Blessed are the Peacemakers
"Seeing the crowds, he went up into the mountain and sat down with his disciples and they came to Him. He opened his mouth and taught them saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven;
blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted;
blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth;
blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied;
blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy,
blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,
blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
When we get to the seventh "blessed," we are looking at people indwelt by heaven itself. Peacemakers. Sons and daughters of God, who give his life to the souls they touch. Imparting holy peace.
They make peace not as professional do-gooders or religious busy bodies, who are forever butting into other people's affairs, trying to "make peace." Peacemakers simply open the windows of heaven and bring the peace of God down into this troubled world.
But, strangely, they also bring disruption.
The most disruptive man who ever walked this earth was Jesus. Everywhere he went he created division. "I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. I've come to set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies will be those of his own house."
And yet, the midst of all the turmoil that seems to follow Him everywhere He goes to this day, Jesus brings the peace of God. He imparts God's peace to the sick, to the leper, to the demon possessed, to the blind, to the outcasts of this world. He touches wounded hearts with God's peace. His ancient name is Melchizidek, King of Shalom, King of Peace.
Every disciple who follows him is sent forth by Jesus with the gospel that imparts the peace of God. Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called sons and daughters of God.
Peacemakers are a mystery. As bearers of God's judgment, they bring division. As bearers of God's grace, they impart peace.
If we were able at this moment, to enter deep Heaven, the thing that would strike us most forcefully, in the midst of blinding glory, would be peace. Holy peace, peace that would cause us to tremble.
"After this I looked and lo in Heaven an open door and the first voice which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said 'Come up hither and I will show you what must take place after this.' At once I was in the spirit and lo a throne stood in heaven with one seated on the throne and He who sat there appeared like jasper and carnelian and around the throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald, around the throne were twenty-four thrones and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders clad in white garments with golden crowns upon their heads. From the throne issued flashes of lightening, voices and peals of thunder and before the throne burned seven torches of fire which were the seven spirits of God. And before the throne there is, as it were, a sea of glass like crystal."
Revelations 4
The sea of glass is tangible peace; it is like the water that became still beneath the feet of Jesus as he walked on the Sea of Galilee.
Just as the foundational reality of everything that goes on in this world is war,
war between nations, war between races, classes, sexes,
war that goes on in our own hearts like a sea in constant turmoil and torment,
so the underlining reality of heaven is peace, like the sea of glass. Whenever heaven breaks in on this world, you can know it immediately, because the atmosphere changes from war to peace.
"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill toward men.'" Luke 2:13-14
When Jesus lifted up his hand and said to the storm, "Peace be still," the atmosphere of heaven descended on the Sea of Galilee and spread over the raging waves like a mother's calming hand.
The Master's first words to the disciples after he rose from the dead were "Peace be with you". Instantly the atmosphere inside their hearts changed from war to peace.
One day you are standing at the window looking out at the rain trying to figure out how, in the light of all the problems that are crashing down upon your life, you can possibly keep going. Suddenly, out of nowhere, comes a flood of peace. You have been visited by the spirit of God.
The apostle Peter may have been impetuous by nature. But once he came under the power of the cross, he began to learn to do things God's way. Peter's first visit to a Gentile home marked a momentous change in his approach to all people.
"Peter opened his mouth and said, 'Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. You know the word we sent to Israel preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ, He is Lord of all.'" Act 10:34-36
Suddenly Peter's sermon was interrupted with the outpouring of the Spirit upon these Gentiles. The atmosphere changed from war to peace. What better confirmation did Peter need to be assured that it was okay for Peter a Jew to be in the house of Cornelius, a Gentile? The "wall of partition" between Jew and Gentile was coming down, "so making peace."
Whenever the word of God was proclaimed with power, it was confirmed by one invariable sign: peace. When healing took place, it was confirmed with peace. When judgment fell, it was followed by peace from above..
"But now in Jesus Christ, you Gentiles, who were once far off, have been drawn near by the blood of Christ, for He is our peace who has made us both one and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace and might reconcile us both to God, in one body, through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through Him we both have access in one spirit to the Father." Ephesians 2:13-18
They were so confident that their gospel would bring peace, that they would step back and let the gospel do its work, without trying to embellish their message with bribes or gimmicks. No empty promises. No false assurances, just the pure Word confirmed by Holy Peace.
Hence if you tell someone who is hungry for truth that Jesus died for their sins and made that atonement and opened the door to Heaven that they might have peace--- if that person reaches out in faith, God himself will confirm their faith with peace from heaven.
"Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice. Let your forbearance be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4
Blessed are the peacemakers.
To be peacemakers there are a few things we need to do:
First of all we need to pursue God's peace ourselves.
"For he who would love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile. Let him turn away from evil and do right. Let him seek peace and pursue it." 1 Peter 3:10 (Psalm 34)
Many things in this world you can't do anything about:
you can't change the weather.
Nor can you change a brother's heart,
but you can receive God's peace.
If you will take those words of Paul
and rejoice,
let your forbearance be made known to all men,
be anxious for nothing,
let your request be made known to God with thanksgiving,
you will receive the peace of God which passes all understanding.
The second thing we need to do is let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts.
Perhaps we have tasted God's peace many times, we have experienced it, we know how wonderful it is, but instead of letting it rule in our hearts, we go right on living the rat race.
If we want to dwell in the atmosphere of God's peace, we have to let that peace rule.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts to which you were called in one body and be thankful . Colossians 3
The peace of God is given, it is being given to us now in the Holy Spirit as we read these words. But it is up to us to let that peace rule.
I do nothing that will jeopardize the peace of Christ in me.
The minute I become aware that an attitude that I am holding in my heart is driving God's peace out of me, I have to step back and change my direction.
There is no pleasure and there is no kind of gain that is worth the loss of the peace of Christ. It is possible for us to live in such a way that we constantly order our paths letting God's peace rule in our hearts.
Finally, we need to proclaim that peace.
He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near. He continues to teach peace. The gospel that Jesus has given all of us to proclaim is the gospel of peace. It is good news; it is something positive and brings holy comfort.
The Spirit and the bride say "Come". Let him who hear it say "Come". Let him who thirsts "Come." Let all who desire it take of the water of life. Blessed are the
Peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.
Deliver me, Lord, from my tendency to be a busy-body, an amateur judge. Transform my life into broken bread and pour-out wine, that my presence, wherever you put me may be a sacrament of peace.