My church is going through a sermon series on The Sermon on the Mount. The scripture for this week’s sermon was from The Beatitudes.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Matthew 5:9
My pastor noted that Jesus did not say, blessed are peace lovers or blessed are peace demonstrators. He said blessed are the peacemakers.
Peacemakers are peace doers. Jesus practiced peacemaking when he healed lepers so they were no longer social outcasts. He made peace when he freed people who were possessed by demons.
Today, Christians spread messages of peace throughout the Christmas season. Peace on earth! Goodwill towards men!
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Luke 2:14
We don’t say much about peace the rest of the year.
My pastor asked, “Do you know peace today?” My answer to that question is yes and no. God brings me peace, and I am at peace with God. I am at peace with myself. I live in peace with almost everyone because I do absolutely do not like conflict. But I am not at peace with what is going on in the world today. Corruption, deception, and injustice bring distress and unrest to my life, not peace.
My pastor then made an unexpected detour from the Beatitudes to Matthew 10:34-36, where Jesus says that he did not come to bring peace to earth.
Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a mother against her daughter, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law–a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.
Matthew 10:34-36
I am very familiar with Matthew 10:34-36. I have reflected on it many times. The sword is the truth of the gospel, and it divides those who believe from those who don’t. When you choose to follow Jesus, you may not be at peace with people who are not following Jesus. The sword of truth divides the faithful from the unfaithful.
Why this unexpected dissonance? Is Jesus for peace or not? Pastor Bob explained that while God is committed to peace, he is not committed to false peace.
So then, what is false peace? The Munich Agreement of 1938 is an example of false peace. The agreement allowed Hitler to annex part of Czechoslovakia. Neville Chamberlain thought that appeasing Hitler would bring peace. It did not bring peace. It emboldened Hitler.
Appeasement is false peace. Avoiding conflict is false peace. Being afraid to speak up and tell the truth is false peace.
False peace asks very little of us. It doesn’t require bravery. We risk nothing.
Is there false peace in your life? If so, ask God to help you.
Innermost Being 