Happy Are the Peacemakers

It seems as if God has called us in the world to a very special calling to restore and to experience something that is been lost since the fall we are, as it were, to restore this world to the piece that was forfeited soon. So God is designated special people because piece they highlight one of history's great blunders. Words were spoken by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. Following the Munich agreement with Germany. The goal of the agreement was to prevent conflict in Europe yet.

One year later, World War II began. History is brimming with examples like that people claiming they've achieved peace when they haven't so how can you be different. How can you experience genuine peace and help others find it.

Get answers today as John MacArthur continues his study of the Beatitudes showing you what Jesus meant by Blessed are the peacemakers, but before the lesson John. It's the first day of a new month of broadcasts and we have some great things scheduled for the coming weeks, taking a minute here to let our listening family know what they can expect if they tune in. Throughout June. Well this week. Phil working to continue our look at the Beatitudes, and I will I love the Beatitudes so I rejoice that were were doing it and were and were still after it. Even this week next Monday, June 8 letter series called the integrity factor there. There's a missing ingredient in our culture integrity. It's coming from Hebrews 13, and that we subtitle it a basic course in Christian ethics does character matter for the Christian, you better believe it does. This study looks at aspects of your life in my life. That should present a stark contrast to the watching world from what they normally see visions like marriage, personal relationships, worship of God. Many many more. So starting next Monday. The integrity factor and then on June 22 will take a helpful look at a very important doctrine, one that you love eternal security. That's right, eternal security will look at Romans chapter 5. It answers the question is salvation forever. Can you lose your salvation. There are so many people who worry about that God's word is clear and it's critical to your own peace and joy to understand the truth about eternal security starts June 22.

And then of course looking ahead to July when a focus on end times prophecy were going to start with a compelling look at the signs of Christ's return and the title of the series is going to be. Jesus is coming were going to look at one of my favorite chapters in all the Bible. Matthew 24 and that series on Jesus is coming will run from July 2 all the way to 24 July. So coming up some more about the Beatitudes than the integrity factor, then eternal security.

And then Jesus is coming over the next few weeks you want to be with us every day. Yes friend, many excellent opportunities to grow in your understanding of God's word in the coming months and that starts right now as John continues his series, simply titled the Beatitudes look with me, will you at Matthew chapter 5 Matthew chapter 5 will read again for you. The verses that are the setting for our thoughts versus one through verse 12 Matthew chapter 5 seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain and when he was seated his disciples came unto him, and he opened his mouth and taught them saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you. The idea of peace dominates the Bible the Bible opens with peace in the garden. The Bible closes with peace in eternity. In fact, you could chart the course of history based on the theme of peace. There was peace on earth in the garden man send peace was interrupted at the cross piece became a reality again is he who died on the cross became our peace and since the Lord Jesus Christ as provided peace.

There can be peace in the heart of a man or a woman who comes to know him someday in the future he will come again, this title will be the Prince of peace, he will establish a kingdom of peace, which will finally go into an eternal age of peace.

So peace is a great way to see the theme of the Bible peace in the garden. Peace interrupted, peace returns in the hearts of men because of the cross, the Prince of peace comes again to bring a kingdom of peace that finally becomes an eternal peace. There are 400 references in the Bible to peace. God is tremendously concerned with peace is one of his great themes. In fact, he himself calls himself, the God of peace. You say, but there is no peace. No, not in the world.

Not now, but there's a reason the reason there's no pieces because of two things.

The opposition of Satan and the disobedience of man.

The fall of Angels sand the fall of man has caused the world without any peace, isn't that God doesn't want peace.

It's that man in Satan are at war with God. You know you can only have peace with someone, as long as they wanted because it's a two way item and as long as they will have no peace there will be doing, we come to the seventh step.

In the latter which ascends to divine blessedness. The seventh of the Beatitudes peace makers. It almost seems as if God has called us in the world to a very special calling to restore and to experience something that is been lost since the fall we are, as it were, to restore this world to the piece that was forfeited in Sunni, so God is designated a group of special people that he calls peacemakers. They are his agents in the world and they're here to make peace. They go far beyond anyone who wins the Nobel Peace Prize because the piece they offer is eternal peace. The piece they set about to bring is a divine peace, a real piece so our Lord Jesus says that God has promised to bless people who are his agents for peace and even to call them sons of God and God here through the words of our Lord Jesus Christ is referring to a peacemaker.

That's unlike any we know in this world is not referring to politicians is not referring to statesmen, no matter how good they are at working out a quote on quote peace is not referring to diplomats is not referring to arbitrators is not referring to kings or presidents or Nobel winners is not referring to organizations like the league of Nations or the United Nations.

These not referring to some ecclesiastical order is not referring to a Council of churches, God's peacemakers are vastly different, which is good because the world's peacemakers have a terrible failure record. We don't have peace politically and we don't have peace economically. We don't have peace socially. We don't have peace in nations.

We don't have peace in countries we don't have peace, and political groups. We don't have peace in organizations. We don't have peace in homes.

We don't have peace any place because we don't have peace in the hearts. That's the real issue. Nobody is ever succeeded in bringing peace on earth. Forget reading a statistic.

The question was how many peace treaties have been broken. The answer all of them. You see pieces that glorious brief moment in history when everybody starts to reload. There is no peace.

We have no ability to get along with each other everything in every relationship is fragile and the reason for all of this is that man is no peace in himself and so is world which is merely a projection of himself is going to be literally riddled with chaos and if ever there was needed to peacemaker.

It's now desperately does this world need peacemakers.

God says through Jesus Christ and this wonderful verse, but he would specially bless those who are peacemakers now in order to understand what our Lord is saying here. We have to deal with five truths about peace five realities about peace. First of all, the meaning of peace. What we mean by peace. We talk about peace. What we really say what is the definition of peace that we want to deal with how we see it as God sees it. What is a divine perspective on peace so they will think that peace is the absence of conflict that peace is the absence of strife. Well, there's no strife and is no conflict in the cemetery. But we can hardly use a cemetery is a model of peace, no peace.

As God sees it is far more than the absence of something is the presence of something and I would hasten to add that in the biblical way. Peace is not the absence of conflict as much as it is the presence righteousness that causes right relationships. Peace is not just stopping the war pieces creating the righteousness it brings the two parties together in love when a Jew says to another Jew. Shalom, which is the word for peace. He doesn't mean that you have no wars. May you have no conflict he means, I desire for you all the righteousness that God can give all the goodness that God can give. Shalom means God's highest good for you. It's a creative force for goodness.

So if we are to be peacemakers. We do not only stop the war we replace it with the righteousness of God. We replace it with all the goodness of God. Peacemakers are those who not only call a truce, but a real piece where all is forgotten and they embrace one another is an aggressive, good. What I'm trying to say is that peace is not creating a vacuum. Peace is not creating the absence of something. But the presence of something the peace of the Bible does not evade issues. It never evades issue. The piece of the Bible is not peace at any price. It is in the gloss.

The piece of the Bible conquers the problem.

See the difference it conquers that problem in the middle ground so that the two can come together builds a bridge to two sides. Sometimes it means struggle sometimes it means pain. Sometimes it means anguish. Sometimes it means a little more strife, but in the end. Real piece can come I want you to notice in James 317 a verse that you need to keep in mind it will come back to verse 18 right of adjust for 17 for now, but the wisdom that is from above Dallas.

The wisdom that is from above is first what she wore then what peaceable night to stop right there and leave that one will come back to it later. The wisdom that is from God finds its way to peace. What purity first few more, then peaceable, pieces never sought at the expense of righteousness. You have not made peace between two people, unless they have seen the sin and the error in the wrongness of the bitterness and the hatred they have resolved to bring it before God and make it right then through purity comes peace peace that ignores purity is not the peace that God talks about how we all want to avoid needless strife, whether it's in a family or a business or whatever, but if we do it to the point of sacrificing the truth, then we compromise our principles and it isn't peace at all. It's just a truce and everybody is reloading in Matthew chapter 10 verse 34. Fascinating word from our Lord. He said this sink, not Matthew 1034 that I am come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace, but a what sort now you say wow that is diametrically opposed to the beatitude that is the very antithesis of what our Lord was saying in Matthew five what is he mean I am not come to send peace, but a sore what he means is this Jesus did not come to bring peace at any price.

He knew there had to be strife before there could be peace. He knew the conflict had to be resolved. Lesson for the Christian. There's going to be strife even if were peacemakers in the world isn't going to be easy to be a peacemaker because if were going to be a peacemaker in God's terms will not be a peacemaker who brings the truth to bear, so the peace can be real and if we bring the truth the barracks on the world allows falsehood. There will be strife before there will be peace, right. That's what I said about preaching the gospel he got a get mad at you for you and get happy with being a peacemaker is not saying well I certainly don't want to offend that dear soul. That's not making peace. That is a truce that is doing nothing to help because the issue is righteousness, holiness, purity, and so we bring the gospel to bear at ruffles feathers and it convicts in it and it brings contention and strife and it brings conflict but when the conflict is resolved by faith in Jesus Christ. There is a real piece we are not peacemakers in the world in the sense that we never make strife, we make strife all the time. We are peacemakers in the world in the sense that when the strife is over, the real pieces there biblical pieces that kind of peace that we are not agreeing to just settle things without dealing with truth, we will deal with truth. If you're going to deal with truth, beloved you going to be a divider to be a disturber is going to be a disruptor.

There's no way to get around and you know you see that don't you go to work and you start to live for Christ and you start to give your testimony and all of a sudden here you are trying to be a peacemaker help people to make peace with God helping to make peace with each other and helping to make peace in their own hearts. But you're doing your best to get them to make peace, and all I can do is get mad at because the whole premise of your message is that they have to deal with sin and people don't like to hear that. So they get very upset so biblical peacemakers are not quiet easy-going people who just want to make no waves and no issues, lack justice, who lack a sense of righteousness who are compromisers who are the appeasers now say all he such a peacemaker and they mean by that. He has no conviction. That isn't the issue. A true biblical peace maker will not let sleeping dogs lie. He will not save the status quo. If truth must be brought to bear on the issue. It doesn't say well you know I know the person's doing wrong, but all I just would rather have a peaceful situation or say anything about what my my son is doing or what my husband is doing or what our friends are doing just want to keep peace.

That's a cop true peace only comes after the truth, so the meaning of peace is real piece real piece as God sees it.

We talked about. Secondly, the minister peace. What is it that hinders peace well it's obvious the minister peace is sin. If the meaning of peace is righteousness and truth than the menace to peace is sin and untruth or error or lots and if you want to know why there's no peace in the world is because the minister peace rules. Jeremiah 17 nine says the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked.

I get that. Jeremiah 79 the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked. You start out with a wicked heart. How does a wicked heart manifest itself. Isaiah says in chapter 48 in verse 22. There is no peace. Seth the Lord unto the wicked, so Jeremiah says that man is wicked. Isaiah says there's no peace to the wicked and Isaiah 57 in verse 21 again God says there is no peace to the wicked. Jeremiah also has the same thought in the eighth chapter and the 11th verse four. They have help the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying peace peace when there is no peace. In other words, they talk about it, but it isn't there because there can be no peace to the wicked. That's why in James 318. We go back to that same text we looked at it says that the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by them that make peace now, what's it truly peacemakers than so righteous fruit fruit peacemaking brings to bear first righteousness. You can never have real peace until you brought righteousness. In other words, if two people are fighting is because there sin limited to sin. The fights over if two people are fighting to separate the people it does nothing and sums between you and God. And you're at war with God, all you do is remove what's in the middle which is sin in God and man come together right. You see, always a peacemaker makes peace by sowing righteousness and that's why the wisdom of God is first pure, then peaceable, listen people, I said, the only peacemakers in the world who are worth anything, as peacemakers are those who bring men to righteous to God's standards to bow to God's truth and that's why all of the diplomats and statesmen and ambassadors and presidents and kings of the world's history could never bring peace I tell you some people it's so wonderful to live in this world and see how God can use the symbol of the humblest people to be the peacemakers of the world, the people never win the prizes and never get their names in the headlines and nobody ever knows about their the real peacemakers of the world. They're the ones that are going around bringing righteousness to bear in an individual life of the debt heart for the first timeanother one to go around bringing righteousness to bear a relationship so that the first time it ever happens those people no peace there going around preaching the gospel. So for the first time a man to no peace with God. Those of the peacemakers, and I'll make the headlines with their the only ones that are really doing it. You know something, there's a price to pay.

Because when you try to do that the world reacts negatively see the truth of real peacemaking is not that we we want and avoid conflict want none and avoid it isn't that isn't that we stay away from conflict is that in order to bring true peace we will go right through the very hottest conflict and suffer whatever needs I see Jesus. Jesus, the greatest peacemaker of all that he avoid conflict on your life.

He was nailed to a cross the ultimate conflict to kill them, but he would do it because he knew that peace would be found in the end, fill it.

It's almost strange in our world we exalt the people who break peace. The virile you see the take nothing from nobody, the hard-nosed, the top of the wild, the self-sufficient, these are the heroes and heroines are the women who lead the parade for rights and demands and stir up strife and stir up contention and fight against the traditions in the system where whole society, people fighting for our rights and exalting each other. We are told by psychologists and psychiatrists and behaviors all you can get for yourself: anybody take anything from you and so we precipitate more strife over time. Our society worships. It's no wonder we come to the society and try to bring the peace that the gospel brings that they fight against us. It's no wonder that they didn't like Jesus Christ. They wanted a fighter. Those used said we want somebody is gonna come in here and really lay the iron fist on the Roman government. We want somebody to come in here who will be a Messiah will put a stranglehold on Caesar.

We want somebody to come along will not. The Roman government out of its power. We want a great warrior, and when our Lord Jesus came along and said blessed are the peacemakers.

I'm sure the people listing that they were no who needs that we come into the world offering the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ and people look down on us think we are cowardly we if we get bold and really preach Jesus Christ a fight against us. But you know I'll feel so bad about that. I mean I I'm glad to have some enemies. Lungs are the right enemies. Jesus Christ was the Prince of peace.

That's right.

Isaiah 9 section should be called the Prince of peace. He was the Prince of peace. And yet everywhere he went he consecrated conflict 07. Everywhere he went he created conflict. In fact, in Luke 23 five, the city stirs up the people he stirs up the people of Gaza conflict.

The conflict the conflict Polly apostle, the wonderful ambassador of peace, the one who said all we are all to preach the message of reconciliation and meant to be reconciled to God. The gospel of peace. He call it the one who preach the gospel of peace. Every single place that guy went he created a riot and they said about in the next 24 five. We found this man a pestilent fellow second Timothy 312 says all that will live godly in this present age shall suffer persecution. So here we are coming to the world with the message of peace were trying to bring the peace the right way. The pieces got to come through righteousness and holiness and purity. And what happens just more war and strife because they will not hear but people you gotta be willing to take the conflict take the blows like Christ did the take up our cross to deny ourselves to pay the price to be bold and charge right through we know is right.

If you bow those situations are no peacemaker peacemakers willing to say what has to be said to bring righteousness to bear on the situation. If you're a true peacemaker you're going to be one who brings righteousness to bear well. We see then the meaning of peace. What is it the fullness of righteous blessing, the enemy of peace or the minister peace sin, it must be dealt with and was not easy. I want to be a peacemaker, but sometimes that's really our I see a person living in sin, and if I were really a peacemaker as Jesus would want me to be. I go to that person so you know you are offending, holy God, hereby your very life at war with God. I want to make peace between you and God is so I confront you with that said, I offer you the gospel of Jesus Christ. That's bull or feisty to Christians in conflict and fighting is a peacemaker to just kind of skirted around the issue to just kind of ignore the issue to not ruffle anybody's feathers a real peacemaker goes and said, you must resolve this righteously with one another. Peacemakers buddies is not avoiding issues. 107 it's diving right in the middle of you been listening to pastor and author John MacArthur on grace to you along with teaching here on radio.

John is also Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary in Southern California. Today's lesson is part of his study titled the Beatitudes, and friend. If you missed any part of this study, let me remind you that every lesson is available to download@ourwebsitejidety.org or if you'd like to put this series in the hands of a friend. It comes in a 10 CD album you can purchase that album when you contact us today. Call toll-free 855 race or visit our website TTY.org. The Beatitudes is a great series to help Christians grow and to show unbelievers what it means to follow Christ. Again, you can purchase the 10 CD album when you call 855 race or go to TTY.org you can also download this study and audio or transcript format from the website for free and let me remind you that today's broadcast is benefiting listeners around the world because of the generous support of people like you is always giving to your local church comes first.

But just know that anything you're able to give to Grace to you beyond that will go directly to connecting people like you in communities like yours with biblical truth to get by phone, call 855 race or you can write to us at box 4000 panorama city, CA 91412 or go to GT why.org now for John MacArthur on Phil Johnson with a question for you. How can you know God's peace and help others know it. In a world filled with conflict, find out when John continues his study of the Beatitudes. 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on tomorrow's racing