This week we are considering the seventh Beatitude,
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)
We can define a peacemaker as those who seek to bring people to peace with God and others.
Our relationships with those inside and outside the church are constantly under threat. As Christians, we are to understand how God has loved us and then imitate this in our relationships.
Yesterday we saw how a Christian becomes a peacemaker by virtue of his new birth by the Spirit. However, this does not make healthy relationships easy or automatic.
Paul, in Romans 14-15:13, speaks of very practical issues such as quarrelling over what we can eat (14:2), how we treat different days (14:5) and drinking (14:21). Paul teaches that a Christian is free, but they must not use their freedom recklessly. He writes,
‘Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarrelling over disputable matters.’ (Romans 14:1)
‘Disputable matters’ are the kinds of things in this chapter. Love means that we don’t fall out over such matters; we need to understand our freedom but love those with weaker consciences.
God urges us,
‘Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.’ (Romans 14:20)
We need to try to help people with weak consciences to know what Jesus permits. However, we must do all that we can not to use our freedom in such a way that it puts pressure on people to go against their consciences.
RESPONSE
Paul urges us,
‘Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.’ (Romans 14:19)
This is such a great principle to remember in all of our relationships. Are we making every effort to maintain peaceful relationships? Do we talk to people with differences of opinion with gentleness? Do we listen well? To those outside of the church, do we, likewise, seek peace? Do we put inflammatory things on social media? Do we spread fire and disquiet rather than peace?
COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY - BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS
Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
Suggested opener/Ice-breaker
When have you acted as a peacemaker and/or have you had an example of your efforts to make peace going wrong?
Introduction - please share in your group
This week in our discipleship series, we are considering the seventh of the Beatitudes,
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)
We can define a peacemaker as those who seek to bring people to peace with God and others.
Being a peacemaker, most importantly, involves our being at peace with God and then helping others to have peace with God.
Peace with God is the biggest need of all human beings. All face God's wrath for sin and need salvation.
A Christian is ‘justified through faith’. Justification is a legal idea. It’s to be declared righteous (without sin!) regardless of our behaviour. At the moment of faith, God sees us as having kept the law perfectly in Christ. Peace with God is not the result of our good works. Rather, it by faith in Christ. We read,
‘Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (Romans 5:1)