Peacemakers

            “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

The Beatitudes are one of the most intriguing teachings presented by Jesus. They set the stage for the remainder of instruction in what is known as The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-12). These describe the basic qualities/traits needed for a disciple of Jesus in order to successfully carry out His work of reconciling sinful, lost souls to the God who created them and desperately wants them back in His loving fellowship.

He uses the term “Blessed” before each quality. The word means “happy, contented, healthy, whole” and refers to the inner comfort (peace of mind) that results from displaying that attitude in daily activities. Then Jesus follows with the spiritual reward that naturally comes from making each characteristic a natural part of life. Thus . . .

            3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

            4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

            5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

            6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

            7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

            8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

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

          10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness.

The one, in my opinion that seems to encapsulate the whole idea of what a disciple of Christ is all about is that of the peacemaker. To be Christ-like is to be a peacemaker since that is the main purpose Jesus came to this earth: to reconcile hostile sinners to a holy God and to one another (Ephesians 2:13-18), thus creating in Himself, peace (true blessedness). And notice the wording: peace-maker, not peace-keeper. Their presence and reconciling abilities make for peace and so, by natural result, keep the peace. That’s why the outcome of this spiritual trait is for them to be called sons of God, because Jesus, the Son of God, came to provide peace.

It is also what was prophesied about the Messiah and what His main objective would be: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given . . . And he will be called . . . Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Prince signifies His leadership of this godly quality and His commitment to nurture and mentor this in His disciples. The Apostle Paul says that our ministry is reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). God wants there to be peace, happiness, wholeness in all of our relationships, especially in our relationship with Him. This is only possible because of the atoning sacrifice of our “Prince of Peace” Jesus Christ. Only in Him we can anyone know the blessed inner comfort and peace of mind that God desires us all to experience to the full – forever.

Come to Jesus, put Him on in baptism and allow this Prince of Peace to control your will. The world is full of chaos, turmoil, hatred, selfishness, greed, oppression – all the things that destroy peace. But we can be a beacon of hope, a light in a dark world, a maker of peace for those seeking rest and comfort for their souls by being in Jesus and acting like Him. Make this your commitment from this moment on. Please. The world is in dire need of peacemakers.

Doug