Attitudes and actions that garner God’s blessings
• What is this series about?
• An examination of 21 attitudes and behaviors
identified in the New Testament as “blessed”
• A look at Christian conduct and characteristics
that will enrich our lives with lasting joy
• A look at the condition of those who lack
these qualities
• Outline (Matthew 5:9)
• “Blessed are the peacemakers”
• “For they shall be called sons of God”
• The cursed life
Alfred Nobel: a man who wanted to be remembered as
a peacemaker…
• Blessed are the peacemakers (Matt. 5:9)
• Peace – harmony, tranquility; absence of turmoil, conflict
• Peacemaker: a person who brings about peace, especially by
reconciling adversaries
• Consider Abram’s peacemaking effort (Gen. 13:5-8)
• He engaged calmly, sought a solution, accepted the lesser gain
• A peacemaker actively seeks peace (Rom. 12:18)
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Reconciles with his brother (Matt. 5:23-24)
Makes friends with his opponent (Matt. 5:25-26)
Loves and greets even his enemies (Matt. 5:44-47)
Accepts minor offenses (1 Cor. 6:7)
“Pursue peace with all men” (Heb. 12:14)
But not at the expense of purity! (Jms. 3:17)
• Our role as peacemakers
• Peace does not happen automatically
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Peace must be pursued (Rom. 14:19)
Peace must be defended, preserved (Eph. 4:3)
Peace must characterize our way of life (1 Thess. 5:13)
Pray for others so we may have peace (1 Tim. 2:1-2)
• Preaching peace between men and God
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We preach the Gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15)
Friendship with the world makes one an enemy of God (Jms. 4:4)
Peace with God is through Jesus’ blood (Col. 1:20)
Peace with God requires the individual’s faith (Rom. 5:1)
• Making peace in the local church (Eph. 4:2-3)
• Remember that we are one body (1 Cor. 12:25-27)
• Elders must be peaceable (1 Tim. 3:3)
• “pursue the things which make for peace and the building
up of one another” (Rom. 14:19)
• Dealing with strife in the local church
• Peace is not achieved by tolerating troublemakers, yielding to
bullies, or compromising with sin…
• Brethren should mediate between one another (1 Cor. 6:1-8)
• Sinners, false teachers and troublemakers must repent
• Sometimes the only way to make peace is to drive out the
troublemaker (Rom. 16:17-18)
• “For they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9)
• “I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an
everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them and
multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in their midst forever”
(Ezek. 37:26)
• “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting
nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will
be sons of the Most High” (Luke 6:35)
• “To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly,
kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or
insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called
for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing” (1 Pet.
3:8-9)
• The cursed life: Cursed are the troublemakers, for
they are children of Satan
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Peace-breakers cause discord and ruin relationships
A short temper (Prov. 15:18)
Gossip & slander (Prov. 16:28)
Breaking confidentiality by repeating secrets (Prov. 17:9)
Meddling in another’s affairs (Prov. 20:3; 26:17)
Deceit in the heart (Ps. 28:3; 35:20)
Arrogance/pride (Prov. 28:25)
Seeking sordid gain (Titus 1:10-11)
The one who spreads strife is an abomination to God (Prov. 6:16-19)
• Summary
• God is a God of peace, and calls us to be peacemakers
• Peacemakers are children of God
• Troublemakers are an abomination to God and harmful
to the pursuit of peace
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called sons of God!
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Believe in Jesus Christ (John 14:1; Acts 16:30-34)
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Repent of your past sins (Acts 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9)
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Baptism puts you into Christ (Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27)
Baptism is for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16)
Baptism saves you (1 Peter 3:21)
Be faithful until death (Revelation 2:10)
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Declare your belief that Jesus is God’s Son (Acts 8:37)
Receive Baptism (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:12)
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Commit yourself to holy conduct (Acts 26:30; Titus 2:11-12)
Confess your faith (Matthew 10:32)
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That He died for your sins and was resurrected (1 Cor. 15:3-4)
Trust His grace and obey His commands (Hebrews 5:9)
Or face the retribution due to those who do not obey
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2 Thessalonians 1:8; Romans 2:8; John 3:36
Pray without ceasing…Practice what Jesus preached…Prepare for our next assembly