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MATTHEW 5:9

"BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS" 
THIRD CHARACTERISTIC OF A CHRISTIAN

I. WHAT IS PEACE?
        A. It is not a truce or agreement not to fight.
        B. It is not a national or international condition.
                1. "The world is at peace" (no world wars).
        C. It is a condition that prevails in an individual's life when He surrenders to God.

II. MAN'S BASIC CONFLICT IS WITH GOD.
        A. All wars, fightings result from this conflict.
        B. Immediately points up folly of U.N.
                1. Treating symptoms not cause.
                        a. A cure is never found by treating symptoms.
                        b. You might relieve but never cure.
                2. Men of war seeking to effect peace.
                3. Scripture declares of false prophets who cry "peace, peace, when there is
                   no peace."
        C. The folly of man's conflict with God.
                1. What does he hope to gain?
                2. Impossible to win.
                        a. Should you successfully resist all your life then what have you.
                        b. You are fighting to go to hell, God is fighting to keep you from
                           it, so you win?
        D. A man cannot know peace when he is at war with God, peace only is known by those
           who have surrendered to God.

III. THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL, MAN CAN HAVE PEACE WITH GOD.
        A. God desires an end of conflict.
        B. His Holiness and our sinfulness can be reconciled.
                1. "Having made peace by the blood of His cross."
                2. "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself."
                3. On the cross He took our sins.
                        On the cross He gave the power over sin. 
                        Through faith in the cross righteousness imputed.
        C. Peace with God is possible by God removing our sin and giving us His righteousness.
        D. All that is necessary to our peace is to surrender to the love of God.

IV. WHAT IS THE WORK OF THE PEACEMAKER?
        A. Not the educating of the illiterate.
        B. Not standing between the battlers.
        C. Not the feeding of the hungry.
        D. Bringing men and women to Jesus Christ.
                "God has given to us the word of reconciliation, be ye reconciled to God."
        E. The peacemaker  is one who points men to God, that they might surrender to God and
           have peace.
                "Am I a peacemaker?"