The downloadable pdf is now available on www.fbckilleen.com or
From Purity to Peace; from
seeing God to sons of God
What is a peacemaker? Is it only helping others to be
reconciled with one another? If that is all, why would that alone result in us
being called children of God? The word “peacemaker” is unique to this verse. The closest comparison in the New Testament is found in Col. 1:20 as it is applied to Christ.
18 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. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on
earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His
cross.
Did you catch it? No, not the underlined words
of making peace--the other part of the verses, with words like “firstborn” “reconcile” and “the Father.” Isn’t it amazing that the
only two places in Scripture where peace-making is explained, it also relates
to the family relationship?
Is there a connection? Jesus is not saying “Happy are
those who help people get along with each other.” He is talking about making
peace with our heavenly Father, and how that gets us to be called His children!
If you have all of the other beatitudes, that is great.
But we must help others make peace with God! This is higher than only having
our own purity of heart because it brings purity to others. It brings others to
Christ, reconciling them and making “peace through the blood of the cross.”
Peace on earth is not lasting. Peace made with Christ is
everlasting! “Peace I leave with you, My
peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your
heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid,” (John 14:27). He is not
saying “Blessed are people who make peace like the world makes peace.” Jesus said
there would never be lasting worldly peace, instead in the world we would have
trouble. “These things I have spoken to
you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but
be of good cheer, I have overcome the world,” (John 16:33).
Questions: Combine John 14:27 with John 14:1. What should keep our
hearts from being troubled, afraid and essentially give us peace? In John
16:33, What did Jesus say he did to bring peace to believers?
Things that make for your
peace
There is nothing that breaks the heart of Jesus more than
when people fail to make peace with His heavenly Father. There is Biblical
proof that this is true in Luke 19:41-44.
41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the
things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
43For days will come upon you when your enemies will build
an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they
will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time
of your visitation.”
Do you want to see an absence of worldly peace? Bring up
the name of Jesus. Jesus spoke about worldly peace but not in a positive sense.
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to
bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her
mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; 36 and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he
who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of
Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his
life for My sake will find it. Matt. 10:34.39
Paul also made it abundantly clear that making peace
means bringing people to salvation, reconciliation between God and man. And
that results in us being called the children of God! Read Ephesians 2:
14 For He Himself is our peace,
who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 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, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity… 18 For through Him we both have access by
one Spirit to the Father. 19 Now, therefore, you are no longer
strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of
the household of God…
Are you called a child of God?
What does it take to be a child of God? Clearly, it is by
grace received through faith, “But as
many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of
God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the
flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God,” (John 1:12-13).
But what does it take to be called the children of
God? To be called a child of God is when
others see you as a “chip off the old block.” We are called children of God
because we are doing what the Father is doing. It means we are acting like God
and bringing peace between humanity and God. Read 1 John 1:1 “Behold what manner of love the Father
has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore
the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.”
We are called children of God because we follow Him, in
faith and then in obedience. We are never more like Christ than when we
reconcile the world to make peace with God.
