Page Two: “Blessed Are The Peacemakers” 08/05/2012
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Yet, when I turned eighteen I was placed in what was called “The Lottery.” My lottery number was 243. And that year, President Nixon and Congress said that only 100 birthdays would be called up to go to Vietnam. I might have gone had my birthday been one of those first one hundred.
By the way President Nixon signed the Paris Peace Accords in (January 27) 1973 and Vietnam was supposed to be re-unified. It did not happen. North Vietnam and South Vietnam went to war just one year later and at a cost of two million civilian Vietnamese lives. And I say all that because notwithstanding the hopes of mankind every time another of the literally hundreds and hundreds of peace treaties have been signed, nations insist on going to war. Yet Jesus tells us the truth about war when He preached this simple sermon. “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Of all the reasons for the LORD to designate ordinary people as “blessed,” you may be wondering why He puts peace-making on such a high plateau. Here’s why; at least one reason why He might have done this. When there is no peace among the nations of the world, it should alert us to these two facts; one, there is no peace apart from a relationship with God; and two, the more important peace is the peace we want and need with our family, our friends and our neighbors; with the people you deal with every day. First, then, the True Source of peace is a Person. Peace is clearly not rooted in man. Here’s how the LORD describes Himself over and over in His word. Romans 1:7 “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 15:33 “Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” |
Romans 16:20 “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”
Philippians 4:9 “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” Hebrews 13:20 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,…” I Thessalonians 5:23 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The term “very” means something absolutely wonderful. Here’s what Paul is praying here. “May God Himself, Who is peace, sanctify you wholly…” “May He, the True God of true peace sanctify you wholly…” Whatever you may already know of God, this is the truth as it pertains to the question of peace. He is “The Very God of Peace.” And that means that He is the One and Only Source and Originator and Provider of Peace. Now add the words of Isaiah the Prophet from the OT. “There is no peace, saith God, to the wicked,…” and you must agree that when you have a right relationship with God, you can find peace. The Source of peace is a Person. Now yes, there is something called the peace of God. But wherever peace can be found, would you agree with the Scripture on this marvellous point. God is the Very God of Peace. After all is said and done, He is the Source of Peace. First, then, the Source of peace is a Person. Second, Peace comes to the all those who submit themselves to Jesus Christ. |