Exposition of Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

I.    Blessed: Happiness or inward joy that comes from God

• Blessed are those who seek to be emptied: The spiritually poor, those who mourn, those who are humble,
• Blessed are those who seek to be filled: Righteousness, Mercy
• Blessed are those who do all of these with a purity of motive

II.   Blessed are those who seek peace in relationships, Matthew 5:9

• Peacemakers shall be called “sons of God”
• Peace and peacemakers
  • Peace and Jewish Culture
    • Wholeness that comes from God: Psalm 85:8-9
    • Wholeness that comes when pursued in others: Psalm 34:14
  • Peace in New Testament Theology
    • The word of God to the world: Luke 2:14
    • The work of God in His Son Jesus Christ: Romans 5:1
    • The work of Christ in His disciples: John 16:33
  • We are most like God when we reconcile broken relationships even at great personal cost for this is what God Himself has done in His Son Jesus Christ

 

III.  The promise that staggers the imagination

• “They shall be called sons of God”
• Progression of blessings for kingdom citizens – in the kingdom, receive comfort, inherit the earth, satisfied, receive mercy, see God, called sons of God