Blessed are the Peacemakers
TEXT: Matthew 5:9
INTRODUCTION
· Working through the Beatitudes – made it to the next to last one
· Ingredients of building a Christian character
· Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God
· Idea of peace is prominent in Scripture
š Over 400 references
š God is the God of peace
š Jesus is the Prince of Peace,
š Fruit of the Holy Spirit is peace
I. PEACE
A. What it is not
1. Absence of conflict
2. Not simply two enemies who are not fighting
B. What it is – an absence of conflict in which opposite sides are being brought
together in righteousness, ending in a right relationship
(IL) Husband & wife may not be fighting, but that doesn’t mean they’re
living in peace – could be silent treatment, ignoring each other,
existing together
1. Need the lack of conflict AND the right relationship
C. Difference between a truce & peace
1. John MacArthur – “A truce just says you don’t shoot for awhile. Peace
comes when the truth is known, the issue is settled, & the parties
embrace each other.
D. Peace – the issue isn’t ignored, but it is dealt with, the conflict has ended, &
a right relationship is established
II. BRINGING PEACE IS PART OF THE CHRISTIAN’S JOB DESCRIPTION
A. Ro 12:18 – If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with
everybody.
B. Heb 12:14 – Make every effort to live at peace with all men & to be holy.
C. Mat 18:15 – If your brother sins against you, go & show him his fault just
between the two of you…”
1. If a brother has sinned against you, rather than being angry & resent-
ful, go & talk to him. Maintain a peaceful relationship.
D. Mat 5:23-24 – If you are offering you gift at the altar & there remember that
your brother has something against you, leave your gift in front of the altar.
First go & be reconciled to your brother, then come & offer your gift.
1. If you have the idea your brother has something against you, it’s your
responsibility to go to him
2. Work for, bring about, maintain a peaceful relationship
E. How do we go about peacemakers? (Very difficult to decide what to preach)
III. SEEK TO UNDERSTAND BEFORE SEEKING TO BE UNDERSTOOD
A. Frequently we want others to understand our point of view in the conflict, why
we feel the way we do, but we make no effort to understand theirs
1. If we are going to be a peacemakers, we have to lower our defenses &
truly try to understand where they’re coming from
a. Their ideas, thought processes, concerns, experience help us
understand where they’re coming from
B. Being a good listener is a must
(IL) Sometimes we’re like the couple who were with some friends and the
subject of marriage counseling came up. Mary said, “Oh, Tom and I
will never need counseling. We have a great relationship. He was a
communications major in college and I majored in drama. He
communicates real well and I just act like I’m listening.”
(IL) We should be like little Johnny
After church, Johnny tells his parents he has to go and talk to the
minister right away. They agree and the pastor greets the family.
"Pastor," Johnny says, "I heard you say today that our bodies came
from the dust & when we die our bodies go back to dust.”
"Yes, I’m glad you were listening. Why do you ask?"
Johnny says, "Well you better come over to our house right away and
look under my bed ’cause there’s someone either commin’ or goin’!"
C. Many times we don’t listen in order to understand, we listen in order to reply
1. So busy thinking about what we want to say next, we really don’t hear
& understand where the other person is coming from
2. Need to suspend our own agenda, our own judgment
3. Give feedback…seek to truly understand
D. Develop your listening skills & seek to understand before seeking to be
understood
IV. DON’T FIGHT DIRTY – AVOID THE FOLLOWING DIRTY FIGHTING
TECHNIQUES (mostly for marriages)
A. Dirty fighting ups the ante rather than brings peace
B. Think about your relationships – especially your family
C. Bad Timing – Pick the right time to begin an argument. Late at night, during
a favorite TV show, or just as someone is leaving for work are good options.
Make sure to go on the attack when they least expect it.
D. Escalating – Move quickly from the issue to the personality of the other
person. If you can throw in wondering whether or not it is worth it to stay
together, all the better for a dirty fight.
E. Brown Bagging – Try to list as many problems in as much detail as possible.
Don’t stick to the original issue, but throw in all the problems you can
think of. Don’t limit yourself to the present. If your partner can’t remember
an offense from the past, so much the better.
F. Pulling Rank – Rather than depend on the merits of your argument, pull
rank by reminding your partner that you make more money, have more
education, are older or younger, or are wiser & more experienced in such
matters. Anything that will enhance your status at your partner’s expense
should be considered.
G. Reject Compromise – Don’t back down. Why settle for compromise when
with a little luck you can really devastate your opponent & get all you want.
You may destroy the relationship, but you’ll be the “winner”.
H. Silent Treatment – No problem is so big or important that it can’t be ignored.
Walk out of the room, leave home, or just refuse to talk. Sometimes just
threatening to leave can accomplish the same thing without the
inconvenience of actually leaving.
I. Standardize your Views – Make sure your partner knows that you have the
best and the right way to do things. His or her view can’t be right. In other
words, to look at the issue differently than you do is simply to be wrong.
J. Avoid the above & you’ll not only be a peacemaker, but will make in-roads
to the second part of peace – having a right relationship
III. REMEMBER THE LORD
A. What role do you allow Jesus to play in your relationships/conflicts?
B. Bring Him into the conflict
1. Prayer – to intervene, change hearts, alter attitudes, give wisdom
2. Reading Scripture – receive guidance, show you His will
a. Romans – “one another” – love one another, honor one another,
live in harmony with one another, greet one another, stop
passing judgment on one another
3. Obey the Word
a. Ja 1:22 – Do not merely listen to the word & deceive yourselves,
but do what it says.
C. Bring God into the relationship
(IL) Phillip Keller – a sheep rancher for 8 yrs wrote “A Shepherd Looks at
the 23rd Psalm” . He goes thru the Shepherd’s Psalm and explains it
from the point of view of a shepherd.
-Pecking order in a flock of sheep from a top sheep to a bottom
sheep
-This brings about rivalry in the flock
HUNDREDS OF TIMES I HAVE WATCHED AN AUSTERE OLD EWE WALK UP TO A YOUNGER ONE WHICH MIGHT HAVE BEEN FEEDING CONTENTEDLY OR RESTING QUIETLY IN SOME SHELTERED SPOT. SHE WOULD ARCH HER NECK, TILT HER HEAD, DILATE HER EYES & APPROACH THE OTHER WITH A STIFF-LEGGED GAIT. ALL OF THIS WAS SAYING IN UNMISTAKABLE TERMS, “MOVE OVER! OUT OF MY WAY! GIVE GROUND OR ELSE.!” AND IF THE OTHER EWE DID NOT IMMEDIATELY LEAP TO HER FEET IN SELF-DEFENSE SHE WOULD BE BUTTED UNMERCIFULLY. OR IF SHE DID RISE TO ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE ONE OR TWO STRONG BUMPS WOULD SOON SEND HER SCURRYING FOR SAFETY. . . BUT ONE POINT THAT ALWAYS INTERESTED ME VERY MUCH WAS THAT WHENEVER I CAME INTO VIEW & MY PRESENCE ATTRACTED THEIR ATTENTION, THE SHEEP QUICKLY FORGOT THEIR FOOLISH RIVALRIES & STOPPED THEIR FIGHTING. THE SHEPHERD’S PRESENCE MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THEIR BEHAVIOR.
-Bring our shepherd into the relationship/conflict
-Focusing upon Jesus Christ will make all the difference in the world.
IV. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS. THEY WILL BE CALLED THE SONS OF
GOD
A. Called (Greek) means “to give a name to…to bear the title of…sons of God.”
1. My first name isn’t Chaplain, it’s a title
2. Given the title – sons of God
B. Speaks of the intimacy of the relationship
1. Peacemakers don’t just know about God, they know God experientially
2. All the benefits of being his & belonging to him
3. Can call Him “Abba Father” as Jesus did – a daddy relationship
CONCLUSION
TELEMACHUS WAS A MONK WHO LIVED IN THE 4TH CENTURY. WHILE STAYING IN A CLOISTERED MONASTERY, HE FELT GOD SAYING TO HIM, "GO TO ROME." HE PUT HIS POSSESSIONS IN A SACK AND SET OUT FOR ROME. WHEN HE ARRIVED IN THE CITY, PEOPLE WERE THRONGING IN THE STREETS. HE ASKED WHY ALL THE EXCITEMENT AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS THE DAY THAT THE GLADIATORS WOULD BE FIGHTING AND KILLING EACH OTHER IN THE COLISEUM. HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF, "FOUR CENTURIES AFTER CHRIST AND THEY ARE STILL KILLING EACH OTHER FOR ENJOYMENT?" HE RAN TO THE COLISEUM AND HEARD THE GLADIATORS SAYING, "HAIL TO CEASAR, WE DIE FOR CEASAR" AND HE THOUGHT, "THIS ISN’T RIGHT." HE JUMPED OVER THE RAILING AND WENT OUT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD, GOT BETWEEN TWO GLADIATORS, HELD UP HIS HANDS AND SAID "IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, FORBEAR." THE CROWD PROTESTED AND BEGAN TO SHOUT, "RUN HIM THROUGH, RUN HIM THROUGH." A GLADIATOR CAME OVER AND HIT HIM IN THE STOMACH WITH THE BACK OF HIS SWORD. IT SENT HIM SPRAWLING IN THE SAND. TELEMACHUS GOT UP AND RAN BACK AND AGAIN SAID, "IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, FORBEAR." THE CROWD CONTINUED TO CHANT, "RUN HIM THROUGH, RUN HIM THROUGH." ONE GLADIATOR CAME OVER AND PLUNGED HIS SWORD THROUGH THE LITTLE MONK’S STOMACH AND HE FELL INTO THE SAND, WHICH BEGAN TO TURN CRIMSON WITH HIS BLOOD. ONE LAST TIME HE GASPED OUT, "IN THE NAME OF CHRIST FORBEAR." A HUSH CAME OVER THE 80,000 PEOPLE IN THE COLISEUM. SOON A MAN STOOD AND LEFT, THEN ANOTHER AND ANOTHER, AND WITHIN MINUTES ALL 80,000 HAD EMPTIED OUT OF THE ARENA. IT WAS THE LAST KNOWN GLADIATORIAL CONTEST IN THE HISTORY OF ROME.
· Maybe, just maybe, Jesus was thinking of Telemachus when he said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.”
