The Peace Of Christ - Making Peace With Enemies

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                         "THE PEACE OF CHRIST"

                       Making Peace With Enemies

INTRODUCTION

1. In this series we have seen that Jesus, the Prince of Peace,
   offers...
   a. Peace with God, through justification and reconciliation
   b. Peace with mankind, through abolishing racial and social barriers
   c. Peace with oneself, one that surpasses understanding and guards
      our heart
   d. Peace with families, when family members fulfill their duties to
      one another
   e. Peace with brethren, working and worshiping together in love and
      unity
   f. Peace with churches, by creating independent, autonomous churches

2. Finally, we will examine how Jesus teaches us to make peace with
   enemies...
   a. Who show animosity because we are Christians
   b. Or simply personal dislike for other reasons

[Let's begin by first pointing out...]

I. THE NEED FOR PEACE WITH ENEMIES

   A. ENEMIES CAN BE EVERYWHERE...
      1. Government - Lk 19:43
      2. Families - Mt 10:36
      3. Other religions - Ro 11:28
      4. In the church - Php 3:18
      5. Satan - 1Pe 5:8
      -- Not to sound paranoid, but the potential for enemies is great

   B. ENEMIES CAN BE TROUBLESOME...
      1. Physical persecution - Mt 10:17,21
      2. Spiritual turmoil - 2Co 11:26; Ga 2:4
      3. Causing problems in the family, at work, etc.
      -- Wherever there are enemies, the need for peace is great

[Jesus told us to expect tribulation (Jn 15:18-20).  But He also
promised peace (Jn 16:33).  While we may not always escape tribulation,
there are ways to often reduce the conflict.  Consider, then, how...]

II. JESUS MAKES PEACE WITH ENEMIES POSSIBLE

   A. BY PROVIDING PEACE WITH GOD...
      1. If at peace with God, He helps us to make peace with enemies
         - Pr 16:7
      2. Jesus makes peace with God through justification and
         reconciliation - Ro 5:1
      -- The first step to peace with enemies is to be at peace with God

   B. BY TEACHING US TO LOVE OUR ENEMIES...
      1. This He did on several occasions - Mt 5:44; Lk 6:27,35
      2. His apostles did so likewise - Ro 12:14,20
      3. Both Jesus and His apostles displayed such love - Lk 23:34;
         1Co 4:12-13
      4. This is agape love (active good will) - 1Co 13:4-8a
      5. The same love God showed toward us when we were His enemies- Ro
         5:6-11
      -- Peace with enemies is possible when we love them as God loved
         us

[Not all enemies will appreciate our efforts to show them love (cf. Ro
12:18).  But loving them as God loved us is the best way to have...]

III. THE PEACE WITH ENEMIES THAT JESUS MAKES POSSIBLE

   A. ONE THAT CAN TRANSFORM OUR ENEMIES...
      1. "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into
         friend." - Martin Luther King Jr.
      2. Did not God's love that transformed us when we were enemies?
         - Ro 5:10; Col 1:21-22
      -- Loving your enemies is the best hope for changing them

   B. ONE THAT CAN MAKE ENEMIES OUR FRIENDS...
      1. Transformed by love, enemies can become friends
      2. Did not Joseph make his brothers who hated him his friends?
         - cf. Gen 50:15-21
      3. Did not God make us His people, who before were not His people?
         - cf. 1Pe 2:9-10
      -- The peace with enemies that Jesus offers is one most likely to
         make them our friends

   C. ONE THAT MAKES US MORE LIKE GOD...
      1. "It is easy enough to be friendly to one's friends. But to
         befriend the one who regards himself as your enemy is the
         quintessence of true religion. The other is mere business."
         - Gandhi
      2. Loving our enemies makes us more like God ("sons of your
         Father") - Mt 5:44-48
      -- Making peace with enemies is a God-like quality

CONCLUSION

1. As Jesus stated in His sermon on the mount:  "Blessed are the
   peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God." - Mt 5:9

2. We have seen that by following the Prince of Peace, we can
   experience...
   a. Peace with God, through justification and reconciliation
   b. Peace with mankind, through abolishing racial and social barriers
   c. Peace with oneself, one that surpasses understanding and guards
      our heart
   d. Peace with families, when family members fulfill their duties to
      one another
   e. Peace with brethren, working and worshiping together in love and
      unity
   f. Peace with churches, by creating independent, autonomous churches
   g. Peace with enemies, by transforming them into friends through
      God-like love

Enjoying such peace, let us then prove to be true sons of God by
becoming peacemakers ourselves and  introducing others to Jesus, the
Prince of Peace...!

                "The LORD bless you and keep you;
                 The LORD make His face shine upon you,
                    And be gracious to you;
                 The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
                     And give you peace."
                                          - Num 6:24-26
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