[et_pb_section admin_label=”Section” fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” padding_mobile=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off” gutter_width=”3″][et_pb_fullwidth_slider admin_label=”Fullwidth Slider” show_arrows=”on” show_pagination=”on” auto=”off” auto_ignore_hover=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” remove_inner_shadow=”off” background_position=”default” background_size=”default” hide_content_on_mobile=”off” hide_cta_on_mobile=”off” show_image_video_mobile=”off” header_font_size=”46″ body_font_size=”16″ custom_button=”off” button_text_size=”20″ button_border_width=”2″ button_border_radius=”3″ button_letter_spacing=”0″ button_use_icon=”default” button_icon_placement=”right” button_on_hover=”on” button_border_radius_hover=”3″ button_letter_spacing_hover=”0″] [et_pb_slide heading=”Blessed are The Peacemakers” background_image=”https:\/\/anglicanconnection.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/blessed-are-the-peacemakers-anglican-connection.jpg” background_position=”default” background_size=”default” background_color=”#ffffff” alignment=”center” background_layout=”light” allow_player_pause=”off” header_font_select=”default” body_font_select=”default” custom_button=”off” button_font_select=”default” button_use_icon=”default” button_icon_placement=”right” button_on_hover=”on”] [\/et_pb_slide] [\/et_pb_fullwidth_slider][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” text_font_size=”14″ use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n
T<\/span>wo millennia ago angels sang \u201cpeace and goodwill to all\u201d<\/b>\u00a0at the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:14).\u00a0But the world hasn\u2019t got any better. Indeed, while\u00a0peace is something we all long for, it is one thing the world does not have.<\/span><\/p>\n
The reality is that everywhere there are tensions, injustices, and conflicts. It is estimated that more people were killed in the twentieth century in war than the total number in previous centuries. And now the twenty-first century doesn\u2019t seem to be any better. Almost daily we learn of the most appalling atrocities being perpetrated in the Middle East and in other places.\u00a0\u2018Where then,\u2019 we ask, \u2018is the evidence of the fulfilment of the angels\u2019 words?\u2019<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n
Before we charge the angels with false advertising, we need to remember the full text of their song:\u00a0\u201cGlory to God in the highest, peace towards all on whom God\u2019s favor rests.\u201d<\/b>\u00a0It is quite clear from this that the specific beneficiaries of the angels\u2019 promise are the people of God.<\/span><\/p>\n
An important question for us to ask then is this, \u2018What was the point of Jesus\u2019 life?\u2019\u00a0The night he was born the angels spoke of him being\u00a0Savior<\/i>\u00a0and\u00a0the Christ<\/i>: a title meaning \u2018king\u2019<\/b>. Was this prediction just another false hope? After all parents love to think that their babies are full of promise. In the United States many parents dream of their child being President one day!<\/span><\/p>\n
So\u00a0what kind of person did Jesus turn out to be?<\/strong>\u00a0Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, all tell us that in his adult life Jesus displayed the kind of authority we would expect God\u2019s king to possess. He healed the sick, the blind, and the paralyzed. He overcame the powers of evil. He offered forgiveness of sins and even raised the dead to life. No matter what was thrown at him he showed he was in control. But there was more.<\/span><\/p>\n
Jesus knew that what men and women needed most was not a lawmaker or a social worker.\u00a0We needed someone to deal with our deepest problem<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 our broken relationships, with God and with one another. He knew the only remedy for this was a cross where a sacrifice to address this brokenness would be made once and for all. It is the divine, costly work of Jesus\u2019 death that enables the healing of our broken relationship with God, and with one another, making peace. No wonder the angels sang:\u00a0\u201cGlory to God in the highest, and on earth, \u2018shalom\u2019, \u2018peace\u2019.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n
When we consider these things we feel the impact of Jesus\u2019 words in Matthew 5:9:\u00a0\u201cBlessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God.\u201d<\/i><\/b>\u00a0Peacemakers<\/i>\u00a0have first found peace with God through Jesus Christ. They are God\u2019s sons and daughters.<\/span><\/p>\n
Jesus now teaches us to\u00a0make peace<\/i>\u00a0with those around us<\/b>. He is anticipating that his people will be involved in the work of peace-making by telling others of God\u2019s good news. He is also expecting his followers to be\u00a0peacemakers<\/i><\/b>\u00a0in the sense that they are to be at the forefront of seeking solutions to ease tensions and reduce conflict, working so that people understand one another \u2013 within the church and in the wider community.<\/span><\/p>\n
This task isn\u2019t always easy<\/b>, especially when we\u2019ve been hurt by others. It\u2019s often hard to forgive, to be reconciled, and make peace. When we are in the midst of injury and conflict, it\u2019s easy to forget that \u2018a soft answer turns away\u00a0wrath\u2019 (Proverbs 15:1),\u00a0and that we should not let \u2018the sun to go down on our anger\u2019 (Ephesians 4:26).<\/span><\/p>\n
Furthermore,\u00a0to forgive does not necessarily mean being reconciled<\/b>. If someone has wronged us they need to repent and ask our forgiveness. To be a peacemaker means that we do everything we can to bring about harmony. Usually a cost is involved. It also means we don\u2019t bear grudges or nurse our anger.<\/span><\/p>\n
And, there is something else:\u00a0peace-making<\/i>\u00a0does not mean church unity at any price<\/b>. Jesus himself said:\u00a0God is\u00a0spirit, and\u00a0those who worship\u00a0him must\u00a0worship in spirit\u00a0and\u00a0truth\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(John 4:24).<\/span><\/p>\n
Making peace amongst God\u2019s people requires us to understand God through his Word and, by God\u2019s grace, to put this understanding into practice. As Paul the Apostle says in his Letter to the Colossians,\u00a0Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful<\/i>\u00a0(Colossians 3:15).<\/span><\/p>\n
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PEACE T<\/span>wo millennia ago angels sang \u201cpeace and goodwill to all\u201d\u00a0at the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:14).\u00a0But the world hasn\u2019t got any better. Indeed, while\u00a0peace is something we all long for, it is one thing the world does not have. The reality is that everywhere there are tensions, injustices, and conflicts. It is estimated that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":492,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"
[dropcap]T[\/dropcap]wo millennia ago angels sang \u201cpeace and goodwill to all\u201d<\/span><\/b>\u00a0at the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:14).\u00a0But the world hasn\u2019t got any better. Indeed, while\u00a0peace is something we all long for, it is one thing the world does not have.<\/span><\/p>
The reality is that everywhere there are tensions, injustices, and conflicts. It is estimated that more people were killed in the twentieth century in war than the total number in previous centuries. And now the twenty-first century doesn\u2019t seem to be any better. Almost daily we learn of the most appalling atrocities being perpetrated in the Middle East and in other places.\u00a0\u2018Where then,\u2019 we ask, \u2018is the evidence of the fulfilment of the angels\u2019 words?\u2019<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>
Before we charge the angels with false advertising, we need to remember the full text of their song:\u00a0\u201cGlory to God in the highest, peace towards all on whom God\u2019s favor rests.\u201d<\/b><\/span>\u00a0It is quite clear from this that the specific beneficiaries of the angels\u2019 promise are the people of God.<\/span><\/p>
An important question for us to ask then is this, \u2018What was the point of Jesus\u2019 life?\u2019\u00a0The night he was born the angels spoke of him being\u00a0Savior<\/i>\u00a0and\u00a0the Christ<\/i>: a title meaning \u2018king\u2019<\/b>.<\/span> Was this prediction just another false hope? After all parents love to think that their babies are full of promise. In the United States many parents dream of their child being President one day!<\/span><\/p>
So\u00a0what kind of person did Jesus turn out to be?<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, all tell us that in his adult life Jesus displayed the kind of authority we would expect God\u2019s king to possess. He healed the sick, the blind, and the paralyzed. He overcame the powers of evil. He offered forgiveness of sins and even raised the dead to life. No matter what was thrown at him he showed he was in control. But there was more.<\/span><\/p>
Jesus knew that what men and women needed most was not a lawmaker or a social worker.\u00a0We needed someone to deal with our deepest problem<\/b><\/span>\u00a0\u2013 our broken relationships, with God and with one another. He knew the only remedy for this was a cross where a sacrifice to address this brokenness would be made once and for all. It is the divine, costly work of Jesus\u2019 death that enables the healing of our broken relationship with God, and with one another, making peace. No wonder the angels sang:\u00a0\u201cGlory to God in the highest, and on earth, \u2018shalom\u2019, \u2018peace\u2019.<\/i><\/span><\/p>
When we consider these things we feel the impact of Jesus\u2019 words in Matthew 5:9:\u00a0\u201cBlessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God.\u201d<\/i><\/b><\/span>\u00a0Peacemakers<\/i>\u00a0have first found peace with God through Jesus Christ. They are God\u2019s sons and daughters.<\/span><\/p>
Jesus now teaches us to\u00a0make peace<\/i>\u00a0with those around us<\/b>.<\/span> He is anticipating that his people will be involved in the work of peace-making by telling others of God\u2019s good news. He is also expecting his followers to be\u00a0peacemakers<\/i><\/b><\/span>\u00a0in the sense that they are to be at the forefront of seeking solutions to ease tensions and reduce conflict, working so that people understand one another \u2013 within the church and in the wider community.<\/span><\/p>
This task isn\u2019t always easy<\/b>,<\/span> especially when we\u2019ve been hurt by others. It\u2019s often hard to forgive, to be reconciled, and make peace. When we are in the midst of injury and conflict, it\u2019s easy to forget that \u2018a soft answer turns away\u00a0wrath\u2019 (Proverbs 15:1),\u00a0and that we should not let \u2018the sun to go down on our anger\u2019 (Ephesians 4:26).<\/span><\/p>
Furthermore,\u00a0to forgive does not necessarily mean being reconciled<\/b>.<\/span> If someone has wronged us they need to repent and ask our forgiveness. To be a peacemaker means that we do everything we can to bring about harmony. Usually a cost is involved. It also means we don\u2019t bear grudges or nurse our anger.<\/span><\/p>
And, there is something else:\u00a0peace-making<\/i>\u00a0does not mean church unity at any price<\/b>.<\/span> Jesus himself said:\u00a0God is\u00a0spirit, and\u00a0those who worship\u00a0him must\u00a0worship in spirit\u00a0and\u00a0truth\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(John 4:24).<\/span><\/p>
Making peace amongst God\u2019s people requires us to understand God through his Word and, by God\u2019s grace, to put this understanding into practice. As Paul the Apostle says in his Letter to the Colossians,\u00a0Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful<\/i>\u00a0(Colossians 3:15).<\/span><\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-298","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-word-on-wednesday"],"yoast_head":"\n