Peacemakers in a world at war...

 Matthew 5

9 ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 

The world in which I live knows very little of happiness. It would be easy to point to the great events taking place on the world stage like war and famine as examples of lack of happiness. However, I also mean that it is my local experience of everyday life as a person that bears witness to the lack of the blessed happy state that Jesus talks about. For most people the blessed state, happiness, is a hope rather than a reality.   This does not mean that there are no transient times of enjoyment, good company, family joy and celebrations. In fact I would say that people are addicted to these celebrations and having entertaining experiences; in fact if a church does not entertain and provide diversions from the lived reality it has little chance of being rated as church. The call to discipleship is diluted with the call for a diversion from struggle of everyday life. In short there is little sign in people and communities around me living as the blessed. Let me be clear. I am talking about those who claim to be disciples of Jesus of the Nazareth Sermon not just those who practice other faiths or none at all.   This is striking when we remember that in our country of Scotland the story of Jesus has been taught in one form or another for over 1500 years. Something has gone very wrong indeed. In my own culture, the prosperity gospel, name it and claim it gospel and the return to a reliance on pre-reformation supernaturalism of the miraculous has had some influence in maintaining this discontent. These gospels have to keep their followers discontent to survive; there has always got to be a “deeper healing” that evades us to keep us on the treadmill of seeking that which we do not have. There are also those who have to keep people on the treadmill of their pure theology; those who do not accept it are dangerous heretics the real enemy of the flock. Its all down to your personal belief but it has to be the same as theirs.    However, it would be superficial and ungracious to blame the contemporary aberrant non biblical gospels for the unhappiness experienced by those who genuinely, deep down have a God given conviction to follow Jesus. In the world and culture of Jesus time there were many aberrant gospels. We can all call to mind some of them: conservative Pharisees, liberal Sadducees, violent Zealots not to mention those fickle crowds seeking the meal with a miracle; the first century versions of the ‘deeper healing’, politically correct and the theologically pure. Jesus taught another way. Jesus taught that the fulfilment of the promises of God for the blessed state was inaugurated by Him (Luke 4: 16-30). Jesus taught that this blessed / happiness life experience was achieved through participating in the Kingdom of God; participating in the practice of the values, attitudes and beliefs that Jesus taught.  This is what Jesus called peace-making. It’s a personal, social, psychological and environmental practice of the peace of knowing we are loved and that we are capable of loving. Jesus the Divine Son of God has fulfilled the potential of authentic humanity. Happiness is not just a state of peace it’s a participation in peace-making. Jesus did not just teach about peace He made peace happen. We are unhappy because we will not make peace with God, ourselves or with our neighbours. Jesus came to save us from the aberrant gospels that privatise salvation at the expense of community salvation and vice versa. The authentic Gospel of peace-making is practiced individually and collectively as communities of disciples. We are interdependent. Wholeness of self and community is achieved through the complete work of Jesus’ in His making peace for us in His teachings and in His Cross. He now invites us to participate with Him. Do we need some happiness? Then let us make peace today and every day by putting into practice the teachings and practices of Jesus.