We begin our study through Jesus’ Sermon the Mount, what I call The Greatest Sermon ever taught, in verse 9 of chapter 5 (See the previous two editions of WCN for earlier articles in this series).
Verse 9. What is a peacemaker? Is it someone who smooths out arguments? Is it someone who separates two people who are fighting? It could be, but more accurately, what Jesus is talking about here is much more than that.
A peacemaker is someone who changes the whole climate of what is going on in a situation. Let me illustrate it this way. There are basically two kinds of people. Thermostat and thermometer people.
A thermometer reflects the climate around it. If the room is cold, the thermometer is cold. If the room is hot, the thermometer is hot.
A thermostat, on the other hand, can change the climate of a room from a cold one to a warm one. A peacemaker is a thermostat person. A peacemaker can change the climate of a room when he or she walks in. Have you ever seen that happen?
Notice that peacemaking is one sure way to be identified with God. Godliness is demonstrated by those who change the climate and the culture in which they live.
Jes ...
