Matthew 5:9 (NKJV)

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,For they shall be called sons of God.

SERMON ON THE MOUNT:PEACEMAKERSMatthew 5:9

SOM: Peacemakers Tonight we continue our Sunday Night

Series on the Sermon on the Mount We began in Matthew 5 and are

wrapping up our study together of the Beatitudes

Beatitude is simply a word that reflects those who are blessed, happy or fortunate

SOM: Peacemakers Jesus here is telling us the kind

of people we ought to be if we want to be happy

Each one of these is something that we should work diligently towards

Not only will we be blessed, but there are rewards that are attached to each one of these

SOM: Peacemaker Defined Jesus said in verse 9, “Blessed

are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God”

The word peacemakers is the Greek word eirenopoios which means peaceable or loving peace

This gives us a better picture of what Jesus wants us to be

SOM: Peacemaker Defined It’s not just a person here who

makes peace, but someone who loves peace

The person who will be the best peacemaker is the one who desires it above all else

That’s the one who doesn’t just do it out of a sense of duty, but loves peace

SOM: Supreme Peacemaker God is a God that desires peace We were made in the image of

God (Gen. 1:26-27) We are told to live godly lives

(II Tim. 3:12) and to possess the quality of godliness (II Pet. 1:6)

SOM: Supreme Peacemaker God desires peace so much that

He sent His only Son to die that we might have peace with Him

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1)

Christ is the Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6)

SOM: Supreme Peacemaker Our sins separated us from God

(Is. 59:2) and caused us to be enemies of His (Rom. 5:10)

God was not happy with that and desired peace between Himself and us

God became the supreme peacemaker by sending His Son to make peace

SOM: Peacemaker With God It’s clear that God wants you and

I to be peacemakers as well Paul taught that we live

peaceably with all men (Rom. 12:18)

We are told to seek peace and pursue it (Rom. 14:17-19; II Tim. 2:22-24; Heb. 12:14)

SOM: Peacemaker With God We should first seek peace with

God We do that by seeking the

salvation that He offers through His Son to bring peace between ourselves and our Creator

Baptism removes our sins and puts us in Christ, bringing peace (Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3)

SOM: Peacemaker With God A true peacemaker also seeks to

create peace between our fellow man and God

We do that by preaching the “gospel of peace” (Rom. 10:15; Eph. 6:15)

We are commanded to preach that message to all mankind (Mk. 16:15)

SOM: Peacemaker With God We show that we truly love

peace when we do our best to show our fellow man how they can be reconciled back to God

That same sin that caused strife between ourselves and God also caused strife with God and the rest of man

We are peacemakers when we evangelize (Paul – II Cor. 5:20)

SOM: Peacemaker With Man We are also to be peacemakers

with our fellow man as well as our brothers and sisters in Christ

Jesus prayed for unity in John 17 and that can only come when we are at peace

Paul said that peace was a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22)

SOM: Peacemaker With Man Paul urges us to “live in peace”

(II Cor. 13:11) That is certainly true when it

comes to the Lord’s church We need more who love peace

and less who are willing to quarrel, especially over silly things

SOM: Peacemaker With Man If we want to be peacemakers,

then we must also learn to love God and others as ourselves (Matt. 22:37-39)

It also requires patience and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23)

A soft answer turns away wrath, which shows self-control (Prov. 15:1)

SOM: Sons Of God Those who are peacemakers will

be called sons of God Sons often bear resemblance to

their fathers In becoming peacemakers, we

bear an unmistakable resemblance to our Father in heaven