The idea of peace dominates the Bible. There are four hundred references to peace in the Bible. It opens with peace in the Garden of Eden and closes with peace in the new heavens and new earth. In fact, a study of redemptive history could be made from the standpoint of peace. Man’s sin interrupted our peace with God. At the cross, Christ became our peace. Because Jesus has provided peace, there can be peace in the heart of one who comes to know Him. One day, Jesus will come again and will establish an eternal kingdom of peace.
God is referred to in Scripture as the “God of Peace” (Romans 15:33), yet there is no peace in our world. There are two reasons for this:
1) The opposition of Satan; and
2) The disobedience of men.
But when a man makes peace with God through faith in Christ, he is commissioned by God to become an agent for peace. That’s what this Beatitude is speaking about.
“Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet.” - Ephesians 6:15 (CEV)
As we think about our task in society as peacemakers, we can take as our clue on how to fulfill this calling the fact that the peacemaker will be called a “son of God.” Since this is the case, it stands to reason that we can learn a lot about peace making from THE Son of God. Indeed, he has told us to go about the task He has given us in the same way He went about the task the Father had assigned Him.
“Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’” - John 20:21 (NIV)
With this in mind, let’s think about being a peacemaker in a world that is at war with God.
1. Making peace.
The world’s peacemakers have a terrible record. The peace they hail today is gone tomorrow. It has been said, ‘Washington has lots of peace monuments. They build one after each war.” Peace, as the world conceives of it, is merely a moment when everyone stops to reload.
Which brings us to something that is important for us to understand.
There is a big difference between making a truce and making peace. A truce just says you don’t shoot at each other for a while. Peace, however, comes when the truth is known, the issue is settled, and the parties embrace each other.
In 1945, the United Nations brought itself together with the motto, “To have succeeding generations free from the scourge of war.” Since 1945, there has not been one day of peace on earth.
We have had no global peace, no political peace, no social peace, no domestic peace, and no personal peace. There is no peace in men’s hearts or in the world, because men have no peace with God.
That’s where the peacemaker comes in. The peacemaker is one who has made his peace with God. He is one who has come to know the truth, settle the issue and embrace the One he once had fought against. He has come to know the truth as revealed in Christ, settled the issue of his personal salvation through repentance toward God and faith in Christ, and has embraced God has his heavenly Father.
“Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).” - Romans 5:1 (Amplified)
One cannot be a peacemaker in society until he has first made his personal peace with God. But having made his personal peace with God, he is now called to be a peacemaker; and a peacemaker must do three things:
A. He must observe the peace.
Just because I have peace with God doesn’t mean that I am always at peace with God. When I align myself with that which is in opposition to God, I fail to observe the peace or live by the peace that is mine in Christ.
“If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.” - James 4:4 (NLT)
Paul tells us that to observe the peace, we must not look to the world or the things offered by the world to bring us fulfillment; but instead, our focus needs to be on God.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” - Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)
Picture, if you will, a massive hurricane raging over the ocean. On the surface of the sea the violent winds whip the water into giant waves and create a scene of havoc and chaos. Yet, a mere twenty-five feet below the sur¬face, the waters are clear and calm. The fish there go on living their lives totally unaware of the thunderous tumult just above them.
The point is that where there is “depth,” there is peace. So it is in the Christian life. We observe the peace as we seek daily to deepen our walk with God and our trust in God.
B. He must keep the peace.
No only does one observe the peace by maintaining his focus on God, but he likewise, keeps the peace by encouraging his fellow peacemakers to maintain their focus on God.
“Make every effort (literally, “strive like a warrior”) to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” - Ephesians 4:3-6; 29-30 (NIV)
I read an article where the writer said that as a former basketball player, he was a disappointed when his daughter decided to drop hoops and take up cross-country running. But he decided it’s a great sport. One of the reasons I’ve grown to appreciate the 5K races is the encouragement that accompanies the event.
In most sports, it’s easy for fans to grow critical of the partici¬pants. You hear things like, “Come on, quit taking such bad shots!” Or “Hey, can’t you hit a curve ball?”
But he had discovered that in cross¬ country, encouragement is the norm. From the fans lining the course, you hear things like, “Nice job! Way to run!” Or “Go! You can do it!” Even last-place runners get cheers, not jeers. In 3 years of watching his daughter run, he said he haven’t heard one discouraging word from the spectators.
The Christian life is a long-distance race. As fellow believers discipline themselves to run that race, they need encouragement. What are you doing to encourage the “racers” who are on the journey with you?
“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” - Hebrews 10:23-25 (NLT)
Which brings us to the third thing the peacemaker must do.
C. He must share the peace.
“Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet.” - Ephesians 6:15 (CEV)
Of course, this is referring to ultimate peace, between an individual and God. It is Good News that through faith in Christ, I can have peace with God and the peace of God because I have a personal relationship with the God of peace. This is something I should be excited about.
An easterner who walked into a western saloon was amazed to see a dog sitting at a table playing poker with three men. He asked, “Can that dog really play cards?” one of the men answered, “Yeah, but he ain’t much of a player. Whenever he gets a good hand, he wags his tail.”
That’s the way we ought to be about the Good News we have to share concerning Christ! It ought to be something we have a hard time keeping to ourselves.
This brings us to one final thought concerning being a peacemaker in a world at war with God. To lead men to peace, we must . . .
2. Disturb the peace.
With respect to peace, Jesus had different things to say to those who do know and follow Him, as opposed to the world that doesn’t know or follow Him.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” - John 14:27 (NIV)
“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” - Matthew 10:34 (NIV)
Jesus brought peace to men’s hearts by first disturbing the peace.
In speaking of the wisdom that God gives, James, in his epistle, says, “The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving . . .” - James 3:17 (NIV).
That is the same order that Jesus gave here in the Beatitudes. We must be pure in heart before we can be makers of peace. Likewise, one must made positionally pure before they can experience the peace of God. One cannot divorce purity from peace.
And when it comes to sharing the Good News, a necessary part of sharing the Good News has to do with disturbing the false sense of peace that the world gives which tells a person that they can be good enough on their own for God to find them acceptable.
“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” - Romans 3:22-24 (NIV)
You see, it’s that “all have sinned” part of the Good News that disturbs the peace. But if folks are going to truly hear the Good News about peace, they need to hear it all!
To be a peacemaker, I must seek to be like Jesus. Jesus spoke the truth in love, and so must we; and when you deal with the truth, you’ll be a divider, a disrupter, a disturber of the peace. But it is only through men and women having their false sense peace that comes from self righteousness and a false sense of worthiness disturbed, that they can then be led to repentance and faith in Christ, which brings them to experience true peace - the peace God gives.
“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” - Jude 3-4 (NIV)
We must never compromise the message of the Good News. No matter what people may WANT to hear, the FACTS are that: sin is black, Hell is hot, judgment is sure; but God is love, Heaven is sweet, & Jesus saves!
“God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others. What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And he has given us the work of sharing his message about peace. We were sent to speak for Christ, and God is begging you to listen to our message. We speak for Christ and sincerely ask you to make peace with God.” - 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (CEV)
Conclusion: We need to realize that our society, our culture, our world, is at war with God. That people who do not know Christ are lacking true peace. And that if we are going to be fulfilled in life as followers of Christ, we must accept His call to be His representatives, His ambassadors, His peacemakers, leading as many people to experience true peace by means of their entering into a personal relationship with the God of peace through faith in Christ.
That’s why we must 1) Observing the peace by cultivating my walk with God & trust in God. Our world needs to see what a life looks like that is filled with the peace of God. That’s why we must 2) Keeping the peace by encouraging & blessing my fellow believers rather than being in conflict with one another. Jesus said that love for one another is to be a hallmark of his followers that draws others to Him. And that’s why we must 3) Share the peace with those around me who need to hear the Good News of peace. As I am involved in leading others to the Prince of Peace I will be blessed, indeed.
