Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / The Sermon On The Mount

Raising The Bar By Passing Peace 06/24/07

Sermon Series: Raising the bar: Living above mediocrity

Message: ‘Raising the bar by passing the peace’ 

Text: Matthew 5:9

Introduction: Lady Astor once told Winston Churchill ‘If you were my husband, I’d put poison in your coffee.’ To which Churchill replied ‘If you were my wife, I’d drink it.’ Lady Astor said ‘You sir, are drunk.’ Churchill said ‘Yes, but you, madam are ugly and I shall be sober in the morning.’

We laugh at this banter but it reveals that we’re all predisposed to conflict. From sibling rivalry to civil war we see the effects of animosity at every level of society. Here are just two examples.

ILL: In order to enforce peace, in 1873 Samuel Colt introduced a pistol that was named ‘The Peacekeeper.’ It was named that because it’s simple design would allow anyone to use it, thereby equaling the field. At that time it was said that ‘God made every man different but Sam Colt made them equal.’

ILL: Abut  100 yrs later in November of 1982 then President Reagan dubbed the new mobile M-X missile, ‘The Peacekeeper’ because of its great range and firepower, it would be a great deterrent to conflict.

If you do a search on the Internet on the word ‘Peacekeeper’ what you’ll usually find are weapons of some kind. Ironic isn’t it? Especially since peacekeeping doesn’t seem to work all that well.

Yet, Jesus, in the sermon on the mount declares ‘Blessed are the peacekeepers for they will be called the children of God.’ No. He said ‘Blessed are the peacemakers…and there is a difference.

·       A peacekeeper is one who imposes peace, by whatever means possible….usually by force.

·       A Peacemaker is quite another thing so let’s spend a little time defining it.

Peace Defined

ILL: Someone once said Peace is merely that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stops…to reload.’ (John MacArthur)

The word Peace is found in each of the 27 books of the NT. And over 400 times in the Bible.  

The word peace in the Greek is ‘eirene’ and in the Hebrew it’s ‘Shalom’ they both have the same meaning.

·       Wholeness, completeness and fullness. It’s a sense of harmony intended to be experience in all relationships.

·       When used as a greeting it’s a wish for outward freedom from disturbance and an inward sense of well-being.

Peace is not:

·       the absence of conflict, simply two enemies who are not fighting at the moment.

Peace is:

·       the absence of conflict in which opposite sides are being brought together in righteousness and which ends in right relationship.

·       And that’s only possible through faith in Jesus Christ.

Read: In John 16:33 Jesus states ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’

Peace is:

·       Not the absence of trouble in our lives, but the confidence that Jesus is there with us and is greater than any trouble we might experience.

Transition: Trouble, conflict, enmity exists in many relationships and we desire peace in all of them so let’s spend some time breaking this down.

I. Make Peace with God

The first relationship that needs to find peace is our relationship with God.

Read: Romans 5:10 ‘For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!’

‘For if, when you were God’s enemies…’ Let that sink in. Understand that before you came to faith in Jesus Christ, your sin made you an enemy of God.

Sin is the greatest barrier that prevents you from experiencing God’s peace and peace with God. And nothing you can do will ever bring peace between you and God. Only Jesus can do that…and he did.

Read: Paul, speaking of Jesus in Colossians 1:20 writes ‘and through him to reconcile to himself all things…by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.’

How do we appropriate the peace Jesus made for us? Faith…by placing our trust in Jesus to forgive our sin …to make us right with God…to make us God’s friend, instead of God’s enemy.

Read: Paul wrote in Romans 5:1 ‘Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’ That’s huge!

Transition: It’s only after we have made peace with God that we can work on the other relationships in our lives. I pray you all have taken that vital first step and have made peace with God.

II. Make Peace with Self

Some people have a hard time falling asleep at night because their minds keep running…often because they’re not at peace with themselves.

·       One of the reasons is that many people have divided hearts and the Spirit of God wages war against their sinful desires.

·       Another reason is that they worry about things they really have no control over.

·       And the result is restlessness and anxiery.

Yet, God’s Word says we can have peace in our lives.

Read: Colossians 3:15 ‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.’

Not only is peace possible, it’s expected. God wants us to have peace in our lives…in our hearts and minds. The kind of peace that only Jesus can bring… remember?

·       Peace is not the absence of trouble in our lives, but the confidence that Jesus is there with us and is greater than any trouble we may experience.

How can we have peace in our lives? A few nuggets from Scripture.

1. Be Thankful:

Read: Colossian 3:15 ‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.’

·       Be thankful. Not for the current problem

·       But for all of God’s goodness, grace, mercy and blessing that he has given to you in abundance.

·       And that he will never desert you in your time of trouble.

·       Give thanks.

2. Pray:

Read: Philippians 4: 6-7 ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’

·       Talk to God,

·       let him know your troubles,

·       tell him you’re scared,

·       ask him to increase your faith,

·       ask him for a special measure of his presence in your life

·       and ask him to bring you peace.

·       The Apostle James tells us that we have not because we ask not.

3. Trust God:

Read: Isaiah 26:3 ‘You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.’ (ESV)

·       Trust God, he has shown that he is faithful…look to him, seek him out…think about him.

4. Change your mind:

Read: Philippians 4:8-9 ‘Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.’

·       Change your thought process

·       Read God’s Word and do what it says.

·       Use Bible verses on cards to help you remember to think about him during the day.

This is the only peace that will sustain you through the difficult times in life. Your sense of well being or peace comes when you look to God and understand just how much he loves you and desires to care for you.

Transition: When we have peace with God and experience the peace of God, we are able to make peace with others.

III. Make Peace with Others

ILL: In the comic strip Peanuts, Lucy said one time, “I hate everything. I hate everybody. And I hate the whole wide world.” Charlie said, “But I thought you had inner peace.” Lucy replied, “ I do but I also have outer obnoxiousness.” (Steve Shepherd)

This is true for more people than we are willing to admit.

·       These folks don’t seem happy unless they are mixing it up with someone.

·       They are by nature confrontive and combative.

·       And they will disagree just to be disagreeable.

We all know people like this…even Christians, unfortunately. And God has something to say about them.

Read: Romans 16:17-18 ‘I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.’

Read: Proverbs 6:16,19 ‘There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: (and one is) a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.’

Wow…pretty strong words. Why?

·       Because they are divisive and destructive

·       because they choose to tear down instead of build up. 

·       Because they refuse to be peacemakers.

Their favorite verse is ‘Where two or three come together in my name… there will eventually be conflict.’ Wait…that’s not right.

Read: In Matthew 18:20 Jesus said ‘For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

I find it interesting that this text is located in the same place Jesus talks about getting right with a brother who has wronged you….Think about that for a few moments.

Peacemakers, try to build bridges between people.

·       They don’t want animosity and division to exist.

·       They want reconciliation

·       They want harmony

·       They want peace.

·       And they actively pursue it.

Peacemakers desire people to dwell together in unity…not uniformity. Different but still one.

We need to understand something. Jesus is saying that a primary way we are identified with God, as his children, is by our peacemaking.

Transition: OK, there’s one last relationship to make peace.

IV. Make Peace available to the World

Earlier we sang ‘How lovely are the feet of him who brings Good News ’ (Isa. 52:7)

We are peacemakers when we make peace, God’s Peace available to the world around us…Because God has given to us all the ministry of reconciliation. (reconciliation literally means peacemaker)

Read: 2 Corinthians 5:18 ‘All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation’

Remember, sin makes us God’s enemy. By faith in Jesus we are reconciled with God, we become his friend and we are at peace with God.

·       Doesn’t your wife/husband/child deserve to know where true peace comes from? That’s why you’re called to be a peacemaker.

·       Doesn’t your neighbors, co-workers and friends deserve to know they can have peace with God, and peace in their lives by placing their faith in Jesus? That’s why you’re called to be a peacemaker.

·       Doesn’t the lost around the world deserve to hear about Jesus so they can find peace in their lives? That’s why we support Kingdom Builders like Becky and others who have been called to be peacemakers to a lost and restless world.

Listen…write this down.

Peacemaking is not a concept to be learned

but an activity to be done.

Transition: Finally we come to the reward for being peacemakers.

V. The Reward for Peace

Peacemakers are recognized as true children of God because they share their heavenly Father’s passion for peace and reconciliation. When we’re working for peace, we bear God’s likeness. And we will be recognized as children of God. What better reward?

God is radically committed to reconciling humanity to himself and as his children we must be radically obedient and be willing to accept life altering change so that in all of our relationships, we will be peacemakers.

Conclusion

How do I become a peacemaker? Briefly in closing let’s make a pledge. (Talk about ‘The Peacemakers Pledge’)

So…who are you warring with? With whom are you angry and bitter?

God longs for you to be a peacemaker so that you will reflect his heart of peace to those around you.