Jesus 101: Peacemakers


It was the time of the Pax Romana (Roman Peace).  The Roman Empire stretched across nearly the whole world people knew about in ancient times.  As it conquered new territories, it established peace between warring factions.  The powerful, disciplined Roman army kept the peace, leading to a time of great commerce and economic growth.

In those days, Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." (Matthew 5:9).

The Pax Romana was a peace kept.  Jesus spoke of peace made.  Peace keeping occurs when an army suppresses warring factions from killing each other.  Peace making occurs when walls are torn down, bridges are built, and people move from hate to love. 

A kept peace remains only as long as the restraining force remains in place.  If peace isn't made, warring factions go back to their killing! 

What do peacemakers look like?  Like Jesus!  Jesus spent his life building bridges between 
God and people, and between people and people!  

In Romans 5:1-2a, the apostle Paul tells how God established peace between himself and humanity through the Lord Jesus Christ.  When we put our faith in Christ, God establishes peace between us and him.  As Jesus' disciples, we go out and follow the example of our Lord by making peace.

How do we act as peacemakers in the world?  First, we proclaim the good news of Christ.  The good news brings peace between people and God.  More than that, it establishes peace between people.  In Ephesians 2:14-18, the apostle Paul spoke of how through God tears down the walls we build between us.

Second, we go into our communities to make peace.  We work to tear down walls of division and build bridges between people.  We proclaim the good news of Christ, but we work with people of goodwill everywhere to make peace.  

Jesus said the peacemakers are blessed because people will call them "children of God."  This means they act like God in his peacemaking work.  

Go out as a person of peace to make peace in this divided world!

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