Sermon on the Mount: Reconcilers

If there is one thing that God has called us as Christians to be is reconcilers. Why? Because Jesus himself was the great reconciler.

When there was a huge gap between God and us because of our sin, Jesus came down and died on a cross, taking the punishment for our sin. Now, because of what he has done, we have peace with God.

So when we can bring peace between two people who are at war, we prove ourselves to be “sons (and daughters) of God.”

God hates it when the children he loves are in conflict with each other. And so he calls us as his children to step in where we can to help bring peace.

This is not to say that we are to step into every conflict we see. Proverbs warns us against getting involved in conflicts that we have no connection with. (Proverbs 26:17)

But when you see people that you love fighting, you should do what you can to bring peace.

To be sure, you need to be careful about the timing, and also you will need God’s wisdom as to how do so.

Above all, you should have the love and respect of the people you’re dealing with. Without a relationship with the warring parties, you’re more likely to do harm than to do good.

But there’s an even more important way in which God calls us to be reconcilers. We are to be people that help bring reconciliation between God and those around us.

The apostle Paul wrote,

All this (i.e. salvation) is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.

And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

What an awesome responsibility. Jesus did the work of salvation on the cross. But now God tells us, “I put it in your hands now. It’s your responsibility to reach out as my ambassadors.”

What message do we pass on?

We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

It is, of course, not up to us to change people’s hearts. That can only be done by the Holy Spirit. But we are called to be reconcilers, people who help bring peace between God and the people he loves.

Jesus tells us,

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)

Are you a peacemaker?