The Sermon on the Mount
“The Art of Making Peace”
Matthew 5:9
A three-year-old boy named Matthew had his friend Luke over for playtime. Matthew, however, was having a tough time. He was arguing about the toys Luke was playing with and became very grumpy.
When his mother put him down for a nap she said, “Matthew, Luke is one of your best friends. You should really be nicer to him.” And Matthew replied, “Well, sometimes I’m just mean, and sometime I’m not, just like Dad.”
Out of the mouth of babes: “Like father like son?”
Ever notice that whenever one of our children does something we’re proud of you says, “They’re just like me.” And whenever they do something embarrassing, we say they’re just like our spouses? But either way they’re just like us.
Jesus says there’s one thing we can always do in this life that makes us just like our heavenly Father, and that’s what our seventh beatitude talks about.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9 NKJV)
Jesus is saying that when we make peace with others we’re becoming just like our heavenly Father, we’re becoming His sons and daughters.
Notice something else, Jesus doesn’t say, “Blessed are the peace lovers,” or, “Blessed are the peaceable.” Instead He says blessed or happy are those who make peace, that is, who actively seek to resolve conflict.
And so we’re supposed to be like our heavenly Father who resolved the conflict that existed between Himself and humanity, which was caused by sin. And He did so though giving to us His Son, Jesus Christ, and through His death we now can have peace with God, Romans 5:10.
The Apostle Paul says that Jesus demolished the wall that separates us from God through the blood He shed, thus making peace, Ephesians 2:13-16.
And so peacemakers
Actively Seek To Resolve Conflict
However, before we can proceed I think it’s important that we clear up several
Misperceptions Concerning Peacemaking
A. It’s Not Avoidance
Making peace isn’t avoiding an issue. It’s not running from a problem. It’s also not pretending a problem doesn’t exist. None of us like conflict, and so generally we avoid it, but if we put it off, it just keep getting bigger.
B. It’s Not Appeasement
When we always give in and let others have their way, or if we continue to let them off the hook, we’re allowing them to continually run over us, and being a peacemaker isn’t about being road kill. Jesus was a peacemaker, yet He always stood for what was right.
But why should we want to be peacemakers? It all has to do with
The Outcome Of Unresolved Conflict
I. Hinders Our Fellowship With God
The Bible says we cannot have close fellowship with God and be out of sorts with others.
“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar … He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” (1 John 4:20-21 NIV)
When we’re out of fellowship with each other, then we’re out of fellowship with God. So it’s important we learn to resolve any conflict that might exist.
II. Hinders Our Prayers
In giving instructions to husbands the Apostle Peter tells them to treat their wives right because if we don’t then our prayers will not be heard, 1 Peter 3:7. And ladies please understand that this applies to both.
Later on in His Sermon on the Mount Jesus says,
“If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift … First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24 NIV)
If there’s unresolved conflict then our worship of God will be hindered. If we’re having a hard time hearing God, then it may be that a relationship needs mending.
I think it’s safe to say that we all need to learn how to be peacemakers. So how are we to actively seek to resolve conflict in our homes, workplaces, school, or anywhere?
How Can We Become Peacemakers
This is how I learned it. It’s following the letters in the word “Peace.”
Plan a Peace Conference
Let’s go back to the verse we looked at a moment ago. Jesus said when someone is at conflict with us we’re to
“Go and be reconciled to that person.” (Matthew 5:24a NLT)
Jesus is saying to take the initiative. Don’t wait for others to make the first move, whether we’re the offender or the offended. Please know that conflict is never resolved accidentally, nor does it resolve itself.
After I brought our church a denomination, several pastors were upset and left creating strife and conflict within the church. Knowing what the Bible says, I scheduled a sit down with them and let them air their complaints.
Other pastors in the community thought I was crazy, but by taking the higher ground and following God’s word I found peace and the church was settled.
If there is conflict, settle it. Don’t let it linger, because it’ll only get worse. The longer we wait, the more difficult it’ll be to resolve.
Empathize with Others
J.B. Phillips in his translation of Philippians 2:4 says,
“None of you should think only of his own affairs, but consider other people’s interests also.” (Philippians 2:4 J.B. Phillips)
The definition of empathy is the action of understanding and being sensitive to another person; to vicariously experience their feelings, thoughts, and experiences; in other words, we need to put ourselves in their place. Walk a mile in their shoes so to speak.
The Greek word for “consider” is where we get our word, “scope.” It means to focus in upon, to pay attention to, and to hone in on the needs of others, like a scope on a rifle or a telescope.
When we’re upset, we’re the only ones we’re thinking about. It’s all about us and our hurts. We don’t care about others, but God says that as Christians we’re to reverse that trend. We’re to focus in on other’s and their needs, and not just our own.
Attack The Problem
Attack the problem, not the person. We can’t fix the problem if we’re fixing the blame at the same time.
“A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.” (Proverbs 15:1 NLT)
We need to engage the mind before we engage the mouth.
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29 NIV)
To use Dale Carnage’s famous saying, “Never criticize, condemn, or complain.”
Cooperate As Much As Possible
We need to build bridges, not bomb them. What can we do together to make right the wrong?
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18 NIV)
This truly is one of the hallmarks of being a Christian. It’s not so much about how much we pray or read the Bible as it is about how we get along with others. It’s by our love that they’ll know that we’re Christians.
Now, the underlying phrase is “as it depends on you.” There are some people that are just hard to get along with. But we’re told to do everything possible to be at peace.
Peace, however, has a price. If we want peace in our homes, or in our marriage it’s going to cost our egos, pride, self-centeredness, and our selfishness.
Now most of us know the three most difficult words in the English language is “I was wrong,” and the two most difficult words to say is, “I’m sorry.” But do you know what the seven most difficult words to say are? “I’m sorry, I was wrong – a lot.”
I’m not sure how many of you remember the movie “Love Story.” It had a famous line that said, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Personally I always wondered what universe they were from, or if the writers were smoking something at the time.
Love is definitely saying, “I’m sorry,” and saying it a lot of times.
In relationships we get hurt or we hurt others; accidently or intentionally, but hurt happens. The Apostle James says,
“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.” (James 3:17 NIV)
Peacemakers plant seeds of peace, and in the end they’ll reap a harvest of goodwill, because there’s a truism, a universal law if you would; it’s what the Bible says that whatever we sow in life is exactly what we’ll be reaping.
If we want people to cooperate with us, then we’ve got to cooperate with them. If we want people to be nice to us, we have to be nice back. It takes two to tango; therefore we’re just as much a part and contributor to that conflict as the other person.
Whatever seeds we’re sowing are what we can expect to reap, so it’s far better to cooperate and have peace than it is to criticize, condemn and complain.
Emphasize Reconciliation Not Resolution
To reconcile means to reestablish a relationship. What it doesn’t mean, however, is that we’ve resolved all our problems. We will always have legitimate differences.
There are always differences. Take men and women. On average men speak 15,000 words a day, while women speak 27,000 words a day. What this means is that wives if you think your husband isn’t listening, realize that God didn’t create men to take that much in. There’s approximately 12,000 words a day that’s going right over our heads.
But there are honest differences and we’re not going to resolve them all. So God’s wants us to reconcile, that is, have peace even though the problems may still exist. In Christian vernacular we have to learn to disagree agreeably. We can walk arm in arm without having to see eye to eye. We can therefore have reconciliation without having resolution.
Reconciliation focuses on relationship, while resolution focuses on issues. So while we may not agree we can still be on the same team.
This is the way that God works with us, therefore He wants us to work the same way with others.
“All things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18 NKJV)
God modeled it for us. What I found interesting is that the word “reconciler” is a synonym for peacemaker. God sent Jesus so we can have peace with Him. And so God is the original peacemaker.
When we restore relationship we’re doing what God would do. When we’re helping bring people together, that’s the most Christ like thing we can do. That’s what the ministry of reconciliation means.
But to be a peacemaker we have to have God’s peace inside, which calls for a relationship with Him. We have to stop looking to others to meet our need for peace and look to God. Others are going to let us down, but God won’t.
The Apostle Paul said,
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.” (Colossians 3:15 NIV)
The Greek word for “rule” is where we get our word “umpire.” When Jesus comes into our hearts, He’s the umpire. He’s the one who calls what is fair and what is foul. And when Jesus rules and is the umpire over our heart, then God’s peace will follow. Only then will we be peacemakers.
One last point and that is many people think they have the peace of God in their heart, when in reality what they have is a ceasefire. It’s where they keep God at a distance, and if God isn’t bothering them then they’re at peace. But it isn’t peace, rather it a ceasefire. It’s a false peace and it isn’t going to last.
The Bible says that sin makes us God’s enemies. If there exists any un-confessed and un-repented sin in our lives then we’re not at peace, instead we’re at war with God, and if that’s the case, we’re going to lose.
And so blessed are the peacemakers because they experience the real joy of a personal relationship with God, and second they become just like Him, or “like Father, like son or daughter.”
