Vol. 1 Issue 18
BLESSED ARE THE PEACE MAKERS
FOR THEY WILL BE CALLED SONS OF GOD
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion,“your God reigns!” Isaiah 52:7
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem
“May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls
Prosperity within your palaces”
For the sake of my brethren and companions
I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
Because of the house of the Lord our God
I will seek your good. Psalm 122:6-9
And, O gracious God, we pray for peace, peace in the world,
peace in our Nation, and peace in our hearts.
Dr. David Burr
And, O gracious God, we pray for peace, peace in the world,
peace in our Nation, and peace in our hearts.
Dr. David Burr
The Peace of Jerusalem
Hebrews understand peace in the form of a concept known as shalom. Shalom is a noun that comes from the root word shalem that means, “to be complete or whole”. A person who is “at peace” is one who is both self-fulfilled and enjoying a good relationship with God and his fellow men. Shalom is used as we may use the common greeting, “How are you?” It is also similar to the Hawaiian word, “aloha”, in that it is used both as a salutation and a benediction. The phrase literally asks the person whom you greet, “ Is all well with you?”, and implores to someone departing, “May things be well with you.” Shalom is a concept that includes both personal well-being and success. In both the salutation and benediction, the use of shalom imparts a hope for health, happiness and well-being. The concept of peace then is more than mere absence of conflict, but truly is the affirmative presence of good and positive things, both temporal and spiritual.
President Bill Clinton used the occasion of addressing members of the Israeli parliament to display his New Testament acumen. Proud of recent efforts to eliminate hostilities between Israeli and Palestinians, the President attempted to quote the seventh Beatitude. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall inherit the earth”. It is easy to forgive the President for misquoting the Bible. For President Clinton, and others who read the seventh Beatitude, the words may “sound like a mere conventional religious generalization, even a sententious platitude of the kind too often favored by people who are anxious to be edifying without having anything in particular to say.”(The Sermon on the Mount, by Emmett Fox, p.40)
It may have been politically expedient for President Clinton to bless Middle Eastern peacemakers with an inheritance of the earth, but Christ has chosen to bless peacemakers with a greater moniker, “for they shall be called sons of God”. The phrase, “Sons of…”, is a description of a personal characteristic. For example, if you were called a “son of a lion”, you would be considered fearless; a “son of a dog”, you would be considered a scoundrel. Therefore, a maker of peace is a person who exhibits qualities of God Himself. Peace is a concept we all understand. It is a condition of life we hope to maintain. “Peace be with you”, “Peace, brother”, “Make Peace not War”, and “No Justice, No Peace” are all slogans with which we are all familiar. The Apostle Paul admonishes Christians “as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Rom.12:18 ) Christians should be peaceable people. We must pray for those who make our lives miserable and bless those who curse us. Vengeance must be left to God. Christians should avoid conflict for both temporal and spiritual reasons. On the other hand, peacemaking is not a concept so well understood. As with each preceding Beatitude, this is a word Jesus chose to describe His disciples. Peacemaking, like poverty of spirit, mourning, meekness, hunger for righteousness, mercy, and purity of heart, is not an attribute naturally found within the human psyche. Rather, it is characteristic of the new man Jesus is creating in each of us. With this in mind, let’s consider how we become peacemakers.
It may have been politically expedient for President Clinton to bless Middle Eastern peacemakers with an inheritance of the earth, but Christ has chosen to bless peacemakers with a greater moniker, “for they shall be called sons of God”. The phrase, “Sons of…”, is a description of a personal characteristic. For example, if you were called a “son of a lion”, you would be considered fearless; a “son of a dog”, you would be considered a scoundrel. Therefore, a maker of peace is a person who exhibits qualities of God Himself. Peace is a concept we all understand. It is a condition of life we hope to maintain. “Peace be with you”, “Peace, brother”, “Make Peace not War”, and “No Justice, No Peace” are all slogans with which we are all familiar. The Apostle Paul admonishes Christians “as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Rom.
The prophet Isaiah describes Jesus as the “Prince of Peace”. Yet, history teaches that countless people have lost their lives in war and persecution in the name of Jesus. Peace among men has not resulted from the presence of Christians in this world. How then is Jesus the Prince of Peace? Eschatological teaching promises an eternal kingdom in which the Peace of Jerusalem will reign in the hearts of all men. Theologically, Jesus is the “maker” of peace between God and man. A rift exists between man and God. Our sin, our enmity breaks down our relationship with our Creator. Nothing we can do will ever restore the relationship. Our differences are irreconcilable. God is God and we will not obey. Jesus makes reference to a certain type of peace that He brings to the world. “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid… Find your peace in me.” (Jn 14:27 ; 16:33 ) Jesus is referring to a theological peace. It is a peace between man and God. His death and resurrection reconciles the Creator with His creation. Paul calls Christ “our living Peace”. (Eph.2: 14) In his letter to the church in Rome Jerusalem
Becoming a peacemaker does not end with mere acceptance of the saving grace of Christ. In fact, as Jesus sets forth the Beatitudes, He is not describing the results of justification. Rather, He is describing attributes developed in each of us through sanctification. As Jesus is a peacemaker, so also shall we be instruments of His Peace. We cannot just bask in the reflection of His great accomplishment. Instead, we must understand as we are reconciled to God, there are attendant consequences to such reconciliation. Consider the observation of the Apostle Paul: “All this is God’s doing, for he has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ; and he has made us agents of reconciliation. God was in Christ personally reconciling the world to him…and has commissioned us with the message of reconciliation. We are now Christ’s ambassadors as though God is appealing directly to you through us. As his personal representatives we say, ‘Make your peace with God.”(II Corin.5:19-20)
Peacemakers have a burning passion. Seeing what God has done in their own lives, peacemakers have to tell others. As disciples of Jesus, we are His living breathing advertisement. We reflect His glory; we are His light in a dark world. Christians have something that the rest of the world is looking for. We have the peace of
Consider the father of the prodigal son. A rift had developed between the father and the son. The rift was in no way the fault of the father. The son was greedy, inconsiderate and rebellious. He took his inheritance, sold it for cash and moved to a far-off country. There the son squandered his money on the wildest of extravagance and soon found himself destitute and alone. Knowing his father to be a good man, he decided to return home, hoping for mercy. At worst, he would be killed; at best, he may be allowed to work as a servant. Seeing the son approach, the father had a choice to make. He could reject the man as his son. He could accept the man as a servant. He could embrace him as his lost child returning home. The relationship with his son was broken through no fault of his own. Yet, the choice he was to make would determine if rift would be mended and reconciliation would take place. The father understood something about intimate relationships. Without hesitation, the father ran to meet his son. Embracing him, he led him home where he clothed him with his own robe and celebrated his return with a feast. The father is a peacemaker. As he watched his child walk up the road, the father was moved with emotion. His son was a most pitiable sight. Understanding the plight of his son, any father would have had compassion. Unfortunately, emotion alone is not enough to foster reconciliation. Seeing the needs of his son and feeling compassion for him, the father could have exhibited mercy by allowing the son to work as a servant. This act of mercy would have met the needs of the son, but would not have reconciled him with his father. In addition to compassion and mercy, the father offered grace. Peacemakers must be more than compassionate, and must do more than offer mercy.
Peacemakers must be bridge builders. “A peacemaker is a person who comes to that difficult point in a relationship – when it’s time to put up or shut up, stay in or get out – and decides to ‘make every effort to do what leads to peace’. A peacemaker refuses to give up on people they are tied to by blood or commitments or faith. To the best of their ability, peacemakers preserve the relationship by pursuing peace.” (Walk This Way, Tim Woodruff, p.161) In a world of disposable families and unreliable friendships, how refreshing it is to see Christians working to restore broken relationships! How blessed are those who work to reconcile relationships with family and friends! Shalom!
In 1992, Kernersville Moravian Church
Christians must take responsibility for their own attitudes. That is why Jesus instructs that, should a disciple have anything against another brother in Christ, such conflict should be confessed and the slate cleared immediately, lest the conflict interfere with their relationship with God. (
Dr. David Burr died July 10,2011. He was 90 years old. A Navy Frogman in the Pacific during World War II, he knew the meaning of war. Because of this he chose a life dedicated to peace. He became a Presbyterian minister and was the shepherd of the congregation of First Presbyterian Church in Winston-Salem, NC for decades. He began ministries to help the homeless, started Crisis Control Ministry, Samaritan Ministries, Forsyth Jail and Prison Ministries, the Housing Authority of Winston Salem and Hospice. He married scores of young people and represented Christ on earth to hundreds more. He personified "Shalom" in his life and by reflection in the lives of others. Never shy with an opinion, he was always gentle and kind. Always an encouragement to others and a leader by example. If you met David Burr, you became his friend. Always called on for public prayer, Dr. Burr always ended his missive with a resounding "Hallelujah!". Dr. Burr was a man vertically aligned with God and horizontally aligned with his fellow man. He lived the concept of "shalom".
His son, Richard was elected to Congress and while there invited his father to open the legislative session with prayer Dr. Burr provided a glimpse at what gave him such peace. He understood the human condition. Because of this he understood the role that a relationship with Christ plays in our lives. Before Congress he prayed: "we are prone to all the weaknesses of human character. We are selfish and often think our ways best. Therefore, we ask for wisdom and guidance." A newspaper writer aptly described Dr. Burr as a man who displayed the "better angels of our nature."
There is a bit of shalom in each of us. Whenever I was around Dr. Burr I was at peace. I am a better man because the friendship I shared with Dr. David Burr. May God grant unto those who mourn his loss His Grace and His Peace.
How blessed are we to enjoy the peace of
Lord make me an instrument of your peace!
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, let me sow pardon.
Where there is doubt, let me sow faith.
Where there is despair, let me sow hope.
Where there is darkness, let me sow light.
Where there is sadness, let me sow joy.
Shalom Dr. Burr! Hallelujah!
April 21, 1921-July 10 2011PRAYER (House of Representatives - November 14, 1995)
[Page: H12201] GPO's PDF
Rev. Dr. David Burr , pastor emeritus, First Presbyterian Church, Winston-Salem, NC, offered the following prayer:
O merciful God, in this season of thanksgiving, we humble ourselves before You and give thanks. Thanksgiving for this blessed land; thanksgiving for this special place and these chosen leaders; thanksgiving for the freedom to debate and represent the people; thanksgiving for our homes and families; thanksgiving for Your eternal presence.
As we give thanks O God, we acknowledge that we are prone to all the weaknesses of human character.
We are selfish, and often think our ways are always the best ways.
Therefore, we ask for wisdom and guidance; we ask for courage that we may be faithful; we ask for patience that we may be fair; we ask for health that we may complete the task before us.
And, O gracious God, we pray for peace, peace in the world, peace in our Nation, and peace in our hearts.
With thanksgiving. Amen.
PRAYER (Senate - February 26, 1998)
[Page: S1035] GPO's PDF
May I remind ladies and gentlemen, today there will be an eclipse of the Sun in the United States. We are always praying for light.
Let us bow our heads before Almighty God.
O God of light, the giver of every good and perfect gift. Our prayer today is that You will break through the darkness of our lives; that You will shatter the barriers of our blindness with the splendor of Your wisdom and presence.
In the beginning, You created the light that leads to green pastures and still waters; You gave us the wisdom to walk in truth and to live in peace with one another.
But, Father, we confess that our minds and hearts are so limited to our selfish ways, that we do not always heed that light. We confess that sometimes we prefer to linger in the shadows and in the darkness.
But make today the beginning of a new adventure for our lives and for the Senate of the United States. Guide us in all our ways and flood this place with the splendor of Your light.
And we will rejoice and we will give praise to you forever and ever. Amen.
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