2005-08-07 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church
Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
The peacemakers shall be called the children of God partly because He is The Peacemaker. At the cross He reconciled us to Himself; offering us forgiveness by His shed blood; not imputing our trespasses against us (2 Corinthians 5:19), and giving us this wonderful message to share with others.
When we act in a way like He did (and does), in forgiveness, then we're also peacemakers.
God is gracious and good; He wouldn't tell us to be peacemakers without giving us instructions on how to do it. For that, we turn to...
1 Peter 3:8-13
8 Finally, [be ye] all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, [be] pitiful, [be] courteous:
(Tenderhearted and courteous...)
9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing:
(As the Father has not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities, peacemakers don't return the harm they receive.)
...but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
(without a forked tongue)
11 Let him eschew (turn away from or shun) evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
(Let them seek after and pursue peace.)
12 For the eyes of the Lord [are] over the righteous, and his ears [are open] unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord [is] against them that do evil.
(Whenever you're finding it difficult to be a peacemaker, take a few minutes and get some reassurance from Psalm 34, where this verse was taken from.)
13 And who [is] he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
That's a tough question, and Lord willing, we'll touch on that subject a little more next week.
On the night He was betrayed, Jesus said to His disciples...
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Before we can be outward peacemakers, we need inner peace. It's not something we find in ourselves, as the new-agers think. A heart that's unafraid and untroubled is a heart that has received the Prince of Peace. With Jesus in your heart, you learn to be content in whatsoever state you're in: you know both how to be abased, and how to abound: everywhere and in all things you're instructed both to be full and hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. You can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:11-13), even make peace with those you never thought you would.