Where are the Peacemakers?

Happy Sunday. As we wake up today, there continues to be war in the Ukraine. In my lifetime, it seems that there's always a war somewhere. The year after I graduated from high school, President Jimmy Carter brokered a peace agreement in the Middle East between Egypt and Israel. I remember Jimmy Carter and Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat talking about peace in the Middle East.

As a 19 year old, I knew that it would not work. The Middle East to this day is still filled with conflict, in peace there, or peace anywhere, will only come when Jesus is in our lives. Today we come to Matthew chapter 5, verse 9, in our study on The Sermon on the Mount. There in Matthew 5:9, in the Beatitudes, Jesus said this: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for as they shall be called sons of God."

Now, this verse can be confusing. Why is there still war today? As I have studied this, these words have helped me, and I quote, and I don't know who to give the, uh, credit to, but I read this somewhere: "Jesus is not speaking about the mere cessation of hostilities among nations. He's speaking about the cessation of hostilities between man and God. This is the peace that he came to establish." So the peace that I believe Jesus is speaking about here is the peace that man can find with God, that you and I can find with God.

I love these words from Ephesians chapter 4, verses 6 and 7. There were given great words to live by: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with Thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds through Christ Jesus."

As we have looked at The Sermon on the Mount, it's interesting to note that we begin with being poor in spirit and mourning because of our lives to having peace with God. Quite a journey. When Jesus comes into our lives, that's exactly what happens. We're no longer at war with God; we are at peace with God.

In the past several weeks, I've talked with friends that were close to death, two of them. They both survived their ordeals and are still with us, thank God. And both of these friends are fine Christians, and they don't know each other; they live far apart. But in speaking with them, they both told me that they were at peace. They of course wanted to stick around a little longer, but because of their faith, they were ready, and they were at peace if it was their time.

The peace of God is such a blessing. We can have peace even when this world is falling to pieces. We need to remember that we belong to another kingdom. As you know, conflict can be on a global scale or on a local one, an individual one. Conflict seems to always be around us.

Marriages are under attack. The family is under attack. This country is in conflict. All around us there are robbers wanting to take away our peace. When that occurs, we need to remember the problems from Ephesians 4, and let me re-read apart from a moment ago: "Let your request be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds through Christ Jesus."

The picture that is painted there is a picture of God appointing a guard at your heart. It's a military term, that our heart will be guarded. Your control tower will be guarded, if you remember that illustration from last week. We can have peace through anything.

Now, here's a beautiful part of this: we're not only only to have peace, we are to be carriers, peacemakers. We're to take salvation to the world around us. That's what peacemakers do. We need to let others know that in this world of conflict, peace is possible, and it's available through a right relationship with Jesus.

I was with a dear friend this week at a local restaurant not too far from my house, and when our food arrived, he said our prayer. When he said amen, two ladies at two separate tables made a comment about Jesus, and we had a little brief moment. All of a sudden, for that moment, strangers were at the throne of grace and peace in the middle of a barbecue joint in Atlanta. I love it when God Winks at us and lets us know that he is there. It is peaceful, and it's my prayer that today you know the peace of God.

Pray with me. God, those that watch are those that listen to these words, I pray that if they are going through something, that you would give them that peace that surpasses all understanding, that they would believe you, and that you would guard their heart. And as you give us peace throughout all sorts of Seasons, that we would be peacemakers, because we're thankful for what you have done for us, and we want that for others. So, Father, help us to be the peacemakers you want us to be. In Jesus' name, amen.

God bless. Thanks for joining me today.