The Constitution of God’s Kingdom Part 7

The Beatitudes (Peace)

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).

Let me share three thoughts for us to think about:

(1) The risk of being a peacemaker (2) The rewards of being a peacemaker, and (3) The responsibilities of being a peacemaker after the peace has been established.

1. The risk of being a Peacemaker

Think about the risk of being a peacemaker, because to be a peacemaker is not natural nor normal. We probably all avoid confrontation due to the fact that it’s risky. Everybody who chooses to be a peacemaker enters into the “danger zone”, knowingly or unknowingly. For Jesus Christ, it was a cross. That's also true for any peacemaker. When you're called to be a peacemaker, one side can't be all right, the other side all wrong, and seldom is neither side in the mood for peace.

Everybody who is a peacemaker lives in the “combat zone” - whether you choose to or not. Greece, at its height of glory, had all its gods and goddesses and Athena was the goddess of wisdom. Now wisdom was considered the highest value among the Greeks. So in the Parthenon, where they built the great temple that still stands today, they chose the goddess Athena, the goddess of "wisdom," to be the one in that place of honour.  And Athena, the goddess of wisdom, wears a helmet, carries an olive branch, and she also holds a spear. Wisdom is peace with strength. You need the olive branch but you also need the spear for strength, for Peacemaking is risky business.

2.   The rewards of being a Peacemaker

Consider the rewards of peacemaking. And, there are definite rewards. Blessed ("Blessed" also means "Joyful") are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. What legacy do peacemakers leave behind? Not just the absence of violence and bloodshed. There is something much more. They leave a legacy that inspires others. They become heroes - the world needs heroes. What do they inspire within each of us? They inspire us toward bravery and courage. They inspire us to self-sacrifice, and to give our lives for a cause. I ask you this question. Is there anything other than your own life that you would die for today? It is pitiful how many people don't have anything they would die for. Once they would have died for their bride, but their marriage went wrong. And once they would have died for their children, but a dispute between the parents and the children has now erupted. What would you die for? We all need genuine inspiration! The real reward of the peacemakers is that they teach all of us how to be brave, be self-sacrificial, to give our lives for a worthy cause.

3. The responsibilities of being a Peacemaker

What are the responsibilities of the peacemaker after the peace has been established? For the peacemaker is not finished when the enemy lays down his armaments.

After the second World War it was not enough that Britain defeated the enemy, we were given the opportunity turn the world into a peaceful and productive place. This meant taking full responsibility for the victory! That's democracy, and that democracy exists in most countries today. We defeated Hitler. We overthrew him. He was completely destroyed. But peace is never enough. After the war had ended, General Marshall established the Marshall Plan because the allies didn't want to see the families of the defeated country of Germany suffer and die needlessly. The war was won, but peace is not enough! It only gives the victor an opportunity now to build something creatively, constructively and meaningfully.

Peace is not enough - Forgiveness must come!

We get this from Jesus Christ. You can't find true forgiveness with the depth, the passion and the integrity necessary except through our Lord Jesus Christ. He taught and lived forgiveness - especially toward His enemies. Even in His final breath, Jesus cried out, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." The deeper you look into the life, character and teachings of Jesus Christ – you have to conclude this was truly God in the flesh. Tradition has a moving story that tells about the history of "TAPS," the bugle call for military funerals and special memorial celebrations. Robert Ellicombe was a captain in the Union Army in the Civil War. One night he was facing the confederates across Harrison's Landing in Virginia. It was a bloody battle and in the darkness, Captain Ellicombe could hear the sound of a moaning soldier. But he did not know if it was one of his own or one of the enemy. And he didn't want to expose his own troops to danger.

Finally, he could not stand to hear the moaning any more, so he himself crawled through the darkness through enemy fire. He reached the moaning solider and dragged him back to his unit. By that time the moaning had stopped and he then saw that the wounded man was a Confederate solider. He rolled him over and saw the face of his own son! Captain Ellicombe had last seen his son when he left home to study in a special music school in the South. The son, a music student, had joined the Confederate army without telling his dad. Then the captain broke down and asked for a full military funeral for his son (Confederate soldier). But the captain was refused. Then he asked for, at least, some music. And the answer came, "You can have one instrumentalist. That's all." In his son's uniform pocket, Robert Ellicombe had found the notes of a song he had written. The melody you and I know as “TAPS”.

The words are: "Day is done, gone the sun, from the lake, from the hills, from the skies. All is well, safely rest, God is nigh. Fading light, dims the sight, and the star gems the sky. Gleaming bright from afar, drawing nigh falls the night.Thanks and praise, for our days. ‘Neath the sun’, ‘neath the stars,‘ ‘neath the sky’. As we go, this we know - God is nigh."

Due to the death of his son, and the restrictions imposed upon him, Captain Ellicombe was able to cause forgiveness to be released on the wings of a haunting melody played by a solitary bugle. And forgiveness is released every time TAPS is played. If only this young man could see the profound effect the song he wrote to God has had on generation after generation of military people. I believe God has already commended him for what he instigated by his tragic death.

Peace is not enough - Reconciliation must come!

"Blessed are the peacemakers, they shall be called the children of God." 1 John 3:1 says, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.”  As a child of God you have a ministry of reconciliation. You are to reconcile others to God through Christ Jesus. This is what brings lasting peace in a man’s life, in his family and in society. 2 Corinthians 5:18 tells us, “And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given unto us the ministry of reconciliation.” It is every believer's calling, to reconcile others back to God.

As a child of God, your ministry of reconciliation is twofold:

1.   You reach out to those who have been abused and discarded by religion and legalism.

2.   You reach out to those who have heard little or nothing of the Gospel.

Establishing peace is not enough, there must be forgiveness and reconciliation! For this is the only way God is glorified. And these are the main attributes of a true peacemaker.

Prayer: Dear God, I thank You for my freedom, for peace, and I pray for Your blessing upon me. Teach me how to be a peacemaker - to preserve the peace and thereby set a pattern for prosperity in my family, in my community, and in my world. In Christ's name. Amen

Chris Demetriou, 22/11/2009