Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. – Matthew 5:9
Was John Lennon blessed? After all, he was a peacemaker wasn’t he? He and Yoko and friends sat in a circle singing, “All we are saying is give peace a chance.” (Too bad you can’t hear me doing my imitation).
Actually the peace Jesus is talking about isn’t world peace, inner peace or even peace between people (though this peace leads to peace between people). He’s talking about the peace with God he bought on the cross.
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. – Colossians 1:19-20
When we’re unreconciled with someone, there’s no peace in our relationship, only animosity, walls and barbed wire fences between us. Our sins shattered our relationship with God. Our massive offences barricaded his face from us. But Jesus reconciled us to God, making peace on the bloody tree.
So a peacemaker is one who has been reconciled to God, and now, as God’s ambassador appeals to others be reconciled and at peace with God:
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. – 2 Corinthians 5:18-20
An ambassador promotes peace between his own country and another. We’re sojourners in this dark world. Our true home is heaven. While here we act as heaven’s ambassadors who try to get as many people as we can to be reconciled to God.
The BLESSING of being a peacemaker: “they shall be called sons of God.”
In 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (above) we see that God is the great peacemaker. He was reconciling the world to himself through Christ. He gives the message and ministry of reconciliation. And it is God himself who appeals to the lost through us.
So when we seek to reconcile others to God he calls us “sons of God” because we’re doing what he does – we’re acting like him. Like Father, like son. And in the end God will unveil our sonship to the creation:
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. – Romans 8:19.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. – Matthew 13:43
What a “reveal” that will be! I can hear the angels crying, like the crowds in Extreme Home Makeover, “Father, MOVE THAT BUS!” And God will pull back the curtain and his sons and daughters will blaze with the glory of Christ, to the amazement of the creation. (You didn’t know there would be a huge bus in heaven did you?)
Why not take a few minutes to ask our Heavenly Father to use you as a peacemaker to help others be reconciled to God?
