1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:05,920 By way of introduction to tonight's verse, Matthew 5 verse 2 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:12,200 #9 blessed are the peacemakers, for they should be called the 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,920 sons of God. Literally, they and they only 4 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:20,840 are called the sons of God. So by way of introduction, I 5 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:25,880 want to turn to the ultimate peacemaker, Jesus Christ our 6 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:28,040 Lord. And so by way of introduction, 7 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:34,080 turn to Luke chapter 19, Luke chapter 19. 8 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:40,320 Everything about the ministry of our Lord is so unique and 9 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:44,400 precise. And to realize that what happens 10 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:52,800 at Luke 19 was not just foretold, not just foreseen and 11 00:00:53,520 --> 00:01:01,400 not just for known. It was all fulfilled 12 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:07,440 specifically. And when you read the narrative 13 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:11,720 of the triumphal entry and the Lord sends his men into the city 14 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:18,760 to to get a donkey, that was fulfillment of Zechariah 9 verse 15 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:24,440 #9 and Christ rise to the city. You, you know the the narrative 16 00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:31,160 to the praises of the people. That too was Zechariah 9 verse 17 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:38,240 #9 In fact, it's so specific it's quite unbelievable that 18 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:44,080 Israel did not understand it. In fact, Zechariah 9 verse #9 19 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:47,760 reads this way. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of 20 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:52,400 Zion shouted triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem, behold, your king 21 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:55,440 is coming to you. This is what they saying. 22 00:01:56,560 --> 00:02:00,400 They sing joyfully. He is just an endowed with 23 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:04,520 salvation, humble and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the 24 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:08,000 full of a donkey, I'll prophesied. 25 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:13,360 And sure enough, in Luke chapter 19, it happens just as it was 26 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:21,280 foreseen, foreordained, foretold, foreknown. 27 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:31,600 It was fulfilled specifically, but also also everything, not 28 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:36,160 just about the praises of the people and not just the 29 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:43,400 presentation of the Savior, but specifically the pain of the 30 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:47,080 Messiah. For it says this in verse #41 31 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:53,720 when he approached Jerusalem, he saw the city and he wept over 32 00:02:53,720 --> 00:03:00,840 it. Isaiah 53 verse #3 Messiah would 33 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:05,320 be a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. 34 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:14,280 It's just so incredible how how everything comes to light. 35 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,880 And so the Messiah who comes to the city of peace, that's what 36 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:22,240 Jerusalem means the the city of peace. 37 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:30,440 You have the Prince of Peace on the the backside of a donkey 38 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:37,000 riding into the city of peace to offer them peace. 39 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:43,800 And yet he, he sits there and weeps over the city. 40 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:51,680 Why? Because the people would forfeit 41 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:57,720 their peace. Listen to what it says, verse 42 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,960 42. If you had known in this day, 43 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:07,560 even you, the things which make for peace, but now they have 44 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:14,480 been hidden from your eyes. If only you had known the things 45 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:20,040 that make for peace. But when Christ came, he, He 46 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:25,000 came to offer peace. He is called the Prince of 47 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:29,680 Peace. Isaiah 9 verse #6 Isaiah 54 48 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:35,000 verse #10 He offers the new covenant of peace. 49 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:41,360 In Luke 179, Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, 50 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:46,920 would say that when the Messiah comes, He will guide us in the 51 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:52,760 pathway of peace. When the angels declared the 52 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:59,360 arrival of the Messiah, they said peace on earth toward those 53 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:08,160 with whom He has pleased. Luke 214 Simeon was looking and 54 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:14,600 longing for the consolation or the peace of Israel, and when he 55 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:18,240 held the Messiah in his arms, he rejoiced because peace had 56 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:26,040 arrived. And Anna in Luke 2 was longing 57 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:31,560 for the redemption of the city of peace, that somehow the 58 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:35,160 people who lived in the city of peace would be redeemed by the 59 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:39,320 Prince of Peace. So everything about the arrival 60 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:42,560 of the Messiah was all about peace because He was the 61 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:50,360 ultimate peace maker, that there is no peace without the Prince 62 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:54,400 of Peace. And so he comes right into the 63 00:05:54,400 --> 00:06:03,400 city to the praises of the people, but he weeps because the 64 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:08,200 peace he offered, they did not once that they were looking for 65 00:06:08,840 --> 00:06:15,520 political peace, they were looking for military peace. 66 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:24,280 They were looking for national peace, but personal spiritual 67 00:06:24,280 --> 00:06:27,200 peace. They weren't looking for that. 68 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:34,000 That wasn't even in their minds. But Christ came to offer them 69 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:40,520 peace and they would forfeit it. Think about this way the Bible 70 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:45,840 begins that ends with peace. It began in the garden with 71 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:49,880 ultimate bliss and ultimate peace with no sin. 72 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:55,120 When it's all said and done in the new Jerusalem, in the new 73 00:06:55,120 --> 00:07:01,280 heaven, in the new earth, total peace, complete, perfect peace. 74 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:08,880 But when man sinned in Genesis chapter 3, peace was forfeited. 75 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:17,920 And So what did Christ do? He came to make sure peace would 76 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:27,160 be granted to man by settling man's debts at Calvary, because 77 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:31,320 he wanted to be at peace with man. 78 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:37,480 And yet when he comes as the Prince of Peace into the city of 79 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:43,800 Peace, offering them peace, they reject it because it wasn't the 80 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:48,400 kind of peace they thought they needed. 81 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:57,880 We live in a world just like their world 2000 years ago, with 82 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:03,440 no peace. Every peace treaty that has been 83 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:10,520 made has been broken. One day, Antichrist will come. 84 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:15,600 He'll confirm the peace treaties in Israel that will begin the 85 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:19,760 Tribulation period. Daniel 924 to 27 is very clear 86 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:21,440 about that. That's when the Tribulation 87 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:23,200 begins. Revelation 6 says that the 88 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:25,000 Antichrist comes on a White Horse. 89 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:28,880 He comes with a bow, but no arrows, because he comes in 90 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:34,080 peace to make peace. And there will be a national 91 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:36,799 peace. There will be a political peace, 92 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:45,200 but it's not true peace. It's interesting that there is 93 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:48,760 no president that can bring peace. 94 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:53,760 There is no king that can bring peace. 95 00:08:54,920 --> 00:09:00,480 There is no ambassador, no diplomat, no lawyer, no judge, 96 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:03,840 no individual who can bring peace. 97 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:12,800 But the Christian can bring peace. 98 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:20,360 In fact, you, me should be the world's ambassadors for peace, 99 00:09:22,680 --> 00:09:28,520 because we are the only ones who can bring peace, because we know 100 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:34,440 the Prince of Peace. And interesting that it's God 101 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:36,840 who commissions us to be his ambassadors. 102 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:46,480 The world is at war. The world will always be at war. 103 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:57,120 In 1945 when the UN was established, it had this motto. 104 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:04,720 Very simply this. To have succeeding generations 105 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:13,400 free from the scourge of war. Since 1945, there has been no 106 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:15,960 generation free from the scourge of war. 107 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:21,440 But that's their purpose. The World Council of Churches 108 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:25,000 cannot bring peace. The UN cannot bring peace. 109 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:28,640 No government official can bring peace. 110 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:37,080 Oh, we can sign peace treaties, but in the years of our 111 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:45,440 existence there has been less than 200 years with no wars. 112 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:50,800 There is always going to be war. Why? 113 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:58,360 Because man is at war with God. And as long as man is at war 114 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:00,680 with God, he'll be at war with one another. 115 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:08,640 There will be no peace and Satan is at war with God. 116 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:17,960 His angelic hosts are at war with God, and that war is 117 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:23,960 nonstop. One day it will end with the new 118 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:26,280 heaven and the new earth, and there will be complete and total 119 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:31,280 peace. But until then, there is no 120 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:35,080 peace. And yet the Bible says blessed 121 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:40,920 are the peacemakers, for they and they only are called the 122 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:49,880 sons of God. Someone has remarked that peace 123 00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:56,480 is that moment in time where everyone stops to reload. 124 00:12:01,560 --> 00:12:09,520 Do you know that there have been more people killed in America by 125 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:19,440 guns than in wars? 1.5 million by private gun 126 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:27,040 owners, 1.2 million in wars. We got a problem. 127 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:32,040 Man is at war, not necessarily with one another. 128 00:12:32,680 --> 00:12:37,160 That's the byproduct of his war. He is at war with God. 129 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:43,880 It has been since the fall. Man is at enmity with God. 130 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:50,160 He is the enemy of God, and therefore he becomes the enemy 131 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:56,680 of God's creation. And yet, as we begin to ascend 132 00:12:56,680 --> 00:13:02,880 this ladder of the Beatitudes, each rung is filled with 133 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:05,640 blessing after blessing after blessing. 134 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:10,800 From the time of Matthew 5 verse #3 to the 7th beatitude, the 135 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:14,240 peacemakers, you just keep beginning to understand how you 136 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:18,240 get into the Kingdom, how you grow up in the Kingdom so you 137 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:21,040 can live like a child of the king. 138 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:28,640 And Christ makes it very clear that the peacemakers are the 139 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:38,920 only ones that are truly called the sons of God because they are 140 00:13:38,920 --> 00:13:45,360 at peace with God. I don't know where you're at 141 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:51,720 tonight, but most families don't have peace. 142 00:13:53,480 --> 00:14:00,760 Most marriages don't have peace. There's this ongoing battle day 143 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:03,320 after day after day. If you're, you're a believer and 144 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:06,480 you're married to an unbeliever, that there, there there is a 145 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:08,520 battle that's going on all the time. 146 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:13,040 I was reminded of the guy who was interviewed one day. 147 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:14,480 They had been married. He and his wife have been 148 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:19,280 married almost 70 years. And they, the reporter asked 149 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:25,800 him, what is the, what is the, the reason behind all the 150 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:30,920 harmony and and peace that you have in your marriage over all 151 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:33,480 these 70 years of being together? 152 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:38,480 To which the man replied, he said, well, well, my wife and I 153 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:40,880 got married. We made a pact with one another 154 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:48,680 that if she was angry or, or she was irritated or she was was 155 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:52,560 upset or bitter, she would just lash out and get it off her 156 00:14:52,560 --> 00:15:01,040 chest. And me, well, if I became angry, 157 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:05,080 if I became bitter, if I became resentful, if there were things 158 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:13,440 on my mind, I would go outside and take a long, long walk. 159 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:19,600 So he said the key to our marital peace and harmony is 160 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:24,040 that I've spent the bulk of my life outside, not inside. 161 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:29,920 I thought it was pretty funny. I'm not much of a joke teller, 162 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:31,000 but I thought that was pretty funny. 163 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:37,720 But just because you don't bring up a topic or bring up a subject 164 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:43,080 doesn't mean that there's peace. Just because you refuse to talk 165 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:46,080 about something doesn't mean there's there's peace. 166 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:52,000 To shy away from dealing with truth is wrong. 167 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:59,240 Why? Because when truth reigns, peace 168 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:04,320 prevails. There is no peace without truth. 169 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:09,440 Psalm 85 verse #10 says that righteousness and peace have 170 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:15,320 kissed each other. In other words, the only way 171 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:19,920 that righteousness really is seen is in the in the realm of 172 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:23,360 peace and and peace can only be accomplished in the realm of 173 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:27,120 righteousness, holiness, truthfulness. 174 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:31,840 But so many times we, we avoid topics. 175 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:33,640 You, you know about this and your family. 176 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:36,280 You don't want to bring up this issue because somebody might 177 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:39,160 blow up. So we refrain from that. 178 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:42,600 We get together at birthdays or holidays and we make sure we 179 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,800 don't talk about this and we don't talk about that because if 180 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:49,920 we do, something's going to really explode. 181 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:56,920 So let's just keep the peace. You're not really keeping the 182 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:58,320 peace. You're just maintaining the 183 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:07,079 truth because peace is always, always centered on truth. 184 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:09,880 Without truth, there is no peace. 185 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:13,000 That's why Jesus Christ is the God of truth. 186 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:19,040 That's why he's the ultimate peacemaker because he lives a 187 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:24,680 righteous life, a holy life. And without that there, there 188 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:29,680 would be no peace. That's why the Bible says he was 189 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:38,040 12/14 pursue peace and holiness without which no one would see 190 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:46,160 the Lord, because the 2GO hand in glove, the 2GO together. 191 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:52,120 And Christ comes along and says blessed are the poor in spirit, 192 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:58,160 there's the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who recognize 193 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:01,840 they, they have nothing sufficient in and of themselves 194 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:05,920 to accomplish anything for the sake of righteousness, because 195 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:08,080 they recognize that they have nothing to offer God. 196 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:14,000 Blessed are those who mourn over the sin, their iniquity. 197 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:20,800 They are the ones that are are comforted and blessed are they 198 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:25,120 meet the humble because they'll inherit the earth. 199 00:18:26,360 --> 00:18:28,480 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for 200 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:30,640 they and they only, are the only ones satisfied. 201 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:40,520 That makes it very clear. He says blessed are the pure in 202 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:47,640 heart, for they shall see God, and those who are pure in heart 203 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:53,680 become the peacemakers, and they are truly the sons of God. 204 00:18:56,240 --> 00:19:00,880 James would say it this way. He would say the wisdom from 205 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:08,520 above is first pure, then peaceable, the order 206 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:12,040 significant. Every word of God is pure, every 207 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:15,360 word of God is true, right? Every word of God is clean. 208 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:20,920 So the wisdom that comes from above is first of all, pure, 209 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:31,720 pure, unadulterated truth, then peaceable because peace is 210 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:36,000 rooted in truth. That's why when you when you 211 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:42,240 watch the State of the Union address last night, half the 212 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:44,720 audience sat and the other half stood. 213 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:50,160 Why? Because there's no peace between 214 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:54,080 the two parties. Why? 215 00:19:54,960 --> 00:20:00,320 Because truth does not prevail in either party. 216 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:05,960 So without truth prevailing. There can be no peace. 217 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,760 And so even though there are nations that gathered together 218 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:16,840 to formulate peace treaties, they just want to stop shooting 219 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:21,080 each other, stop dropping bombs on one another, stop killing one 220 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:24,840 another. Doesn't mean there is there is 221 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:29,480 peace because there is still hatred in their hearts toward 222 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:34,480 one another. So this beatitude becomes very, 223 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:37,240 very important for us to understand that God is doing 224 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:42,080 something unique in the life of His children, that they would be 225 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:47,800 able to represent his Kingdom clearly to those who come in 226 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:51,040 contact with. So the outline is the same as 227 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:55,680 it's been the last six weeks. We will make sure we define the 228 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:58,200 condition, describe the consequences, detail the 229 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:02,000 characteristics, and then determine our course of action. 230 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:07,280 OK, let's first of all define the condition by looking at the 231 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:13,400 origin of peace, the obstacles to peace, and the opportunity 232 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:18,120 for peace. First of all, the origin of 233 00:21:18,120 --> 00:21:23,000 peace. Well, that's fairly simple for 234 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:26,800 us to understand. God is called the God of peace. 235 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:31,440 He's the originator of peace. Six times in the New Testament 236 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:34,440 He's called the God of peace. In Judges 624 he's called 237 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:40,720 Yahweh, Shalom, the Lord our peace. 238 00:21:42,360 --> 00:21:50,200 Jesus Christ is the peacemaker, Ephesians 214 for He is our 239 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:55,680 peace. The origin of peace is in God 240 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:59,160 alone. So unless you know God there, 241 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:03,000 there will be no peace, for he is the God of peace. 242 00:22:05,360 --> 00:22:09,600 And so the Bible says that if God is the God of peace and 243 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:12,560 Jesus is the Prince of peace, then the Spirit is the agent of 244 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:17,960 peace, because the fruit of the Spirit is Lovejoy and peace. 245 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:21,960 The Kingdom of heaven is not eating and drinking in Romans 246 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:29,720 1417, but righteousness, truth, peace, and joy in the Holy 247 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:34,920 Spirit without. Without peace there is no joy. 248 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:39,720 Without righteousness there is no peace. 249 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:44,840 And the Kingdom of heaven is made-up of a righteous king who 250 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:51,280 rules purely and truly and holy and offers peace to those who 251 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:56,160 come to Him on His terms. So here's Christ writing to the 252 00:22:56,160 --> 00:23:02,000 city of Jerusalem as the Prince of Peace, wanting to offer them 253 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:11,640 peace, and yet they refused it. And someone will say, well, wait 254 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:13,680 a minute, hold on. Didn't Jesus say in Matthew 255 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:18,960 1034, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword? 256 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:23,040 Yeah, that's what he said. Why? 257 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:31,600 Because there's division in the family when someone believes and 258 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:36,080 receives the Prince of Peace, the Jewish family. 259 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:40,880 If if you believe in the Messiah, you're you're ousted, 260 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:43,800 you're gone, you're done. You, you are dead to the family. 261 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:50,000 So here is Christ the Peacemaker who comes to offer peace to 262 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:53,320 those who embrace Him as the as the Prince of Peace. 263 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:58,040 All the while they do that, it divides their homes. 264 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:05,440 It brings a separation from those who do not want to know 265 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:11,240 the true Prince of Peace. So the origin of peace is is 266 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:13,800 rooted in God. You, you see the bumper sticker, 267 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:16,720 right? No God, no peace, no God, no 268 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:27,040 peace, NO God, NO peace KNOW God, KNOW peace. 269 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:30,440 If there is no God, there is no peace. 270 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:33,640 But if you understand and comprehend God, then you 271 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:41,200 understand and comprehend peace, because He is the Prince of 272 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:44,080 Peace. So He is the origin of peace. 273 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:47,520 What are the obstacles of peace? Well, if God is holy and just 274 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:52,240 and true and pure, then the obstacles to peace are the 275 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:57,200 opposite of that which is holy unholiness, the opposite of that 276 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:01,600 which is pure impurity, the opposite of that which is true 277 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:07,120 falsehood, hypocrisy. The obstacles of peace are sin 278 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,040 and that that's why there's never going to be peace in the 279 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:13,920 world. No matter how hard to be try, 280 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:15,480 it'll never happen. Why? 281 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:18,360 Because there is no peace for the wicked. 282 00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:24,560 Isaiah says it twice. No peace for the wicked can't 283 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:25,760 be. Why? 284 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:29,240 Because the only way you know peace is to know the God of 285 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:36,280 peace and without knowing him there is no peace there. 286 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:41,400 There can be a truce, there can be a laying down of the weapons, 287 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:47,200 there can be a refusal to say some of the things you used to 288 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:51,160 say. But without a heart change there 289 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:56,560 cannot be peace, because peace happens on the inside of the 290 00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:59,160 man. You see, We think that peace is 291 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:05,320 the absence of something. Peace is actually the presence 292 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:11,200 of someone. Peace is not the absence of 293 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:17,520 conflict in your home. It's the presence of God in your 294 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:22,880 heart. And when the presence of God is 295 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:27,360 in the heart, there could be conflict in the home because of 296 00:26:27,360 --> 00:26:31,000 those who do not want to stand for the truth and for the 297 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:36,040 righteousness of God. In fact, I guarantee there's 298 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:37,280 going to be conflict in the whole mind. 299 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:44,240 The very next beatitude speaks about persecution. 300 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:49,760 All those who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer 301 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:53,840 persecution. So. 302 00:26:53,840 --> 00:27:01,280 So peacemakers are dividers. They don't purposely want to 303 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:05,880 divide, not purposely trying to sow division. 304 00:27:07,360 --> 00:27:12,160 They just automatically divide because they live for the Prince 305 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:18,400 of Peace and they live for truth, and they uphold truth and 306 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:21,360 honor truth because they know there's no peace without truth. 307 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:28,520 And so therefore you become an automatic divider. 308 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:32,400 Let me ask you something. Christ was a divider. 309 00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:39,800 He troubled man's souls. Here was the peacemaker right 310 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:43,400 into Jerusalem on Monday, but on Tuesday he goes and cleanses the 311 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:47,480 Temple, runs everybody out. That's the peacemaker. 312 00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:50,440 Why? Because the peacemaker stands 313 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:54,760 for truth and does not want truth to be compromised and will 314 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:58,320 not stand for truth to be compromised. 315 00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:05,640 And he said, you have made my father's house a den of thieves. 316 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:17,680 So by way of moving people on, he was standing for truth as the 317 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:21,280 peacemaker. And we think that that because 318 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:23,800 you're a peacemaker, there are there are things you just don't 319 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:25,560 say or the things you just don't do. 320 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:29,560 But listen, the peacemaker always says the truth, and the 321 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:32,320 truth is the automatic divider of people. 322 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:40,320 You speak the truth, you will have enemies because they don't 323 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:46,560 want to abide by the truth. That's OK because the truth 324 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:52,360 stands and speaks for itself. The Bible says about this 325 00:28:52,360 --> 00:29:00,240 concerning the Christ that he was the one who stirred up 326 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:06,760 strife. Luke 23I think he's 23/5 his 327 00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:12,080 accusers said he stirreth up the people. 328 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:15,440 Listen, whatever you speak truth, you expose sin. 329 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:17,760 Whenever you expose sin, people get what? 330 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:23,440 Get mad, get upset. Why? 331 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:24,920 Because they don't want their sin exposed. 332 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:32,160 And so whenever you preach the gospel as a peacemaker, what 333 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:35,080 happens? Those who love their sin don't 334 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:36,680 want to hear what you have to say. 335 00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:41,880 They don't want to follow Christ, that they love their sin 336 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:44,000 more than they love the Christ. And so they're going to become 337 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:46,360 angry with you and the things you say about what it means to 338 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:48,280 be a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. 339 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:54,360 And they get upset not because you purposely tried to upset 340 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:58,800 them, you just simply spoke the truth as a peacemaker because 341 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:02,240 you want to them to enter into peace as you have entered into 342 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:03,840 peace with the true and living God. 343 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:06,400 It's very important to understand that. 344 00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:12,280 So God is the origin of peace. Christ is the the Prince of 345 00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:14,120 peace. The Spirit of God is the the 346 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:17,280 agent of peace. But the obstacle to peace is 347 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:23,360 always sin, unrighteousness, and holiness, because man is wicked, 348 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:29,440 he's wicked. And so the Bible says in 349 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:33,960 Jeremiah 8, they've healed the hurt of the daughter of my 350 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:43,400 people slightly by saying peace, peace when there is no peace. 351 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:48,600 The great Puritan Thomas Watson said these words. 352 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:55,080 Peace always flows from sanctification, but they, being 353 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:57,560 unregenerate, have nothing to do with peace. 354 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:00,800 They may have a truce, but no peace. 355 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:07,160 God may for bear the wicked a while, and stop the roaring of 356 00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:11,480 his Canon, but though there be a truce, yet there is no peace. 357 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:16,720 The wicked may have something which looks like peace, but it 358 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:20,520 is not. They may be fearless and stupid, 359 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:24,600 but there is a great difference between the stupefied conscience 360 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:29,800 and the pacified conscience. This is the devil's peace. 361 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:33,520 He rocks men in the cradle of security. 362 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:38,240 He cries peace, peace when men are on the precipice of hell. 363 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:44,520 The seeming peace of Sinner has is not from the knowledge of his 364 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:48,720 happiness, but in the ignorance of his danger. 365 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:58,480 So true, so true. But the opportunity for peace 366 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:01,960 comes because of Christ. Listen to what the Bible says in 367 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:07,240 the book of Colossians, Colossians chapter one. 368 00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:16,920 It says that Christ reconciled all things to himself. 369 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:19,840 Have He made peace through the blood of his cross? 370 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:23,920 Through him, I say, whether things on earth or things in 371 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:25,880 heaven? And although you were formerly 372 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:30,160 alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He 373 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:36,240 has now reconciled you and his fleshy body through death, in 374 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:40,240 order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond 375 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:44,960 reproach. See, we forget that we, we were 376 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:53,160 the enemies of God before our salvation and, and, and God and 377 00:32:53,160 --> 00:32:58,840 his great love for mankind went to Calvary's cross in order to 378 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:03,280 to bridge that gap between himself and mankind. 379 00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:11,040 And therefore he grants us the, the grace of salvation so that 380 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:14,280 we are no longer enemies of God, but reconciled to God. 381 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:19,640 Two parties coming together to be one in purpose and one in 382 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:22,520 life and one in love. God does that for us. 383 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:26,520 He's the, he's the, the great opportunity for peace. 384 00:33:28,880 --> 00:33:32,680 And Christ provided that so that we could be a part of his 385 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:37,880 Kingdom. Put #2 What are the 386 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:40,960 consequences? Let me say it to you this way. 387 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:42,800 I kind of changed my outline a little bit today. 388 00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:45,520 I got the prerogative to do that. 389 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:53,400 And that is there are three. A brand new identity, a 390 00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:56,680 beautiful testimony and boundless joy. 391 00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:03,760 A brand new identity, the sons of God. 392 00:34:05,640 --> 00:34:08,880 Just think about that. You're called a son of God. 393 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:13,040 We oy is the, is the word it, it's a word of honor. 394 00:34:13,159 --> 00:34:15,159 It's the word of prestige. It's the word of position, 395 00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:18,480 right? We've studied that with Christ 396 00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:21,199 being the son of God, we, us and what that means. 397 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:23,679 It's a, it's a, it's not a term of origin. 398 00:34:23,679 --> 00:34:25,840 It's a, it's a term of honor and position. 399 00:34:27,360 --> 00:34:31,400 And, and we have been granted a position of honor to be called 400 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:35,360 the sons of God, the children of God. 401 00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:41,719 And therefore we we have this, this brand new identity. 402 00:34:43,480 --> 00:34:48,360 See, we were once sons of our father the devil. 403 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:51,120 Johnny, remember when Christ talked to religious 404 00:34:51,120 --> 00:34:54,080 establishment and said that you are of your father the devil. 405 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:58,120 I mean, either the devil is your father or God in heaven is your 406 00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:01,440 father, right? And if the devil's your father, 407 00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:06,080 you're a son of disobedience. And if if God in heaven is your 408 00:35:06,080 --> 00:35:08,640 father, you are a son of obedience. 409 00:35:09,520 --> 00:35:15,000 See, and Christ says blessed are the peacemakers. 410 00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:19,000 Why are they blessed? Why do they have boundless joy? 411 00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:22,120 Simply because they're pure in heart. 412 00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:24,560 They hunger and thirst for righteousness. 413 00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:29,640 But but the fact of the matter is, is that they have a brand 414 00:35:29,640 --> 00:35:36,440 new identity with a with a brand new identity comes a a beautiful 415 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:41,320 testimony that you are of your father in heaven. 416 00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:46,920 You are sons of God. You you've seen children running 417 00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:51,440 around our our campus, right? And you look at them, that's 418 00:35:51,840 --> 00:35:56,360 their father, right? I can see their Father in that 419 00:35:56,360 --> 00:36:00,720 boy right now, right? Good or bad, you see the Father 420 00:36:00,720 --> 00:36:03,920 and the Son and the Son and the Father, right? 421 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:08,480 Well, when it comes to being children of God that they see, 422 00:36:09,080 --> 00:36:13,040 they see that we're sons of our Father in heaven, they say that 423 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:19,320 person knows the Lord. That person follows his Father 424 00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:22,920 in heaven. That person is a true peacemaker 425 00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:25,880 because he wants to live in peace. 426 00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:31,040 He's so committed to the truth. So you have this beautiful 427 00:36:31,040 --> 00:36:35,440 testimony that comes that's based on a brand new identity 428 00:36:35,560 --> 00:36:37,880 that gives you nothing but boundless joy. 429 00:36:39,120 --> 00:36:46,000 The book of Proverbs says this Proverbs 12 verse #20 counselors 430 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:58,040 of peace have joy that great counselors of peace have joy. 431 00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:02,320 Why? Because they're settled in their 432 00:37:02,320 --> 00:37:04,680 heart. They're at ease. 433 00:37:05,400 --> 00:37:10,120 They're at peace with God. And as they counsel, they want 434 00:37:10,120 --> 00:37:13,720 to lead people into a, a, a understanding of who God is and 435 00:37:13,720 --> 00:37:14,720 a relationship with the living God. 436 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:18,480 And therefore that brings them nothing but bliss and joy. 437 00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:26,280 That's why the Bible says blessed, happy, joyful are the 438 00:37:26,280 --> 00:37:34,320 peacemakers for those people. They are the sons of God. 439 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:43,120 What a great tribute that God passes to His people #3 DTN. 440 00:37:43,120 --> 00:37:49,360 The characteristics for them #1 those who are peacemakers have 441 00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:54,800 experienced peace, right? They experience peace. 442 00:37:55,120 --> 00:38:01,280 Remember Titus chapter 3 verse #3 For we also once were foolish 443 00:38:01,280 --> 00:38:04,560 ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various 444 00:38:04,560 --> 00:38:08,360 lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, 445 00:38:08,640 --> 00:38:12,960 hateful, hating one another, that that's the characteristic 446 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:16,920 of the unbeliever. But when the kindness of God our 447 00:38:16,920 --> 00:38:20,920 Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us none of 448 00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:23,760 the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but 449 00:38:23,760 --> 00:38:26,760 according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and 450 00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:31,000 renewing it by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out up on us 451 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:37,760 richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified 452 00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:43,880 by His grace, we would be made heirs according to the hope of 453 00:38:44,120 --> 00:38:49,000 eternal life. The characteristic of a 454 00:38:49,320 --> 00:38:52,920 peacemaker is that he's experienced peace, peace with 455 00:38:52,920 --> 00:38:57,000 God. He's no longer at war with God. 456 00:38:58,280 --> 00:39:03,840 I hope tonight you don't see yourself fighting God, an enemy 457 00:39:03,840 --> 00:39:06,880 of God, because if you are, you're not a believer in the 458 00:39:06,880 --> 00:39:10,240 Lord Jesus Christ. If you've been reconciled to the 459 00:39:10,240 --> 00:39:13,440 Lord, if you've been, if you've been made at peace with God, 460 00:39:13,440 --> 00:39:19,960 then you are one with Him, and the Prince of Peace reigns in 461 00:39:19,960 --> 00:39:24,000 your soul. Isaiah 3217 says this. 462 00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:28,680 And the work of righteousness will be peace and the service of 463 00:39:28,680 --> 00:39:31,960 righteousness, quietness and confidence forever. 464 00:39:32,720 --> 00:39:36,960 What a statement. The work of righteousness is 465 00:39:36,960 --> 00:39:41,160 peace. Because of Christ's 466 00:39:41,160 --> 00:39:44,800 righteousness, because of His justice, because of His 467 00:39:44,800 --> 00:39:47,280 Holiness, He made a way for peace. 468 00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:57,080 And that righteousness produces comfort, it produces confidence, 469 00:39:57,960 --> 00:40:02,320 it produces rest in the soul because you've experienced 470 00:40:02,320 --> 00:40:06,240 peace. That's why Christ said, My peace 471 00:40:07,440 --> 00:40:13,280 I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, He says to his 472 00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:17,200 men in John 14. And those who experience peace, 473 00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:22,280 they express peace. They express it. 474 00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:29,080 Romans 12/18 if possible, so far as it depends upon you, be at 475 00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:35,560 peace with all men as much as it depends upon you be at peace 476 00:40:35,560 --> 00:40:38,280 with all men. In other words, that there's an 477 00:40:38,280 --> 00:40:41,880 expression of our lives that exudes peace. 478 00:40:42,880 --> 00:40:47,240 We're not, we're not arrogant, we're not prideful. 479 00:40:47,240 --> 00:40:51,320 We're we're, we're not trying to put people down 'cause strife. 480 00:40:52,040 --> 00:40:58,600 No, we just want to speak truth and live in peace because we 481 00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:03,680 know the Prince of Peace. The Bible says over in in 482 00:41:04,720 --> 00:41:09,160 Matthew 543, you have heard that it was said you shall love what 483 00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:11,200 your neighbor and hate your enemy. 484 00:41:12,120 --> 00:41:14,360 But I say to you, love your enemies. 485 00:41:14,560 --> 00:41:19,720 Pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of 486 00:41:19,720 --> 00:41:23,880 your Father in heaven. In other words, you've heard 487 00:41:23,880 --> 00:41:26,880 that it was said that you can love your friends and hate your 488 00:41:26,880 --> 00:41:29,000 enemies. No, no, no, you. 489 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:32,680 You love your enemies. And when you love your enemies, 490 00:41:32,680 --> 00:41:36,840 you do prove yourself to be a son of your Father in heaven. 491 00:41:37,120 --> 00:41:39,400 Who said that in Father? Forgive them, for they know not 492 00:41:39,400 --> 00:41:42,840 what they do. That God demonstrated his love 493 00:41:42,840 --> 00:41:49,680 for us, and that while we were yet still enemies of His, He 494 00:41:49,680 --> 00:41:55,000 died on Calvary's cross for us. So when you love your enemies, 495 00:41:55,800 --> 00:41:58,160 you prove yourself to be a son of your Father in heaven. 496 00:41:58,440 --> 00:42:00,280 You're you're, you're a son of God. 497 00:42:00,680 --> 00:42:04,680 See, you're, you're a peacemaker because you love your enemy. 498 00:42:05,720 --> 00:42:11,560 Don't hate your enemy. And so you not only experience 499 00:42:11,560 --> 00:42:17,880 peace, but you express peace and you explain peace or extend 500 00:42:18,240 --> 00:42:21,760 peace. You explain peace to others. 501 00:42:23,240 --> 00:42:28,200 Peter said this way Acts 1036. The purpose of the church was to 502 00:42:28,200 --> 00:42:32,040 preach peace through Jesus Christ. 503 00:42:33,800 --> 00:42:36,760 Preach peace through Jesus Christ. 504 00:42:37,080 --> 00:42:40,560 Romans 10/15 How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the 505 00:42:40,560 --> 00:42:45,000 gospel of peace. In other words, those who 506 00:42:45,000 --> 00:42:50,080 experience peace live peace. They express that peace, but 507 00:42:50,080 --> 00:42:53,960 they also explain that peace. They they want to extend that 508 00:42:53,960 --> 00:42:55,560 peace to others. So they make sure they 509 00:42:55,560 --> 00:42:58,080 understand who the Prince of Peace is. 510 00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:03,400 They want to live and speak for Christ. 511 00:43:05,760 --> 00:43:09,920 And those who experience peace and express peace and explain 512 00:43:09,920 --> 00:43:14,360 peace will always encounter pain. 513 00:43:16,920 --> 00:43:23,360 They will always encounter pain. Christ it here was the Prince of 514 00:43:23,360 --> 00:43:27,800 Peace who rides into the city of peace to offer them peace. 515 00:43:27,800 --> 00:43:31,040 And what do they do? They hang on a cross. 516 00:43:31,920 --> 00:43:36,320 They crucify him. They kill him, they hate him, 517 00:43:37,640 --> 00:43:40,760 simply because he came to offer them peace that they did not 518 00:43:40,760 --> 00:43:46,000 want. So he encountered the most 519 00:43:46,000 --> 00:43:53,520 excruciating pain known to man. Not physical suffering, ah, but 520 00:43:53,520 --> 00:43:55,360 the separation of his Father in heaven. 521 00:43:56,280 --> 00:43:58,320 My God, my God, why has that forsaken me? 522 00:43:59,560 --> 00:44:05,200 Such pain he encountered as the Son of God. 523 00:44:07,120 --> 00:44:14,440 Paul was known as the the pestilent person because he 524 00:44:14,440 --> 00:44:21,480 would preach peace. When you preach peace, try to 525 00:44:21,480 --> 00:44:23,200 explain peace. You'll be criticized, you'll be 526 00:44:23,200 --> 00:44:27,320 condemned, you'll be persecuted. Why? 527 00:44:28,040 --> 00:44:30,200 By those who want nothing to do with your God. 528 00:44:31,880 --> 00:44:34,560 I love what Vance Havner said. He he said these words he said. 529 00:44:34,680 --> 00:44:37,880 Let it not be forgotten that a twice born and spirit filled 530 00:44:37,880 --> 00:44:41,880 Christian is always a contradiction to this old world. 531 00:44:42,960 --> 00:44:47,880 He crosses it at every point from the day that he is born 532 00:44:47,880 --> 00:44:52,240 again until he passes on to be with the Lord. 533 00:44:53,040 --> 00:44:56,760 He pulls against the current of a world forever going the other 534 00:44:56,760 --> 00:45:01,320 way. If he allows it, men will tone 535 00:45:01,320 --> 00:45:07,040 him down, steal the joy of a salvation, reduce him to the 536 00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:14,840 dreary level of the average. Most church folk dislike having 537 00:45:14,840 --> 00:45:19,320 their Laodicean complacency, upset by those who insist on 538 00:45:19,320 --> 00:45:22,400 walking by faith and not by sight. 539 00:45:24,040 --> 00:45:30,520 So good and so true. And so those who have 540 00:45:30,520 --> 00:45:35,160 experienced peace and want to express that peace to others and 541 00:45:35,160 --> 00:45:38,120 explain that peace so that they can encounter the Prince of 542 00:45:38,120 --> 00:45:42,520 Peace will always encounter pain to some degree. 543 00:45:43,440 --> 00:45:49,920 Rejection, persecution, isolation, you name it. 544 00:45:50,880 --> 00:45:54,760 Stand strong on the truth and see who stands with you. 545 00:45:56,160 --> 00:46:02,320 Very few will they they, they're more willing to compromise truth 546 00:46:02,320 --> 00:46:06,800 to maintain peace. But that's not peace because 547 00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:10,280 peace is rooted in truth. Without truth, there is no 548 00:46:10,280 --> 00:46:16,800 peace. So what's my course quickly? 549 00:46:17,080 --> 00:46:20,640 Number one, you need to love the maker of peace. 550 00:46:22,000 --> 00:46:26,720 That's Christ. He's the ultimate peace maker. 551 00:46:28,360 --> 00:46:31,520 John 1633 says these things. I have spoken to you that you 552 00:46:31,520 --> 00:46:36,880 might have peace. 2nd Thessalonians 316 says May the 553 00:46:36,880 --> 00:46:40,360 Lord of peace himself continually grant you peace in 554 00:46:40,360 --> 00:46:44,840 every circumstance. Oh how I love thy law is my 555 00:46:44,840 --> 00:46:47,920 meditation all the day. And great peace have those who 556 00:46:47,920 --> 00:46:51,120 love thy law. If you love the Lord, you love 557 00:46:51,120 --> 00:46:53,360 the law of God. You have to love the Maker of 558 00:46:53,360 --> 00:46:55,400 peace. You love them with all your 559 00:46:55,400 --> 00:46:57,560 heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your 560 00:46:57,560 --> 00:46:58,120 strength. Why? 561 00:46:58,280 --> 00:47:00,560 Because there's going to come a time where you are standing all 562 00:47:00,560 --> 00:47:03,720 by your little lonesome, and no one else is going to stand with 563 00:47:03,720 --> 00:47:06,160 you. But you love the Lord, and you 564 00:47:06,160 --> 00:47:09,800 will stand side by side with the King of the universe, who is the 565 00:47:09,800 --> 00:47:13,600 Prince of Peace. You love the Maker of peace #2 566 00:47:15,080 --> 00:47:18,080 You need to leave the menace to peace. 567 00:47:19,800 --> 00:47:23,080 If you love the maker of peace, you leave the menace to peace. 568 00:47:23,240 --> 00:47:28,200 What's that? Sin, Hypocrisy, compromise. 569 00:47:29,840 --> 00:47:35,520 Leave all that behind. You must if you love the maker 570 00:47:35,520 --> 00:47:44,040 of peace. The Bible says in Proverbs 28 571 00:47:44,040 --> 00:47:52,280 verse #25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife. 572 00:47:54,720 --> 00:47:58,920 He was of a proud heart stirreth up strife. 573 00:47:59,280 --> 00:48:04,240 If strife in your home, are you the reason for that strife? 574 00:48:07,080 --> 00:48:09,280 You need to leave the menace to peace. 575 00:48:11,120 --> 00:48:16,600 Whatever that attitude is, whatever that that ingrown 576 00:48:16,720 --> 00:48:22,840 personality trait you have is, you leave it, Run away from it 577 00:48:24,200 --> 00:48:28,000 because you don't want to become that obstacle to someone else 578 00:48:28,000 --> 00:48:30,640 seeing the Prince of Peace because of your bitterness, 579 00:48:30,920 --> 00:48:34,200 because of your anger, because of your short sightedness, 580 00:48:34,480 --> 00:48:40,600 because of your quick tempered attitude, No, you don't want to 581 00:48:40,640 --> 00:48:46,520 do that. Got to leave all that behind so 582 00:48:46,520 --> 00:48:50,400 many times. It's, it's our self that's the 583 00:48:50,400 --> 00:48:56,640 menace to peace, right? Our selfish desires, we went it 584 00:48:56,640 --> 00:49:02,800 our way and no other way. And that's what you need to 585 00:49:02,800 --> 00:49:07,080 leave behind. Love the maker of peace, love 586 00:49:07,080 --> 00:49:11,200 the Lord. And then if you do, you leave 587 00:49:11,200 --> 00:49:20,480 the minutes to peace #3 labor to make peace. 588 00:49:22,080 --> 00:49:29,840 Paul says in Ephesians 43. Endeavor, work hard to keep the 589 00:49:29,840 --> 00:49:32,920 unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 590 00:49:34,680 --> 00:49:36,320 Endeavor to keep that what you have. 591 00:49:37,560 --> 00:49:44,320 Listen, you cannot develop unity in the church, but you can 592 00:49:44,320 --> 00:49:50,280 destroy unity in the church. So Paul says, endeavor to keep 593 00:49:51,560 --> 00:49:53,560 the unity of the Spirit and abundant peace. 594 00:49:54,080 --> 00:49:55,480 You got to do all you can to keep it. 595 00:49:56,920 --> 00:49:59,840 You got to work hard. You got to be zealous to keep 596 00:49:59,840 --> 00:50:04,120 that which God pleased you, where God put you together as a 597 00:50:04,120 --> 00:50:06,560 as a unit, as a body of Christ, right? 598 00:50:08,360 --> 00:50:13,680 Are you working hard? Are you labouring to make peace 599 00:50:14,640 --> 00:50:17,000 because you endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit and the 600 00:50:17,000 --> 00:50:21,360 bond of peace? Clauses 315 says we're to let 601 00:50:21,360 --> 00:50:25,600 the word of Christ be at home in our hearts. 602 00:50:27,200 --> 00:50:31,520 Let let the peace of Christ be at home in our hearts. 603 00:50:32,600 --> 00:50:37,680 In other words, there there is something about being on God's 604 00:50:37,680 --> 00:50:45,680 side that causes great peace and therefore we let it rule, let it 605 00:50:45,680 --> 00:50:49,080 govern every decision we make. The fact that we're on God's 606 00:50:49,080 --> 00:50:54,240 side determines what decision I make with my wife, my kids, my 607 00:50:54,240 --> 00:50:58,360 work, whatever I'm doing. Let the let the peace of, of 608 00:50:58,360 --> 00:51:02,880 Christ umpire in your hearts, right? 609 00:51:03,640 --> 00:51:06,360 Let let the fact that you're on God's side call all the shots. 610 00:51:07,920 --> 00:51:10,000 That's just a great thing because see, I don't have to 611 00:51:10,000 --> 00:51:11,880 call any shots. I don't have to be the empire. 612 00:51:13,200 --> 00:51:16,360 Sometimes I act like the empire, but I don't have to be the 613 00:51:16,360 --> 00:51:17,320 empire. Why? 614 00:51:17,640 --> 00:51:20,240 Because I let the peace of Christ be the empire in my 615 00:51:20,240 --> 00:51:21,760 heart. Let the fact that I'm on God's 616 00:51:21,760 --> 00:51:26,040 side, let God make the decision. How do I know what the decision 617 00:51:26,040 --> 00:51:27,200 is? That's what I got the word of 618 00:51:27,200 --> 00:51:30,880 God for, right? That directs me and guides me. 619 00:51:31,440 --> 00:51:40,520 And lastly. Live as a messenger of peace. 620 00:51:42,920 --> 00:51:47,240 Live as a as a messenger of peace. 621 00:51:48,760 --> 00:51:54,080 Listen to what Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 5 verse 18. 622 00:51:54,080 --> 00:51:57,120 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to 623 00:51:57,120 --> 00:52:00,720 himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of 624 00:52:00,720 --> 00:52:05,680 reconciliation. We have been given a ministry of 625 00:52:06,120 --> 00:52:10,800 reconciliation, of bringing two parties together that are at 626 00:52:10,800 --> 00:52:16,040 odds and enmity with one another, God and man. 627 00:52:16,440 --> 00:52:20,280 God has reconciled us to Himself so that he would impart to us a 628 00:52:20,320 --> 00:52:25,680 ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ 629 00:52:25,680 --> 00:52:28,480 reconciling the world to Himself, not coming to 630 00:52:28,480 --> 00:52:33,400 trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the 631 00:52:33,400 --> 00:52:40,360 Word of reconciliation. See, God gave you the word of 632 00:52:40,360 --> 00:52:44,800 bringing parties together that are enemies one with another. 633 00:52:46,040 --> 00:52:49,960 That's why you are the ambassador of Christ. 634 00:52:51,440 --> 00:52:55,600 That's why God has commissioned you to be his peacemaker. 635 00:52:57,840 --> 00:52:59,520 Nobody in the government can do it. 636 00:53:00,120 --> 00:53:04,400 Nobody in your school can do it. Only God's peacemakers can bring 637 00:53:04,400 --> 00:53:09,960 peace, peace with God, and God wants us to live as a messenger 638 00:53:10,640 --> 00:53:12,440 of peace. How about you? 639 00:53:12,440 --> 00:53:19,040 You want to do that because true blessing comes to the 640 00:53:19,040 --> 00:53:24,200 peacemaker, because those people truly are the sons of God. 641 00:53:25,480 --> 00:53:29,080 My, my, my prayer is that you understand that you are his son 642 00:53:29,760 --> 00:53:32,280 of the living God. Let's pray together Father, 643 00:53:32,280 --> 00:53:35,200 thank you for today. All that you do chance to be 644 00:53:35,200 --> 00:53:37,680 together. Bless us, bless this night. 645 00:53:37,680 --> 00:53:43,160 As we leave this place, may we take with us the opportunity to 646 00:53:43,160 --> 00:53:46,720 speak forth the truth, maybe lift for you and honor you. 647 00:53:46,760 --> 00:53:52,320 Glorify your precious name in Jesus name, Amen.