← Back to sermon library

We turn in your Bibles to Matthew 
chapter 5 as we continue our exposition of the Beatitudes. 
Matthew chapter 5. Remember of the eight Beatitudes 
we've classified or categorized them in two broad categories. 
We notice the first four, the Attitudes consistent with the 
Kingdom. and the last for the actions 
consistent with the kingdom. I'll just pick up reading in 
verse one of Matthew, chapter five, and seeing the multitudes, 
he went up on a mountain and when he was seated, his disciples 
came to him. Then he opened his mouth and 
taught them saying, blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs 
is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for 
they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek for they 
shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger 
and thirst for 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 sons of God. Blessed are those who 
are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom 
of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile 
and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely 
for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, 
for great is your reward in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets 
who were before you. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, 
we thank you for these beatitudes. We thank you for the fact that 
you have graciously put them in our hearts, God. We don't 
acknowledge or we don't think that these are there by nature. 
God, we acknowledge just the opposite. We're all sinful. We 
all reject. We all rebel against these attitudes 
and actions. We just pray that you would constrain 
us, Father, to see what we are in Christ's kingdom and to operate 
accordingly. Father, may our justification 
by faith alone truly produce that sanctification, that holiness, 
that zeal, that desire for Christlikeness. And Father, we pray that you 
would indeed Communicate through your word and spirit the fact 
that Christ is the blessed peacemaker, that he is the one who has reconciled 
God and sinners together, and I pray that today sinners would 
look unto him and be saved. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, we remember that all Christians 
are supposed to be like this. This isn't something that is 
descriptive, or they're not imperatives given for us to go out and do 
them in order to participate in the kingdom. Rather, these 
presuppose grace. They presuppose that God has 
saved us, and he has implanted these things in us, and we are 
called upon to cultivate them. Excuse me, all Christians are 
meant to manifest all of these characteristics. It's not just, 
well, you know, I'm pretty good at being meek, I don't really 
need to do these other things. No, the Beatitudes describe who 
we are in Christ Jesus, and by God's grace we're to pursue that, 
we're to cultivate them, we're to implement them in our daily 
lives. None of these characteristics 
refers to what we might call a natural tendency. As we looked 
this morning at the peacemakers, blessed are the peacemakers, 
This doesn't just mean a guy or a girl who just really doesn't 
like to cause waves. They, you know, just pretty much 
keep to themselves, and they never really, you know, are troublemakers. No, these are supernatural dispositions 
implanted in us by God's grace. Each one of them, as Lloyd-Jones 
says, is only a disposition which is produced by grace alone and 
the operation of the Holy Spirit. upon us. So that's what we're 
doing. We're looking at these descriptions 
of what Kingdom citizens look like. So this morning, as I said, 
we're taking up the third of the actions consistent with the 
Kingdom. We've seen blessed are the merciful, 
blessed are the pure in heart this morning. Blessed are the 
peacemakers." We're going to look at this under five considerations 
similar to how we've treated the others. First, its description. Secondly, its source. Thirdly, 
its practical implementation. Fourth, its benefit. And fifth, 
its promise. So, very much similar in keeping 
with the way we've treated these other Beatitudes. But the first 
is its description. Psalm 34, verse 14, we are told, 
depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it. Seek peace and pursue it. Again, if peace isn't just a 
person who isn't a conscious troublemaker, it isn't a person 
who just doesn't like to make waves, how is peace used in the 
Scripture? Well, in the Old Testament, the 
word peace or shalom covers well-being in the widest sense of the word. It oft times speaks of prosperity. It speaks of health. Sometimes 
it speaks even of salvation. It speaks of contentedness on 
departure, on going to sleep, and at death. This shalom speaks 
of good relations between men and men. It speaks of that overall 
context of well-being, when men dwell together peacefully. Throughout 
the New Testament, peace is used in quite the same manner. It 
is used for harmony among men. It is used also for messianic 
salvation. And hence, the word can even 
take on the connotation of salvation. It is called the gospel of peace 
in Ephesians chapter 6. We are adherents to, or we are 
recipients of the gospel of peace. Again, well-being in its broadest 
sense, a lack of division, a lack of fighting, a lack of bickering, 
a lack of arguing, a lack of those things which so often characterize 
the non-Christian. One man said, instead of delighting 
in division, bitterness, strife, or some petty divide-and-conquer 
mentality, disciples of Jesus delight to make peace wherever 
possible. We are not only, again, not to 
be troublemakers, we are to actively pursue and seek to stir up and 
produce peace. Another commentator says, this 
connotes both peace with God and peace between people. The 
latter flows out of the former. In other words, we can only have 
peace with one another because we have first, by God's grace, 
made peace with Him. And then, R.T. Frantz says it 
this way, this beatitude goes beyond a merely peaceful disposition 
to an active attempt to make peace, perhaps by seeking reconciliation 
with one's own enemies, but also more generally by bringing together 
those who are estranged from one another. So, seeking peace, 
pursuing peace, attempting to right wrongs and bring reconciliation. Reconciliation gets at the meaning 
of this particular word, or disposition. There is a negative aspect. We're 
not troublemakers. We don't stir up trouble. You 
ever met people in your life that just seem to want trouble? 
That's not who Jesus is pronouncing this beatitude upon. The people 
who like to stir up the pot. The people who like to cause 
contention. I'm not talking about a bit of 
practical joking here and there, but the people who engage in 
divisiveness. The people who can't keep their 
mouth shut. The people who repeat a statement. Or the people who 
do things with the expressed desire and intention of creating 
problems. That's who Jesus is not pronouncing 
this be added to the beat. The peacemaker does not make 
trouble. That's the passive element. Rather, 
the active element is that the peacemaker goes out of his way 
to produce peace. You're not just not a troublemaker, 
but you also try to produce and promote peace, reconciliation, 
a context of joy, an overall sense of well-being, not at the 
compromise of truth, not at the compromise of sin, not at the 
compromise of those sorts of things. But insofar as we are 
able, Jesus says, blessed are the peacemakers. James, that 
practical theologian, with what appears to be the Beatitudes 
in his mind, writes this in James 3, 17 and 18. He says that the 
wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, 
willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality 
and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness 
is sown in peace by those who make peace. It's almost as if 
he's just kind of giving us, not his spin, but his exposition 
or application of these Beatitudes to his audience. Let me just 
read that again. Let this sink deep into your 
heart and ask yourself the question, does this typify and characterize 
me? Am I this kind of a man or woman? Does Peacemaker genuinely represent 
and accurately display what characterizes my life? The wisdom that is from 
above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield. See, peacemakers are willing 
to yield. They're not the people that are 
always fighting for their rights. The people that are always dying 
on hills, connected to their own glory, connected to their 
own honor. The peacemaker, at times, in 
his willingness to yield, is going to fall on his own sword. 
Even if it means that he looks less than perfect or beautiful, 
he is going to do what is necessary to yield in a situation so that 
peace will have the day. Does this describe us? James 
3, 17 and 18, something that would fit on your on your tombstone. First, pure, then peaceable, 
gentle, willing to yield full of mercy and good fruits without 
partiality and without apocracy. Now, the fruit of righteousness 
is sown in peace by those who make peace. Blessed, Jesus says, 
are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. 
That is its description. That is what's involved. Negatively, 
you don't create trouble. You don't promote trouble. You're 
not a troublemaker. You're not the one always fighting 
in and insisting upon and making sure that everybody respects 
you and your particular issues and your particular bets and 
your particular preferences. But then, positively, you're 
seeking, as the psalmist says, seeking peace and pursuing it. 
You're hunting it down. The book of Hebrews says that 
we are to pursue or hunt peace with all men and holiness, without 
which no one will see the Lord. Paul in Romans 12 says that as 
far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Not just 
some men, but all men. Well, let's look at its source. 
You know where we're going here. What is the source of our peace? 
The Triune God. God the Father is called the 
God of Peace in Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 20. The Holy Spirit 
who resides in us is the Spirit of Peace. In fact, Thomas Watson 
says, this blessed dove brings the olive branch of peace in 
his mouth. great image that Holy Puritan 
conveys here. This blessed dove, God the Spirit, 
brings the olive branch of peace in his mouth. Romans 14, 17 says, 
For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness 
and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Righteousness and peace 
and joy where? In the Holy Spirit. So the Father 
is the source, the Spirit is the source, but in a very unique 
way, Jesus is the source of our peace, isn't he? If the former, peace with God, 
produces the latter, peace with man, how can unredeemed sinners 
ever have peace together? I mean, the United Nations may 
seek earnestly the peacemaking Isn't that amazing? Peacemakers. They all have guns and helmets 
and, you know, lots of ammunition. It's like Orwell. The Ministry 
of Peace was the War Department. Right? The Ministry of Peace 
was the War Department. The Ministry of Truth was propaganda. But we see that today. You see 
these pictures of the UN peacemakers. They're sitting on tanks. It just doesn't convey the proper 
image, does it? But when we think about peace 
with men, what must precede that? How could Jesus say, blessed 
are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God, 
without Jesus? Consider the Scriptures in terms 
of His person. God the Son is called the Prince 
of Peace, Isaiah 9 and verse 6. His name is Emmanuel. with 
us, which conveys peace. His office is to be a mediator 
of peace. He came into the world with a 
song of peace. The angels sang it. Peace on 
earth at the arrival of the Messiah. He went out of the world with 
a legacy of peace. What does he say to his disciples 
in the upper room? Peace, I leave with you. Christ is about peace in his 
person. But Christ is about peace in 
his work. And there's two texts that you 
and I need to get down so that we can see that peace with Jesus 
then yields peace with men. The first is in Ephesians, chapter 
two, Ephesians, chapter two. You may turn there because this 
is a wonderful description of Jesus Christ as the source of 
peace for the peacemakers who are called the sons of God. The 
whole context here in Ephesians 2 is a display of the power of 
God. That's what Ephesians 2 is all 
about. It is amplifying. It is expounding 
upon. It is putting forth what Paul 
introduced in Ephesians 1. He prays that the saints of God 
will understand something of God's power. That power that 
he displayed when he raised Christ from the dead. That power that 
he displayed when he dealt with men individually as sinners. 
You being dead in your trespasses and sins. God made us alive together 
with Christ. That is a display of his power. 
And in Ephesians 2.11 to the end of the chapter, God's power 
is displayed in that he took Jews and Gentiles and he brought 
them together and he made one new man in Jesus Christ. He says, 
you Gentiles, you uncircumcised people, you were far off, you 
were strangers to the commonwealth of Israel. You were aliens, rather, 
to the commonwealth of Israel. You were strangers to the covenants 
of grace or the covenants of promise. You were without hope 
and without God in the world. But notice verse 14. Well, let's look at verse 13 
of Ephesians 2. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far 
off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Let's just 
stop for a moment. You might be here this morning 
and saying, I don't care one bit about being a peacemaker. 
I'm not in the 60s, you know, when the hippies all said, peace, 
man. Peace isn't that big of a deal to me. Listen to what this text says. 
This text says there's a problem with God and sinners. Peace should 
be uppermost in your mind. The Bible teaches us that man 
in sin treats God as his enemy. Oh, we'll deny it. If pressed, 
if there's a spotlight put upon us, we'll deny it. Oh, no, I 
don't treat God as my enemy. Every time you reject his law, 
every time you reject his will, every time you reject his word, 
every time you do not yield love to him, you are treating him 
as your enemy. You know, the Bible doesn't stop 
there. In Romans, chapter 5, at verse 10, it tells us something 
else. It says that God treats sinners as his enemies. See, there's a bigger problem 
today than you just needing a bit more fun, a bit more happiness, 
a bit more joy. You need reconciliation between 
God and your soul. You need to be brought into the 
state of forgiveness. You need to be brought into the 
state of peace with God through our Lord Jesus. Peace does not 
come through the bottle, peace does not come through pills, 
peace does not come through sex, peace does not come through family, 
peace does not come through our vain attempts to get peace. There 
is one means of peace between us and God, and it's through 
this one, named Jesus Christ. Verse 13, but now in Christ Jesus, 
you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood 
of Christ. Now notice, for he himself is 
our peace. Isn't that a beautiful statement? 
What's peace? It's Christ. You've seen those cheesy bumper 
stickers, no peace, N-O, or no Christ, N-O, no peace. And then 
K-N-O-W, no Christ, no peace. Cheesy, but it conveys something 
of biblical truth. You have no Christ, you have 
no peace. You know Christ by the power 
of His grace in the gospel. You have peace. He himself is 
our peace, is what Paul says. Notice how he goes on. Who has 
made both one. Again, Jew-Gentile. He has broken 
down the metal wall of separation, having abolished in his flesh 
the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in 
ordinances, so as to create in himself one new man from the 
two, thus making peace. Christ is our peace and Christ 
makes peace. How does Christ make peace? This 
is where that image of a UN peacekeeper sitting on his tank doesn't look 
as ludicrous. We'll see that in a minute in 
Colossians 1. Jesus makes peace through what? His cross. See, in Luke 23, if you were 
stood at the foot of the cross on that day when Jesus was hanging 
there, those two men on either side, the last message you got 
from that spectacle was peace. Crucifixion was reserved for 
the worst offenders. A Roman citizen could not be 
crucified without express consent of the emperor himself. The idea 
being that it was too cruel and too unusual to inflict it upon 
Romans. Now, a specifically heinous Roman, 
the emperor might say, okay, go ahead and let him be crucified. 
They didn't even use that on the common rabble of criminals 
in their day. When you were standing at the 
foot of the cross, if somebody were to say to you, this is preaching 
peace, it would look 10,000 times more strange than a man with 
a rifle sitting on a tank being called a peacekeeper. How does 
he make peace? Through the violent death at 
Calvary. That became the vehicle of peace. This is what Paul is saying. 
thus making peace, verse 16, and that he might reconcile them 
both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to 
death the enmity. And he came and noticed preached 
peace. So he not only is our peace, 
he makes peace, but he preaches peace. You say Jesus never went 
to Ephesus. That's right. Jesus never did 
go to Ephesus. But when the word of God is accurately 
expounded in the language of the second Helvetic confession, 
it is God speaking. That's why when you come into 
church, you shouldn't fall asleep. You shouldn't be thinking about 
lunch. You shouldn't be thinking about your job or that transaction. You shouldn't be thinking about 
holiday or vacation. If under the power of the Spirit, 
the man is faithfully expounding the Word, God Himself is speaking. I'm not saying this is God. You've 
got to understand. They understood that when the 
Word is faithfully expounded, it is God the Lord speaking in 
it. preached when Paul went to Ephesus and proclaimed the gospel 
by his word and by his spirit. He can say that Jesus came and 
preached peace to us or to you who were far off into those who 
were near or through him. We both have access by one spirit 
to the father. I guarantee you, brethren, if 
you get a biblical New Testament understanding of what preaching 
and an Old Testament, the words of the prophets, you understand 
what's going on in the act of preaching. Hopefully, it will 
straighten out, tighten up, and solidify something of your Lord's 
Day ethic and the approach to the house of the living God. 
We're not coming here just to meet with friends. As good and 
blessed as that may be, we're coming to hear from God himself. 
We're coming to hear from the Lord of the heaven and earth. 
Turn over to Colossians, just so we can continue to look at 
how Jesus makes peace. Colossians 1.15. He is the image 
of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, for by Him 
all things were created. I want you to pay attention as 
we work our way through this passage. Listen to what it's 
saying. Jesus is Lord of creation. Jesus made this world and all 
things in it by the word of His power in the space of six days, 
and He made it all very good. John tells us this. John chapter 
1. I believe it's in Genesis chapter 
1. God spoke. The Spirit hovers. The three 
persons of the Trinity are all present in the first few verses 
of Genesis chapter 1. Jesus is the Word of God. God 
spoke this world into being. Christ is the agent of creation. 
This is what the text is telling us. He is the image of the invisible 
God, the firstborn over all creation. Firstborn doesn't mean first 
created. It means the esteemed one, the 
preeminent one, the glorious one, the overall one. For by 
him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on 
earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions 
or principalities or powers. All things were created through 
him and notice and for him. This is why we ought to be sensitive 
to the environment. Because it's Jesus. It belongs to him. I'm not talking 
about being a tree hugger. I'm not talking about PETA. I'm 
talking about, as Christians, we ought to be stewards of God's 
good things. Verse 17, and he is before all 
things, and in him, notice, all things consist. I think what 
Paul is telling us there is that Jesus sustains everything. Jesus 
is the cosmic glue in which everything has its purpose. In Hebrews chapter 
1 we read that he upholds all things by the word of his power. 
I think sovereignty and governance and providence are in view here 
in verse 17. So Paul moves from creation to 
providence and now redemption in verse 18. It says, And he 
is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, 
the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he may have 
the preeminence. He is Lord of the old creation, 
the physical. He is Lord of the new creation, 
the spiritual. Verse 19, for it pleased the 
Father that in him all the fullness should dwell, and by him to reconcile 
all things to himself by him, whether things on earth or things 
in heaven. Notice, having made peace through 
the blood of his cross. You want peace with God today? 
It's through the blood of the cross. You want peace with God 
today? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. 
You want peace with God today? to that cross, wherein our Savior 
died. Look to that tomb that is empty. 
Look to the right hand of the Father Most High, where Christ 
is seated. Believe on Him, and you will 
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. You see the 
progression here? He made everything, He governs 
everything, and He makes peace through the blood of His cross. 
Gordon Clark says this. Now, when we pause to consider, 
this is staggering. He says the preceding verses 
have described Christ in transcendent terms. Transcendent means he's 
wholly removed. He is glorious. He is in the 
heavens. He does whatever he pleases. 
Only a transcendent being creates. Only a transcendent being governs. It's only in a transcendent God 
that all things consist. He goes on to say, he was the 
creator in whom all the fullness dwells, the heir of the universe 
for whom it was created. Now, when the creator of heaven 
and earth, the creator himself voluntarily suffered on the cross 
for our sins, we can only stand in awe and worship. That's perceptive. Look at what Christianity presents. The Creator comes into the world 
to be hung on the cross by the creation, to die, to rise again, 
and call men to believe. Peace with God comes through 
our Lord Jesus Christ. It is through justification by 
faith alone, according to the Apostle in Romans 5.1, that we 
have peace with God. If you don't have this peace, 
I preach it to you today. In the name of the Lord Jesus, 
you believe on him and you will have peace with God. A peace 
that surpasses all understanding, Paul says. Have you found that 
to be the case? Sometimes your life is a mess. 
Oh, not me, brother. My life's always great. Okay, 
for the rest of us. Sometimes our lives are in a 
mess. It seems like everything's frazzled. It's all these loose 
ends. All these trials, all these difficulties, 
and yet you have this peace which surpasses understanding. In light 
of all this madness, I know my Redeemer lives. I know I have 
peace with God through the Lord Jesus. I know that my name is 
written in the Lamb's Book of Life. We saw this on Wednesday 
night. The disciples come back from 
a successful preaching tour. The disciples are rejoicing that 
the demons were subject to us in your name. Jesus says, I saw 
Satan fall like lightning. Nevertheless, do not rejoice 
in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice 
that your names are written in heaven. Isn't that beautiful? Your performance may be good. 
Your performance may be bad. Your frame may be up, your frame 
may be down. You may be happy, you may be 
gloomy, but this one thing does not change. Your names are written 
in heaven. That's comfort. That's benefit. That's blessing. The source of 
our peace is the triune God, because he has worked in our 
hearts and in our lives, we can therefore go and be peacemakers 
toward others. One man says, if the Father is 
the source of peace and the Son is the manifestation of peace, 
the Holy Spirit is the agent of that peace. The God of peace 
sent the Prince of peace, who sends the Spirit of peace to 
give the fruit of peace. No wonder the Trinity is called 
Yahweh Shalom. The Lord is our peace. A lot of peace to be had in the 
Bible. We've seen its description, its 
source, its practical implementation. How do we become peacemakers? 
If this is there by God's grace, we've been justified with God, 
we have peace with God, how then should we live in terms of others 
with reference to peacemaking? The first two, I'm going to just 
confess, I took them right out of Martin Lloyd-Jones' book. 
They were bang on. We've got four total. First two. First one. Lloyd-Jones 
says, how do we practically become peacemakers? Guess what he doesn't 
say? Go to a conference on how to 
be a peacemaker in 10 easy steps. Buy 15 sermons on peacemaking 
101. First thing Lloyd-Jones says, 
we need to be slow to speak. Slow to speak. In fact, let me 
just read the Good Doctor. First and foremost it means, 
being a peacemaker, that you learn not to speak. I took slow 
to speak from James' statement. I like Lloyd-Jones better. Learn 
not to speak. If only we could all control 
our tongues, there would be much less discord in this world. James, 
with his practical turn of mind, puts it perfectly. Be swift to 
hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. That, I say, is one of 
the best ways of being a peacemaker, that you just learn not to speak. A philosopher, not a Christian, 
a pagan, said this, the world would be happier if men had the 
same capacity to be silent that they have to speak. The world 
would be happier if men had the same capacity to be silent as 
they have to speak. The best way of being a peacemaker, 
or first and foremost, to use the language of Dr. Lloyd-Jones, 
he says, learn not to speak. He says, secondly, be quick to 
think. Be quick to think. He says, the 
next thing I would say is that we should always view any and 
every situation in the light of the gospel. When you face 
a situation that tends to lead to trouble, not only must you 
not speak, you must think. And then he carries this out, 
and he says, we're all so prone to think how a possible troublesome 
situation affects me. What impact will this have on 
my reputation? What impact will this have on 
my well-being? What impact will this have on 
my relationships? What impact will this have on 
me, me, me? He says, no, you need to think. 
What impact will this have on the church? What impact will 
this have on others? What impact will this have on 
the world that's watching? Not only be slow to speak, but 
be quick to think with reference to the gospel. Is this going 
to produce benefit and blessing or is it going to hang someone 
out to dry unnecessarily? Third, we left Lloyd Jones. This is just obvious biblical 
Christianity. Seek to cultivate humility. Right? How do you become a peacemaker? Pride? Arrogance? Selfishness? No. Just the opposite. You become a peacemaker by being 
poor in spirit. You become a peacemaker by mourning 
over your own sin. There's enough to do in each 
day just to mourn over your own sin. You become a peacemaker 
by gentleness, willing to yield. As as James says, we become peacemakers 
by hungering and thirsting for righteousness. We certainly become 
peacemakers through mercy. Everybody tracking. Everybody 
with me, you want problems in the church, don't be a peacemaker. 
You want problems at home, don't be a peacemaker. You want problems 
in this world? Don't be a peacemaker. Do you 
really want a life marked with problems and troubles and difficulties 
and trials? Hopefully you don't say, sure, 
sign me up, that's what I want. Rejecting Christ's words in these 
beatitudes opens oneself up to nothing but trouble. The peacemaker 
is pure in heart. The peacemaker is cultivating 
humility. The peacemaker thinks more of 
Jesus, thinks more of the church, thinks more of others, and if 
necessary, will fall on his own sword. Again, not discounting 
sin, not discounting all those other things, but when we are 
able to pursue peace with all men, let us do so. And then fourthly, we need to 
remember the biblical qualification with reference to peacemaking. 
I already alluded to it in Romans chapter 12. Romans chapter 12. I hate to be the bearer of bad 
news to you, but in this world you will meet people that just 
don't want peace. I know it's strange. You'll meet 
people in this world that don't like mangoes. You'll meet people 
in this world that don't like avocado. You'll meet people in 
this world that just do some of the zaniest things. There's 
actually people in this world that don't want peace. It's almost 
as if their lives are marked with They just bristle against 
everything and everybody. Romans 12, 14 or 18 provides 
for us a qualification. Notice in verse 17, repay no 
one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in 
the sight of all men. If it is possible, what is Paul 
assuming? That it may not be possible. You try to be at peace with your 
neighbor, and every time you walk over to his house to say 
something good, he punches you in the mouth. I'll try it again. He punches you in the mouth. 
I'll try it again. He punches you in the mouth. 
At what point, brethren, if it is possible, as much as depends 
on you, that means you ought to endeavor to create peace. The responsibility in the language 
of John Murray for discord must to no extent be traceable to 
failure on our part to do all that is compatible with holiness, 
truth and right. But if it is possible as much 
as depends on you live peaceably with all men. If by God's grace 
you've used means, if by God's grace you've prayerfully tried, 
if by God's grace you've sought to pursue peace and that person 
will not have it. God has said, Proverbs 24 or 
22, 24, make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious 
man. Do not go. Oh, Jesus, you've 
tried. You've given him the gospel. 
You've given him the truth. But if he's an angry man, he's 
a furious man. There is a temptation for you 
to become like him. The temptation isn't him becoming 
like you. It says in verse 24 or 25, lest 
you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul. So if it is possible, 
as far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. So 
that's the practical implication. Fourthly, it's benefit. I don't 
think we need to spend much time here. Benefit in the home. What's 
it like when husbands and wives dwell at peace? I really hate that, honey. Let's 
fight more. My time as a pastor, I've never had anybody come to 
me and say, you know, Pastor, we need to fight more. We need to argue 
more. We need to not get along so much. We need some good discord. How does Solomon describe the 
case of the poor man who is married to a contentious woman, a woman 
without peace? What Solomon said, it's better 
to live in the wilderness. It's better to live on your roof. 
It's better to feel sun-baked or drenched with rain. It's better 
to not have the comforts that a home affords than living with 
a contentious woman. A woman who nags, a woman who 
is without peace, a woman who is contentious, a woman who is 
a drain upon her husband. How can peace flourish there? 
But imagine the opposite, a woman who actually takes seriously. 
Wives, be submissive to your own husbands, ask of the Lord, 
and just imagine the peace that our dear brothers would enjoy. What about a man who is given 
anger, who is capricious, who rules from his easy chair, like 
some Genghis Khan or some tyrant, or Attila the Hun? You may think 
that's cool, and you may think that's macho, but you have escaped 
the blessing of Jesus Christ. Blessed are the peacemakers. 
But the peace breakers, not the discord sowers, in fact, in the 
book of Proverbs, well, we'll look at that in just a moment. 
The family benefits with peace when parents treat their children 
peaceably and children treat their parents peaceably. Doesn't 
it just benefit everybody? Isn't that what you want? Isn't 
that what we are after? Isn't that what God's word speaks 
to? We think of the benefit in the church, in the book of Ephesians, 
after setting forth the doctrine of salvation. Paul's first word 
is to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of 
peace. Your heart rate shouldn't go 
up coming to church. Your blood pressure shouldn't 
start to skyrocket going to church. Some who have been with us at 
any amount of time know that there was a season like that 
If you had put a cuff on one of us, it would have blown it 
right off of there. That's not a good place to worship 
God, is it? Our churches should be marked 
by peace, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the 
bond of peace. These six things Jehovah hates, 
yea, seven are an abomination to him, and one of them, the 
last one, is one who sows discord among the brethren. You want 
to court the disfavor of God, the displeasure of God, the curse 
of God most high, so discord among brethren. Tell gossip, 
be a slanderer, let fly things that you shouldn't let fly. So 
discord and Jehovah has promised that you are an abomination to 
him. James 3, we've already alluded 
to it. I want to read the whole context, 
though, in James 3, 13. Who is wise and understanding 
among you? Let him show by good conduct 
that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you 
have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast 
and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend 
from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking 
exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. That's not peace. 
Confusion is not peace. Self-seeking is not peace. Bitter 
envy is not peace. That is the context into which 
James then says, but the wisdom that is from above is first pure 
and peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good 
fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit 
of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. So there is benefit. In the family, 
there is benefit. In the church, there is benefit 
in society. As it depends on you, as much 
as you are able to, be at peace with all men. Christians are 
to maintain a good testimony to those who are outside. If 
you're the loudest whiner in your workplace, the biggest grumbler, 
the one who's always late, the one who doesn't work well, you're 
not promoting that concept of peace, well-being, health, and 
prosperity. If you're the neighbor in the 
neighborhood that everybody can't stand now, it could be because 
you're righteous and godly and holy. Praise the Lord. Praise 
the Lord. Usually, though, that's not always 
the case. We need to cultivate peace and 
then fifthly, the promise they shall be called sons of God. 
It's not beautiful. Why is that? Because the God 
of peace, the spirit of peace, the son of peace, peace characterizes 
the triune God. Peace characterizes that family. Peace characterizes that blessed 
dwelling. And so the sons of God will be 
called or the peaceful will be called sons of God. Spurgeon 
said, Hereby is our sonship known to ourselves and others. Men 
of peace are the children of the God of peace and their father's 
blessing rests on them. We already are called sons of 
God, based on God's good grace in our lives, having regenerated 
us, having adopted us, having brought us into the family of 
God. We are sons of the living God. We know there is a not yet 
aspect. When we die, we'll go to be with 
the Lord. We will see him as he is. We'll 
have his name on our forehead. We will praise him and worship 
him. We need to read again Revelation 21 and 22 to see that realization 
or that consummate blessing. That's what Jesus holds forth 
in terms of the beatitude. Blessed are the peacemakers, 
for they shall be called sons of God. In a world of chaos, 
in a world of confusion, in a world of trial and trouble and difficulty, 
when we manifest the peace of God, we will be called the sons 
of God in this world. Well, brethren, just a couple 
of thoughts and then we close. First, do you have peace with 
God through our Lord Jesus? It doesn't make any sense to 
exhort us all to pursue peacemaking if we have not come to the cross. 
Do you right now. I'm not asking you to raise your 
hand. I'm not asking you to have every head bowed and every eye 
closed and shoot your hand up in the air. I do ask you to look 
upon your own soul. Take a moment. I know you're 
busy. You've got work. You've got school. You've got 
leisure time. You don't have school. Just think 
about it. One Sunday morning, 1215 on Sunday, 
July 17th. Do you have peace with God? You 
honestly say that. You honestly say tonight when 
you lay your head on your pillow, if I die before I wake the Lord, 
my soul will in fact take. Can you identify with this statement 
of Romans eight one? There is therefore now no condemnation 
for those who are in Christ Jesus. Is Romans 5-1 precious to you? Therefore, having been justified 
by faith, we have peace with God. Do you have peace? Do you 
know the Lord God in a peaceable way through Christ? Have you 
looked to the cross? Have you believed on the Savior? 
Is the gospel yours? Are you his? Can you honestly 
say, I have peace with God the Father? If the answer is no, 
then believe. Repent, turn from your sins and 
your confusion and your trouble and your chaos. What's one of 
the short curses for the wicked? There is no rest for them. It's 
all discord. It's all trial. Those times when 
the scripture pulls back the veil and gives us a glimpse in 
the pit of hell in the book of Revelation. Is there peace there? No, they're weeping and they're 
wailing and they're gnashing their teeth. They're blaspheming 
God. They're rejecting Him 24-7. As the saints stand before the 
throne and praise Him, the wicked in hell continue to reject and 
rebel. Hell is a place of discord, chaos, 
confusion. I'm not saying it's just that. 
It's conscious, eternal torment, punishment, and deprivation of 
anything good and holy and blessed from our God. If you don't have 
peace, There is a way. You can have peace right now 
where you're seated by God's grace. Look to him. Look to Christ. Look to Jesus, look to the gospel, 
the good news. Jesus came into this world. He 
lived in obedience to the law. He died as a sacrifice. He rose 
again. Anyone who looks to him in faith 
will have everlasting life. Do you have peace with God? By 
way of examination for those who answer, yes, I have peace 
with God. Do you actively promote peace 
in your home? If you're a child that has been 
saved by God's grace, are you the one that brings discord and 
difficulty and confusion and chaos? Or do you promote peace? It just seems so strange that 
we wouldn't promote peace. Isn't this the heinousness of 
sin? That we would have natural tendencies and inclinations toward 
non-peace? That somehow that attracts us? 
Do you promote peace in your family? Husbands to wives, wives 
to husbands, parents to children, children to parents. Is peace 
something that we're pursuing in our homes? Is peace something 
that you're actively and consciously praying for with reference to 
the church that you belong to? Is peace something that you value 
and prize? Because Jesus values and prizes 
it. Are you seeking to be peaceable 
with all men outside of the church? Is that something that you seek 
to do? To represent well your Master, your Redeemer, who is 
characterized by peace? Just some questions for examination 
and exhortation. We need to meditate on the passages 
that have been referenced here and seek to cultivate this mindset. 
This is a strange bird. This is an odd person. The one 
who not only doesn't create trouble, but actively pursues peace. The 
one that actually tries to bring healing, and to bring health, 
and to bring happiness and wholeness. We need to stop being troublemakers. We need to adopt attitudes of 
peacemaking. We need to learn to talk less, 
think more, and actively cultivate humility. This is the pathway 
to being peacemakers. So it's not rocket science, brethren. It's not like it's way out there. 
Just don't talk as much. Just don't think more. What implications does this have? 
What is my demanding on my personal vindication going to do for the 
church? It's probably going to destroy 
the church. There's been history, there's been times where men 
have actually fallen on their swords to try and preserve the 
peace and unity in the church. I think Paul was that kind of 
a man. The apostles typify that sort 
of a mindset. Not the expense of truth. When 
Peter compromised a gospel message, or Peter compromised gospel truth, 
Paul withstood him to his face. He didn't just say, well, I don't 
want to get involved. No, that's not peace. Peace is 
standing for the truth, but to do it in a principled and biblical 
way where God comes first, as church comes next, you're way 
down on the priority scale. So I think these Beatitudes teach 
us, and I think if you're reading along with this study in Lloyd-Jones, 
you're going to see the same emphasis from him. These Beatitudes 
teach us that we, us, ourselves, are way down on the priority 
list. I think far too often, especially with the citizen of 
this world, the citizen of Satan's kingdom, and unfortunately, all 
too often citizens of Christ's kingdom, we think way too highly 
of ourselves. We think way too highly of our 
reputation. We think way too highly of what we are and what 
we do and how everything affects us. These Beatitudes call us 
to start considering Christ first and start considering Christ's 
people. Put yourself down on the priority list. We need to 
seek opportunities to present the gospel of peace to those 
who are strangers to God's grace. Right? Isn't that the best thing 
we can do for someone? I can't fix Sudan. You can't 
fix North Korea. You can't fix Canada. We can 
pray, we can labor, do all awful things we can, all that sort 
of thing. But we can tell sinners how to have peace with God. We 
can tell sinners what Romans 5.1 says. We can commit to memory 
Colossians 1.20. We can point people to the blood 
of this cross and say, through that means you can have peace. 
There's an exhortation in this passage for evangelism. You don't 
want to bind anybody's conscience. You've got to do it this many 
times. You've got to do it this many ways. You've got to make sure 
you have fresh breath in the whole nine yards. No. But this does say, 
blessed are the peacemakers. The best peace we can make is 
by telling sinners the way of peace through Christ our Lord. 
And we ought to be encouraged, finally, that we will not enter 
into heaven because of our peacemaking skills. We enter into heaven 
because of Jesus' peacemaking skills. We enter into heaven 
because of the blessed peacemaker, the God-man, the Lord Jesus, 
who made peace between God and sinners. Isn't that the great 
hymn that we sing in the Incarnation? God and sinners reconciled. It's 
one of Christ's work. He redeems us, to be sure. He 
propitiates God's wrath. He expiates God's guilt. He saves 
us. He justifies us. But that blessed 
concept of reconciliation, bringing God and sinners together again. 
Brethren, we have everything to be encouraged about by our 
Lord Jesus. Again, if you have not looked to him, believe on 
him and you will be saved. Let us pray. Father, thank you 
for your word and thank you for this statement. Blessed are the 
peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. We thank 
you for the Son of God who came to make peace between you and 
us, and we just pray that others would know this gospel, others 
would know this truth. We don't appeal to their wisdom. 
We don't appeal to their good decision-making capability. We 
appeal to sovereign grace and ask that you would make sinners 
willing in the day of your power. Constrain them to come and to 
taste and see that the Lord is good. And for the rest of us, 
God, help us to pursue peace, help us to not be troublemakers, 
help us to consider others, to consider first and foremost you 
and your glory, to consider the gospel and how our conduct and 
how our actions affect these truths that we proclaim. We ask 
now that you would go with us, cause your face to shine upon 
us and let us know that peace which does surpass all understanding. 
And it's in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen.