The Peacemaker - Gods Child Series

The Peacemaker – God’s child Mat 5 Adrian Warnock

Slides and audio at

http://jubilee-church.org/sermons/kingdom/peacemaker.htm

The Peacemaker by Ken Sande ‘There is no need for another book on this topic to be written now that his volume exists’ CJ MahaneyMuch of the following notes are adapted from the above book which is highly recommended.

How does the following quote make you feel

With each beatitude another nail is driven into a coffin. Inside the coffin lies the corpse of a false understanding of salvation. The false understanding said that a person can be saved without being changed. Or: that a person can inherit eternal life even if his attitudes and actions are like the attitudes and actions of unbelievers.

One after the other the beatitudes tell us that the blessings of eternity will be given only to those who have become new creatures…..If we don’t obtain mercy, we receive judgment. If we don’t see God, we are not in heaven. If we aren’t called the sons of God, we are outside the family. In other words these are all descriptions of final salvation…it is promised only to the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers.

Therefore the beatitudes are like long spikes holding down the lid of the coffin on the false teaching which says that if you just believe in Jesus you will go to heaven whether or not you are merciful or pure in heart or a peacemaker. In fact, from beginning to end the Sermon on the Mount cries out, "Get yourself a new heart! Become a new person! The river of judgment is at the door!" You recall the words of verse 20: "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20)…..In other words, a life of disobedience to the beatitudes and to the Sermon on the Mount will not stand in the judgment no matter what we believe! (PIPER)

Oh to be called a child of God!

* How is Gods reputation is affected by how we treat others

* "My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father—that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me." (John 17:21, NLT)

* Jesus is the ultimate peacemaker and true peace can only come through him

* God intends for us to be at peace

* With God

* Within ourselves

* With others

* What does this mean in practive

* We have a duty to serve others in this area- How (2 Corinthians 5:17-21, ESV)

The price of peace

* Jesus paid the ultimate peace price & He wants us to pay the peace price

* Dying to self and own desires

* Dying to the right to be indignant

* Dying to the right of reply

* Dying inside to say ‘Sorry’ and mean it

* Peacemaking is a lifestyle not just for conflicts

* Many do not know there is such a thing as peace and forgiveness

Lies that destroy peace

* Look out for number one

* God helps those who help themselves

* Surely God doesn’t want me to remain in an unhappy situation

* Ill forgive you but I cant forget

* Dont get mad, get even

* I deserve better than this

* Which of the above lies are hardest for you personally to resist

Conflict management styles

* Avoidance, Accommodation, Competition Compromise Collaboration Stewardship

What is your conflict management style Can you think of examples of each from the media

The Peacemakers checklist…

* How can I please and glorify God in this situation

* A broken situation needs TACS

* TACS – Trust God

* "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock." (Isaiah 26:3-4, ESV)

* "I will contend with those who contend with you." (Isaiah 49:25, ESV)

* Is my situation…a chance event …. done to you by someone else

* OR….allowed by God for a specific purpose

* "When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “… now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him……But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. " (Ge 50:15-21)