Peace Is a Choice!

In Matthew 5 in the Sermon on the Mount, Christ mentions various principles that are applicable to us, but he starts with the Beatitudes. And the seventh Beatitude that he builds up from humility, the seventh Beatitude is about being a peacemaker. If I just read it, it says in Matthew 5, verse 9, "'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.'" My question is, do you want to be a son and a daughter of God in the kingdom of God? Obviously, that's a rhetorical question, and the answer is yes. But Christ says, those are the peacemakers. And so it is important for us to consider this point of being a peacemaker. My message today is about that peace is a choice. You know, it takes two, as they say, it takes two to tangle. I know modern music quite often, it just takes one. But tangle takes two to tangle. And to have a fight, it takes two to fight. And so if just one holds it back, that is a way of peace. I think of the situation of Abraham. You remember the story of Abraham and Lot and his servants. They were, in a sense, having an argument or a fight about land because the land was a bit tight for both families. Let's just turn there, which is in Genesis 13, verse 5. Genesis 13, verse 5. Lot also went with Abraham at flocks and herds and tents, and now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their positions were so great that they could not dwell together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abraham's livestock and herdsmen of Lot's livestock. So, we always see a situation where there was, let's call it, some arguments, some unpleasant situations. But we see what Abraham did. Abraham was a peacemaker, and in verse 8, you see, so Abraham said to Lot, Please, let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me if you take the left, and I'll go to the right. Or if you go to the right, then I'll go to the left. You see, Abraham's attitude was one, you know, you choose. You choose. He didn't choose the best for himself, for the sake of peace. He trusted in God, and knowing that God would bless whichever way it would go. You know, it's the same thing with us. It's a lesson here for us. We as human beings, we do not know the way of peace. Look at Isaiah 59, verse 8. Isaiah 59, verse 8. And it reads, The way of peace they have not known, and it is not justice in their ways.

We as human beings do not know the way of peace, and we as members in God's church, we've got to realize there is a carnality in us that we've got to be overcoming, and we've got to be careful. And so, we know that God's thoughts are far higher than our thoughts.

You know, the way God sees things are very different, and we need to ponder about this and be careful that there are no conflicts amongst us.

James, the brother of Christ, physical brother, in chapter 3, talks about conflicts. So let's turn to James chapter 3. And starting in verse 13, he says, Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. And then he says, But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, if you want your way, it's my way, the way I see it's going to be done this way. He says, Do not boast and lie against the truth. Remember what Abraham did? You choose. Right? So he was willing to submit and say, You make the choice. But the point I want to emphasize here is in verse 16, for where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. And then we get to the real wise approach that you and I in God's Church need to have. That is the wisdom that is from God, that is from above in verse 17, that we need to be pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. We need to choose peace. Peace is a choice, and we need to be amongst the ones that are making peace.

We gotta be planting, as it says here, planting, sowing peace. That is so important. We know in 1 Corinthians 14 verse 33, where it's talking about other issues, but there is an important principle there in 1 Corinthians chapter 14 and verse 33, and it reads, 14-33, let all things be done decently and in order. You see, God is not a god of disorder, of confusion, of infighting, but he's a god of peace. And the works of God lead to peace.

We gotta be doing the works of our Heavenly Father, but if we are, having little arguments about things and things that in the end really don't matter, you know, we're following the wrong way. So where did the disagreements start? There are a few interesting proverbs that I want to turn to. The first one that I'll be turning to today is in Proverbs 17, Proverbs 17 verse 14. Proverbs 17 verse 14.

The beginning of strife is like releasing water. You know, there's various analogies that you can draw from that. You know, once you release water, it's not so easy to stop and just leave it there. You know where it potentially could mean. Therefore, stop contention before a quarrel starts. And so it is one of these things.

Tackle it early. Just calm it down. Don't do it. You know, it's like you probably heard the story of that big reservoir. It's probably just a story, but of a little Dutch boy in a big reservoir of water. And there's a little leak on the wall.

And he puts his little finger to stop and saves all city because otherwise that water would continue. The hole would get bigger and the whole wall would destroy the whole city because it will break because it'll get bigger and bigger. And so, yeah, yeah, the point is there are some things that are so powerful, so powerful, that can cause a lot of hurt. And so just tackle it when it's small, when it's easy, sort it out, and then there's peace. Another proverb is Proverbs chapter 13, verse 10. Proverbs chapter 13, verse 10. And it says, by pride comes nothing but strife, but of the self-advised, the well-advised, his wisdom. And so it ties to what we read in James, and it ties to the beatitudes which start with humility and builds up to being a peacemaker. And so when there is some degree of self-assurance, then it kind of causes problems.

But it says then also, the well-advised is wisdom. Do we seek good, godly advice before sometimes we let our tongues go and we be careful? You know, I have seen situations recently, and it's not people in this congregation, but I've seen situations where the person said, I know I am right. And I talked to the person, I said, you know, but you've got to go and talk to the other person. No, this person is wrong. I'm not going to talk to him. I'm right. That's not the way to solve a problem. You know, Matthew 18, 15 says, go and talk to your brother privately. We know all those scriptures. I'll probably go through a few of those a little later today. But it is when we have this pride. There's also the converse, the other side of the story. There are some people that are so easily offended. It's a tiny little thing. They just get offended. And so it is both sides, and we've got to be careful. So today, brethren, I want to focus on just three keys towards being a peacemaker. Obviously, there are others, but not just three, very simple ones. And I've kind of already hinted at them in what I mentioned. But the very first one is nothing else than humility. Really, humility is a key for peacemaking. Let's start with the example of Christ in Philippians chapter 2 in verse 1. Philippians chapter 2 verse 1. Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy. In other words, if we are really searching to be like Christ in loving kindness, in care, and having the fellowship of God's early Spirit, then it continues in verse 2. Forful my joy by being like-minded, having the same love being of one accord of one mind. There's nothing more important than us to have unity and peace.

You probably read the report of the council meetings of what Mr. John Elliott said. If you haven't, please take the time to read how he is mentioning the importance of having peace and how he is extending the olive branch to other fellowships of God's people. You know, it is important for us to be united, to be at one, to be of one accord. And when we have that, there is peace, because to be united to be one, there has to be peace. And then he continues, yeah, Paul in Philippians says, verse 3, that in lowliness of mind, that's humility. In other words, we might reference just now to James, that we must not have that pride, that my way or the highway, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself. This is profound, brethren. This is very deep. Do we esteem others really better than ourselves? In a sense, that's what Abraham did in the story that I read to you a little while ago. You see, so we must not be arrogant. He says, we've got to esteem others. We've got to be humble. Verse 4, let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Just look at it from other people's point of view. Sometimes we are so easy. Somebody does something and we say, you've done this thing wrong.

And maybe we haven't heard why they did that thing wrong. Maybe they just made a mistake. Maybe they have a situation or something in their lives in the past, or maybe they were a bit distracted. And so before we pull the trigger, we should maybe try to understand the other person's reason and care for them. You know, have you ever won a fight? Maybe you have won a fight. And you know what? Maybe in the process you lost a friend.

Was it worth it to win this fight about something and lose a friend? You know, this can easily happen. I have heard of so many problems in different families and things like that, where sometimes you hear of funerals and things like that, and there's such big arguments in the families. Why? Because they won one little fight, but it broke the relationship forever. Was it worth it? Is it worth it? Let's go back to another proverb. I'll be coming back to Philippians in a moment, so you may want to keep a little marker there. But look at another marker there. But look at another proverbs. Proverbs 18 verse 19. Proverbs 18 verse 19.

A brother offended is ordered to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the balls of a castle. You know, it's very difficult to heal a hurt or an offense.

And it's better to be careful that we don't offend. Maybe it's better sometimes to lose some little thing. Yeah, it doesn't matter. Let it go. It's not worth it, because the relationship is more important. The peace, the unity is more important. And so we've got to be careful that we don't have this attitude, I am right, and the other is wrong. We've got to be careful with that, because a brother offended is hard to be won. So let's go back to Philippians. We were in Philippians chapter 2 verse 4, and then he says, let this mind be in you. You and I need to have the mental mindset that was in Christ, which he says, being in the form of God, he was of the God kind, of the form of God. He did not consider robbery to be equal with God. He did not consider it that he had to hold on to that position of being equal with God. He was prepared to let it go, to let it go and make himself of no reputation. He came to earth. People didn't even know that he was one of the two eternal beings. They didn't even know who he was. He just came with no reputation. He wasn't going around and says, you know who I am. No. And he took the form of a servant, of a man, in the likeness of man. And then he says, being found in the appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death on the cross. Christ humbled himself humility.

He was thinking about what was the best for mankind, and the best for mankind was for him to die for us without sin so that you and I could receive reconciliation with God. And as he resurrected, he could send us God's power and God's help, and he could be our high priest to help us with being our defense advocate. And God's our spirit to help us in overcoming. That is such an attitude that Christ had, and that's why it says, let this mind be new. We need to think of that. Are we like that? Because that's what we're going to be.

Let's go back to Proverbs. I did say I'll go through a few Proverbs. So let's go back to Proverbs. Now Proverbs 25 verse 8. Proverbs 25 verse 8.

Yeah, we read, do not go hastily to court, for what will you do in the end when your neighbor has put you to shame? In other words, don't get involved in a fight too quickly. You don't need to. It says, debate your case with your neighbor.

You know what? That's Matthew 18, 15, right? Got your brother privately.

There's nothing new in the, in a sense, in the spiritual principles that come through in the New Testament, because actually they were there in Old Testament. Go to your brother, and do not disclose the secret to another. Go to your brother privately, sort it out, sort it out in a friendly way, one with another, and with humility. You know, that's what Matthew 18, 15 says, go to your brother. And in Galatians 6 verse 1 says, in the spirit of humility. Not saying, I'm right, and you, no, okay, let's talk. Let's, are we understanding this correctly? Let's look at another proverb now in 26, Proverbs 26 verse 20. Where there is no wood, the fire goes out. For where there is no tailed bearer, strife ceases. Wow! You know, a fire needs fuel to get going, and to keep burning, and going out and telling the people and spreading it out, it just spreads the fire, spreads the strife. And so, it is important for us to look at ourselves with humility, because quite often, the problem might be ours. Maybe there's a little bit of pride in me that I wanted my way, and if it's not my way, I will not submit. It's like the example of the other person I mentioned. As I mentioned, it's not in this congregation. But he said, I know I'm right, and so and so is wrong. And I said, but you've got to kind of talk to him.

No, it's not worth, because he's going to say something, but communicate. Matthew 18, talk, go humbly. No, I'm right. I'm not going to do it. It's so sad. We've got to be humble, brethren. So the first key of the three points I want to mention today is humility. The second key, I've actually read it already, but I want to emphasize a little bit more. It's meekness of wisdom. Meekness of wisdom. That I read a moment ago in James chapter 3 verse 13. So let's go back to James chapter 3 verse 13. James chapter 3 verse 13. And he says, Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. I have mentioned this before, and I think this is so vital for all of us to have. Meekness of wisdom. Brethren, what is meekness? Meekness is actually the third beatitude. You know, the first beatitude is humility. The second is mourn. And the third is being meek, which means being teachable, being malleable, being pliable, being gentle. You know, when, for instance, the play dough or whatever it is, it gets hard, it gets brittle, and you can't use it. But you want that play dough to be malleable. So that's where we are. We are clay, spiritually speaking, in the Father's hands, is molding us, and our spirit, our attitude, needs to be moldable by God. We need to be meek, teachable, moldable, pliable. And so when it says the meekness of wisdom, that means we have to have wisdom which has this pliability or this malleability factor in it. We need to have that.

And then in verse 17 says, that's the wisdom that is from above, which is pure, peaceable, gentle. You see, that's honest, pure, strives for peace. It's gentle, it's malleable, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits without partiality, or my way, or your division, and without hypocrisy, which is genuine. That is the meekness of wisdom. You know, when there are arguments, we had at the Council, we had a facilitator a couple of weeks ago in our deliberations. And one of the things he was addressing, three main reasons of why there are disagreements between people. And I thought this was very interesting, what he said. He said, disagreements are usually at three levels. He called it level one, level two, and level three. And he said, level one is what we should by default assume it is why there is a disagreement. And that's because people have a different view of the information. Maybe you only have some information, the other one has other information, they don't see the full picture or they don't see the picture that the other one sees it. And therefore, to address those differences, he says, ask questions to clarify the understanding, the information, so you can resolve that possible conflict. And he says, oh, that's what you see. No, but I want this. So, okay, then let's get something. Obviously, we're not talking about God's values, we're talking about disagreement about little things. So, he said, that's one level.

The second level, he said, is could be related to what he called it values or different experiences. Now, these values are not the way he was referring to. We're not talking about God's values or God's standards. But, you know, you maybe have a perceived value in your life because of your life experiences, because maybe the way you brought up, maybe you had certain difficulties, maybe you were brought up in a society where there was a lot of crime, and therefore you created certain value systems in your mind based on your experiences.

For instance, if you came, for instance, from South Africa like I did, and you've experienced certain things, you've created certain values inside you about certain things, which maybe somebody from an American society may not understand because they've had a whole different life experiences, all different value systems that were built up. Not talking about God's values, you know, keep the Sabbath, thou shall not murder, etc., but talking about values that the person built in his life. And so when you have those, it's good to, again, understand the values of each one through talking and understand the differences and the experiences to resolve that in a correct way.

So that's kind of the second level. It's your experiences that you've had from a youth. Maybe you were maltreated, you were abused as a young person, or whatever it is, and therefore you built certain shields around you in your life. And try and discuss and lineate those things so the two people can resolve those arguments. And then there's a third level of disagreement, and these are what it calls, it's got nothing to do with the argument.

It's something else. Maybe there's an argument here, and the two don't want to agree, because historically there was something that happened 10 years ago or 20 years ago that has become like a root of bitterness, and you don't want to let that go, and therefore you don't want to agree on this. You know, and then the situation becomes irrational, and you really can't resolve it because there's unhealed old problems or things that have happened.

And so when he gets to a point where you can't resolve it, the only way is to take it to a higher level, where he's put it in God's hands and pray about it, because there's something you can't do, anything about it. And so he mentioned about three levels of disagreement. But for us, we need that meekness of wisdom, because if we're a meek and we try to understand the other person, we might see that there are other problems, and with our meekness, we may just give those other people a bit of space.

On the other side, we've got to be careful that we don't hold a root of bitterness. In Hebrews 12 verse 15, Hebrews 12 verse 15 says, Looking careful, lest anyone fall short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness bring up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled. And this is important. This ties in with that third level, because there is that something in the past that you haven't let go, and what do we need to do?

We need to let some of those things go and leave it in God's hands. Leave those things in God's hands, because if we allow that root of bitterness to grow, it could actually, it says, fall short of the grace of God, and become defiled, and in the end then not make the kingdom. And so we've got to look at ourselves carefully. Do I have anything that is going to hold me back? And then, still in Hebrews chapter 12, we read in verse 15. But let's just go back to verse 14.

It says, Pursue peace with all people and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. Looking carefully lest any one fall short and have this root of bitterness. So what are we going to do is we're going to pursue peace.

How, by one way, is having this meekness of wisdom? It's very important for us to demonstrate this meekness of wisdom. Go back to Proverbs 15. Proverbs 15, and now verse 18. Proverbs 15 verse 18.

A wrathful man stirs up strife, but he will slow to anger a laze contention. You know, if you have this root of bitterness, you have this wrath, hidden inside, you've got something inside, only you or I know, you've got something there, and we've got to get rid of it. And we've got to be slow to anger. And that calms down any contention.

You see, so we've got to be careful with that. We've got to look at ourselves carefully. Carefully. And so that's why it says, slow to anger. Always slow to anger.

We need to be slow to anger. While we're in Proverbs, look at another one. Proverbs 18 verse 6. A fool's lip enters into contention, and his mouth calls for blows. You want retaliation, whatever it is. So you want to get into a fight. But the meekness of wisdom says, no, I'm not going to do that. Look at Proverbs 30 verse 33. Proverbs 30 verse 33.

For as the churning of milk produces butter, and the ringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife. That is so colorful the way it's explained there. But if we are keeping bringing up the offense, we keep remembering this, but he did this, so she did this. But if you keep bringing it up and bringing it up and bringing it up, it produces strife. It's like keep blowing your nose, blowing your nose, blowing your nose. After a while, you're going to get blood coming out. We have to have a balance on this thing.

And so we go back to James. We're in James. Let's go back to James now in chapter 4. And you know that probably of by heart. He says, where do wars and fights come from among you? Why are there disagreements amongst you as members in the church? Yeah, because James was writing to members in the church, and he says to you, amongst you, why are there little fights amongst you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure than that war in your members? In other words, you have your own ideas, you have your own ways, you want my way, you know. And then what do you do? You end up and he says, you end up and kill. Therefore, he says in verse 4, he says, or is it verse 3? And he says, you ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss that you may spend it in your pleasures. And so the war, the friendship of the world is enmity of God, and we mustn't go that way. We got to be peaceful. We must bring peace in everything we do.

You know, got to be careful how we say things. Christ in Matthew 5, he said, you know, if you hold in your heart hatred towards your brother, you say something that's offensive to your brother, it could be like killing, you know, and then you could be subject to judgment. You know, we got to be very careful, brethren. And so peace is a choice, brethren. First, be humble. Second, be malleable. Show wisdom in being meek. And thirdly, my third key that I want to emphasize, make peace a goal. Make peace a goal for you. In whatever situation you get, and you see it's getting strange to say, okay, I want a goal to make it a goal. Look at Proverbs chapter 20 verse 3. Proverbs chapter 20 verse 3.

Raise. It is honorable for a man to stop striving, since any fool can start a quarrel, but it's honorable to do something towards peace. Also look at Proverbs 16 verse 7.

When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. So if you and I are doing things in a way that is peaceful, God will work it out. God will work it out.

You know, peace starts with Christ. Colossians chapter 1 verse 20. Colossians chapter 1 verse 20.

Colossians chapter 1 verse 20. He says, and by him, you know, let's start on verse 19. For he please the Father, that in him all the fullness should dwell, that's in Christ, and by him to reconcile all things to himself by him, whether things on earth or things on heaven, having made perfect through the blood of his cross. The reconciliation is through what Christ has done through his blood. Peace starts with what Christ has done to reconcile us with God. We went through that in Philippians, and that's what we have to do. We have to work in making peace. That is the example Christ gave us, and so that needs to be our goal. Whatever we do, we need to have that as a goal. Let's go back to James chapter 3. I deliberately did not read verse 18 early on because I wanted to come back to it at this time. James 3 verse 18. Now the fruit of righteousness is sound in peace by those who make peace. We have to sell peace. We have to work in making an investment to make peace.

And then Paul in Romans chapter 12 gives us additional instructions about this. Romans 12 verse 16 through 18. Romans 12 verse 16 through 18.

Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. If it's possible, make it a goal. Live in peace with all men. And then he concludes this section by saying in verse 21, do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Brethren, you and I want to be children of God in the kingdom of God. One of the Beatitudes, as we read, is that the peacemakers will be sons of God. And I've emphasized three simple keys today to remind you of how to be a peacemaker. Let's be humble. Let's have meekness of wisdom. And let's make an objective, a goal, of making peace. So whenever we humble ourselves instead of blaming others, whenever we seek meekness instead of envy and self-seeking, whenever we choose to make peace instead of become overcome by evil, we are putting the mind of Christ to be a son and a daughter of God in the kingdom of God.