The caterpillar of Ardices canescens eating a Jap pumpkin leaf in suburban Sydney, NSW, Australia.by Toby Hudson
Good morning, beloved,
A new morning, a new day, a new start! We are back in the Sermon on the Mount. 🙂 My nieces and nephew are back in Iowa in their schedule and now we must get back into our own routine.
Matthew 5:9 Blessed (enjoying enviable happiness, spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the makers andmaintainers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God!
So let’s first look through the Sermon for references that apply to peacemakers. Now, you may catch some that we don’t.
Matthew 5: 22 But I say to you that everyone who continues to be angry with his brother or harbors malice (enmity of heart) against him shall be liable to and unable to escape the punishment imposed by the court; and whoever speaks contemptuously and insultingly to his brother shall be liable to and unable to escape the punishment imposed by the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, You cursed fool! [You empty-headed idiot!] shall be liable to and unable to escape the hell (Gehenna) of fire.
Matthew 5: 38 You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.
39 But I say to you, Do not resist the evil man [who injures you]; but if anyone strikes you on the right jaw or cheek, turn to him the other one too.
40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your undershirt (tunic), let him have your coat also.
41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two [miles].
42 Give to him who keeps on begging from you, and do not turn away from him who would borrow [at interest] from you.
43 You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy;
44 But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward can you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?
47 And if you greet only your brethren, what more than others are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles (the heathen) do that?
48 You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 6:
14 For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses.
Matthew 7:
Do not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves.
2 For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticizedand condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you.
3 Why do you stare from without at the very small particle that is in your brother’s eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam of timber that is in your own eye?
4 Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is the beam of timber in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your brother’s eye.
12 So then, whatever you desire that others would do to and for you, even so do also to andfor them, for this is (sums up) the Law and the Prophets.
Sons of God, a peacemaker, Jesus calls these two synonymous. We look through the Sermon and at first glance it may seem a list of dos and don’ts but look closer, friend, and you will find a guidebook for life. Jesus was an amazing man to follow along in His dust, to travel the road with Him, to hear Him teach and heal and love and live out all that He spoke.
2) peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord
3) security, safety, prosperity, felicity, (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous)
4) of the Messiah’s peace
a) the way that leads to peace (salvation)
5) of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is
Maker-to do
a) to act rightly, do well
1) to carry out, to execute
Sons–c) of those whom God esteems as sons, whom he loves, protects and benefits above others
1) in the OT used of the Jews
2) in the NT of Christians
3) those whose character God, as a loving father, shapes by chastisements (Heb. 12:5-8)
d) those who revere God as their father, the pious worshippers of God, those who in character and life resemble God, those who are governed by the Spirit of God, repose the same calm and joyful trust in God which children do in their parents (Rom. 8:14, Gal. 3:26 ), and hereafter in the blessedness and glory of the life eternal will openly wear this dignity of the sons of God. Term used preeminently of Jesus Christ, as enjoying the supreme love of God, united to him in affectionate intimacy, privy to his saving councils, obedient to the Father’s will in all his acts
So put this all together, with all the definitions and we realize that God is calling His sons to respond to His love by living our lives in peace. I’m sure you’ve noticed that we don’t seem to be living in times of peace, people don’t seem to be walking towards the peace of God. In fact, our world seems to be the opposite of peace.
Yet, God in His great love and mercy:
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father [of Eternity], Prince of Peace.
Romans 5:1Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more [certain], now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved (daily delivered from sin’s dominion) through His [resurrection] life.
And then, a large chunk from 2 Corinthians 5:
(I’m marking reconciled01) to change, exchange, as coins for others of equivalent value
a) to reconcile (those who are at variance)
b) return to favour with, be reconciled to one
c) to receive one into favour!)
14 For the love of Christ controls and urges and impels us, because we are of the opinionand conviction that [if] One died for all, then all died;
15 And He died for all, so that all those who live might live no longer to and for themselves, but to and for Him Who died and was raised again for their sake.
16 Consequently, from now on we estimate and regard no one from a [purely] human point of view [in terms of natural standards of value]. [No] even though we once did estimate Christ from a human viewpoint and as a man, yet now [we have such knowledge of Him that] we know Him no longer [in terms of the flesh].
17 Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!
18 But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him].
19 It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).
20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ’s personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God.
21 For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].
Have you ever spent much time in this passage? Mercy, this is amazing truth and I need to memorize this! Paul could not have sat down when he was dictating these amazing truths. God be praised that we have His Word and that it is life and we can open it when we want. May I never forget what a sweet gift I have in having the Bible readily available to me anytime.
Now, if you have noticed, um, I’m a little late and running long. I need to get moving. Part two tomorrow! Pray on. Pray on!!
Related articles
- The Hidden Path to Eternal Life Explained (gottasavetheworld.wordpress.com)
- Are You Comfortable Showing Mercy? (thebiblemeditator.wordpress.com)
- He did it only once (ljpiteo.wordpress.com)
- The Model Prayer (uphans7.wordpress.com)
- Love Your Enemies (gottasavetheworld.wordpress.com)
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