Studiesin

James Presentation 13

The Structure of the BookIntroduction and Trials in the Christian Life (1: 1-8)Happiness in our Circumstances(1: 9-11)Trial, Temptation and Gift (1: 12-18)Hindrances to Fruitfulness(1: 19-21)Doers and Hearers (1: 22-25)True Religion (1: 26-27)Favouritism (2: 1-7)The Royal Law (2: 8-12a)Showing Mercy (2.12b-13]Faith and Works (2:14-26)Teachers and the Tongue (3: 1-12)True and False Wisdom, (3: 13-17)Peacemakers (3: 18)Defeat Through Lack of Submission(4: 1-6)Victory Through Submission(4: 7—10)Judging One Another (4: 11-12)Boasting of Tomorrow (4: 13-17) The Misuse of Wealth(5: 1-6)The Need of Patience (5: 7-12)Appropriate Responses (5:13-16)Restoring the Wanderer (5:17-20)

Presentation 13

PeacemakersChap 3v18

Presentation 13

IntroductionOn Sept 2nd 1945 the surrender ceremony of the Japanese Army took place . General McCarthur said,

"We have had our last chance if we do not now devise some greater ... system, Armageddon will be at our door. The problem is basically theological and involves a spiritual...improvement of human character."

He realised that the challenge of a new beginning was not primarily, political, military or, economic but SPIRITUAL. Many voices cried out for political reorganisation, which resulted in the establishment of the UN. Others were crying out for re-armament which led to the arms race. Others cried for rebuilding a prosperous world and that led to the rat race!

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Introduction

James also argues that the lack of peace is due to spiritual disorder and therefore the remedy must also be spiritual. Peace can only occur as men understand that the real battlefront is in their hearts.

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?”v1

Clearly the cause and the solution are spiritual.

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The Need for PeaceThe world hasn't really changed since James first wrote. Peace doesn't exist naturally in our world. It's been calculated that in the last 4000 years there has only been 300 years without a major war somewhere in the world. And things aren't improving as situations of conflict scream out at us from our T.V. sets.

Family life is in chaos. In the West almost 1 in 3 marriages end in divorce [over a million a year in Iran and rising]. These leave behind a trail of bitterness and recrimination. Youngsters are leaving home and sleeping in the streets rather than endure domestic strife. Football stadiums are now designed to keep warring groups of fans apart. Security entry systems in buildings are now commonplace. Self-defence classes are doing a roaring trade.

The Need for PeaceThe French Philosopher Albert Camus said that every century had a special characteristic. The 17th century was characterised : by mathematics, the 18th century by physical science, the 19th century by biology and the 20th century by fear.

What a terrible comment upon a century that has made so much progress. In spite of the many advances made elsewhere man seems incapable of stabilising himself. His life is increasingly characterised by fear, insecurity unrest and turmoil - a lack of peace.

People often say, "I don't know what the world is coming to". And in doing so they express very real surprise.

The Need for PeaceGeneral McCarthur wouldn't be surprised, James wouldn't be surprised, Christians shouldn't be surprised and God certainly isn't surprised, for the root of the problem is spiritual. Man is by nature out of harmony with God, with himself, and with those around him. Any approach to peacemaking that doesn't recognise that is doomed to failure.

At the close of the school day two older boys were fighting each other. As a crowd of children gathered to witness the battle a solidly built adult pulled the boys apart. By the power of his intimidating personality he "persuaded" them to shake hands. And there was peace until he was out of sight they were at it again. Why? Because the basic problem had not been addressed. The enmity was not removed. The adult hadn't truly reconciled them for he could not change their natures.

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The God of PeaceDoes this mean there's no hope for man? No! But it does underline the inadequacy of human attempts, commendable as they are, to establish peace. Over against this background of human turmoil, God describes himself as a God of Peace. The Hebrew word "Shalom" translated ‘peace’ means much more than the ‘cessation of war’ - it means ‘perfect welfare, serenity, prosperity, happiness, harmony with the created order and uninterrupted goodwill between parties. The Greek word for “peace” is ‘eirene’, which carries the idea of ‘union after separation, reconciliation after a contest or a quarrel’. Because of his sin man is out of harmony with God, himself and others. God has established peace by sending his Son into the world was to restore harmony. To reconcile the estranged.

ש��לו�םΕἰρήνη

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The God of PeaceGod is the great PEACEMAKER. On the night of Jesus’ birth the angelic messengers told the shepherds that God's Peace child was born in order to bring ‘peace on earth’. How was Jesus to do that? His great work of peacemaking would be established through his death on the cross. [Eph 2.13-18]For there he dealt with the sin of man which estranged him from God and from his fellows. Speaking of the wonder of the cross Paul tells us,

"God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself... and he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Cor 5v19

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The Christian PeacemakerGladys Blackburne, a retired schoolteacher living in Northern Ireland, was appalled at the sectarian violence in her land. She asked God what she might do to promote peace. She began by visiting the terrorists in the Maze prison . She shared the gospel of God's reconciling love with men for whom hatred and bitterness had been a way of life since their teens.

She experienced ridicule and abuse BUT also saw the transforming power of the gospel at work in men from both sides of the sectarian divide. First they discovered peace with God and then with those who had been their enemies.

The Christian PeacemakerRecently two men who had discovered the power of the gospel of reconciliation, Liam and Jimmy attended a Prison Fellowship conference at which Liam said:

“My hope is to believe that God is changing the hearts of men like Jimmy and me, that's the only hope I have for peace in Northern Ireland. Before if I had seen Jimmy on the street, I would have shot him. Now he's my brother in Christ. I would die for him."What had happened?

Cf. Eph 2.14-18.

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The Christian PeacemakerChristians have a great truth to share and to work out in their own daily lives. When the Christian experiences the joy of reconciliation with God he has a great incentive to seek reconciliation with others. If God has put away all the barriers to rich fellowship with himself, then the Christian will want to put aside those hindrances that cause him to be estranged from others. Indeed, he will want to guard and maintain this precious gift of peace which God has bestowed.

Are we supremely motivated to seek to bring men and women first into a right relationship with God. And to work for the healing of divisions between man and his fellows and thirdly to help men live at peace with themselves?

The Christian PeacemakerMake no mistake, peacemaking is hard work! It’s surely for this reason that James uses an agricultural metaphor in v18 when he speaks of those who ‘sow in peace’.

The farmer’s task is one of the most physically demanding. He does not simply sit at his warm fireside and flick through his seed catalogues and dream of rich harvests. His job involves getting knee deep in mud, being out in all kinds of weather and working long hours.

Being a Christian peacemaker can be an exhausting business – not a very romantic picture!

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The Christian PeacemakerWe mustn't underestimate the power of the gospel to bring peace. The God of peace has done all that is necessary in Christ to dismantle the barriers that sin has built between man and God and man and his fellow.

We need to begin by promoting peace in the routine of daily life. What will this mean for the Christian peacemaker? First he will sow peace by the way in which he speaks. He'll control his tongue. James has previously made clear just how much strife is produced by ill-advised speech? The harsh word will not be spoken, the cutting sarcasm will not be indulged in. He will not retaliate when someone speaks ill of him. He will be careful in the stories he repeats.

The Christian PeacemakerBeing a peacemaker involves striving sympathetically to understand opposite views and of risking, being misunderstood if we do not agree with all we are hearing. Example: Suppose your best friend tells you that they've been invited to a wedding but their children haven't. They are furious and have decided not to go or buy a wedding present. They say they will not even speak to the person who had treated them badly! Your friend wants your support. They want you to say, "Good for you, you have behaved correctly". But the peacemaker will not give such blanket approval even to their best friend. They might suggest that the couple getting married couldn't afford a large wedding or because so many of their friends had large families it would be impracticable to invite all the children. You may risk misunderstanding for speaking in this way but that is the risk peacemaking involves.

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The Christian PeacemakerThe peacemaker attempts to understand what produces broken relationships. A wife asked her husband to repair a light. He promised to do so. The next day she asks again - the light is necessary for food preparation in the kitchen. He promises to do so but with some irritation. A week later she asks again . He he tells her to stop being annoying. A simple thing had become a source of great tension. Having promised to do the work the husband should have done it. His failure to do so sent signals to his wife indicating that he refused to take her problems seriously. To her it revealed a flaw in the man she loved. He seemed irresponsible and his lack of action called his care into question. The peacemaker will face up to his own weaknesses and deal with them. Does this seem trite when compared to visiting the Maze prison? Nevertheless such action is fundamental to the role of peace.

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ConclusionPeacemaking is hard work, whether we're dealing with hardened terrorists , embittered friends, or family relationships. But the fruit of that hard work is a ‘harvest of righteousness’ v18 as people are brought into a right relationship with God, with one another and with themselves. We need to ask, ‘Do I promote peace?’ or ‘Do I promote enmity?’ ‘Do I pour oil on troubled waters or do I delight in stirring them up?’ ‘Do I put the brakes on the hatred, hostility and resentment of others or do I press their accelerator pedal?’ If we've no concern for peacemaking, then we need to ask if we have yet tasted the wonder of God's reconciling love in our own lives? Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.“ Matt. 5v9. In other words they will show themselves to be children of their Father in heaven by engaging in a peacemaking role.