the years many people, including some of you, have sent me some really wonderful stories that often find their way into my sermons and this morning there is one that I received this week that provides an introduction, in probably one of my patented round about ways, to this sermon and sermon series.
The story begins in heaven after the final judgment. God appeared and said, ’I want the men to make two lines. One line for the men who were true heads of their household and the other line for the men who were dominated by their women. I want all the women to report to St. Peter.’
Soon, the women were gone and there were two lines of men. The line of the men who were dominated by their wives was 100 miles long and in the line of men who truly were heads of their household, there was only one man.
God said, ’You men should be ashamed of yourselves, I created you to be the head of your household!
’You have been disobedient and have not fulfilled your purpose! Of all of you, only one obeyed. Learn from him.’ God turned to the one man, ’How did you manage to be the only one in this line?’
The man replied, ’My wife told me to stand here.’
Marriage, and family life, gets interesting doesn’t it? It is often, often rich and rewarding and it is sometimes conflicted and painful.
As I have observed families over the years (and to a certain degree, my own family) I have usually found that one person, usually by default, has the role of peacekeeper. They are the ones who run from one conflict to another trying to keep the peace in families.
Sometimes they use humor. Sometimes they use charm. Sometimes they use threats.
I have determined that being a peacekeeper is a very, very, very stressful job. Do you find yourself to be a peacemaker or peacekeeper?
As I began thinking about this series, I prayed and prayed and thought and thought and prayed some more. ‘What do you want to say through me, Lord?’
I thought about the past couple of months when it seems that some people see nothing but dark times ahead. And we are understandably concerned about our economy.
But others see possibilities. They see opportunities to make a difference in things like hunger and poverty and alternative energy.
Some see the church as losing ground in our culture. Dark times are ahead. We must retreat.
Others see the church as now able to get back on message and really begin to care for those who need care and that there are new opportunities for ministry and influence in areas long neglected. We still have a mission, they say, to fulfill.
As I have pondered and reflected on these things, I began to understand both the concerns and see the possibilities. Yes, our economy is in a mess right now. Yes, some important issues are not going as perhaps they should.
However, I also see that there is a great mission field and a great opportunity for the Church of Jesus Christ to be what God has called it to be. So out of all of this thinking and praying and listening and reflection, I came up with this initial 2009 series that I am calling (Slide 1) ‘2 Things 2 B in 09’
(Slide 1a) They are: a peacemaker and a missionary.
This month we will be addressing the peacemaker role and next month we will be addressing the missionary role.
I believe that this is a time in which the Church of Jesus Christ, needs to step back and refocus on what God has called it to do and be - peacemakers and be missionaries of His love and grace. It is a Biblical role that we must take up again and, through the power and strength of His Holy Spirit, fulfill to the best of our ability.
As we begin this part of the series, here is our road map for this month. (Slide 2)
What does it mean to be a peacemaker? More important what does it mean to be God’s peacemaker?
To be God’s peacemaker is to understand the difference between peacemaking and peacekeeping
(Slide 3)
To be God’s peacemaker is to practice the Biblical pattern of reconciliation
(Slide 4)
To be God’s peacemaker is to discern the nature of conflict
(Slide 5)
Finally, to be God’s peacemaker is to accept that peacemaking is an ‘inside out’ process.
Each week we will address each of these four points and we begin this morning (finally, huh) with this point. (Slide 6)
To be God’s peacemaker is to understand the difference between peacemaking and peacekeeping .
(Slide 7) Our text for this morning is Matthew 5:9
God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.
This verse appears at the beginning of what has been called ‘The Sermon on the Mount’ and I think that we need to, as we should always do, understand and acknowledge the context of this verse before we go any further.
This particular segment of chapter 5 is also called the Beatitudes. It begins with verse 3 and ends with verse 10. Each verse describes what Jesus indicates that God the Father acknowledges or blesses when it comes to certain character traits. Those traits are basically ones that indicate a pursuit for God and what is right and just as well as a desire to be humble, pure in heart, and merciful. They are what Jesus expects His followers to develop over the course of the rest of their lives.
Now just prior to verse 9 we read in verse 8 ‘God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.’ I like what John Stott says about this placement.
‘The sequence of thought from purity of heart to peacemaking is natural, because one of the most frequent causes of conflict is intrigue, while openness and sincerity are essential to all true reconciliation.’ In other words, if we become pure in our hearts where our motives and intentions reside, peace stands a greater chance of developing in our relationships with others as a mark of our Christian character.
Of course, as Stott goes on to remark and as verse 10 says, there is a price to be paid for such commitment to peace. A price that is costly.
Now for our purposes for today, we note that Matthew writes the word that is translated ‘peacemaker’ not ‘peacekeeper.’ What is the difference between the two?
A look at the ending of both words is helpful here. To make something is to create something. There is a measure of some control over the situation or creation.
To keep something requires the ability to hang on to control. There is a measure of some control here but what has been created is required either to be kept in check or taken care of in some fashion.
The University of Colorado’s Conflict Research Consortium defines peacemaking and peacekeeping as follows:
(Slide 8) Peacekeeping means keeping people from attacking each other by putting some kind of barrier between them
(Slide 9) Peacemaking is the process of forging a settlement between the disputing parties
Which is easier to do? (Ask for a show of hands.) Is it easier to be a peacekeeper or a peacemaker?
Granted both are hard. But keeping the peace is something that, I think, we spend a great deal of time doing. Jesus calls us to be peacemakers. The difference between the two is big.
Pastor Ed Sansett, in a sermon on peacemaking, offers some very insightful thoughts regarding what peace means in our day and age and what Jesus meant by peace. He notes, “English, Greek, and Hebrew have a slightly different slant on the idea of peace. In English the word peace means an absence of conflict or strife. It has about it the idea of serenity. If Israel and Hezbollah (and today Hamas) would stop bombing one another you would hear reporters say that peace has returned to the region. They’d only mean that there was an absence of conflict and strife.
The Greek language, of which the N.T. is written in, includes the idea of rest and to agree upon certain terms. On the other hand, the Hebrew language, and Jesus was a Hebrew, has the idea of everything that makes for a person’s highest good. English would say we don’t have trouble with another person, but the Hebrew emphasis would mean that the relationship is loving.”
His point is well made. The peace that Jesus is talking about is more than the absence of strife and conflict. Let me suggest this morning: (Slide 10) The peace that Jesus calls us to make as His followers is a peace that reconciles people to God and to one another.
What does reconcile mean? I think that this story might help.
Smith and Jones were “on the outs” over a very trivial matter. This deeply concerned Deacon Brown. So he prayed that he might be a peacemaker. He called on Smith and asked, “What do you think of Jones?” “He’s the meanest crank in the neighborhood!” said Smith. “But,” said Deacon Brown, “you have to admit that he’s very kind to his family.”
The next day Deacon Brown went to Jones and inquired, “Do you know what Smith said about you?” “No,” said Jones, “but I can imagine how that scamp would lie about me!” “This may surprise you,” said Deacon Brown, “but he said you’re very kind to your family.” “What! Did Smith say that?” “Yes, he did.” “Well, if you hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
“What do you think of Smith?” asked Brown. “Truthfully, I believe he’s a lowdown scalawag,” said Jones. “But you have to admit that he’s very honest in business,” said Deacon Brown. “Yes, there’s no getting around that; in business he’s a man you can trust,” agreed Jones.
The next day Deacon Brown called on Smith again. “You know what Jones said about you? He claims you’re a fellow that really can be trusted in business, and that you’re scrupulously honest.” “You mean it?” asked Smith. “Yes, I do,” said Deacon Brown. “Well of all things,” replied Smith with a happy smile.
The next Sunday the former “enemies” nodded to each other. Deacon Brown continued his “meddling” until the next annual business meeting of the church when Smith and Jones shook hands and finally voted on the same side!’
Deacon Brown took a risk. He could have ended up in conflict Deacons Jones and Smith.
Now maybe some of us this morning think that Brown had absolutely no business getting involved in the situation. Or, maybe the preacher should have done something. Maybe the preacher did not know something was wrong.
The Lord has called us all to be peacemakers and in doing so, we are going to face situations that require no else but ourselves to step in and ‘meddle’ in love. Why? Because we have the credibility and the relationship with whomever to try, with God’s help, to make peace.
Let me suggest this morning a couple of things about peacemaking we can learn from Deacon Brown.
(Slide 11) If we are concerned about a relationship then perhaps, that is God’s call to engage in peacemaking.
Deacon Brown was concerned about the rift between Jones and Smith. He was concerned (reading between the lines here) about what impact the rift may have on others and their church as well.
(We know what unresolved conflict does to people and a church, don’t we?)
Is there a relationship that you are concerned about and no one else shares the concern? I am not talking about an obsession, I am talking about a healthy and Godly concern for a couple of people who are in conflict. Maybe that is a sign that a peacemaking effort is being called for by the Lord who will give you wisdom and discernment.
(Slide 12) A second lesson learned from Deacon Brown is that peacemaking is about God’s will being done ‘on earth as it is in heaven’ and not about getting glory.
Again, reading between the lines Brown was genuinely concerned for his two Christian brothers. The sense that I get from the story is that he was stealthy in his reconciliation process. No one appeared to know what was going on, least of who were Jones and Smith!
I think this is one of the ways that illustrates what Jesus meant in Matthew 6:3 when he said, ‘But when you give to someone, don’t tell your left hand what your right hand is doing.’
Peacemaking, as the Lord intends, is done with an eye to giving glory and praise to God and not the one who working as peacemaker. I think that Deacon Brown proceeded with care, caution, and prayer.
He also proceeded (Slide 13) with a peacemaking that valued the dignity of both persons while seeking to effectively address the conflict between them. Notice how he very slyly goes back and forth seeking to get each man to admit to the good in the other and then taking their good words to one another. Now some of us here might find this approach manipulative but there is probably more to the story and context than we know.
However, peacemaking is about reconciliation not just keeping conflict at bay. Reconciliation requires a coming together, a reconciling, a resolution of problems for the well-being and benefit of the other.
As we move toward conclusion this morning, I share a couple of different definitions about peacemaking and peacekeeping from Pastor Scott Kerr as a way to help us gain God’s wisdom and clarity in this matter for us.
‘Peace-keeping is about maintaining the status quo. Damage-control. Don’t rock the boat. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. It’s about conflict avoidance and denial. Peace-keeping is
about saying “peace, peace” when there is no peace.’
‘Peace-making is the pursuit of that deeper peace which the Bible calls shalom or wholeness. Peace-making often requires entering into constructive conflict in order to realize a deeper peace, that peace which brings glory to God and reveals the depths of God’s love and justice for all people. Peacemaking requires a love offensive, which means loving enough to speak the truth in love, and to admit the need of God’s help for salvation. Ultimately peace-making is about bringing glory to God because this deeper peace, this shalom, is a result of God’s presence and gracious intervention.’
Now when I comes to conflict, I am like Indiana Jones when he encountered snakes, ‘I hate snakes!’ I hate conflict. But it is a part of this life and this work that is so deeply affected by sin. And Jesus has called me to be a peacemaker and He has called each of us to be one as well.
This brings us to our conclusion this morning.
Peacemaking is about reconciliation with God and with others. It is about caring truly caring for the other person’s well-being at just about any cost. It is a deep peace; it is a transformational peace; it is a peace that must be an inside out peace; it is a peace that goes beyond our comprehension.
(Slide 14) As we begin not just this series but also this New Year, let us resolve to become God’s peacemakers not peacekeepers. Amen.
Sources: John RW Stott, Christian Counter-Culture: The Message of the Sermon on the Mount. Page 50. Intervarsity Press, 1978.
www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace/index.html
Sansett sermon is found at sermoncentral.com and Deacon Brown story is from that sermon
Herr sermon is found at, firstpresfc.org website and was given on 8.19.07
