The peacemakers

Mat 5:9  Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
 
 
Blessed.  Who doesn't want to be blessed? We've read now several verses and each one begins with- 'Blessed'.
 
 
We hear people say- 'Oh he was blessed with that hair.' Or 'She is blessed with her mother's eyes.' Or 'Oh they have such talent, they're so blessed!'  We considered someone blessed when they have some  wonderful talent, when something good happens to them or there is something good about them. Being blessed is a good thing, a desired thing.
 
 
Jesus is teaching us that certain people are blessed for various things-
People - Poor in spirit                                                    Blessed with - kingdom of heaven
People - Mourners                                                         Blessed with - comfort
People - Meek                                                                 Blessed with - inheriting the earth
People - Hungry & thirsty for righteousness             Blessed with - being filled
People - Merciful                                                            Blessed with - mercy
People - Pure in heart                                                    Blessed with - seeing God
 
 
And today we are talking about the peacemakers being blessed by being called the children of God.
 
 
Do you think that Jesus was teaching us that here on earth people would suffer, but for all their suffering there would come a time when they would be rewarded for that pain? I think He was. He was giving us a message that it's not always the *seemingly* happy, the *seemingly* content, the *seemingly* rich, the *seemingly* favored who will be blessed.  Those who are considered blessed by earthly standards might not be those truly blessed by God's standards. Some of those who seem the least blessed here and now might be the most truly blessed by God in eternal matters. We have to see our selfishness, our desperate state of neediness. We have to be taught to understand that without the things of God, without the blessings of God, we have NOTHING. Our poor spirits, our mourning, our meekness, our hunger and thirst for righteousness, our mercifulness, our pure in heart all of this gives us an understanding of something OUTSIDE ourselves.
 
 
Jesus would have us learn and we must learn from Him.
 
 
Mat 5:9  Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
 
 
Peacemaker. One who makes peace, one who promotes peace. Is this possible? We hear a lot about the Mid-East Peace talks.  Palestine and Israel striving for peace, with other countries trying to lend their *peacemakers* to help this process along. Two opposing groups of people each with different agendas and the fight for peace comes with compromises being made. Without compromises peace won't be achieved.  Peace making, peace talks, world peace, goals strived for but inevitably since Adam and Eve sinned there has been trouble in the world- a lack of peace for without that unity with God there can be NO true peace.  Even in seemingly perfectly peaceful places strife arises.  God and God alone has perfect peace.  When we seek HIS perfect peace, when we seek to have peace IN Him we are truly peace makers.  Seeking peace where sin abounds is not the sort of peace that would please God.  God's peace is not man's peace. Too often people who would follow the Savior are told they are causing strife because they won't compromise their beliefs. If they would only stop causing trouble peace would be had. But we do not WANT, or rather we should not strive for worldly peace!  I know I sound nuts, but it's true.  God's peace, the peace we know will only be achieved fully when our Savior comes again is the peace we are to seek. We are to be a peacemaker of God's peace! When we determine to seek God's peace given to us through the Holy Spirit, by the grace of our Lord and Savior we are striving for a peace that the worldly- those of the world whose true father is Satan- cannot comprehend.  They'll try to say that peace is peace, but at what price is the peace of the world over the peace of our Savior? Eternal death is the price people will pay.
 
 
Remember these words of our Savior- I've talked on them several times:
 
Joh 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
 
 
Not as the world gives.
Jesus' peace is not the same peace of the world.
Jesus' peace is found in eternal salvation in His love!
 
 
By His grace may we be blessed as peacemakers- blessed as those who love Him wholly and seek the peace HE has to give, may we be called the children of God.
 
 
In His love!
 
Amen.