THE ROLE OF THE PEACEMAKER
Matthew 5:9

As we noticed in our last study, God has given to each believer the responsibility of being an ambassador of reconciliation.  But, how does a person do this. A peacemaker, first of all, leads others to find their peace with God.  This is the purpose of the Church.  Secondly, he helps others make peace with one another.  In a few weeks we shall examine more carefully these words of Jesus in this great sermon:  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 (Matthew 5:23-24).  Our role is to lessen tensions between people, to seek solutions to differences which might exist, and to ensure that communication is understood.  We are to be bridge builders. 

We are also to find points of agreement.  Someone has written that we are to content without being contentious; to disagree without being disagreeable; and to confront without being abusive.  When I think of that statement, I think of the actions of the prophet Nathan as he confronted King David, whose heart was anything but peaceful after his adultery with Bathsheba.  I am sure that Nathan was a little apprehensive as he knocked that day on the door of the King's chambers.  He had always been welcomed before, but what would be the King's response to the message from God which he brought this time?  Nathan confronted David in love and David responded in repentance before God and peace was restored within his own heart.  If Nathan had remained silent, I wonder how differently David's life might have been.

Allow me to close with these words from William Barclay:  The peace which the Bible calls blessed does not come from the evasion of issues; it comes from facing them, dealing with them, and conquering them.  What this beatitude demands is not the passive acceptance of things because we are afraid of the trouble of doing anything about them, but the active facing of things, and the making of peace, even when the way to peace is through struggle.

As he closes this Beatitude, Jesus proclaims that the reward for being a peacemaker is to be called sons of God.  This means that we are a reflection of God's wonderful peacemaking character.  We are fulfilling our roles as His ambassadors of reconciliation.  Oh to help people discover the realities of those words of the hymn writer, Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed; Finding as He promised, perfect peace and rest.

Father, I want to thank You for all that You have taught us these days as we have examined this powerful Beatitude.  Forgive us for being stone throwers instead of peacemakers.  Help us to be slow to condemn and quick to forgive.  Yet, help us not to wink at sin, but to confront it in love so as to rescue a soul who might be perishing.  For this we will give You all the praise.  Amen.

 

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