Blessitudes: Peacemakers

 

August 16, 2020                                                NOTES NOT EDITED

Blessitudes:  Attitudes that Elevate

Peacemakers, Matthew 5:9

 

SIS:       Being a peacemaker promotes happiness by building a bridge wherethere once was a breach.

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

 If there ever were a time in our nation when we needed peace more, it is today.  Our nation is used to fighting for peace in foreign wars.  Now, however, there is a much different war raging inside our nations boardes.  Our nation is aflame.  Strife is everywhere.  Peace is a rare commodity.

Jesus here in our text calls us to be peacemakers, but making peace isn’t what it might seem to be at first glance.  I first began to think deeply about “peacemaking” about 1975. I was exposed to the idea of war many years earlier. The Viet Nam conflict had started earlier, but I was about 11 years old when I remember the images of the war being broadcast almost 24/7 over the black and white T.V. in our living room. I’m sure it had a deep impact upon me, but I really didn’t think much about it. After all, the noise of battle was many thousands of miles away.

 In 1975, I dropped my sea bag down the rear hatch of a nuclear ballistic missile submarine in Guam and followed it down on the stainless steel ladder. The USS Ethan Allen, like all other nuclear ballistic missile submarines of the day carried more fire power than all the bombs dropped in WW2. These ballistic missile submarines would number 41—“41 For Freedom” we were called. That’s 41 times the firepower of all the bombs dropped in WW2.  One even on my first three-months mission (we remained submerged the entire mission), I took my Bible to the Lower Level Missile department (the middle section of the submarine had three levels). I leaned against the missile tube containing a missile with multiple nuclear warheads and began to read Romans 12.  My eyes arrived at verse 18: “If possible, live at peace with everyone.” The passage goes on in verse 20, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him.”  Not only did I not know if my enemy was hungry, but I didn’t even really know who my enemy was; he was just an idea, a disembodied threat.

 I had my share of fights through the school-aged years. I never backed down from a challenge, though being small, I developed good negotiating skills early on. I do not like conflict. I joined the Navy on a dare, not to become a warrior.  Yet, here I was a warrior on one of the most lethal warships ever created by man. And, my soul was disquieted.  I was not a peace with being a warrior.

 The last thing I ever wanted to do in life was to assist in killing a million people or more, literally incinerating them in seconds. So, my pursuit to be a “peacemaker” was forged leaning against a missile tube on a nuclear ballistic submarine.   My point is this: being a peacemaker is a mixed bag, an ambiguous quest filled with ethical tension.  Peacemaking is inexact science.  Peacemaking is also the call of God upon our lives. Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the sons of God.”

 As I said at outset, our nation is embroiled in division, chaos, and violence. Hate seems to drive so many agendas. Strife has created a lingering cloud of smoke over our cities, both literally and figuratively. Freedom is forged in conflict.  Even our national anthem reminds us of that bitter fact. Peace was wrestled from a night sky filled with, “the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air.”

I realized that evening while reading my Bible up against a deadly missile that being a warrior and being a peacemaker are not antithetical. They are two sides of the same coin. Throughout the Holy Text of the Bible, there are numerous conflicts. God formed His Chosen People in the crucible of conflict. God also calls us to be “peacemakers.”   

But what is the foundation of peace.  Is it merely the de-escalation of cultural conflict or war, or is it something more.  Certainly, peacemaking encompasses working to end conflict between enemies.  But it involves something at a much deeper level than geo-political, or cultural relations.  True peace can only come as all parties surrender to the rule of the Prince of Peace.  Peace requires more than political negotiations.  Peace involves the “favor of God.”  This is the essence of the ministry of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.  His birth was heralded by a heavenly choir singing of peace. Lk. 2:13-14,

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,  ¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest,  and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

Without God’s favor upon men, there can never be true peace among men.

 Let’s consider peace in the Old Testament.   Most people are familiar with the Old Testament word for peace.  It is often used as a parting benediction between Jewish friends.  The O.T. word for “peace” is “shalom.”   This is a very important, and a very broad term in the Old Testament.   Shalom is more than just the absence of conflict--it is that--but it is more so. the  sense of security and hope even admidst great conflict.   As a Jewish teacher Jesus summarized the O.T. view of peace:

 (John 14:25-27)  "All this I have spoken while still with you. {26} But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. {27} Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

 This is the O.T. idea of shalom, or a sense of security and hope even amidst trouble.   Shalom is the O.T. expression for salvation: the Messiah would come and usher in His Kingdom that would restore the bliss and paradise of Eden.

The idea of peace in the New Testament builds on the Hebrew idea of shalom.  The peace that Jesus speaks of in our text in Matthew, captures the idea of the O.T. word shalom .  It is true that for the Greeks, peace ( eirene), first and foremost meant the absence of conflict.   But, as so often happens, the Greek word takes on a broader significance when brought into the N.T.  In the N.T., as Jesus expressed in John, peac (eirene) does not necessarily require the absence of all conflict.  Rather, it signifies the presence of God through Christ.

(Eph 2:13-14)  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. {14} For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.  Nothing can rob the Christian, or the Church of this peace, not even the greatest “tribulation or turbulence” (John 16:33)  "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

So, we can conclude, then, that peacemakers are those who bring Christ to bear on a situation to bring harmony out of disharmony, or calm out of conflict.  Peacemakers are “reconcilers” restoring harmonious relationships between men.

 The Bible places an extremely high value on peace.   (Prov 15:17)  Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred. (Prov 17:14)  Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.(Prov 20:3)  It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel. (Rom 12:18)  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (James 3:18)  Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. Nothing is more crucial to the well-being of humanity than peace--and nothing more difficult to maintain.

There are, and always will be, people who are fire-storms of trouble, bitterness, and strife.  Such people build bombs to blast away at others, instead of bridges of understanding to others.  They always react in a predictable, and a spiteful way.   In short, they are trouble-makers, not peacemakers.  Such people are like a deserted island that has nothing for company but the bitter fruit that grows out of its barren soil.  Trouble-makers are doing the very work of the Devil.

 (Rom 1:29)  They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips.

 According to Rabbinical teaching, the basis for Jesus’ theology, the highest task a person could perform is to maintain right relationships between man and God, and between man and man--to be a peacemaker.  That’s the essence of the two-sided summary of the entire Law.  Matthew 22:38-40 says

³⁷ Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Mark this down.  Circle or underline it in your Bible.  Highlight it on your Bible app.  Tattoo it on your first-born child’s forehead (or maybe don’t go that far).  Here is the foundation for peacemaking:  “A person cannot be at war with God and at peace with man, or at peace with God and at war with man.”  The summary of the Law is a dual concept engraved on the two sides of the same coin.  Did you get that?  Now we can examine the issue of,   How Can A Person Become a “Peacemaker?”  Peacemaking follows three stages:   ❶  The RESTRAINT stage  ❷ The REPENTANCE stage  ❸ The RECONCILIATION stage

 1.  First, the RESTRAINT Stage

 One verse that talks about peacemaking and restraint is Prov 15:1:  A gentle answer turns away wrath,  but a harsh word stirs up anger.  James also extolls the issue of restraint (1:19) ¹⁹ My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

 One of the most basic laws of science is the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics.  This fundamental law of nature describes the most “natural” state of a system, such as our universe.  According to the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, our universe prefers disorder, or chaos, rather than order or harmony.

Expanding this law to the spiritual realm, we might say that the most basic, that is most “natural,” state for humanity is one of chaos, war, and strife , rather than peace and harmony.   We see this law at work in most inter-personal relationships.  If someone attacks you, your instinct is to “strike back, or even strike first.”  If someone makes you angry, your instinct is to blast away at them with bombs of bitter words .  We call that human nature.  Peacemaking then, requires something, “superhuman,” or “above human nature.”   This requires “restraint.”    Restraint requires a decided effort to beat back natural tendencies. These natural tendencies (instincts for survival)  are very powerful.  Often when elderly persons develop Alzheimer’s disease they will revert back to these natural tendencies, or basic human nature.  Persons that have been restrained and peaceable all their lives can become mean and belligerent.  It is because they are unable to “restrain” the natural tendencies to fight and argue.

The first step to making peace is to RESTRAIN the tendency to strike out, fight back, or retaliate. You might recall if you are not still wet behind the ears,  that when the Airline pilots were going to go on strike a few years ago, the President utilized his executive powers to order a 30 day cooling off period so that useful negotiations could be reestablished.  When we find ourselves in a situation of conflict--either ourselves, or as a mediator between others--the first step is to establish restraint.   This allows us to reduce the amount of heat in a situation, so that we can provide more light.  

A young girl was doing a report on the difference between “anger,” and “exasperation.  She asked her father what the difference was between the two.  The father replied, “Well, the difference is mostly one of degree.  I’ll demonstrate what I mean.”  With that the father picked up the telephone and randomly dialed a number.  When the person answered the father said, “Hello, is Melvin there?”  The man at the other end said politely and calmly, “I’m sorry there is no Melvin living here.  You must have the wrong number.” The father hung up, and then, dialed the same number again.  Again, the man answered and the father asked, “Is Melvin there?”  The man answered angrily, “There is no Melvin living here.  Why don’t you look up the number before you dial.”  The man slammed down the receiver.  The father turned to his daughter and said, “See, that was anger.”  The father picked up the receiver and dialed a third time.  Again, the same man answered and the father said, “Hello, this is Melvin.  Has there been any calls for me?”  After a few choice words the man again slammed the phone down.  The father said, “See, that is exasperation!”  First step in being a peacemaker:  “don’t exasperate the problem by pouring gas on the open flame of emotions.

 We cannot avoid conflicts, but we can minimize the hurt that they can call if we will practice RESTRAINT.  Don’t exasperate a problem, making it worse by trying to shed light until you first reduce the heat.  The first step to peacemaking is RESTRAINT--DON’T DO WHAT COMES NATURALLY!  Help others take time to cool off.  Resist the urge to spread gossip, back bite, or jockey for position.  DON’T TAKE SIDES--TAKE TIME TO COOL DOWN THE SITUATION!  The second stage of peacemaking is 

 2.  REPENTANCE  

 After you have had the chance to “take time to cool off,”  then it is time to take the matter to the Cross. Seldom, is there not enough blame to go around.  In most instances of conflict, there is plenty of room for each party to REPENT.    Anytime we feel the urge to blast our enemies we might want to recall piercing words of our Lord to the self-righteous pharisees seeking to condemn a sinful woman.  Jesus, knowing that there are no hearts without sin, asked the woman who remained to condemn her.  She answered:

 (John 8:11)  "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

 None of us are pure enough to be the judge, jury, and executioner of our brothers or sisters. As peacemakers, we must bring situations of strife to the Cross.  At the foot of the cross every man, woman, or child stands on even ground.  Here all parties can look at the situation in light of the Person of Jesus Christ.  The Bible reminds us that there is peace available through the Cross:  (Col 1:20)  and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

There are no sinless people in any debate—NONE!  There is no perfect position on either side that could not be made better with civil discussion and compromise.  If you follow these beatitudes closely you will notice the blessitudes are like a staircase moving up towards a Godly attitude.  That’s why I call the Blessitudes, “Attitudes that Elevate.”  They build on one another.  Peacemaking builds on repentance, a personal understanding of everyone’s need for spiritual humility, or repentance.  Remember the first blessitude, “Blessed are the poor in spirit?”  Peace can only come when all parties realize a personal need to repent of our own sins, before we can discuss the supposed offenses of others. 
Jesus reminded us of the need for spiritual repentance and humility in dealing with others by using humor.  I’ll paraphrase so you can more easily see the sarcastic, humorous approach Jesus sometimes used.  Wanting his disciples to stay humble and not judge other too harshly, Jesus said, 

 (Mt. 7:3) “You are jumping up and down throwing a self-righteous hissy fit over the splinter of sin in your brother’s eye, but you don’t even notice the ten foot 2 by 4 sticking out of your own eye!”

 This passage is not warning against “pointing out the errors in another’s behavior or attitude.”  It is talking about doing so without first engaging in personal repentance.  Until all parties, including the peacemaker, realizes the need for personal repentance, a temporary cease-fire may be agreed to but there will be no lasting peace.  Peacemaking requires all parties genuinely understand the need for repentance.

Just this week President Trump accomplished something truly remarkable and historical in the Middle East.  President Trump helped “make peace” between Israel and the Muslim nation called, the United Arab Emirates, or UEA.  According to one report, “This historic breakthrough is the most significant step toward peace in the Middle East in over 25 years. The United Arab Emirates is the first major Arab state to recognize Israel since the Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty was signed on October 26, 1994.”  I do not want to downplay the enormous importance of such a treaty in securing a more peaceful existence for people in the Middle East.  Yet, as a preacher I must proclaim the Truth of God’s Word.  Any such peace agreements between nations are temporary because they are not based upon mutual repentance to God.  Both Jews and Muslims reject Christ as the Messiah.  True peace requires spiritual repentance on the part of all parties involved.

Restraint and Repentance are the beginning of peace.  Peacemaking comes full circle with

 3.  RECONCILIATION

 Peace never comes by swinging a sword but by carrying a cross.  Jesus is our example.  The Bible says of Jesus:  Col. 1:19-20, “¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”  

 The basis meaning of “reconciliation” is to “change a person’s feelings,” in regard to both God and man.  In other words, to make peace with God and then make peace with man.  Once we change our “feelings toward God and others,” we can change our behavior.  Peacemaking, like all the other “blessitudes” we have studied are “actions, not just ideas.”  Jesus reconciled us to God by “taking action on the cross.” Even bitter enemies can find peace through the cross.  If Jesus could love and forgive those who so spitefully and brutally abused Him, then, we should be willing to make peace with those with whom we might have conflict. Peacemakers help others “take time to cool off,” and then take them to the Cross. 

 Let’s look more closely at that idea of “reconciliation.”  Restraint and Repentance provide an opportunity to restore the breach created by conflict, but an opportunity, is not the same as a resolution.  Suppose you come upon two children fighting in an empty lot.  You separate them, thus providing restraint.  Then you engage them in reflection to show them that it “takes two to fight.”  That allows for self-reflection leading to repentance.  Then, you make them “shake hands” and they go back to playing together.  That’s reconciliation.

 Reconciliation restores what conflict destroyed: relationships. There are four relationships that the human family is involved in according to Scripture: with God, with ourselves, with creation, and with others.  The story of Cain and Abel illustrates this four-fold relationship.

 (Gen 4:9-14) {9} Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?" {10} The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. {11} Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. {12}❸ When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth." {13} Cain said to the LORD, ❷"My punishment is more than I can bear. {14} Today you are driving me from the land, and ❶ I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and ❹ whoever finds me will kill me."

 ❶ Cain’s sin changed his relationship with God (v 14b)  Cain lost the privilege of God presence. 
❷ (v13)  Cain’s sin changed his perception of himself.  He lost all self-confidence and sense of self-worth. Blessing had turned to a burden, “more than I can bear.” ❸ (12) Cain’s sin changed forever his relationship to creation . Cain had been a productive farmer, but now would become a vagabond begger.  No one can reach their full potential carrying both a grudge and a cross.  Anger debilitates and destroys our potential for success.  ❹ (14c) Cain’s sin changed forever his relationship with others.  He became a lonely vagabond, scorned by society.

 Repentance restores the first three breaches:  Our relationship with God, our self-image, and our productivity.  But, repentance alone will not restore the breach between ourselves and others--that requires reconciliation. Jesus taught that if we sought repentance while harboring ill toward others--we could not become whole.  “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.”

Oh, how our world needs peace!  Stress and strife are the true pandemic in our world today. Millions of people spend billions of dollars every year on tranquilizers to help them deal with the stress of life. Our cities are literally “on fire from conflict.”  People need  peace—peace with God, peace with themselves, and peace with others.  God’s children must become “peacemakers” leading others through the stages of the peacemaking process: restraint, repentance, and reconciliation.

 Decide today to become a peacemaker.  It CAN BE DONE!   Two members of a church had a disagreement.  The disagreement hardened into bad feelings, and eventually hatred.  A mutual friend became distressed about the situation.  She decided, “I’m going to be a peacemaker.  I’m going to build a bridge across the breach in my two friends’ relationship.”  First, he called on Mr. B--.  He asked Mr. B--, “What do you think of my friend Mr. T--?”  Mr. B--barked, “Think of him!  I can’t stand the sight of that man!”  The peacemaker replied, “But, you must admit Mr. B-- is very kind to his family.”  Mr. T-- conceded, “Yes, he is very kind to his family.”  The next day the peacemaker sought out Mr. B-- and said to him, “Hey, do you know what Mr. T-- said about you?”  Mr. B-- answered, “No, but I can imagine it was dirty, dastardly, and a down-right lie!”  The peacemaker said, “Oh no.  Mr. T.  said that you are very kind to your family.”  “What?” Mr. B-- asked in a puzzled voice, “He’d never say something nice about me!”  The peacemaker spoke up, “He sure did.  I heard it with my own two ears.  So, what do you think of Mr. T--, now?”  Mr. B-- answered, “I think he is a rascal and a scamp.”  “Well,” the peacemaker continued, “You have to admit Mr. T-- is an honest man.”  Mr. Brown agreed saying, “Yes, Mr. Thompson is an honest man.”  The peacemaker went back to Mr. Thompson the next day and in the course of their conversation said, “Do you know what Mr. Brown said about you?”  Mr. Thompson replied, “No, but I’ll bet it wasn’t too nice.”  “Oh, no,” the peacemaker said, “Mr. Brown said you were a very honest man.”  “Ah, there’s no way Mr. Brown would say such a thing,” Mr. Thompson said.  “Oh, but he did,” continued the peacemaker, “I heard it with my own two ears.”   That Sunday, Mr. Brown and Mr. Thompson sat together enjoying each other’s company and fellowship.

 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of god!”     Become a peacemaker!