November 16: THE RADICAL KINGDOM #7

We have tried to homogenize and pasteurize the Gospel so it will not be offensive to anyone. We have cut the heart out of the Good News. We have tried to tame Jesus so we would not be disturbed by His disturbing words. Here we are in a war-wracked world that is destructive in every direction but no one is clamoring to hear more about Matthew 5:9 where Jesus drops another radical bomb: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God”. And many so-called Bible-believing preachers are vocal supporters of the war that is killing and maiming at an alarming rate. Notice closely that Jesus did not say, “Blessed are the peace lovers” or “Blessed are the peace prayers” but blessed are the “peacemakers”. Peace is waged, just like war. We must work for it! In the Kingdom of God, every gulf of separation is bridgeable; people and races and nations can be brought together. That wonderful word “Shalom” from the Old Testament, that is translated “peace”, is not just the absence of conflict but makes everything work together for the good of all. Yesterday we talked about the pure in heart who can see God, having seen Him they then begin to imitate Him.
Being peacemakers means we don’t try to ignore or evade divisive issues but face them, deal with them, and conquer them. Peacemakers don’t attack the enemy but they do defend themselves if they are attacked. Some who philosophically say, “the best preparation for peace is to prepare for war” are just looking to evade this huge challenge.
Calvary’s cross is the greatest example of making peace. On the cross, God openly admitted the fact of sin and did not gloss over it. He exposed sin and then suffered for it. God did that to reconcile us with Himself. As long as men are at odds with God they will not be reconciled with themselves or their neighbors.
Jesus’ last bequest to us in John 14:27 was “my peace I give you”. He gives us His peace to equip us to be peacemakers. Peacemakers are truly “god’s children”. The world has usually reserved its highest honors for “war-makers’ and built statues to their memory but the Bible says we are “not of this world” so our point of view is different.

“O God, the world needs peacemakers so desperately! Wash this taste
for war and blood out of our minds and hearts. Amen”