“How to Be a Peacemaker”
“For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;” Ephesians 2:14 KJV
Intro: This week has been bitter sweet with the flood disaster in Flat Gap, Kentucky just a few miles from Paintsville First United Methodist, that took the lives of four people. It destroyed over eighty homes. There was major flood damage to another eighty-four homes and significant flooding to over two hundred and seventy-four additional homes. Our thought and prayers go out to this whole community. On the one hand the loss of life and the destruction of personal property by the flood is unbelievable. I have cried with you and cried with this community. That is the “sometimes harsh and bitter reality of nature” and part of the journey in life itself. On the other hand I have seen the huge hearts in this church and community. People working to prepare and deliver food. People donating generously to help.
I cannot begin to name names and express appreciation to every individual. But just a couple of things that I want to mention so that all of us know how important the work you are doing is. When people are in shock their attention becomes very narrow. They have tunnel vision. They can think only about one thing and that thing may be way outside of what is actually happening. I spoke an EMS first responder who said when he arrive on the scene he saw a lady who kept saying, "I can’t find my car keys. I can’t find my car keys." Her car was wrapped around a tree about 500 yards away. So was her house and everything else she owned. But all she could think about was trying to find her car keys.
Another story that stands out that I think describes the type of crisis relief this church has done was: A man who had lost everything. He needed a size 54 pants. You can’t find that size pants at Wal-Mart. So, a couple in the church volunteered to locate and drive out of town to make sure this guy had a couple of changes of clothing.
Then the food army came in and that is what it was. This church became an army of angles, cooking food and delivering hot meals to hundreds of people without electricity, water, or roof over their heads. It reminds me of the song Chris Tomlin sings: “The God of Angel Armies” I know who goes before me. I know who stands beside me. The God of angel armies. Is always by my side. The one who reigns forever. He is a friend of mine. The God of angel armies. Is always by my side. Whom shall I fear. Whom shall I fear.
The church office has received phone calls from West Virginia, New Jersey, Georgia, Ohio, all around Kentucky that said they saw the “Paintsville First UMC Silver Bullet Bus” delivering food and water and supplies. You did his before the Red Cross or any other relief team was able to do that. (go ahead and give yourself hand). Your earts are huge. Your generous giving to mission and ministry work of this church isn’t just when there is a disaster but ongoing. The Kentucky Annual Conference Disaster Relief Coordinator is already on sight and help with recovery plans.
“People who have been helped want to help ten times as much to give back for the blessings they received.” You have not lived today until you have done something for someone that cannot pay you back. That is the sweet part of this week.
In this world there will always be wars and disasters and fires and floods, droughts and tornadoes. And in life there are unexpected losses. Unforeseeable tragedies, injustice and inequalities. Suffering happens. Sometimes it is explainable. Most often it is indescribable. The real question of faith is not “Why do people suffer?” The real question is “How do we handle suffering?” How do we respond to the hurting, the broken? How do we respond to the least, the last, and the lost? That is what this little verse in Ephesians 2:14 from the Apostle Paul to the people at Ephesus is all about. It was written to encourage Christians to hang on when life is hard and the pain is real. Our peace is grounded in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I. Find inward peace with self.
“He made peace by the blood of the cross” (Colossians 1:20).
When I am struggling. When I am hurting. When I and feeling the pain. When I and worrying about tomorrow and fearful about what may come next. I read this verse of scripture from Colossians and remember that Jesus was holding the whole world in his hands when he was on the cross. That included everybody here, in His hands. That is faith and that is why even in pain and sorrow we have great courage and strength. Our faith is grounded in the blood of the cross and in the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. When you want to find inward peace with self. Just come to Jesus, Just kneel at the cross.
We can change the things we can. We can invite. Welcome. We can include everyone into the body of Christ. We can fight suffering. Injustice. Prejudice. Inequality and discrimination. We can stand up for justice in the marketplaces of the world. We can help take care of others. But the real starting place is finding inward peace with self. Until you start with inward peace you will never have long term spiritual and emotional health. That is why so many people smile and laugh in public but then pay for it when they return home and are alone. It is what I call “The public smile and the private crash.” Sometimes, their anger rises out toward the very people they love the most. I revisit the cross every week. Every day. Sometimes depending on the circumstance you may have to revisit the cross every hour of the day. To be a Peacemaker you have to Inward Peace with Self.
II. Find outward peace with others.
“If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the pagans do the same?” Matthew 5:47 NASB
This is the second step in the process. You want ever really have peace with others until you have step one.
Find inward peace with self. The kind of love and peace the Bible talks about comes from the Greek term “teleios” Strong’s 5046. It is where we get the word “total.” It is translated as “complete” and sometimes translated as “perfect” love. “Mature, Complete, Perfect, Total Peace.”
So Jesus is talking about WHEN you show only your friends love THEN you are really not doing anything different than what even the pagans and Gentiles, and non-believers do. But when you show “teleios.” It is that outward expression to others of that inward and spiritual peace that you have found in Christ.
Now, peace with others can sometimes be a bit tricky. This week at the parsonage I took out my garden sheers and began to prune the rose bushes in the front yard. Do you know that after the rose peddles fades and turn brown they still consume water and minerals that the rose plant needs to continue to grow and produce other healthy blossoms. Unless you have an "Heirloom" variety or hybrid rose there are sharp thorns all long the stems of the bush. Isn’t it amazing the way God made something as beautiful as a rose, but yet it has to be handled very carefully and with lots of love and care. That is the way I see people who are difficult to get along with. You just have to cut back the dead and dried up part and watch out for the thorns so that you can enjoy the beautiful roses and the wonderful smell of the blossoms. The next time someone is griping. The next time someone is complaining. The next time someone is being negative and showing a grumpy temperament. Just turn to them and say “Friend you are a rose.” It takes a lot of work to stay positive around some people. You can’t do it on your own. You will sometimes need the help, the strength, the wisdom, and power of the Holy Spirit.
But we can develop habits of treating everyone the same way. Not just our friends but also the strangers we meet. Not just the family we like to grill out with but also the family we don’t get along with and even those people who just get on our nerves. But it will take faith and will take practice. In fact let’s practice right now. Let’s turn to the person sitting next to you and say “You Are A Rose.” That wasn’t so bad. In fact that was the easy part. Telling someone else that “they are a rose.” That was kind of an inside joke. But all the while you are thinking about the thorns and the dried up buds and the brown peddles. It is always easier to point out the faults in others than to see them in our own self. So now we are going to do what I think that this verse from Matthew 5:47 is really trying to teach us. And that is to see the thorns in our own life. It was kind of fun to tell someone else they are a rose. I want us to take just a moment and say to yourself, "SELF I AM A ROSE" also. Where ever you are God has put you there for a reason. Bloom where you are planted. Find inward peace with self. And outward peace with others.
III. “If possible, to the best of your ability, live at peace with all people.” Romans 12:18 CEB
This goes into a category different to the previous two because it raises the bar to a whole new level. This is very important that you understand our United Methodist Church history and doctrine. John Wesley talked about “Christian Perfection.” Sometimes even Christians who know Christ have not yet discovered the “telios” Christ. "Complete, Perfect, Total Peace.”
In 2003 Bethany Hamilton was surfing off the coast of Hawaii, when she was attacked by a tiger shark. In the accident she lost her left arm. But the tragedy did not stop her compassion or competitive spirit. She came back to surfing and competed in some the toughest surfing completions. In 2011 the movie “Soul Surfing” became an inspiration to millions, about courage and perseverance and faith in Christ no matter what the suffering or embarrassment or loss. In an interview Bethany said, “I’m looking forward to the future. I want to show the world that I still have a life, and that my life is filled with joy. I have an undying trust that God is taking care of me.” Do you know that God is taking care of you today? He was in the flood waters of those with those who survived. He was also in the flood waters with those who drowned. Not that God caused their loss or suffering in any way. But that God is in the midst of storms of life. God is our ever present help in every time of trouble. Faith is that in either life or death it is well with my soul. We handle our suffering by faith. So pray for faith until you have it. Live by faith because you will need it. Rejoice in the faith for faith in Jesus Christ will give you: Inward Peace With Self. Outward Peace with Others: And that extra special peace, so that you can live in this world at peace with all people.
Closing: So I ask you this morning, “Are you a Peace Maker?” Do you love yourself? Or are there changes that you know you need to make before you can be whole and healthy? Do you love others unconditionally? Do you see the good in everyone? Do you smell the roses or fear just talk about the thorns? Are you going on to perfection? Do you live peacefully with everyone? Are you a Peace Maker?
