| BEING A
PEACEMAKERIntroductionA. Text: Jas. 3:17,18.B. We live in a discordant,
violent world where strife is oft en the norm.C. Few words surpass the beauty
of words like peace and harmony — and few ideas have any more pleasant
associations.D. Th e Hebrew word shalom meant not merely the absence of
strife, but positive well-being, the enjoyment of all that isconducive to a
person’s highest good – Num. 6:24-26.E. Jesus is the “Prince of Peace” (Isa.
9:6) — and He pronounced a high blessing on His followers who would be
“peacemakers”(Mt. 5:9).F. An important part of letting our lights shine (Mt.
5:16) is learning to be agents of God’s peace in our world.I. STRIFE IS
ALWAYS THE RESULT OF SINFUL SELF-WILLA. Discord, enmity, and violence were
among the fi rst fruits of sin when it entered the world – Gen. 4:8; 6:11.B.
Th ere is never an instance of strife without the sinful self-will of
somebody being involved – Jas. 4:1-3.C. Of the “works of the fl esh” listed
in Gal. 5:19-21, no fewer than 9 out of 17 are sins of discord!II.
ULTIMATELY, THE GOSPEL IS THE ONLY THING THAT CAN REMOVETHE CAUSE OF STRIFE
AND BRING ABOUT REAL PEACEA. Given the cause of strife, it is not surprising
to fi nd “peace” among the things that are the “fruit of the Spirit”
(Gal.5:22,23).B. Apart from God, the search for peace is fi nally empty –
Isa. 48:22.C. Reconciliation is a product of the gospel of Christ — peace
begins when men submit to the reign of Christ.D. Th e gospel is “good news”
of peace – Lk. 2:14. Cf. Eph. 2:14-17; 6:15.E. Th e highest peace made
possible by the gospel — the one which makes all other peace possible — is
the peace of manwith God – Rom. 5:1.F. But the gospel also makes possible the
peace of a man within himself and peace with others – Phil. 4:6,7; Jas.
3:13-18.Cf. Jn. 14:27; 16:33.III. WE MUST BE PEOPLE WHOSE OWN RELATIONSHIPS
ARE PEACEFULA. Obviously, the Lord never advocated “peace at any price” —
truth is more important than peace – Mt. 10:34-36. Cf. 1Kgs. 18:17,18; 2 Kgs.
9:22.– 11 –1. Th e godly wisdom that produces peace is “fi rst pure, then
peaceable, gentle, etc.” (Jas. 3:17).2. It is criminal in God’s sight to cry
“Peace, peace!” when there is no peace – Jer. 6:14. Cf. Ezek. 13:15,16.B. But
whenever we are involved in strife, it had better not be the result of a
purely selfi sh advocacy of our own interests- Rom. 12:18. (And it takes a
person of considerable honesty, not to mention wisdom, to see when confl ict
is requiredto defend the honor of truth and when confl ict is merely the product
of one’s own self-will.)C. We are commanded to “pursue peace” (Hb. 12:14) and
to aspire to “lead a quiet and peaceable life” (1 Tim. 2:2). Cf.Prov. 16:7.1.
Our homes ought to be havens of peace – Prov. 11:29; 15:17; 17:1; etc.2. We
ought to be at peace with our brethren in the congregational relationship –
Rom. 14:19; 1 Th ess. 5:13. Cf.Mk. 9:50; 2 Cor. 13:11; Gal. 5:15; Eph.
4:1-3.3. We ought to be at peace with those around us in our communities and
neighborhoods.D. Basically, it is the wisdom imparted by godliness that tells
us when to yield and enables us to live peacefully with others- Jas. 3:17,18.
Cf. Prov. 3:17; etc.IV. WE MUST ALSO BE PROMOTERS OF PEACE AMONG OTHERS WHO
ARE AT ENMITYA. When it comes to confl ict among other individuals with whom
we have some infl uence, are we peacemakers ortroublemakers? Bridge-builders
or bridge-destroyers?1. Peace requires work. It must be actively pursued, not
passively wished for — to what extent are we leaving to othersthe work of
bringing together those who are at enmity?2. Peace comes with a price.
Somebody has to take risks and make sacrifi ces — to what extent are we
letting otherspay the price of peace?B. All of us have some infl uence — to
what extent are we using it to make peace?C. If the gospel is the ultimate
source of peace, there is no peacemaking that can take the place of personal
evangelism.D. Are we communicators of th |
