Because last Sunday’s services were cancelled, we missed the opportunity to focus on the third of our Advent emphases from the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12). Here are some thoughts from the reading we would have heard together:
During this season of Advent, the season of expectation, we’ve seen that humility and mourning are two defining aspects of God’s eternal kingdom. Now we meditate on another attitude. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).
Jesus was born in a region marked by years of conflict. He lived among people who disagreed with family members, friends, and neighbors. Earthly rulers were corrupt and selfish. And, worst of all, humanity was in rebellion against God’s good and perfect rule: “the mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so” (Romans 8:7).
Into this raging war, Jesus came, not simply to have peace in his own heart, but to be peace, to make peace where there was none. “In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them” (2 Corinthians 5:19). He, then, is our peace (Ephesians 2:14), if we repent of our rebellion and believe in his name.
Because our world is not at peace, he has committed the message of reconciliation to us. As his ambassadors, we plead with all who have not yet trusted in him to be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:19-20). We seek to live at peace with everyone, as far as it depends on us (Romans 12:18), though we grieve because this is not always possible. Nation fights against nation, and we put up dividing walls of hostility in our communities. So we eagerly anticipate the day every wrong is made right, the final war is won, and God’s people reign with him forever. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Our prayer is that the Holy Spirit would give to us the mind of Christ, our Savior, so that we understand our deep need to be reconciled to him. We ask for him to help us seek peace and restoration in our relationships. Oh that our beautiful community would point each other, and our watching world, to our need for Jesus’ perfect restoration of our relationship with the Father. We need his help to put to death all idolatry and pride. We long for his kingdom to be fully established in our hearts and our world, so we ask him to enable us to patiently trust him as we increasingly submit to his rule as our King.
