The "be" Attitudes 08

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

THE BEATITUDES PART 8

MATTHEW 5:9 BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS, FOR THEY WILL BE CALLED SONS OF GOD.

INTRODUCTION: OUR STUDY OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT AND RIGHT NOW, THE BEATITUDES, WE COME TO THE PLACE WHERE JESUS SPEAKS OF THOSE WHO FOLLOW CHRIST AS BEING PEACEMAKERS.

YOU WILL REMEMBER AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS SERIES WE MENTIONED THAT THE PRINCIPLES OF THE BEATITUDES ARE PRACTICE FOR HEAVEN. AFTER ALL THE SERMON IN ITS ENTIRETY WAS BEING PREACHED WITH THE DESIRE TO SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD REALIZED ON THE EARTH. THE REJECTION OF THE NATION, AND THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST PLACED THAT ON “HOLD”, AWAITING THE RAPTURE. AS A BY-PRODUCT, THIS ALSO ALLOWED THE GOSPEL TO BE PRESENTED TO THE GENTILES – READ US. AND WE ARE THE BETTER FOR IT.

WE ALSO BROUGHT TO LIGHT THAT THESE PRINCIPLES WERE IMPOSSIBLE TO LIVE APART FROM A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST, AND AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, WE SHOULD BE PRACTICING THEM DAILY AND CONSISTENTLY.

TRANSITION: PROBABLY NO BETTER PLACE CAN THIS BE SEEN THEN IN THIS BEATITUDE, AS HERE WE ARE CALLED TO BE PEACEMAKERS! SO, IN REALITY, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

I. THE NEED FOR PEACE

JAMES 4:1 WHAT CAUSES FIGHTS AND QUARRELS AMONG YOU? DON’T THEY COME FROM YOUR DESIRES THAT BATTLE WITHIN YOU?

ALTHOUGH JAMES IS CORRECT, THE PEACE PROBLEM GOES FURTHER BACK --

a. THE JOURNEY OF PEACE FROM CREATION TO ETERNITY

i. THE CREATION OF GOD WAS PERFECT

ii. MAN WAS CREATED IN INNOCENCE AND AT PEACE WITH BOTH HIS ENVIRONMENT AND WITH HIS CREATOR

iii. PEACE WAS INTERRUPTED BY SATAN

1. THROUGH THE ACTIVITY OF SATAN, SIN WAS BROUGHT INTO THE WORLD

2. SIN, BY DEFINITION IS REBELLION AGAINST GOD AND REBELLION IS THE OPPOSITE OF PEACE

iv. THE FINISHED CROSS WORK OF CHRIST BRINGS BACK THE PEACE THAT WAS LOST IN THE FALL

1. SALVATION BRINGS PEACE WITH GOD

a. NO LONGER ENEMIES

b. ADOPTED INTO HIS FAMILY

2. SPIRITUAL GROWTH, FELLOWSHIP BRINGS US THE PEACE OF GOD

a. AND IT IS SELF PERPETUATING

b. PHILIPPIANS 4:7 AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH TRANSCENDS ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS.

c. THE PEACE OF GOD KEEPS US IN CHRIST JESUS

d. COLOSSIANS 3:15 LET THE PEACE OF CHRIST RULE IN YOUR HEARTS, SINCE AS MEMBERS OF ONE BODY YOU WERE CALLED TO PEACE. AND BE THANKFUL.

v. AS THE PRINCE OF PEACE, JESUS WILL USHER IN WITH HIS SECOND COMING A 1,000 YEARS OF PEACE DURING THE MILLENNIUM

vi. IN THE FINAL ACTS OF GOD, WE WILL SEE A NEW HEAVEN, EARTH, AND WITH IT AN ETERNAL PEACE

b. OUR WAR AGAINST PEACE

i. INTERNAL WAR

1. WE STILL HAVE A VIABLE OLD NATURE

2. WE DIED TO IT

3. IT STILL DESIRES CONTROL

4. OUR OLD NATURE AVOIDS PEACE

a. IT DOES NOT SEEK PEACE

b. IT SEEKS CONTROL

ii. ENVIRONMENTAL WAR

1. WE LIVE IN A WORLD ENCOMPASSED WITH GREED, SELFISHNESS, PRIDE, AND JEALOUSY

2. OUR ENVIRONMENT DOES NOT SEEK PEACE, BUT APPEASEMENT

3. PEACE IS LOST WHEN WE WANT MORE

iii. SPIRITUAL WAR

1. NO BETTER PLACE TO SEE THIS THAN IN THE BOOK OF JOB

2. GOD ALLOWED SATAN TO TEST JOB IN ORDER TO REVEAL THE FAITHFULNESS OF JOB IN TIMES OF TURMOIL AND STRUGGLE

3. THROUGHOUT THE STORY, JOB WAS CHALLENGED BY HIS FRIENDS TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH HIM.

4. EVEN JOB’S WIFE TOLD HIM TO CURSE GOD AND DIE.

5. ALTHOUGH JOB DESIRED TO ASK WHY FROM GOD, JOB WAS STILL FAITH FUL TO GOD.

6. FAITHFULNESS HAS ITS FOUNDATION IN OUR PEACE WITH GOD

FOR THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, WE ARE TO BE DRIVEN TO PEACE

II. THE REALITIES OF PEACE

a. THE MEANING OF PEACE

i. MORE THAN SIMPLY HAVING NO CONFLICT OR STRIFE.

ii. THE ABILITY TO HAVE AND MAINTAIN PEACE BRINGS US BACK TO THE BEATITUDE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

MATTHEW 5:6 BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, FOR THEY WILL BE FILLED.

iii. WHEN WE CREATE AND ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE ARE HUNGERING AND THIRSTING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, GOD GIVES US WHAT WE WANT – RIGHTEOUSNESS

1. THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS EXPRESSED IN BEING MERCIFUL

2. THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS EXPRESSED IN HAVING NOT JUST A CLEAN HEART BUT A PURE HEART

3. AND NOW IT IS ALSO EXPRESSED IN BEING A PEACEMAKER

iv. THINK OF PEACE AS THE PRESENCE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (DOING WHAT IS RIGHT) IN THE PRESENCE OF CONFLICT

1. WE CAN STOP FIGHTING AND QUARRELING WITHOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS. ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER.

2. THIS DOES NOT BRING PEACE, ONLY A CEASING OF HOSTILITIES

3. RIGHTEOUSNESS – DOING WHAT IS RIGHT, IS WHAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE PEACE

a. WE CAN ONLY LIVE PEACEABLY WHEN RIGHTEOUSNESS IS INVOLVED – WHEN EACH SEEKS TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND NOT WHAT WE WANT.