BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS
FOR THEY SHALL BE CALLED THE (SONS) CHILDREN OF GOD
-Peace - (Shalom) = completeness, wholeness, peace, health, safety, soundness, prosperity, fullness, rest, harmony, absence of discord and agitation.
- (eirene) state of rest, quietness and calmness, an absence of strife. Harmony between God/man, man/man, nation/nation, and family/family
Without peace
there cannot be peace
.
Before
can be a true peacemaker, I must have peace within
.
1.
PEACE:
JESUS WAS PROMISED:
ISAIAH 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
COLOSSIANS 1:19, 20 “For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself (God the father) all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.”
HEBREWS 10: 9,10 “‘Behold I have come to do your will.’ …and by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ one for all.” God’s wrath against sin was borne by Jesus as He became sin for us thus establishing a model for the ministry of reconciliation.
Ephesians 2:4 -10 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together in Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up together with Him and seated us with Him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
*His desire is for us to do the things that He designed for us to do. *
PRINCE OF PEACE IS WHO HE IS - not just what He carries.
DO YOU KNOW HIM? Have you made peace with God?
2. WE HAVE PEACE AT ALL TIMES BECAUSE OF
Jesus’ last supper reflections and instructions:
JOHN 14,15,16
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as
the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled,
neither let them be afraid.”
PEACE IS THE
OF JESUS
PEACE IS SOMETHING YOU
- YOU CAN GIVE IT
!
When Jesus sent out the 12 on their first mission trip, He told them in Luke 10:15 “Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this
House!’ and if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him, but if not it will return to you.”
His indication here is that His Peace is a gift for us to carry and to
give away. We cannot give away what we don’t have!
3.
THE PEACE OF JESUS
-IN LIFE STYLE: Being a peacemaker in an age of anger. (You are the light of the world.) Jesus gives some strong instructions to us:
Matthew 5:21 - 24 “You have heard it said…But I say to you - control
your anger, don’t stoop to insults, don’t be durogatory, don’t let division
be between you … be reconciled.
Matthew 5:38 - 42 “You have
heard it said … But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil.
But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek…”
- Loving those who treat us like an enemy.
Matthew 5:43 - 45 “You
have heard it said, …But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray
for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father
who is in heaven.” I WANT TO BE LIKE MY FATHER!
Apostle Paul - sums up the heart of a Peacemaker.
Romans 12:14-21
-IN SHARING JESUS
We have been given the ministry of reconciliation - being concerned
of the spiritual state of humanity - bringing them the opportunity to
have peace with God. We have a hand to God and a hand to man.
2 Corinthians 5: 17 - 6:1a