What is a Peacemaker? Very convicting sermon this morning. Enjoy!

By Pastor Greg Johnson - guest pastor of Bay Cities Community Church this morning.

A quick intro. I really enjoyed today's sermon by Pastor Jim's brother-in-law and since I haven't been quoting them in a long time thought you might appreciate reading this too. Very convicting for me and something I'm going to work harder at achieving.

You?

God bless you on this sweltering hot Sunday!

What is a Peacemaker?

"Becoming More of a Peacemaker"

A peacemaker - someone who wants to make peace. Their goal in life is to make peace.
Peace has been described as absence of conflict. God calls us to resolution of conflict.

1. A Peacemaker is blessed in life. When you're a peacemaker, you're putting yourself in the position to be blessed by God.

Matthew 5:9:

   ⁹Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Psalm 128:1:

¹How blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways.

Faith must change our mindset to alter the way we live.

2. A Peacemaker is a child of God.

Matthew 5:9:

   ⁹"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

Galatians 3:26:

   ²⁶For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:14:

   ¹⁴For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Galatians 5:22-25:

   ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

   ²³gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

   ²⁴Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

   ²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (It becomes more difficult to do what's wrong when we live a Christian life.)

3. A Peacemaker rejects living a self-centered life.

Romans 12:1:

   ¹Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

Philippians 2:3-4:

   ³Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;

   ⁴do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

1 Peter 2:1:

  ¹Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander of every kind. (Okay, now the pastor's meddling where he don't belong. JUST KIDDING! This one especially struck home.)

Peace loving flows from a pure heart. God doesn't want us to be peacemakers when we're too old to do any good. He wants primetime peacemakers!

4. A Peacemaker leans on God's wisdom.

James 3:17:

   ¹⁷But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

Job 12:12:

      ¹²"Wisdom is with aged men, with long life is understanding. (It takes time to develop wisdom.)

Ephesians 1:15:

   ¹⁵For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints,

When you decided to do what's right you give God the chance to be great.

5. A Peacemaker knows real peace comes with a price tag.

Romans 12:18:

   ¹⁸If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

1 Kings 18:17:

   ¹⁷When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is this you, you troubler of Israel?"

A. You must become vulnerable to those you wish to impact.

    Philippians 2:6-9:

   ⁶who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  ⁸Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  ⁹For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

B. You must change your opinion about your enemies.

Matthew 5:43-45:

   ⁴³"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.'

   ⁴⁴"But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

   ⁴⁵so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

3. Peacemaking behavior is the mark of a changed life.

Luke 9:29-30:

   ²⁹And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming.

   ³⁰And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah,

6. A Peacemaker brings the Hope of Heaven to lost people.

1 Peter 3:15:

   ¹⁵but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

And I'll close with the phrase I hear in so many churches that I just love, "May God richly bless you in the reading of His Word."

God bless you and have a great day!