Blessed are the Peacemakers, For they
shall be called sons of God
(Matthew 5:9)
By Nick Bibile
Shocking statement to the Jews, as they expected Messiah to be a military King who would save them from their bondage. Remember Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36)
Who are the peacemakers? The first thing that comes to our mind is a person who hates war. Who would like war? No one, then why are there wars? Because of sin. If another country is going to attack the country where you live, first you will try your best to reconcile the matter with peaceful resolutions, if that is not going to work you will defend your country, you will not say we are peacemakers and allow your country to perish. Jesus is not referring to political peacemakers, neither is he referring to easy going people who would hate justice and punishment and say, we want peace.
Then whom is Jesus referring to as peacemakers? As I said in the past, one Beatitude leads to another. Peacemakers are who have a pure heart, an undivided heart; the result of it is a man of peace. First there is the peace of God. Then they make peace with others.
Peace of God.
God is called a God of peace. (Romans
Luke 2: 14 “Glory to God
in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
When God first created the universe it was peaceful, until sin was discovered in Lucifer’s heart, the fallen angels brought hatred towards God. When God first created the Garden of Eden, it was peaceful, until sin was found in Adam and Eve. Now Man is not at peace with God.
Man is at enmity with God. (Romans 8:7) Natural man, the sinful man has a hatred toward God, he is against God’s commandments, he is sinning daily, he is going the opposite direction, doesn’t love God, doesn’t follow God, he is at enmity with God. But God sent his Son, Jesus Christ to make peace with man. Jesus died for the believing sinners, for the ungodly, once Jesus enters into a man’s heart, that man is changed to a new person, now he doesn’t have enmity with God but love God, follows God, it’s all because of Jesus who brought peace from heaven. God is a God of peace.
Read Ephesians 1:2-3 This is the greatest spiritual blessing we received, it is the peace of God when God came down from heaven to unworthy, wicked sinners who were at war with God and saved us from the wrath of God, now we who were enemies of God, are reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. Read Romans 5:1-2; 6-10
The peace of the world is only temporary, but the peace of God is forever. Even through severe trials and even unto death the believer’s peace cannot be explained from a worldly perspective.
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.
Who are the peacemakers? If you continue in the context of our message,
you will understand that the peacemakers are one who would witness, evangelize,
make disciples, and bring souls who are enmity at God to an everlasting peace.
They are the peacemakers. They make peace as they witness of the gospel of
Christ to unbelievers. Their goal is to reconcile the unbelievers to God by
witnessing the gospel. Reconciliation will bring justification and peace. (Rom
5:1)
Jesus Christ was a great peacemaker. He took a long journey from heaven to earth to make peace. Therefore let us endeavor to be peacemakers.
They shall be called the sons of God. Jesus is called the Son of God. Now we are called the sons of God as we are the spiritual offspring of Jesus Christ.
By nature we are not the children of God. We were born to this world DOA. (Dead on Arrival) Spiritually born dead. Sons are born into a family. Before we were slaves, now we are sons, before we were sinners but now we are saints. How did this happen? Because of adoption.
Romans
How did this adoption happen? Adoption is a mercy which came from the from the heart of God and of free grace. An unbeliever may use the name God, but not his intimate Father. Wicked men may draw near to God in their rituals and traditions, but have not received the spirit of adoption, but we are born again, born of the spirit. We are adopted and called the sons of God
We cry ‘Abba Father’ When we are born of the spirit we cry,
we pray. Prayer is our soul’s breathing into the bosom of the Father. That
beautiful intimate fellowship of communication. No sooner was Paul converted
but the next word is, 'Behold, he prayeth’ (Acts
It is God who calls us the sons of God; before God called us wicked and sinful, now God calls us the sons of God, isn’t this amazing? Beloved this is true love of God.
1 John 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to
us, that we should be called children of God;
When our Christianity shines around our neighbors even the
unbelievers may say, ‘ah, that man is a child of God. There is this story of a
big strong man, who was very mean. But one day he was converted by the gospel
of Christ. His old unbelieving friends made fun of him and threw a bowl of soup
on his face. He wiped his face and said, ‘I am a Christian and I must expect
this’ then his unbelieving friends truly knew that this man is now a true
Christian, a child of God.
Those of you who doesn’t know Christ and have no peace but
have enmity with God, I ask you to pray that Christ will come to your heart so
you too can have peace of God, you too can be adopted into God’s family and you
can be called a son of God. It is God’s mercy that God is still having patience
with you, he could remove your breath any time and you will fall into the lake
of fire. Yes, you can go in peace when you have Christ in your heart. And to
those who are Christians, you need to be peacemakers, you need to smile and
talk with the unbelievers, make bridges of friendship, show them how they can
have peace of Christ, by witnessing the gospel to them. Yes, Satan and his
angels will try to stop you, but be strong in the Lord; don’t be afraid to tell
the story of Jesus.