Study inMatthew’s

Gospel

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Sermon On The MountPeace-makers

Chap 5 v1-12

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IntroductionHow often have you heard people say, ‘I don’t know what the world is coming to’? They may be referring to the London bus explosion or to suicide bombings in Kabul. God’s word tells us we shouldn’t be surprised by human disputes and hostility.

These are characteristics of the world in which we live. The biblical analysis of the situation sums the matter up in one word ‘sin’. Perhaps if, as a national church, we took God’s analysis more seriously and were prepared to accept the theological nature of the human predicament we would be less inclined to preach, politics, sociology or economics and more eager to preach the gospel of peace.

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The World’s View Of Peace-makingWhen the world thinks of peace-makers it may think of a U.N. force or of nations capable of exerting political or economic pressure in their attempt to reconcile the seemingly irreconcilable. It thinks of peace vigils, peace marches and rallies. What is inadequate about these means of peace-making.

First, human peace-makers are often motivated by self interest. The international peacekeeper, is often concerned about stopping a war that is damaging his country’s economy or his party’s political ratings, or with boosting his own image . Peace-making is often reduced to a policy of appeasement with little regard to the justice of a situation.

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The World’s View Of Peace-makingOften the basic concern of those who join peace marches is that of self-interest and self-preservation. A body bag and a medal they are happy to do without! If such marchers could not be assured that their own safety was guaranteed could we expect to see them take to the streets in such large numbers.

For others peace-making is reduced to a peace at any price policy. Such as the approach taken by Chamberlin towards Hitler in the late 1930s or think of the parent who constantly gives in to his screaming child for he is prepared to do anything for peace.

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The World’s View Of Peace-makingFor some peace is something that can be enforced by a great show of strength. The handgun used to try and subdue the wild west was called a ‘Peace-maker’ - a strange name for a weapon of death. And yet the rationale behind it was simple , it use would subdue hostility and enforce peace. The same rationale is at work today. The international community attempts to enforce a peace by sending in a peacekeeping force equipped with superior firepower.

In sharp contrast to all of these approaches, the peace-making of which Jesus speaks, is not peace imposed by force.

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The Basis Of Peace-makingWhat did Jesus mean when he spoke of a ‘peace-maker’? The clue to his meaning is found in the beatitude. The peace-maker will be ‘called a son of God’. Follow the logic. Why will he be called a son of God? Because he is seen to be portraying a family characteristic. He is in step with his heavenly Father. And God, is in his own being, is a God of peace. He is described in precisely this way in scripture:

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through”. 1Thes.5v23

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The Basis Of Peace-makingThe O.T. word for ‘peace’ is ‘shalom’, a word that coveys the ides of wholeness, health, wellbeing and harmony. This unfolds the character of God for there is a marvellous harmony within the Godhead. There is no discord between Father, Son and Spirit. Now that ‘shalom’ also once existed between God and his creation.

There was no friction there at all. Man knew peace with God!

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The Basis Of Peace-makingBut that peace was shattered. Picture a concert pianist playing a sublime work, holding his audience spellbound and along creeps a musical philistine, who begins, in a random manner, to strike the keys on the keyboard. The recital is ruined. Instead of harmony there is discord. Human sin marred God’s creation. It destroyed not only man’s shalom with God, but also the peace that God intended for all our human relationships.

Of course God was still at peace within himself. His shalom was not affected. His response to the discord in his creation was to put into place a plan to restore peace.

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The Basis Of Peace-makingWe see that plan unpacked all the way through the O.T. When God called Abraham and through him the nation of Israel to himself, it was in order to work out this plan of salvation. Through Moses Israel were instructed to bring certain sacrifices to God and a priesthood was established to offer up those sacrifices. The priesthood were instructed to bless the people in a very particular way; “The Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face towards you and give you peace." Num.6v26

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The Basis Of Peace-makingPeace with God was man’s most basic need. The restoration of a harmonious relationship with God became possible, through sacrifice. However, it was clear that the O.T. sacrifices were provisional in nature. They all pointed forward to one great sacrifice for sin. The animals which were sacrificed clearly did not establish peace but they pointed foreword to One who would.

This peace-maker is identified in Isa 9v6.“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and there will be no end.”

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The Basis Of Peace-makingAnd again in the rich messianic passage in Ezek.37v26ff God describes not only the rule of the messianic king but the nature of a new and everlasting covenant that he intended to establish:

“I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them for ever. My dwelling-place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people”.

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The Basis Of Peace-makingBecause of the establishment of peace, God would no longer be distanced from his people. Indeed, he would indwell his people. The sacrifice on which this new covenant rested unlike the covenant that had been made with Moses, was a once and for all sacrifice that would secure an eternity of peace with God. Jesus’ death secured that! This gives a profound significance to the first words Jesus spoke to his disciples after his resurrection;‘Peace be with you’ Lk. 24v36.

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The Christian As Peace-makerNow, if Jesus is the peace-maker, and if his peace-making is rooted in his unique atoning death, in what sense does he call his followers to be peace-makers? In two ways. First of all we are peace-makers when we engage in the work of evangelism. For this work, at its most basic, is concerned to bring men and women into an experience of peace with God. Evangelism is not the responsibility of a select few but of every member of the church. The logic of the beatitude is that since all Christians are the sons and daughters of God, then all are expected to share in the work of peace-making.

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The Christian As Peace-makerI know that all Christians are not all equally well equipped for the work of evangelism. But we are all capable of living lives and speaking words which can be used of God to contribute to the conversion of others.

In Rom. 1v14 Paul recognised evangelism to be one of the debts that he owed to the world, ‘I am bound,’ he said, ‘to both Greeks and non Greeks... that is why I am so eager to preach the gospel....’

Do we see evangelism in this light?

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The Christian As Peace-makerThe peace-maker’s work is also done in the secret place of prayer as he wrestles for others who are still outside of the kingdom. Praying for others and witnessing to others is part of spiritual warfare. It is not accidental that Paul having explained that Jesus’ death is the source of peace with God in Eph. 2 goes on in ch. 6 to describe the Christian armed for service and the place of ‘all prayer’ in this context. He further identifies part of this armour as having ‘feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace’ v15. Is the background of his thought found in Isa. 52.7…

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The Christian As Peace-maker“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation”

Does that help us understand what Paul is saying? Part of the Christian armour is to be equipped to share the good news with others through life and speech . When you think of Christian warfare do you think of your involvement in evangelism? Do we demonstrate our commitment to being a peace-maker by praying for and sharing the gospel with those who are hostile to Christ’s rule?

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The Christian As Peace-makerA peace-maker is absolutely committed to the belief that once others are brought into a relationship with God they will enjoy his peace, and only after their relationship with God is restored can they expect to see their human relationships improve. We do not need to be an international globetrotter to be a peacemaker.

Peace-making is something we can engage in right where we are. In our family, our street, our office, our college.

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The Christian As Peace-makerThere is a second dimension to the peace-making activities of the children of God. For they will pursue peace among themselves, in the fellowship of the family of God. Peace-making is something to be actively pursued within the church. Read the N.T. epistles and you will discover two things, first there was often strife in the church fellowship - Corinth, Rome and Philippi. Relations were often far from harmonious! Paul uses two colourful word-pictures to tease out Jesus’ teaching in this beatitude:

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace”. Col. 3v15

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The Christian As Peace-makerSomeone has pictorialized this statement : “Peace is the referee who blows the whistle on any action that is out of line”. Whether or not we feel peace deep down is irrelevant. Paul means that since God has called us to peace then the well-being of the church fellowship must be a priority. Do you see what being a peace-maker will involve? … being prepared to submit our will, our position, our natural desires to the shalom of the fellowship.

It means asking, ‘Will my proposed course of action have a divisive, unsettling, disruptive effect upon God’s people?’ Jesus prayed that his people might dwell in unity as he and his Father did. To disrupt the peace of the church fellowship is to despise the prayers of Jesus and the will of God.

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The Christian As Peace-makerIn Eph. 4v3 we find Paul’s second word picture, ‘Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace’. Peace is the bond that binds us together. Commenting on this John Owen writes:“The church is like a bundle of sticks- some long some short; some straight some bent; some fat some thin. We have different interests personalities backgrounds, spheres of life. What do you do if you want to carry a bundle of sticks of different shapes and sizes? You bind them together in a bundle. One piece of rope makes the task straightforward. So too in the church of Christ… only one thing will hold together such diverse groupings of people. What is that one thing? Christ ties his church together with the bond of peace and so carries us home. But cut that bond and you cut the cord which Christ himself has tied”.

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The Christian As Peace-makerThis subject is so practical. A peace-maker will leave peace in his trail first, by the way he speaks. He will be in control of his tongue. He won’t retaliate when someone maligns him. He is careful about the kind of stories he repeats - Alexander Whyte a godly Edinburgh minister from the C19th carried a little card around with him on which three questions were written:

“Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?”

He attempted to control all his conversations with these questions. Sadly we often excuse our cutting remarks by saying, ‘I am the kind of person who needs to speak my mind’. Jesus wants to make you into a different kind of person; into someone who has learned to curb his tongue.

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The Christian As Peace-makerBeing a peace-maker involves going out of ones way in order to make peace. It is costly and humbling to take the initiative and be friendly when we sense hostility. It can mean taking the first step, when it is up to the other person to apologise. Why should we? God took the first step, though he was the offended party, in restoring our broken relationship with him. Yet we hear professing Christians say;

‘I won’t speak to him or her, I will cross the road when I see him coming, I’m not going if that other person intends to be there’.

That is not the spirit of the peace-maker and these are not the words of a Christian. In contrast scripture says, ‘If your enemy is hungry feed him’ Rom.12v20.

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ConclusionDo we seek to promote peace in Christ’s church? When people examine our lives do they see us as 'stirrers' or as ‘peace-makers’? Does the fragrance of God’s ‘shalom’ rest on us an follow us in every department of our lives? Are we committed to evangelism? Do we daily wear the sandals of the gospel of peace, so we are ready to seize the opportunities to witness which God provides? To such a person Jesus promises the blessing that they will be called ‘the sons of God’. Not only will God look down upon us and say, ‘that’s my boy he’s one of mine’ but others who examine our lives will see the family likeness and say:‘Surely he/she is a member of God’s family!’

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