NOTE: Study materials used for this message were taken from the following: "The Message of the Sermon on the Mount" Stott; "The Complete Biblical Study Library" Matthew. Since Michael King’s message "Assurance of Salvation" which I used for reference on part 1 only named the first 3 attitudes, the remainder I tried to create in order to build from one beatitude to the next. I also have power points for all the messages in this series, if you would like to use them, feel free to email me pastordeb@firstassemblyonline.net.
BEATITUDES - PART IV
TEXT: Matthew 5:9-10
INTRODUCTION
Finishing up our series on the “Be” Attitudes
Jesus is laying out the “Constitution” by which all of His Disciples are to live.
TRANSITION: The 7th “Be“ Attitude that follows the Attitude of Transparency is an ATTITUDE OF RECONCILIATION.
I. Attitude of Reconciliation.
Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
1. True, Jesus was to say later that he had ‘not come to bring peace, but a sword, for he had come ‘to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’, so that a man’s enemies would be ‘those of his own household’.
2. We should never ourselves seek conflict or be responsible for it. On the contrary, we are called to peace (1 Cor. 7:15), we are actively to pursue peace, we are to ‘strive for peace with all men’ and so far as it depends on us, we are to ‘live peaceably with all’. (Romans 12:18)
3. Peacemaking is a divine work.
4. 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.
5. Every Christian, according to this beatitude, is meant to be a peacemaker both in the community and in the church.
6. The words ‘peace’ and ‘appeasement’ are not synonyms.
7. God made peace with us at immense cost, even at the price of the life-blood of His only son. We too--though in lesser ways--will find peacemaking a costly enterprise.
8. One of the responsibilities of correct Bible Study is not to proof-text.
9. We must not take one Scripture and build a doctrine or force our beliefs into it. We are on the other hand required to search the other Scriptures to come to a better understanding of what God’s intentions are.
10. That brings us to the next foundational approach to Bible Study and that is, “Scripture will never contradict Scripture.”
11. As we look at other Scriptures involving our role as peacemakers, we find 3 threads of truths regarding our roles involving reconciliation. The first of which is:
A. Reconciling with God
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that god was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
1. Pitfalls of the Reconciler of People to God
Dietrich Bonhoeffer ‘cheap grace’
2. There is such a thing as ‘cheap peace’ which in other words is proclaiming peace when there is no peace (Luke 17:3). This is the work of the false prophet (not the Christian witness)
3. When we look at the magnitude of the task before us today to fulfill the GREAT COMMISSION we run into danger of:
Becoming Overwhelmed
Becoming Desensitized
Becoming Cynical
4. But that does not negate the fact that we are called to be ambassadors of Christ reconciling the world to Him!
B. Reconciling with One Another
Hebrews 12:14-15 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord; looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God.”
1. Jesus never said, “Blessed are the peacekeepers”; He said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
2. What is the difference? A peacekeeper maintains peace at all costs. Thus, he will compromise truth to avoid confrontation.
3. The problem with this is that people remain comfortable in their present state when they need godly change.
4. A peacemaker on the other hand, seeks true peace, and if need be, he tenaciously confront with truth or righteousness to bring forth real peace.
5. A peacemaker loves righteousness and hates sin. He does not back off. He calls sins just what it is: sin, not a mistake or weakness.
6. His hatred for sin grows out of his love for God and for people. His true desire is to see what is best for people, not necessarily what makes them happy or makes him popular.
7. Pitfalls of the Reconciler of People
Offering ‘cheap evangelism’ - faith without repentance
8. We must resist the temptation of:
Falling Prey to ‘Peacekeeping’
C. Reconciling of Churches
1. The visible unity of the church is a proper Christian quest, but only if unity is not sought at the expense of doctrine.
2. Jesus prayed for the oneness of his people.
3. Pitfalls of the Reconciler of Churches
‘cheap reunion’ - proclamation of the gospel without the cost of discipleship
TRANSITION: And we move finally into the final building block of our constitution as believers and that is we must exhibit an ATTITUDE OF FEARLESSNESS.
II. Attitude of Fearlessness.
Matthew 5:9-10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
1. Greek word for “having been persecuted” literally means - those who are persecuted, driven out, chased away.
2. It may seem strange that Jesus should pass from peacemaking to persecution, from the work of reconciliation to the experience of hostility.
3. With these words Jesus began to instruct His disciples about the persecution that believers will experience because of their desire for righteousness.
1 Peter 3:14-15 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.
4. It may not seem to be happiness or fullness of blessing when unbelievers take believers’ changed lives as a rebuke to their sinful life-style and react against them.
ILLUSTRATION:
Salt in an open wound - hurts.
As we allow ourselves to be "the salt of the earth" we will make people uncomforable around us.
5. Our natural tendency when we are treated with insults and accusations is to defend ourselves.
6. But cultivating the first 7 attitudes in our lives will cause us to realize when this happens that we are being persecuted not because of who WE are, but because of who JESUS CHRIST IS!
7. He is the one they are really rejecting. He is the one they hate. But we can understand the words of Peter:
1 Peter 4:12-14 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice in exultation.
Matthew 5:9-10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
TRANSITION: Now comes the place where we must put all of this together. And as these attitudes filter down to challenge us today, let us ask the question HOW THEN SHOULD WE LIVE?
III. How Then Should We Live?
1. Jesus, through these 8 Beatitudes paint a comprehensive portrait of how we are to live as Christians:
First we come to the place where we find ourselves before God, empty handed and SPIRITUALLY BANKRUPT.
It becomes not simply a regret but our hearts ache and we MOURN over it.
This HUMBLES us and causes us to walk before God and our fellow man in a completely different way than we have walked in the past or will ever walk again.
As we experience God’s love in our lives, He fills a part of us that we have been unable to fill with any of our worldly pursuits and that causes a holy HUNGER AND THIRST for more of Him.
Our relationship with God does not cause us to withdraw from society, nor are we to allow ourselves to become insulated from the world’s pain. On the contrary, we should ever be making ourselves available wherever God places us so that we can show MERCY to those battered by adversity and sin.
With God’s help, we purge ourselves of the impurities in our attitudes and lives so that we develop a TRANSPARENCY and we see God at work in our lives and feel His urgency that compels us to be used by Him in new ways.
When we experience the inexpressible joy of His Presence at work in our lives, it builds an excitement within us as well as a desire to see others RECONCILED to Him. We are then no “peacekeepers” but point others to Jesus, our “Peacemaker”.
The final result, if all of these attitudes are working properly in our lives will produce an opposite effect that what would bring us comfort in this life. For instead being applauded for living a life as a Christ follower, we are hindered at every turn. Our co-workers slander us, our families may reject us, and the world certainly opposes us in ever growing numbers but we are exhorted to remain FEARLESS amid persecution.
2. This is the man or woman who is “blessed” or finds approval with God. If we are to be called His disciples, these attitudes must be being cultivated in our lives daily.
ILLUSTRATION: Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“With every beatitude, the gulf is widened between the disciples and the people and their call to come forth from the people becomes increasingly manifest.”
3. And these are the victories that we are promised:
We can be comforted
We can be satisfied
We can receive a lavish amount of mercy
We can see God - both now and in glory
We are no longer without home or family - we are sons and daughters of God
Our inheritance is bigger than publisher’s clearinghouse, larger than any amount a lottery winner has ever been awarded. Bill Gates could never afford to “buy us out”….for we, as God’s heirs have ownership in the kingdom of heaven.
