5:1 says, “ Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The Book of Romans begins by explaining that the wrath of God is directed against sinful people. Sin disrupted our peace with God, so God has to deal with our immorality and rejection of the truth. Those who reject God don’t have peace with Him. In fact, they don’t have lasting peace at all.
Unfortunately our culture struggles with the concept that peace is founded upon a foundation of truth and righteousness. Many people in our culture think God’s job is to give us stuff when we ask Him for it. Some people get mad with God if He doesn’t do everything they want Him to do. They confuse God with Santa!
The “Santa” god is popular in our culture and in our marketplace. But that is not the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible is a Holy God and in His perfect holiness, He acts according to truth. If we willingly reject Him, He quickly identifies and deals with that rejection. God does not gloss over sin. In love, He shows us our sin so we can restore our peace with Him through Jesus on the foundation of truth.
That’s why Jesus comes into the picture. The gospel is the power for reconciliation with God. It is the terms of everlasting peace with God. Jesus is a peacemaker. Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…”
With one hand, God is bending His bow and aiming His holy anger in order to deal with the issue of sin in our hearts while with the other hand, He is writing up the terms of an everlasting treaty to make peace with those who formerly opposed Him.
Justice and mercy always exist side by side with God. All people who would receive the work of His Son, Jesus, have peace with God. God will deal with the issues:
- We can choose to oppose God and know His wrath or
- We can choose to submit to God and know His mercy.
The only way of salvation is by surrender. It’s by admitting defeat. It is by coming to grips with the fact that there is no negotiation and no resolution that we could devise that would ever make us right with God. We give up and come to God on His terms. That’s why Christians sing songs with raised hands that say, “Lord, I surrender.”
We are conquered by Him. Surrender means that we gladly lay aside our allegiances to the world in order to pledge an eternal allegiance to Jesus as our Savior and Lord. Romans 10:9 says, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” On those terms, we have everlasting peace with God through the work of His Son Jesus Christ. There is no other way!
Once we have established a new alliance with the King of Kings, our war with God stops and peace with God begins. The reign of sin ends in our lives. God turns his former enemies into His children. He brings Jesus’ disciples into His house, sits us at His table, and calls us sons and daughters. He even promises us an eternal inheritance.
Application: Peacemakers receive Jesus as savior themselves – Luke 2:14
A peacemaker is a son or daughter of God. Biblical peace does not exist outside a right relationship with God. The best way of helping others have peace with God is by making peace with God yourself. When the angels came announcing the birth of Jesus, they sang these words, “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Those who please God and know peace with God are His children. The day we made a decision to follow Jesus, we were given the righteousness of Christ and our war with God came to an end.
Those who are in the family of God not only have peace with God, but are now in a position to be peacemakers – just like God is a peacemaker. Glorifying God means to put God’s attributes on display in Your life. In Matthew 5:9, Jesus exhorts us to show God’s attribute of love and peacemaking with our lives by being peacemakers as well.
A foundation of truth and Biblical principles must be laid before we can have real peace with others – Matthew 15:8
The foundation of peace is a shared belief is truth. Without two people agreeing on a standard of truth, peace is nearly impossible to achieve and sustain. Consider a marriage between a believer and an unbeliever.
- The believer wants to use the family budget to give to the church, further missions and share Jesus with others.
- The non-believer is more interested is using the extra money to fund a new sailboat.
The believer wants to glorify God with their choices, but the non-believer is still hostile towards God. Before true peace and harmony can be achieved in that relationship, the believer is going to need to introduce their spouse to Jesus as Savior. They need a shared foundation of truth and values in order to have lasting peace and harmony. The Gospel provides a foundation in marriage that brings about real peace instead of simply appeasement or coexistence.
Without Christ, there is no peace with God and there is no lasting peace with others either. Most people in our community need to be reconciled with God, but many of them have no idea that they are even at odds with God. It’s our job to tell them.
Reconciliation with God is the central theme of the New Testament. In order for someone to be reconciled, they need to be made aware of their separation. I don’t know if we’ll see “peace on earth” before the second coming of Jesus, but that is not our biggest need. Mankind’s biggest need is to have “Peace with God.”
Jesus often stirred up trouble with religious people. Some of the religious people He confronted thought they were at peace with God when their hearts were far from Him. Speaking to the Pharisees, Jesus said in Matthew 15:8, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me…” Where there is no hostility, there is no need for reconciliation. Jesus said things that would make people upset so that He could show them how to reconcile with God.
- If people are not aware that they are working in opposition to God, they will never make arrangements to find peace with God.
- If we never know that without Jesus, we are enemies of God, we would never be compelled to make peace with God ourselves.
The reason we celebrate Christmas is because through Jesus all of mankind has the opportunity to have something better than peace on earth. We have a better hope than the mere absence of war. We celebrate Christmas because God sent his Son, Jesus, so that through Him we might have Peace with God.
Application: Peacemakers are evangelists – Romans 10:15
The greatest thing about being a peacemaker is that you have the opportunity to be used by God to help other people make peace with God. Evangelism is peacemaking. The best way to be a peacemaker is to talk to your friends and family about the Lord.
Romans 10:15b says, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Do you really want to know the blessing of being a peacemaker? Then tell someone about Jesus! Start with this: Pray for opportunities this holiday season to talk with friends and family about the gospel during a holiday celebration.
A peacemaker uses the Bible as a foundation to bring about harmony in relationships – Matthew 5:23-24, Romans 12:18
Believers agree on the most important things. They agree the Jesus is Lord and the Bible is truth. On that foundation, we should be able to make peace with one another.
Once we have a foundation of truth, then we can begin making peace between people. It is not usually easy to make things right between people, but peacemakers find ways to build bridges between opposing sides based on God’s Word.
Down a few verses in Matthew 5, Jesus says in verses 23-24, “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” God does not want people coming to church and pretending everything is alright when it’s clearly not.
Sometimes people don’t cooperate. Paul writes in Romans 12:18, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all…” I’ve had people mad at me before who would not accept my apology and who would not work towards reconciliation. Their response is not my responsibility. My role is to make a sincere effort.
Glorifying God is to put God’s attributes on display in Your life. Jesus died to restore a broken relationship between us and God. When we seek to restore broken relationships with others, God is glorified in the effort! When God is glorified in your life, it proves that you really are a son of God
Application: Peacemakers prove they are children of God by actively seeking to mend relationships that are broken – James 3:17a, Luke 12:51, James 4:4
Biblical peacemakers never avoid the issues just like Jesus didn’t avoid the issues. You’ve probably heard the term, “the elephant in the room.” It refers to the issue that everyone knows about and no one is talking about. As long as the elephant remains in the room, peace does not exist. The elephant is tearing the place apart, even if no one is talking about the damage caused. Not talking about issues that need to be discussed is not peace, but avoidance.
In James 3:17a, it says, “…the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable…” Peace is first pure. Peace is only found on the foundation of righteousness. Peace is made when two people see the wrong, agree on the wrong and seek to make it right on the basis of truth. Peace, purity, righteousness, and truth go hand in hand.
The peace of the Bible is not a “peace at any price.” Biblical peacemakers identify a problem, bring the problem to the forefront and conquer it. These people often make waves and are rarely quiet. Ironically, peacemaking requires struggle. It is sometimes painful. It can be agonizing. In the end, real peace can be found if we have a shared foundation of truth.
Notice that the result of being a peacemaker isn’t the absence of war in the world. It’s not peace on earth. Peacemakers are called sons of God.
The Result: Being Called a Children of God – Romans 6:19, 1 John 3:2
If Christ is in me – that means I’m a son of God. I have assurance that I have peace with God and all the promises that await for God’s children in eternity. Romans 8:16 proclaims, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
It’s almost too good to be true. If the scriptures did not so clearly spell it out, then the future glory promised to the believer might seem like little more than a fairy tale. But the Bible says that we will not only see Jesus in all of His new-creation glory, but that we will share that glory with him. 1 John 3:2 says, “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”
Have you considered what it means to be called a son of God? Here’s a few things it implies:
- God has a personal and eternal love for you
- God bears with and forgives your weakness and your sin forever!
[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/06/books/chapters/what-every-person-should-know-about-war.html
[2] http://freedomoutpost.com/united-nations-created-prevent-wars-since-theres-150-wars-100-million-casualties/
[3] http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/10/why-more-americans-suffer-from-mental-disorders-than-anyone-else/246035/#slide1
[4] http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/20/well/mind/talking-to-your-therapist-about-election-anxiety.html?_r=0
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