SIDEWAYS GRACE AND UPSIDEDOWN MERCY: THE BEATITUDES
BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS
DR. JIM DIXON
MATTHEW5:9
MARCH 4, 2001
Alfred Bernhard Nobel was the Swiss chemist and industrialist who, in 1888, invented dynamite while experimenting with liquid nitroglycerin. He began to market dynamite all over the world. He made millions of dollars. He attained great wealth and great power, but he was riddled with guilt because in many parts of the world dynamite was used for destruction, even for the taking of human life.
Alfred Bernhard Nobel died in 1896. Before he died, it was said that he saw his own obituary published prematurely in the local newspaper. By other accounts, it is said that he had a visionary dream wherein he saw his own obituary. In either case, in the obituary he was called “the merchant of death.” He resolved that he didn’t want to be remembered in that way. He did not want to be remembered as the merchant of death. He wanted to be remembered as somebody who had done some great good for humanity. Through his will, therefore, he established The Nobel Prizes.
The Nobel Prizes are today the most prestigious prizes awarded in this world. In the beginning there were five—a prize for chemistry, a prize for physics, medicine (or physiology), literature, and peace. In 1969, a sixth prize was awarded in economics. Of these six, by far the most prestigious through the years, beginning in 1901, is the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to a variety of people from Mother Teresa to the Dalai Lama; from Albert Schweitzer to Martin Luther King, Jr.; to Nelson Mandela. It’s been awarded to the International Red Cross. It’s been awarded to the United Nations. We live in a world that seeks to honor peacemakers.
The Bible tells us that God also wants to honor peacemakers, and so we come to this seventh Beatitude, “Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” The Greek word for peace is the word “eirene.” The Hebrew word is “shalom.” These words describe the wholeness that flows from harmonious relationship. In the Bible, that relationship of harmony is described in three ways, and these represent our three teachings this morning.
First of all, peace in the Bible refers to harmony amongst nations, international peace. Blessed are those who seek international peace. In the year 1903, high up on the Andes Mountains at Uspallata Pass on the border between Argentina and Chile, a bronze statue was erected. Today it is one of the most famous statues in the world called the Christ of the Andes, and it’s a great tourist attraction. It was erected in 1903 as a symbol of peace between nations. Because, in prior years, Argentina and Chile had been at war. In those border wars, thousands of lives had been taken. There was much shedding of blood.
There was a woman named Señora de Costa. She was grieved by this shedding of blood. She was a devout Christian, and she prayed for peace between these two nations. She wrote to the governing officials of both nations, asking them to come to the peace table. She journeyed to capital cities of both nations, talked to the governing officials, and appealed to them face-to-face to seek peace. Finally, the two governments resolved that they would come to the peace table and they would talk. Señora de Costa resolved that she would go home and pray. She prayed. The days passed and they were not able to reach a peace. The two governments fought. There was much hostility, much brokenness, much woundedness, much anger. They could not find reasonable compromise.
They were failing to reach an attainable peace, so they summoned King Edward VII, king of Great Britain, who had ascended the throne after Victoria and was known as a peacemaker. And he came. He came to Argentina and Chile as a peacemaker. He sat down at the peace table with the two governments. He helped them hear one another. He helped them listen. He helped them compromise. He helped them befriend each other, and these two governments came to a peace. As a result of that peace, they built this great bronze statue high up in the Andes, the Christ of the Andes. It was built out of the bronze cannons that had been used in war. There’s an inscription on that great statue on the border between Argentina and Chile, placed there in 1903, and the inscription reads like this: “Sooner shall these mountains crumble to dust than shall Argentina and Chile break the peace sworn at the feet of Christ, the Redeemer.” A pretty awesome deal.
Now, there’s not anybody in this worship center this morning who have the ability of King Edward VII to negotiate international peace. None of us have that power. We can all, however, do what Señora de Costa did. We can pray for peace between nations, and when appropriate, we can petition governmental leaders, that we might be peacemakers.
The Bible tells us that in this age of the world there will never be global peace. Jesus tells us there will always be wars and rumors of war. The Bible tells us that history is racing towards Armageddon, and the forces of Antichrist will one day bring this world to the brink of annihilation. But then Jesus Christ will come, “Sar Shalom,” the Prince of Peace, and He will “beat our swords into plowshares, our spears into pruning hooks, and nation will not lift up sword against nation anymore.” He is Sar Shalom, the Prince of Peace, and He will bring international peace. Blessed are the peacemakers.
There’s a second meaning of this word peace. It doesn’t just refer to harmony between nations. It also refers to harmony between people and harmony between individuals, interpersonal peace. It is not just international peace but interpersonal peace. Christ has called us to be peacemakers in the sense of interpersonal peace, to seek peace in our relationships.
In the book of Philippians in the fourth chapter, we read about two women whose names were Euodia Syntyche. Euodia and Syntyche were friends of the Apostle Paul. They were co-laborers with him in ministry. Paul says that they had labored side-by-side with him in the gospel. Paul said that these two women’s names are written in the Book of Life. But something had happened in their relationship. They had become angry with each other, and they had wounded each other and there had been a falling out. Their relationship was broken, and they had lost their friendship.
Paul writes to a person in the Church of Philippi, and he asked this person to be a peacemaker. Paul called this person “true yoke-fellow.” The Greek word for yokefellow is “sunzugos.” This word means “peacemaker.” It means “someone who is able to yoke people together in harmonious relationship.” That’s what we’re all called to be is yokefellows in Christ. We’re all called to be peacemakers and to seek to bring people together in harmonious relationship. That’s why, here at Cherry Hills Community Church, we have a Counseling Department. In our Counseling Department, we seek to mend broken relationships. If your relationship with your wife is broken, we want to be a peacemaker. If your relationship with your husband is broken, we want to be a peacemaker. If you’re struggling with your relationship with your children, we want to be a peacemaker. If you’re struggling with your relationship with your parents, we want to be a peacemaker. If you have a broken friendship, broken relationships in your neighborhood, or broken relationships at work, we want to be peacemakers. That’s why we have a Counseling Department, and that’s why we have relational recovery and kids’ recovery workshops. That is why we support a downtown ministry called Friends in Transition. We want to help people who are coming out of prison reconcile with their families and with their communities. We invite you to be a part of these peacemaking ministries but also to seek peace in your own relationships.
Are you doing that? Are you seeking peace in your relationships? Is your marriage broken? Do you really want reconciliation? Do you want harmonious relationship? Are you struggling with a broken relationship with a parent? Do you really want peace? Do you really want to be a peacemaker? Do you have a broken relationship with someone in your neighborhood or somebody at work? Do you want peace? Are you willing to work on it? Blessed are the peacemakers.
I saw a great movie that I saw about a year ago called The Straight Story. Some of you, I’m sure, saw it. I just thought it was a great movie. It’s a true story about a guy named Alvin Straight who was poor and very old and alienated from his brother. He had not spoken to his brother in ten years. He couldn’t drive a car because his eyesight was bad, and so he gets on his sit-down lawnmower and drives along the side of the road. It takes him six months, but he goes all the way across the state of Iowa to see his brother who is dying.
Along the way, he camps along the side of the road, builds a campfire, and has many conversations. He’s built a campfire outside of a little church in a little town, and the parish priest comes out to talk to him. The preacher helps Alvin work through some of his struggles and emotions about his relationships with his brother. Then, when he finally get to his brother who is dying at the end of the movie, there are very few words but a lot of emotion.
If you really want peace and to make peace with family members or friends or even people at work, you may need to make a journey. It might not be a geographical journey. It might be a journey of humility and repentance. It might even be a journey of humiliation, but “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Children of God.”
I know that all of you have heard of Hubert Humphrey. Hubert Humphrey was, of course, the vice president of the United States during the administration of Lyndon Johnson. He wanted to be the President of the United States. Of course, Hubert Humphrey ran against Richard Nixon in 1968 seeking the presidency. He lost in a bitterly contested election. In the wake of that election, Hubert Humphrey hated Richard Nixon. He thought that Richard Nixon had run a dirty campaign. He felt like Richard Nixon had told half-truths he was hurt and so was Hubert Humphrey’s wife, Muriel. They just didn’t want to have anything to do with Dick Nixon.
The years passed, and Hubert Humphrey came down with cancer. He was ultimately told that his cancer was terminal and he would not live. He went to talk to his pastor (because Hubert Humphrey was a committed Christian). He really truly loved Jesus Christ. With his pastor, they talked about heaven—all the wonders of heaven, and all the things that Humphrey would see when he arrived there. They discussed his faith. Hubert Humphrey said, “You know, it’s amazing the peace I have in the face of death.” He said, “I know that that peace is based solely on the cross of Jesus Christ and the fact that He died for me. I trust Him as my Lord and Savior.”
His pastor said, “The peace you have, Hubert, is God’s gift to you. But God wants you to know that, in addition to giving you peace, He wants you to be a peacemaker. Before you die, if there’s anyone you need to make peace with, anybody that you are angry with, you should do that before you see Jesus.” Hubert Humphrey went home and talked to his wife Muriel. They prayed. They knew who they hated. They hated Dick Nixon. They prayed it through, and they prayed long hours. They were touched by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, so Hubert and Muriel called Dick and Pat Nixon and invited them over for dinner.
The Nixons were stunned. They came, and they sat down and had supper together. They talked late into the night. That was the beginning of many meals that the four of them shared before Hubert Humphrey died. When Hubert Humphrey died, Richard Nixon was sitting right next to Muriel Humphrey. The world didn’t understand, but you see, Hubert Humphrey had asked Richard Nixon to sit there because he wanted to honor a friend. He wanted to be a peacemaker.
Jesus said, “Bless those who curse you.” Jesus said, “Pray for those that abuse you.” Jesus said, “Love your enemies.” If you have someone that feels like an enemy, someone you think has abused you, someone who has cursed you, the will of Christ is clear. You’re called to be a peacemaker. You must begin to pray for them. You must begin to pray for them, and you must begin to bless them. Eulogia. You must say a good word about them. You must begin to say some good things about them. You might have to think hard, but you’re supposed to bless them and love them in word and deed. That’s part of that process, that journey that’s necessary in becoming a peacemaker. So, peace refers to harmony between nations, international peace, and harmony between individuals, interpersonal peace.
Peace has one final meaning in the Bible, and this is the primary meaning of peace in the Bible, this third meaning: Peace between people and God, what we might call theological peace or divine peace. Indeed, when we look at the Bible we see that peace is normally used in this way.
In Acts, chapter 10, the gospel of Jesus Christ is called “the gospel of peace” because the gospel offers reconciliation with God—peace with God, divine peace. In Ephesians, chapter two, we read that Jesus Christ came and He preached peace to those who were far off and peace to those who were near. The reference is to peace with God, reconciliation with God, divine peace. In Colossians, chapter one, we’re told that Jesus Christ has made peace by the blood of the cross. The reference is not to international peace or interpersonal peace, but peace with God by the blood of the cross.
Seven times in the Bible, God is called the “God of Peace.” Jesus Christ, in the Bible, is called the “Lord of Peace,” and the reference is to the peace that is divine, the peace that comes from God, the peace that produces wholeness and reconciliation. In John, chapter fourteen, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives give I unto you.” He’s talking about the peace that is supernatural and comes only from God, peace even in the face of death.
In Philippians, chapter four, the Apostle Paul speaks of the “peace that passes all understanding.” He’s referring to divine peace—this peace that comes from God and flows out of a relationship with God. Of course, in Luke’s Gospel, the second chapter, we have the angelic announcement of the birth of Christ at Bethlehem and the message of peace on earth, but it’s an offer of reconciliation with God. Divine peace. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Children of God.” I promise you this: Unless you make your peace with God, you cannot be a child of God.
We live in a world that tends to think of all people as children of God. It is true that all people are created of God, and it is true that God loves all people. “God so loved the world…” But we only become children of God, the Bible says, through regeneration and rebirth. We must be born anew to enter the family of God and become a child of God. We must make peace with God. We must come to the cross. You see, Christ came into the world to offer peace, reconciliation. He died on the cross in substitutionary atonement that you might find the wholeness that only comes from harmony with God. If you receive Christ as Lord and Savior and you experience that reconciliation with the Father, you become a child of God.
I read a story recently. It came from the Wycliffe Bible Translators, a missionary organization. They translate the Bible into diverse languages representing people groups all over the world. They tell an amazing story that took place in Papua New Guinea. There’s an unreached people group there. The Wycliffe missionaries went to this unreached people group. They had learned the language and even translated the scriptures into that language, but these people had never heard the gospel. They told these people in Papua, New Guinea about the cross of Christ, the offer o forgiveness, friendship with God, you can become a child of God. They talked about heaven, and they talked about eternal life.
The tribespeople who were animist rejected the gospel. They rejected the gospel because of the medicine men in the tribe. The medicine men had a lot of power and authority, and they feared that if the people responded to Christianity and began to follow Jesus, they would lose their status and their positions of power, so they commanded the tribe not to respond to this Christian message. Now, the medicine men in the tribe were called “spitters.” They were called spitters because, amazingly, when they sought to heal somebody, they would spit on them.
Well, there came a point in time when the missionaries told the tribespeople about John, chapter nine, how Jesus came upon a man born blind, and Jesus spat on the ground and He mixed spittle with the dirt and created mud. Then he took the mud and He put it in this blind man’s eyes, told him to wash in the pool of Siloam, and the man came back seeing. When the medicine men heard this, they loved it. Jesus was a spitter just like them! They told the tribespeople that it was okay now to accept Christ. This unreached people group responded to the gospel. It’s an amazing story. Through the years I have read countless missionary stories, and I’ve seen people come to Christ for a variety of reasons. I can promise you, that story is extremely, extremely rare.
Why do most people come to Christ? They come because of the cross and the offer of forgiveness through His shed blood and His substitutionary atonement. They come because they seek peace with God. They come wanting reconciliation. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ and you’ve committed your life to Him, there was some point where you sought peace with God, and you came to the cross and you embraced Him. Now you’re called to be a peacemaker, and in the highest sense, this means that you must take the gospel to other people. Blessed are the peacemakers. In the highest sense, if you would be a peacemaker, you must share the message of Jesus Christ and His offer of reconciliation with people in your sphere of influence. You must. This is the Great Commission, and this call is upon us all.
I’m called as a pastor to serve you. I seek to do that. I’m called to call you into a community of service but also to challenge you to go out into the world and to take the gospel to all people—at work, in your neighborhood, in your home, that you would be peacemakers.
As we close, I want to tell you the story of Elizabeth Barrett. Some of you have heard of her. She was born in Durham, Northern England, in the year 1806. The family soon moved to London, England. Elizabeth Barrett was educated at home, and she was brilliant. She learned many of the ancient languages, including Greek and Latin. She learned many modern languages including French, Italian, German, Spanish, and English.
She was brilliant, but she had problems. Her father was distant and cold and authoritarian. She sought desperately to win his friendship and his love and his affection, and she could not. She herself had a lung disease that left her chronically ill and oftentimes weak. Then her brother died in a tragic drowning accident. She was devastated because with him she had been close. Then she fell down the stairs and injured her spine so that she became a semi-invalid. She cloistered herself then, for years and years and years, in her room writing poetry.
Elizabeth Barrett’s poetry was marketed in England and ultimately all over the world and well received. Elizabeth Barrett began to correspond with other poets, and they began to exchange poetry. One of the poets with whom she corresponded was Robert Browning. As Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett began to exchange poems and poetry and letters, they fell in love. They fell in love. In the year 1846, when Elizabeth Barrett was 40 years old, Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning were married. Their love was great. She became Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
Of course, today Robert Browning is perhaps the most famous poet of the Victorian Age, but in their time, Elizabeth Barrett Browning was the more famous poet. She was famous for lines like, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” Of course, he was famous for lines like, “God is in His heaven and all is right with the world.” Well, when they were married m 1846, Elizabeth Barrett’s dad rejected the marriage, and his wife followed him. They told Elizabeth Barrett that they did not recognize this marriage and that she was no longer their daughter and they renounced her as their daughter. Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning moved to Italy, where they lived for ten years.
During those ten years, Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote back home to her parents every single week. Every single week she wrote a letter, and it was always a love letter, a letter explaining how much she loved them. It was always an appeal for reconciliation, begging for their friendship and their blessing. She wrote a letter like that every single week for ten years. She never received a single letter back, but finally, after ten years, a box came. A box came and Elizabeth Barrett Browning was so excited. This is the first time she had received any communication from her parents in ten years. She was so excited. She opened the box and inside there were more than 500 letters unopened. It was all the letters that she had written over that ten-year period, those weekly letters returned, none of them ever read. Love letters returned.
It is one of the most tragic stories truly in history, but it has a theological application because, you see, God has written love letters. God has written a love letter to every person in this world. It’s called the gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel of peace. We often think that this love letter, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son… “ We often think that this message of love called the gospel is returned unopened, but the truth is many people never even received the message. They never even received the message.
I’m always amazed how people come into my office from our community right here in Highlands Ranch. I’ll share with them the simplicity of the gospel, and it’s the first time they’ve heard it. Right here in the good old U.S. of A. It’s the first time they’ve heard it. And what’s true of people in Highlands Ranch is true of people all over Colorado and all over this country. They don’t even understand the gospel. They don’t understand the love of Christ for them. The offer of reconciliation, forgiveness, and friendship that just flows into wholeness and eternal life they don’t understand. Many of them have never heard it because, as Christians, we have not been peacemakers; we have not been faithful to take the gospel of peace to our communities, the people that surround us. So, so many of these letters are just never delivered. The gospel never delivered. I hope the Spirit of God, if you’re a Christian, is talking to you today and touching your spirit and encouraging you to be a peacemaker in the highest sense of the word, that you would serve the gospel of peace.
We have a table, an outreach table, out in the lobby. I encourage you to go up to it this morning on your way out. The Bible says, “How beautiful are the feet of those who carry the good news of the gospel.” Let’s close with a word of prayer.