Eight blessings (7):
The blessing of the peacemakers
[Matthew 5:9]
Do you know when “Peacemaker Day” is? I think, like me, you may have heard of the word Peacemaker's Day for the first time. The Korean Peacemaker Ministries has been commemorating November 11th as “Peacemaker Day” since 2003. Here, “Peacemaker Day” is to reflect on the present state of this country, people, churches and individuals suffering from conflict, and to understand how desperately the ministry of peace is needed in this age and the necessity of ministry. It is said that it was established to have a time to pray for the true peace of Christ to come to this earth while reflecting on its purpose. It is said that on this Peacemaker Day, the “Peace Maker Award” is established and awarded, and the award is given in obedience to the command to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Holy Spirit” (Eph. 4:3) even in the difficult domestic reality of conflict and strife. It is said that it was prepared to encourage not only the church, but also to discover and encourage individuals and organizations that are working to create a culture of reconciliation socially and nationally. The purpose of this award is threefold, and the first purpose is as follows: ‘To encourage individuals and organizations that are making a positive impact around them while silently carrying out the ministry of peace, and to shine their light more to the glory of God’ (Internet). I came to mind the first purpose of the Peacemaker Award. In particular, I was challenged by the word of faithfully carrying out the ministry of peace. And I have a desire to have a good influence on the people around me by faithfully carrying out the ministry of peace along with challenges. Perhaps the reason is because I personally believe in maintaining unity at home, in church, and in the Lord. So, the word I personally have in my heart and strive to obey is Ephesians 4:3: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
We are receiving the lessons Jesus gives us about “the Beatitudes”, that is, the ‘Eight blessings’, in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, focusing on the text of Matthew 5:1-12. If we review the words we have meditated on so far, the first to sixth blessings are: (1) the kingdom of heaven (v. 3), (2) shall be comforted (v. 4), (3) shall inherit the earth (v. 5), (4) shall be satisfied (v. 6), (5) shall receive mercy (v. 7), and (6) shall see God (v. 8). And from verse 7, we learned that Jesus requires of us. First, what Jesus requires of us is 'have mercy' (v. 7), and secondly, 'purify our hearts' (v. 8). Today, focusing on the text of Matthew 5:9, we want to receive the grace that God gives us while meditating on the third request of Jesus and the seventh blessing that He gives us.
Look at Matthew 5:9 – “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” The life of discipleship that Jesus requires of us today is “Be the peacemakers.”
Are we really peacemakers? I received three lessons on ‘The right relationship of the Christians” based on Proverbs 20:19-22. The first lesson is that we should not associate with a gossiper (Prov. 20:19). In other words, I was instructed not to associate with those who go about gossiping, revealing other people's secrets (v. 19). The reason is because the gossiper who likes to gossip breaks trust by revealing other people's secrets. Another reason is that gossips cause quarrels (26:20) and also separate close friends (16:28). What do you think of this lesson? My personal opinion is that many of us are hurting in one way or another, both inside and outside the church (home, work, etc.) and in our relationships. Why are there quarrels and fighting in the church? Why do those of us who claim to be following Jesus quarrel and strife even when we go outside the church? Why do we quarrel and strife with each other, even at home? The Apostle James says in James 4:1 that it is caused by our desires that battle within us. In other words, it is this fighting desire that causes quarrels and strife within the church, outside the church, and at home. And one of the main causes of our strife and quarrel is that we are not seeking love (see Prov. 17:9). There is quarrel and strife among us because we do not ask God for love, but rather because we pray out of envy (Jam. 4:2), and with wrong motives, so that we may spend it on our pleasures (v. 3). So now we are with those who hate peace, which causes strife and quarrel.
In Psalms 120:6, the Bible says that the psalmist lived among those who hated peace. Among them, the psalmist longed for peace, but those who hated peace loved contention, and were enjoying hurting others with lies. So he said: “I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war” (v. 8). In the end, the psalmist had no choice but to suffer. In the midst of this, he had no choice but to cry out to God (vv. 1-2). Dr. Yoon-sun Park said: ‘The righteous are often criticized for no reason in their lifetime. However, the way to prevent it is not to defend them one by one, but to tell God and receive his help’ (Park). Is there anyone among you who desperately needs God's help? In human relationships, you want peace, but isn't there someone who is suffering because of those who hate peace? Isn't there a person who hates you from the heart and quarrels with you for no reason and even walks around criticizing you and making bad comments about you? Rather than trying to defend each of those people's criticisms and bad reviews, I want you to go to your Heavenly Father in silence and express your heart. He will hear your cry and will fulfill His will. In my opinion, in any family, church, business, or organization, there are three classes of people: (1) The first class of people are the 'peacemakers'. They love peace and seek peace, not conflict and strife, at home, at church, at work, or in any human relationship. (2) The second group of people are the “peacekeepers.” These are also peace-loving people. These are those who try to keep peace by any means, especially in groups or relationships where there are elements of conflict and conflict. (3) The problem, however, is the third group of people. They are 'peace breakers'. These are those who hate peace. Driven by a fighting desire, they love to quarrel and fight. If there are more peacemakers and peacekeepers in the church, the church will be able to keep its unity in the Lord better. However, if there are many peace-breakers in the church, the church will inevitably experience division amid conflicts and strife. And those who break this peace will have no choice but to live a life of hiding the glory of God rather than giving glory to God even when they go out into the world.
Many of us, Christians, now fail to glorify God because our light does not shine before people as Jesus said in Matthew 5:16. In Matthew 5:16, Jesus commanded us: “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” What does it mean? It means that we, the disciples of Jesus who follow Jesus, should shine the light of good deeds into the world. Therefore, we must make the world see our good deeds and give glory to our Heavenly Father. Then, what is the light of good deeds that we should shine on this world? The light of that good deed is the deeds of Jesus. In other words, we are to shine the light of Jesus into the world so that the world can see our deeds and glorify our Heavenly Father. So, what was Jesus doing? It is the love of God and the love of neighbor. And if I could describe God's love and neighborly love in one word, it would be peacemaking.
We should live by following Jesus by imitating the actions of Jesus. Then, Jesus' actions are peacemakers. How are you and I living a life of peace at home, at work, and in relationships with neighbors? In today's text, Matthew 5:9, Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." Are we really living the blessed life of peacemakers? There must be peace in the community, the church. As members of the community, we must strive to keep the unity of the Holy Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3). In order to do this, we must do it with all humility and meekness (v. 2). We must be patient, bearing with one another in love (v. 2). Why don’t we bear with one another? Why don't we forgive each other? If we are now breaking the peace of the community through hatred, arrogance, and not being patient, it is not pleasing to God at all. To please God, we must love one another. We must humbly and meekly forgive one another. Just as God has forgiven sinners like us, we must forgive one another. In this way, we will be able to keep the peace of the community well. We must love one another with the heart of Christ. Jesus reconciled us to God by dying on the cross while we were still enemies with God and while we were still sinners (Rom. 5:8, 10). Also, Jesus made the Jews and the Gentiles one, destroying the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility (Eph. 2:14), and create in himself one new man out of the two, making peace (v. 15). So now we both have access to the Father by one Spirit (v. 18). Therefore, Jesus is our peace (v.14).
If we are to follow Jesus as His disciples, we must be peacemakers, as Jesus said. And the responsibility of the peacemaker is to reconcile sinners to God. Why? Look at 2 Corinthians 5:18 – “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” The reason we must reconcile sinners to God is because God has given us the ministry of reconciliation. As those who have received this ministry, we need to reconcile them to God because we preach the word of reconciliation (v. 19) to unbelievers. When sinners hear the gospel by God's grace and are justified by believing in Jesus, they can enjoy peace with God through Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1). Also, since we live a life worthy of the gospel of the cross of Jesus Christ, we need to reconcile people who are enemies of each other. Just as Jesus Christ broke down the barriers between the Jews and the Gentiles, who were enemies, and reconciled the two (Eph. 2:14-15), as disciples of Jesus, we must reconcile the relationship between people. This is what Jesus said in Matthew 5:23-24: “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” Therefore, we must make every effort to do what leads to peace (Rom.14:19). The Bible Hebrews 12:14 tells us: “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” According to the word of Jesus, the blessing that is given to the peacemakers is that “they will be called sons of God” (Mt.5:9). Jesus is saying that the peacemaker will be called sons of God. This word of Jesus does not mean that we must make peace in order to become sons of God. The reason is because we can become son of God only through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Gal. 3:26). What Jesus is saying here is that you and I, who have already become children of God by believing in Jesus Christ, make peace according to the word of Jesus, so that we must show that we are children of God (MacDonald). In other words, if we, as children of God, are breaking peace rather than making peace, we are not showing the world that we are children of God. When we make peace according to the command of Jesus, we are doing the work of the God of peace (Barclay). What a blessing this is. How great a grace and blessing is it that we can do God's work? When we do the work of peace, which is God's work, we declare that we are children of the God in this world. And our God will be glorified.
Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in California, known as one of the world's most famous churches, introduced the secret of how to create a peaceful church (Internet). He said that one of the reasons why Saddleback Church was able to grow was because they continued to maintain a peaceful atmosphere, and emphasized that the harmony of the church is an important issue directly related to growth. Then, based on Romans 14, he divided the secret of pastoring into the peaceful church into six categories: (1) Encourage and support each other, (2) Recognize and respect each other, (3) Focus on what really matters, (4) Be a servant with love, (5) Do not force your thoughts on others, and (6) Live by faith. What does it mean to live by faith? It is living obedience to the word of the Lord. What is the word of the Lord? That is, to be a peacemaker. We all have the ministry of reconciliation to the Lord. Therefore, as we strive to keep the unity of the Holy Spirit through the bond of peace, I hope and pray that you and I will be worthy to be called sons and daughters of God.