Sunday, March 24, 2013

Blessed are the Peacemakers


 Below are notes contributed by Sharla ... I hope others will be encouraged to apply these teachings, and to contribute your own.  Send me your notes, like Sharla did, and: don't forget to be your brother/sister's keeper! 


Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

James 3:17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Ephesians 2:14 For He himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.  And He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 

Romans 12:16 Live in harmony with one another


Blessed are the peacemakers - Those who strive to prevent contention, strife, and war; who use their influence to reconcile opposing parties, and to prevent lawsuits and hostilities in families and neighborhoods. Every man may do something of this; and no man is more like God than he who does it. There ought not to be unlawful and officious interference in that which is none of our business; but without any danger of acquiring this character, every man has many opportunities of reconciling opposing parties. Friends, neighbors, people of influence, lawyers, physicians, ministers of the gospel, may do much to promote peace. 

And it should be taken in hand in the beginning. "The beginning of strife," says Solomon, "is like the letting out of water." "An ounce of prevention," says the English proverb, "is worth a pound of cure." Long and most deadly quarrels might often be prevented by a little kind interference in the beginning. 
Children of God:  Those who resemble God, or who manifest a spirit like his. He is the Author of peace 1 Corinthians 14:33; and all those who endeavor to promote peace are like him, and are worthy to be called his children.  

The peacemakers (οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί)
Should be held to its literal meaning, peace-makers. The founders and promoters of peace are meant; who not only keep the peace, but seek to bring men into harmony with each other. 


John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount
NOW PEACEMAKING is a divine work. For peace means reconciliation, and God is the author of peace and of reconciliation. … It is hardly surprising, therefore, that the particular blessing which attaches to peacemakers is that "they shall be called sons of God." For they are seeking to do what their Father has done, loving people with his love.  


---- Here Sharla shares her 3 columns, but I can't do vertical columns, so... 

Word-for-word: 
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Sharla's paraphrase: 
Those who work toward reconciliation and peace will be called God’s children.
Sharla's "I Will": 
I will consciously look for ways to be a mediator and bring peace between people who are at odds.  This is really hard for me since I actively avoid conflict.  I will encourage reconciliation and fellowship in these peoples’ lives.






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