Blessed are the Peacemakers Shalom

In the Old Testament, and today, modern Jews greet one another the same way: with the word shalom. And that word means "peace." When you meet somebody and you say to them, "Shalom," that doesn't mean, "May you get out of war." It infers there is something good, something wonderful, something positive, that is happening. The Greek word for "peace" is the word eirene. We get our beautiful name Irene from that. If your name is Irene, that means "peace." Eirene: that's the word he is using here. It is a positive word.

"Will and Ariel Durant, in their book The Lessons of History, begin the chapter on "History and War" with these words: "War is one of the constants of history, and has not diminished with civilization and democracy. In the last 3,421 years of recorded history only 268 have seen no war."1 That is a chilling statement. And it would, no doubt, be even more so if the facts of unrecorded history could be known. War is the constant reality of life. Today anyone old enough to understand what is being said on television knows that multiple wars are being fought at this very moment. " Kent Hughes.

Peace is not appeasement. Peace is not truce making. Peace is not even merely the absence of war. What is peace? Peace is a right relationship.  It is Shalom, with God.

The word peace is the Hebrew word shalom. Often used as a greeting word or a departing word in much the same way we would utter "hello" or "goodbye," it is a broad term related to health, prosperity, harmony, and wholeness. It means perfect welfare, serenity, fulfillment, freedom from trouble, and liberation from anything which hinders contentment. When a Jew said "Shalom" they were wishing on another the full presence, peace, and prosperity of all the blessedness of God.

Numbers 6:24-26  The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Jesus , God the Son said 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

Shalom comes from God.  Shalom, peace comes from Jesus Christ.

It is a uniquely amazing peace that only Christians can have. And it begins with a right relationship with God.

Some 700 years ago a remarkable man was born. Although he was the son of an Italian cloth merchant and destined to be a knight, he forsook the path of wealth and fame, choosing instead to wear a ragged cloak tied with a rope borrowed from a scarecrow. He spent his days preaching and giving to others. He chose to live in utter poverty.

 The conversion of Francis occurred five hundred years before Dr. Watts wrote his hymn, 'When I survey the wondrous Cross'; yet, without knowing the words, Francis sang that song in his heart over and over and over again.  With an empty and a hungry heart he kneeled before the cross. 'O Lord Jesus,' he cried, 'shed Thy light upon the darkness of my mind!' And then an extraordinary thing happened. The Saviour to whom he prayed was no longer an inanimate image; but a living Person! Canon Adderley wrote: 'Jesus heard his cry, and Francis accepted the dear Lord as his Saviour and Master. A real spiritual union took place between him and his Divine Lord. He took Him for better for worse, for richer for poorer, till death and after death, for ever.'  'Francis looked to the Crucified,' says his biographer. 'It was a look of faith; a look of love; a look that had all his soul in it; a look which did not attempt to analyze, but which was content to receive. He looked, and, looking, entered into life.' 

Francis never forgot that moment. His whole soul overflowed with the intensity of his affection for his Saviour. To the end of his days he could never think of the Cross without tears.  When he arose and left the little sanctuary, he felt, as Bunyan's pilgrim felt, that he had lost his load, and lost it for ever.  But he felt that he had assumed another. He had taken up the Cross. He had devoted himself to its service. 'God forbid,' he cried, 'that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world.' When, five centuries later, Isaac Watts surveyed the wondrous Cross on which the Prince of Glory died, his contemplation led to the same resolve:

         Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,            Save in the death of Christ my God!
         All the vain things that charm me most,            I sacrifice them to His blood.

'I looked and looked and looked again!' say Francis. 'It was very surprising to me that the sight of the Cross should thus ease me of my burden!'  And he took that message everywhere, speaking of the Saviour and His great love. A prayer of his was later turned into song:

"Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace Where there is hatred, let me sow love Where there is injury, pardon, Where there is doubt, faith Where there is despair, hope Where there is darkness, light Where there is sadness, joy.  O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled as to console To be understood as to understand To be loved as to love.  For it is in giving that we receive It is in pardoning that we are pardoned It is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen."

The model peacemaker

Peacemaking is a divine work. God is the author of peace. And, Jesus is the supreme Peacemaker. Jesus came to establish peace; his message explained peace; his death purchased peace; and his resurrected presence enables peace. The messianic predictions were that he would be the "Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6). The angels announced his birth by singing, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth (B) to people He favours!" (Luke 2:14). Jesus' persistent word of absolution to sinners was, "Go in peace!" Just before he was crucified, Jesus' last will and testament was, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful" (John 14:27). When the Lord returned after the resurrection, his first word to the disciples was "Shalom." "Peace to you!" (Luke 24:36).

The life of Jesus was saturated with his mission to bring the peace of God and to initiate the healing relationships of peace with God. He paid an enormous price for us to experience peace. In fact, the very same word, peacemakers, which is used of us in this Beatitude, is applied by the apostle Paul to what God has done through Christ so that we could be at peace with God. Through Christ God was pleased ". . . to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross" (Col. 1:20). Furthermore, the apostle Paul informed us that Jesus ". . . might create in Himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace" (Eph. 2:15). Jesus saw the gravity of our problem and he refused to sweep it under the rug or stick his head in the sand. Only a drastic solution would suffice, so he "made peace" by shedding his blood on the cross. Christ is our supreme example in bringing peace in our hearts, our relationships, our church, our nation, and our world.

 

The manner of the peacemaker

 "Blessed are the peacemakers," we smile blandly and say, "Oh, that's nice." But peacemaking is not nice. Peacemaking is messy and wrenching work. It takes time and a lot of emotional energy.

It doesn't always work straight away.

 "If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone" (Rom. 12:18). We are to live at peace with everyone. That is a pretty clear command. But Paul adds that all important phrase, "If it is possible." Sometimes peace isn't possible. There are those cantankerous types who just go through life picking fights with everyone they meet.

Paul declared, "God has called you to peace" (1 Cor. 7:15). Does that mean we agree with everything others say or do? No. Sometimes we agree to disagree, agreeably. God wants his children to be bridge builders.

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hate, may I bring love;

Where offense, may I bring pardon;   May I bring union in place of discord.

He should never be thoughtless or pugnacious. Rather his personality must be permeated with the shalom of God. He is gentle. James wrote, "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace" (3:17, 18).

What can you and I do to build those bridges of peace? What steps, what methods, can we employ to actively reconcile people to God and to one another?

A. Talk to God

I find it crucial to talk to the Lord about what I've done or what people have done to me before I talk to them. It gives me perspective and tenderness. The Lord helps me see the deeper needs in the relationship and what has caused the problem. He, also, shows me my part, and often, my wrong words, behaviour, or attitude that is hindering the reconciliation. Even if the other person is 95 percent in the wrong and I am only 5 percent in the wrong, I still have to confess my error. Then, I surrender the conflict to the Lord.

My daughter often reminds me not to be reactive emotionally when dealing with cantankerous people.  Take time out to calm down and pray it out.

Often I am too wound up in the situation to deal with it logically and appropriately.

Philippians 4:4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Lloyd-Jones  "First and foremost it means that you learn not to speak…That, I say, is one of the best ways of being a peacemaker, that you just learn not to speak.  When, for example, something is said to you, and the temptation is to reply, do not do it.  Not only that, do not repeat things when you know they are going to do harm.  You are not a true friend when you tell your friend something unkind that was said about him by somebody else.  It does not help; it is a false friendship .. Unworthy and unkind things are not worth repeating…The peacemaker is a man who does not say things.  He often feels like saying them, but for the sake of peace he does not."

B. Take the first step

Jesus said, "So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (Matt. 5:23-24). This, I believe, is the most ignored verse in the Bible. Later, Jesus said, ""If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him in private. If he listens to you, you have won your brother" (Matt. 18:15). You are to make the first move. Peacemakers take the initiative. "But," you say, "Why should I go to the person when they are the one that hurt me." Do you want the biblical answer? Because Jesus says so. Conflict is never resolved accidentally. That first step may be a letter, a phone call, or a visit. If someone has wronged you or you have wronged someone else, take action today. Your peace of mind and your Christian witness depends on your taking the first step. Happiness awaits action.

C. Tell the other person how you feel

When you take the first step and speak to the other person, before you speak, remember "A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath" (Prov. 15:1). Paul wrote, "No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear" (Eph. 4:29). Empathize with their feelings. Consider their situation. Attack the problem not the person. Clarify don't confront. Cooperate as much as possible. Emphasize reconciliation not resolution. Reconciliation is more crucial than being right.

D. Stop talking about the people who have hurt you to other people

Nothing disqualifies us in being peacemakers more than talking about people rather than talking to them. The old Spanish proverb is correct: "Whoever gossips to you will gossip of you." A peacemaker never says anything about another person that she or he has not first said to that person directly. After that, why tell anyone else?

 

The Means of Shalom of peacemaking

When you put the above steps into practice, you earn a recognition that far exceeds anything that you can imagine. Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God" (Matt. 5:9). The word called means to be officially designated as holding a particular rank or office.

Jesus says that those who are peacemakers will be known and recognized as what they really are - the sons of God. You may assume at first glance that "sons of God" means the same as "children of God." But the terms are not quite identical. A "child of God" is one who is a part of the family. It is a statement of position. A "son of God" is one who is like the family. It is a statement of character. A son of God is one who not only carries on the family name but bears the family resemblance and reputation. Jesus is saying that as his followers become known as peacemakers, they will be recognized as the sons of God who share his name and share his mission.

Do the people in your life recognize the family resemblance based on your efforts of peacemaking?

You may be a child of God because you accepted Christ, but you are a Son of God because you pursue peace.

Kent Hughes: "If we are not peacemakers, but instead are troublemakers, there is every likelihood that we are not true children of God."

If our character is such that we spread rumours and gossip about others; if we are constantly fomenting discontent; if we find joy in the report of trouble and scandal; if it is about our own positions and power and control, then we may not actually be born again.

The issue may really be we do not know the peace of God in our own souls.

True children of God are not troublemakers!"

The 'must' of peacemaking

No one can become a peacemaker until he has found peace himself. We cannot give what is not real to us. Peacemaking begins with an experience of peace in our own hearts.

The salutation of the Apostle Paul's letters almost always begin "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:2). Reading his letters, you never find the order reversed to "peace and grace." Grace always comes before peace. We have to experience the grace of God before we can experience the peace of God. We have to come into relationship with God through his son Jesus Christ before we can be purveyors of peace to others. We have to know peace ourselves before we can make peace in our relationships. In other words, we can't make peace if we don't have peace

Jesus said, "My peace I give to you, not as the world gives, but My peace."

Col. 3:15 "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts."

And so, two thousand years ago, the Peacemaker entered the world.  The heavenly host heralded His arrival, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests (Luke 2:14)."   Hear His invitation in Matthew 11:28–29, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

1.  We must know the Peacemaker.  Only those who know Him personally can be what He is.  Galatians 5:22 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness."  Only the Holy Spirit can produce peace, so to be an agent of peace we must possess the Holy Spirit, which means we must possess Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 says, "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you."

2.  We must work hard at being like the Peacemaker in every situation.  Oh, what a price He paid to secure our peace.  And so we're told… "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Eph 4:3)."  And "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace (Col 3:15)."  And "Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other (1 Thes 5:13)."