As we continue our consideration of our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, and especially the Beatitudes, we consider this morning the Word of the Lord, Matthew 5, verse 9, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. And please turn with me to both Romans 12, a few verses from Romans 12, then a couple of verses from Colossians 3 to read in connection with this beatitude. Both of these sections from Romans 12 and Colossians 3 at times we use as our New Testament consideration for the law of God. So we read Romans 12, beginning in v. 9-21. And then Colossians 3, 12-17. Romans 12, beginning in v. 9, Hear now God's Word. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope. patient in affliction, faithful in prayer, share with God's people who are in need, practice hospitality, bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse, rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn, live in harmony with one another, do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position, do not be conceited, do not repay anyone evil for evil, be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody, If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, it is mine to avenge, I will repay, says the Lord. On the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Colossians 3, 12-17. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Well, beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, do you ever just want a little peace and quiet? Well, sure, we all do, don't we? And the reason we want a little peace and quiet is because we rarely get it. And unless you find a quiet place alone, And even then, there is maybe the danger if you are in the habit of arguing with yourself. But as soon as you add one other person to the mix, as soon as one other person joins you, there is the potential to end, to destroy whatever peace you may have found. Now often when we think of peace, we think of it in the negative sense, don't we? We think of it as the absence of certain things. The absence of strife. The absence of hostility and disturbance. the absence of disagreement and arguing, the absence of war, boys and girls. When there's war, there's no peace. Or simply the absence of negativity, the absence of complaining, the absence of all these kinds of things. And positively, we think of peace as tranquility or calm or being in agreement or getting along. We think of peace as reconciliation Relation is something that's only positive. But of course, you know as I do that we live in a world that is absent of peace among nations. This past week, if you saw any of the news with the G20 summit, the world leaders coming together, there's no peace. There's no real agreement. There's an absence of peace among ethnic groups or religious groups. There's absence of peace simply among people, maybe between neighbors. We see it all around. It headlines the newspapers, the absence of peace. And sadly, often there is even the absence of peace in Christian churches as well as in Christian families. Yet kingdom citizens are called to pursue peace with others, to go after it, to make peace. That's an important part of the kingdom character that God's people are called to practice. And it also gives an important hint as to the nature of God's kingdom that you and I as believers will enjoy for eternity. Peace. Because as the human authors of Scripture repeat again and again and again, the God we serve, our God, is a God of peace. And those whom the Holy Spirit brings into God's kingdom by faith are called to be peacemakers among others as we live here on this earth. Then, in glory, there will be no need for peacemakers. There will be no strife. But we are called to be peacemakers as we live among others here on this earth. And those who are peacemakers then find favor with God as Jesus declares here, blessed are the peacemakers. And as we consider peacemakers this morning for a few moments, notice first of all, their redemptive transformation. They are peacemakers. actively, blessed are, the peacemakers. Those who are it right now. But they weren't always. They were peacebreakers. They were those who had a need for a transformation because of sin. All of mankind has this need for a transformation because of sin. As we know, boys and girls, you know that very simply, the reason for war and hostility and strife and arguing and fighting, The reason for all of that is sin. Sin produces hatred. It produces anger and selfishness and self-centeredness. You see that already in the Garden of Eden. Adam said, the woman you gave to me. Complaining from the start. It produces lust and greed and envy and impatience. It produces a lack of tolerance with one another. It produces negative attitudes and hurtful comments. It results in unhappiness and turmoil and discord. It results in disagreement among men. Sin in the heart. We pointed out last week what Jesus says in Matthew 15, verse 19, For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. Things that break peace do not make peace. Because of sin in the heart, all of mankind needs a transformation because by nature I am an enemy of God. That's what Paul says in Romans chapter 5, when we were God's enemies. We were. That was a fact. We were. Now for those of us who have been blessed to grow up in a Christian home, that may be a little bit hard for us to comprehend because we've never seen ourselves as enemies of God. Enemies don't get along. Enemies hate each other. They're at war with one another. We've never seen ourselves as enemies with God. But that's what we were. In sin by nature, we had no peace with God. We were without hope. We were engaged in a hostility that we could not win, that we could not overcome on our own. We needed a complete transformation which is accomplished only by Jesus Christ, the great peacemaker, as Isaiah says, the Prince of Peace, who accomplished that peace between God and man, as Paul says also in Romans 5. Beginning at verse 1, Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. we have as believers, we have peace. That which separated us, that which kept us from Him has been removed. We have favor with God. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5, God reconciled us to Himself. We didn't go out and seek that reconciliation. God in His love came after you and me and He brought us back. He removed that which kept us from Him. And as Paul goes on, he says, and committed to us the ministry of reconciliation, of preaching the word of reconciliation to all men, of peace with God, and along with that, them being peacemakers. We know by faith that Jesus Christ took our sin. He took the cause of our separation and enmity with God. He took it upon Himself. He suffered God's wrath and punishment against all of it. He fought our battle against sin. He is victorious. And in Him, we are no longer fighting against God for our souls. But instead, we are Christian soldiers in the Lord's army. His Peace Corps. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. No doubt those words were disturbing for many of the Jews of Jesus' day because they thought the Messiah would come and lead them into a no-lose battle against earthly foes. They thought the Messiah would come and establish a Jewish earthly kingdom as the master race on this earth. But instead, even during His life, He demonstrated peace among men. We read about that in His interaction with people on this earth. Never, ever did He return evil for evil, boys and girls he was meek even at his trial he did not respond in kind when he was spat upon when he was beaten when he was cursed at he did not respond in the same way back he did not needlessly offend anyone but even then he was making peace for us with god as that led to His cruel death. And He gave an example for us of this characteristic of peacemaking among men. He has accomplished that peace for you and me that we so desperately needed with our God. He accomplished that by the Holy Spirit. He replaces that heart that is filled with horrible things that destroy peace and promote strife. He replaces that heart with a heart that is filled with the fruit of the Spirit that desires and seeks peace. The things that we read about in Romans 12 and Colossians 3 that desires peace which then moves toward in the second place their unlikely practice. I want to talk a bit about the practice of peacemakers because really what I mean is it's antithetical in a sinful world. It is totally opposite of the practice in the world. Well, the sinful world talks about peace. our national leaders come together and they talk peace, they talk a good talk, but there's always a qualification. If I can have it my way. But sadly, the truth is our world is filled with peace-breaking and with strife-promoting practices that are founded on sinful selfishness and are founded on a love for myself instead of a love for my neighbor. But the unlikely practices, putting into practice of the peacemaker is seen into the goal of peacemaking. Well, what is a peacemaker? What isn't a peacemaker we should start with? A peacemaker is one who will not seek peace at any price. He is not an appeaser. He will not do absolutely anything to avoid trouble. Paul says again in Romans 12, if it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Sometimes it's not possible because of the other party. They simply won't allow it because the peace that they want would cause you and me to have to compromise and we simply cannot do it. Yet even then, we are to never give up and never are we to give a just cause for complaint against you and me. As far as depends on you and me, there should always be peace. But at other times, it's not possible because the Gospel, because the truth of God's Word won't allow it. That's what we are to understand when we say that a peacemaker is not one who will seek peace at any price. He will not seek it at the cost of the Gospel. He is not an appeaser. He is not one who will do absolutely anything to avoid trouble. He will not compromise the truth of the Word of God simply to get along with someone. You see, peacemakers who hate sin, peacemakers who hunger and thirst for righteousness, who is pure in heart, will not and cannot agree to disagree when God's Word is at stake. when God's Word is clear. Now, there are many times in our peacemaking efforts with our neighbors, with the people of the world, where we may very well be able to agree to disagree in order to come to that peace, to get along with them, but not when God's Word is at stake. Never when God's Word is at stake. Yet, even then, when we cannot come to agreement, when the Word of God prohibits it, we are to speak the truth in love. The peacemaker speaks with integrity and gentleness and is one who is not a contentious person. Obviously, peacemaking has to do with getting along. And peacemaking then really comes down to communication, doesn't it? How we communicate with one another. It comes down to how we speak to and communicate, whether by words or actions to another, either in starting that communication or in responding with regard to that communication. And the goal of peacemaking is getting along. The goal is to actively make peace. To overcome division. To reconcile those who are alienated from each other. That's the goal. And to seek to accomplish that by what we do and say. John Calvin says, peacemakers are those who not only seek peace and avoid quarrels as far as lies in the power, but who also labor to settle differences among others who advise all men to live at peace and take away every occasion of hatred and strife. Did you hear that last phrase? Take away every occasion of hatred and strife. Boys and girls, even you know what's all around. There's difficulty on the playground, isn't there? There's disagreement and quarreling in the classroom. There's trouble among our friends in the neighborhood. this is a full-time job. Peacemaking is a full-time job as Christianity is a full-time job with the goal being to strive to prevent strife but also where there is strife to promote unity. And the arena where peacemaking is to be practiced simply is on the one hand between me and others. Whether I am the one to initiate a conversation or whether I respond to something that is said to me. And the arena also includes between two other parties, striving to be used of God as a mediator to bring two opposing parties together, but always, as Paul says in Colossians 3, verse 15, let the peace of God rule in your hearts. Now, it's interesting, the word rule there has the idea of umpire. We're familiar with baseball. Let the peace of Christ umpire in your hearts. Make the calls. Make the decisions. It means that we are to make the fellowship with others more important than my own selfish will and my own selfish way and my own natural desires. Those things are to be subjected to harmony and peace with others. That unlikely practice of peacemaking is seen in the goal, but it's also then seen with regard to this communication in responses. In responses. Now, we are called to seek peace with others in what we say. Now, if by what we say when we initiate conversation or communication, if by what we say or do it is degrading, it is hurtful, it causes division, it needlessly offends, number one, it is wrong. But as well, it may very well promote and drive the other to sin in their response. And indeed, they are responsible for their sin, but we too, if we are the cause of it, we bear responsibility for that. But instead, the peacemaker desires their purity. The peacemaker desires that they be kept from sin. But for many of us, I suspect that a more pressing question may be in how we respond to things that are said to us, especially if we don't really understand the point behind it. Boys and girls, when your mom or dad tells you to do your chores or to do your homework, how do you respond? Do you say, I'd be happy to? Or do you back talk? Do you shout at them? Do you say it's not fair? Are you sassy to them? And that goes for all of us, beloved. How do we respond? Often, when we face negative comments and accusations and cruelty all the time, not because of the faith, I'm not talking about that, but in general, and it's a sad truth, but it's true. What will the peacemaker do? Sadly, the world and even many Christians, because of the sin that we struggle with, get angry. They have a hot temper. They respond without thinking, with unkind words, and with divisiveness and defensively. And the war begins. Often, we are so busy. Sometimes between husbands and wives, or parents and children, or simply with others, we are so busy trying to one-up each other on how far we can put the other down. Did I say that again? Sometimes we are so busy trying to one-up the other, each other, by how far we can put the other down. We try to hurt the other, especially with our words, more than he or she has hurt me. But the peacemaker understands what Solomon says in Proverbs 15, verse 1, a gentle answer turns away wrath. It stops a potential explosive war. But harsh words stir up anger. Fuel the flames. A peacemaker seeks to follow what James says in James 1, verse 19. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. Why? Because as James goes on in chapter 3, the tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire and is itself set on fire by hell. And he goes on, But no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father and with it we curse men who have been made in God's likeness. With the very same tongue we praise God and curse men. The peacemaker understands the sin that he still struggles with for which Jesus died and empowered by the Holy Spirit strives to fight against that sin and not let that sin get the best of Him, prizing the peace that He has with God through Jesus Christ, prizing that so much. It means so much because it no longer means eternal death, but it means eternal life. Prizing that and recognizing the character of God's kingdom of peace. And therefore, striving for peace also with the unlikely practice which is seen in how we seek restoration if there is conflict. Not only in how we respond, but if there is conflict, how do we seek restoration? The world says, you've been wronged. You've been hurt. Go after them. Sue them. Make others see just how rotten they are. That's the world's practice. But the peacemaker seeks restoration again between me and another. or as a mediator between two parties, in either case, seeking peace between the offended parties through a proper acknowledgement and confession of sin and asking and granting forgiveness. And when that has been done sincerely, the matter is finished. And also changing sinful habits and actions. And especially between Christians. Never should an argument or a disagreement, even if it involves money, never should it break up a Christian friendship. Oh, how that grieves the Holy Spirit. And sadly, we know that sometimes God's people are the worst offenders. As we hear the rumors, we hear of strife between brothers and sisters in Christ. We hear that even Christian family members won't shake hands with one another in the same church. We hear about strife in other churches for whatever reason it might be, but Paul calls God's people in Ephesians 4 to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Peace is that bond. It is that cement. It is that tie that holds God's people together in Christ Jesus. So how can we ever let discord live between two Christians who both claim to have the peace of God. They praise God on the one hand and curse man with the same tongue. And that unlikely practice is also seen then in spreading and promoting peace. Actually, offensively we might say. Not just handling this peacemaking effort in a defensive way, but offensively. Someone has said this beatitude ought to make contentious, stubborn, obstreperous, and we might include negative, complaining church members impossible. What do you think? What do you think about? How do you feel about those who are always negative, always complaining about something? They never see a silver lining anywhere. Of course, in the context of the church, we tolerate them, don't we? We don't necessarily enjoy their company too long, but we tolerate them. Because that negativity, that complaining, breaks peace. It doesn't make peace. Maybe you are one of those. Sometimes in our home, I'm described as a wet blanket. A boys and girls' wet blanket will quickly put out a fire. That's a good thing, but a wet blanket can also squash someone's good idea. Sometimes I'm too negative, pessimistic. And that creates discord. It does not make for peace. But as peacemakers, we are called to demonstrate peace, to be peaceable at all times. With kindness and a charitable spirit and edifying speech, working to diffuse potential world wars, not pouring fuel on them, seeking to deliver others by our example. We serve a God of peace with whom we did not have peace and He provided that way of salvation that we might be at peace with Him. And only then when there is peace with God can there be peace between men which sadly means that as long as this life continues and wickedness continues, there will never be perfect peace among men. But as peacemakers, as God's people, peacemakers, with God's blessing, the world may very well respond to us in a way that they do not feel threatened and that they tolerate us and they get along with you and me. And then what is the ultimate goal? Well, Jesus is working up to these words. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house In the same way, let Your light shine before men that they may see Your good deeds and praise Your Father in heaven. We know that salt and light affect in some way everything they touch. And as believers who are called to be salt and light, we too have an effect on everyone with whom we have contact. And Jesus says what it ought to be that they may see Your good deeds and praise Your Father. The glory of God! Now, of course, we know that only God, by His Spirit can make one to be at true peace with Him. That's the work of God. But He uses us as peacemakers to point to Him. The peace that we enjoy with God is to be so evident that others see it and point to Him. He uses us as peacemakers who demonstrate, thirdly then, briefly, their family status. Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God. And beloved, that's our family status already today. Be called here means to be accounted as. And John says in 1 John 3, verse 1, that's what we are. We are children. Those reconciled to. Those at peace with God through Jesus Christ His Son are adopted as His children. Brought into His family. Favored by God. Enjoying His love and goodness. And as new creatures in Christ Jesus, we are being remade in His image and we are called to participate in the family resemblance. What is that? Well, again, as the Bible continues to say, including in Hebrews 13.20, our God is the God of peace. Our Father is the God of peace. And His sons, talking about all believers, now repeat with others what God has done for them with Himself, bringing us to be at peace with Him. His sons enter into the very sphere of God's activity. His sons are examples of the glorious peace of God's family and of peace with Him through Jesus Christ. They are given a title of honor. Sons, not just children. That's a term of endearment. But sons is the word here. all believers sons at the title of honor in the jewish thought sons that meant to take on the character of the father and those were called sons of god received that honor because they take on the character of peace of their father that's our family status already today and it will be revealed to all on judgment day the world today may not recognize the honor that god gives of calling us his sons and the world today may not appreciate our peacemaking efforts but as but at Christ's appearance as God takes his sons to live and reign and rule with Jesus Christ all will see the glory and the majesty of God all will see the truth of his word all will see those who despised God's people will see the glory given to his people who are at peace with him through Christ and they then and also they will see that peace which they forfeited by rejecting Him. But all who turn to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith, even today, are at peace with God right now. Though our efforts at peacemaking are stained with sin and often lacking, yet our God is merciful. Our God loves us with an everlasting love. And in Christ Jesus, we have confidence that we have perfect peace with Him today through Christ and one day we will experience that peace perfectly in the new heaven and the new earth. And therefore, beloved, may the peace of God rule our hearts more and more each day. May we know that peace with Him more and more and with a calm spirit and resolve, delight in living in His peace and practicing it among men. And may God bless His church and in a special way this church family. May He bless us with such love and peace that works to strengthen us as a people of God in faith and with each other as a family so that there is no mistake that the peace of God rules in the heart of this congregation. May others be drawn, May the others see and by the grace of God be drawn by God to ask us to give a reason for that peace, for that hope that is in us. Praise God that He is a God of love and mercy and peace. And that all those who believe in Jesus Christ will live with Him in unbroken, perfect peace forever. Amen. Let's pray together. Father, once again you remind us of such an important call, such an important quality or character in the Christian life. And as we examine our lives and our hearts, we cannot help but to see how difficult this is for us. how often we fail. And we turn to You, we trust in You to equip us more and more each day to carry out that work of peacemaking. And may we be motivated by the joy of the Lord, the peace that we have with You even now through Jesus Christ. Indeed, Father, that is so precious and may it be so precious to us. That we would desire to live at peace with others here on this earth. And in that way, demonstrating the love of God in our lives and pointing to the Lord Jesus Christ and praying that others too, You would bring them to peace with You through Jesus Christ. And Father, it's hard for us to imagine, but we look forward to that day in glory with You when there will be no disagreement. When there will be nothing that defiles or stains or causes argument. No hostility or war, only perfect peace and harmony, enjoying your love and your presence forever and ever. Strengthen us, help us, prepare us for that day. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.