Peacemakers or Trouble Makers

Matt. 5:9

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.

Telemachus was a monk who lived in the 4th century. He felt God saying to him, "Go to Rome." He was in a cloistered monastery. He put his possessions in a sack and set out for Rome. When he arrived in the city, people were thronging in the streets. He asked why all the excitement and was told that this was the day that the gladiators would be fighting and killing each other in the coliseum, the day of the games, the circus. He thought to himself, "Four centuries after Christ and they are still killing each other, for enjoyment?" He ran to the coliseum and heard the gladiators saying, "Hail to Caesar, we die for Caesar" and he thought, "this isn't right." He jumped over the railing and went out into the middle of the field, got between two gladiators, held up his hands and said "In the name of Christ, forbear." The crowd protested and began to shout, "Run him through, Run him through." A gladiator came over and hit him in the stomach with the back of his sword. It sent him sprawling in the sand. He got up and ran back and again said, "In the name of Christ, forbear." The crowd continued to chant, "Run him through." One gladiator came over and plunged his sword through the little monk's stomach and he fell into the sand, which began to turn crimson with his blood. One last time he gasped out, "In the name of Christ forbear." A hush came over the 80,000 people in the coliseum. Soon a man stood and left, then another and more, and within minutes all 80,000 had emptied out of the arena. It was the last known gladiatorial contest in the history of Rome. Source Unknown.

I. Our quest for peace. I think it is safe to say that almost everyone if not everyone wants peace and serenity.

A. We seek peace in a world of strife. In the past 4,000 years there have been fewer than 300 years of peace in our world.

1. In Quincy Wright’s A Study of War, we learn that, in the 461 years between 1480 and 1941, the following countries were involved in the number of wars as listed: Great Britain, 78; France, 71; Spain, 64; Russia, 61; Austria, 52; Germany, 23; China, 11; Japan, 9; the United States, 13.

2. In recent years there have been more than 80 wars occurring in the world within a year’s time.

B. Why some do not find lasting peace? They misunderstand the meaning of peace.

1. Peace is no vague dream or pleasant hope. It is the reality of which Isaiah spoke: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee” (Isa. 26:3).

2. Peace is not just the removal of our problems nor just the absence of strife. When

Christ Jesus preached, there was strife between the Jews and Romans. The Roman

Empire had forced the world to its knees. And between His followers and the Jewish

leaders.

3. Peace overcomes our problems even in the midst of strife (Phil. 4:7). Peace is from within, not from without. Paul said, “The peace of God, which passeth all

understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7).

a. The Greek word for “keep your hearts and minds” is a military term that pictures the sentry who walks back and forth guarding his camp during the night. While he is there, the camp is safe.

b. So, in the same manner, God guards our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, and therefore we are at peace.

2. Our peace in Christ Jesus. The only true and lasting peace to be found in this world is found in Christ Jesus.

A. Even before Christ Jesus was born, it was prophesied that He would bring peace (Isa. 9:6;

Ps. 72:7).

B. At Christ Jesus’ birth the heavenly host announced that he would bring peace to earth

(Luke 4:18).

C. Throughout Christ Jesus’ ministry He brought peace to others.

1. He interpreted His preaching as a mission of peace (Luke 4:18).

2. He taught His disciples that they could know peace in a world of tribulation

(John 16:33).

3. He instructed His disciples to spread peace (Luke 10:5)

4. In times of despair, Christ Jesus brought peace to His disciples (John 14:1 – 2).

5. Christ Jesus promised His disciples that the Holy Spirit would continue to bring them peace even after his departure (John 14:1 – 2).

D. Only those who are justified by faith in Christ Jesus possess everlasting peace(Rom. 5:1; Isa. 48:22).

3. The role of the peacemaker. It is only logical that Christ Jesus would assign the role of peacemaking to those who have found true and lasting peace in Him.

A. The peacemaker is not merely a peaceable person, a peace lover, or a peacekeeper.

1. The peace-at-any-price person who just does not want to get involved is not the person of which our Lord speaks in this beatitude.

2. Neither is he the peace lover, for even some warmongers are peace lovers.

B. The peacemaker is an active, positive force in the world.

1. They makes peace with themselves. Every person is challenged with the decision to do

right or wrong.

a. Some are never at peace because they are double-minded; they have not given

Christ Jesus control of their lives, and so they battle with their wrong desires.

b. When one can say, “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Gal. 2:20), they have

made peace with themselves.

2. They makes peace with others. In many areas the peacemaker is actively engaged in

their Christian task — in the home, in the community, in the church, or maybe even in

international affairs.

a. The peacemaker goes out of their way to find new ways of making peace with others. By what they do not say or do, by what they do say or do, and by how they say or do it, the peacemaker makes peace.

b. They go the second mile, turns the other cheek, and loves their enemies.

3. The most important task of the peacemaker is the task of witnessing to the unsaved. a. The peacemaker makes peace between rebellious humans and the God of peace.

b. As Christian shares we our faith in Christ Jesus with those who are unsaved, we becomes the peacemaker in the best sense of the word, fulfilling the promise of this beatitude, for the peacemakers are “children of God.”

c. We are never more like God than when we are making peace.

Conclusion: Billy Graham often told the story of a man who had fallen from a high scaffolding. A preacher was called to the scene to witness to the man. He said, “My dear man, I am afraid you are dying. I exhort you to make your peace with God!” The injured man replied, “Why that was made nineteen hundred years ago when my glorious Savior paid all my debt on the cruel tree. Christ is my peace and I do know God!”