Rev. David Holwick
First Baptist Church
West Lafayette, Ohio
December 23, 1984
Christmas Sunday
Blessed Are the Peacemakers
Isaiah 9:6-7; Matthew 5:9 (King James)
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of god."
Just about everybody loves peace. There are always a few exceptions. The Vikings preferred war and glorified their warriors who died in battle. Recently the world's attention was focused on the Sikhs in India, who wear elaborate swords and daggers whenever they go. The name "Sikh" means "lion."
But just about everyone else loves peace. We become uncomfortable when a debate gets heated, or we hear about hostilities on the other side of the globe. The hope of mankind is that peace would someday be the norm instead of the exception. That is why even people of other religions are familiar with the Christmas verse found in Luke 2:14 -
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill to men."
One thing should be noticed about today's beatitude. The blessing is on peace-makers, not necessarily on peace-lovers. There can be quite a difference. If you love peace, but in the wrong way, you may succeed in making trouble instead of peace.
The most vivid example I can think of happened to my father. In 1968 our family was stationed in West Berlin, Germany. That year also happened to be the peak of the Vietnam War and the German university students plastered every available wall with anti-American slogans and had peace marches every week. One day my father, who was wearing his uniform, was driving downtown when one of these peace marches crossed his path. Seeing that he was an American officer, they surrounded his car and began rocking it back and forth. Fortunately the German car in front of him stayed bumper-to-bumper, or I would have gone to college on his insurance policy. These students loved peace - their banners had peace statements printed on them and the slogans they chanted were for peace. But they weren't very good at making peace.
The Bible is very concerned about peace-making and the one who specializes in it is God himself. The passage from Isaiah 9 talks about how God's Messiah will bring peace. [turn in your Bibles to that passage] The Messiah is called the Prince of Peace and Isaiah says:
"Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end."
This passage is talking about the peace between all nations that will happen in the millennium. The same idea is behind the announcement of "peace on earth" by the angels at the first Christmas.
Jesus also brings a peace that takes effect immediately. Turn to Colossians 1:10.
"For it pleased the Father that in Christ should all fullness dwell, and having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself."
Paul is using the same verb that Jesus uses in the beatitude: peace-making. The most important peace Jesus brings is not harmony among nations, but the reconciling of people with God. For those who have grown up always believing in God it may be difficult to grasp the idea of not having peace with God, but in reality, tension between God and humans is normal. When we are aware of God's standards, and then deliberately break them by sinning, we are declaring war on God. By nature, people have a tendency to rebel against God, just like a teenager rebels against parents. The reason Jesus was born on Christmas, killed on Good Friday and raised on Easter was to break this pattern.
By repenting of our sins and asking Christ to be our Savior and Lord, we are brought back to God, which is reconciliation, and our relationship with God is made right, which is the peace Paul is talking about. People do not become children of God by being peacemakers. The beatitude is talking about those who have already been saved, who have peace with God, and who can now imitate God's character.
Jesus Christ is the greatest peace-maker, and those who claim him as their Lord should follow in his steps. Every Christian should be someone who produces peace, not conflict. This peace is not limited to nice people. In Romans 12:18 Paul says: "If it is possible, as much as it lies in you, live peaceably with all men." To find out what "all men" means, turn back to Matthew 5, verse 44. Jesus says we should love our enemies and do good to them which hate us. Notice the promise in verse 46 - "that you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven." This is the same blessing as the one in the beatitude, so being a peacemaker and loving our enemies must be closely related.
This last passage brings up an important point about biblical peacemaking - it has a positive thrust. You are supposed to do good to those who are hostile to you. We tend to think that peace is the absence of war or fighting. If you take this negative approach you're going to think of peacemaking as avoiding conflict and covering up trouble at any cost. This is a common attitude in churches but I don't think this is what Jesus means at all.
By avoiding problems you are not "making peace," you are only delaying a blow-up. Being a peacemaker requires action even if it involves a struggle. A recent example is Bishop Tutu, a black church leader from South Africa who won the Nobel Peace Prize. Tutu has been a peacemaker by spending his life fighting prejudice against blacks in South Africa. If you believe in racism, Tutu is a very troublesome person. For the black Africans, however, he has made the system more just and peaceable.
How much peace can Christians make? Jesus says we should do good to even our enemies but he doesn't promise that peace will result. Even the "peace on earth" announced by the angels has not happened yet. I think we have to recognize that there is a dilemma here. All things are possible for Christians and yet nothing is guaranteed.
One area where the tension with Christian peacemaking is high is the issue of nuclear war. Our last Baptist convention had a loud debate on disarmament versus building up our armed forces. According to the most recent issue of Newsweek magazine, many politicians have the idea that Christians are against arms control because the Second Coming makes it useless. Jesus promises there will be war to the end, and since believers will be raptured before the battle of Armageddon we don't have to worry anyway. According to the article, some Christians even think the arms race is a good thing because it will make the Second Coming happen faster.
I believe in the Second Coming. I think this is how Jesus will finally bring peace to the earth. But I do not believe peacemaking here-and-now is a waste of time. One reason is that Jesus tells us we should make peace. If you knew for a fact that Jesus would return in ten years, you should still work for peace today. Another reason is that peacemaking can make a difference. The United States and Canada have had a peaceful border for more than 170 years. Biblically speaking, there's no reason even the United States and Russia couldn't have a similar peace. It would not last forever but it would be worthwhile and pleasing to God while it lasted.
Despite the difficulties, Christians should work for peace among nations. We should also work for peace in our own families and among our friends. Do you realize how much tension there is in many families today? And it's not just the non-Christian families. In Matthew 10:35 Jesus says:
"For I am come to set a man at variance [at odds] against his father, and the daughter against her mother… a man's foes shall be they of his own household."
Perfect peace at home, just like among nations, is unattainable but we should still do our best. The conflict in families Jesus is talking about is between believers and unbelievers. If everyone in your family is a Christian, all of you should be peacemakers and this should make a difference.
If peacemaking is supposed to be our nature, how do you develop it? I've already mentioned that a peacemaker takes a positive approach. Don't think you're doing your duty by avoiding conflict, because you'll only make it worse. Paul says: if you have a problem with someone, deal with it before sundown (Ephesians 4:26). This kind of positive approach may involve a lot of pain but it produces a peace that is genuine.
Peacemakers should make sure they have a peaceable manner about hem. You may recognize a problem between some people, rush in to set it right, and leave them ten times worse off if you don't do it properly. The key to a peaceable manner is your own ego. Peacemakers don't worry about how they're going to end up looking….
Proverbs 15:1 -
"A soft answer turns away wrath."
Learn how to lower your voice and listen to the other party explain their side. Deal with them the same way you would want Jesus to deal with you.
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Typed on February 2, 2005, by Wendy Ventura of Ledgewood Baptist Church, New Jersey
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
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