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SERMON: Blessed are the Peacemakers

SERMON: Blessed are the Peacemakers

Last updated on: November 22, 2025 at 9:25 am by Adrian Warnock

SERMON: Blessed are the Peacemakers 2025-11-22T09:25:37+00:00 Adrian Warnock

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This sermon was preached at Jubilee Church Wood Green. based on Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God” You can listen to the sermon here, or read the notes below. This is a sermon I found particularly challenging to prepare, and I ask you to pray for me as I pray for you that I may be able to practice the principles discussed in this message more. At this time of Christmas when the message “Peace on Earth” is proclaimed, may my home and your home be filled with peace.

1. What is peace? At one level the absence of war.

The cost of a lack of peace is huge: Peace is the most expensive commodity “Defense” spending 1.8 Trillion US Dollars for top 15 countries. If we moved all defense spending to help the unfortunate we could end poverty overnight.

There is more to Peace than war not happening!

“Shalom” =the absence of internal anxiety and external war:

Not alienation but acceptance

Not chaos but order

Not disruption but security

Not discord but harmony

Not danger but safety

Not anger but self-restraint

Not fear but the rest of faith

Not timidity but confidence

Not anxiety but calm

Not disorder but self-discipline

Not sense of being alone but being part of a people

Not loneliness but being known

Not a stranger but family

Not sickness but health

Not poverty but wealth

Not agitation but a settled spirit

Not hostile but friendly

Not bitter but reconciled

Not separated but together

Not broken but repaired

Not immature but complete

Not damaged but whole

Not ruined but restored

Not distressed but total well-being

Not full of clamour but quiet

Not restless but satisfied

Not inpatient but content.

Not insecure but in a covenant relationship

Help When Life Hurts

This article is part of a growing collection, drawing from Adrian Warnock’s medical and psychological expertise, lived experience, and Christian faith.

Click the type of pain you or a loved one are experiencing right now

General suffering & disappointment
Financial difficulties
Feeling disqualified
Chronic illness & disability
Divorce & family pain
Depression & mental health
Bereavement & end-of-life

See the full list of over 40 articles

Peace is not just something between people but something that is inside of us too. Real need of world for peace is not just physical remedy but a spiritual one. PEACE comes from the presences of God. If we want to be peacemakers we must first have peace ourselves! If you haven’t experienced real peace you find it hard to give peace. If not at peace with God you are restless.

Sin breaks peace “Passions at war in you”

2. How do we get peace? a. WITH GOD

Our God is a god of peace. Purpose of Jesus Coming was to bring peace.

Real peace needs a change of nature. Must be reconciled first to God

As we heard we are “by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

At enmity with ourselves, each other, but more than that with God. Nothing we can do to put that right: he sees our righteousness like filthy rags

BUT GOD > two of the best words in the Bible “rich in mercy” “because he loves us…because he loves us!” NO OTHER REASON Allowed us to share in the benefits of Jesus resurrection, and turned aside his own wrath, with it being satisfied in the death of Jesus on the cross! GLORIOUS Gospel of peacemaking with God!

Propotiation Jesus paid the price so we could be justified. satisfied the wrath of an offended person and brings reconciliation.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).

Spiritual peace is all about becoming more aware of the presence of God

b. Within ourselves

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8).

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.(John 14:27).

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33).

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:23

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:5–7).

So for eg We grieve but not in the same way as those who have no hope

NOT AUTOMATIC…..SOME CHRISTIANS DO GET MENTAL ILLNESS FOR EXAMPLE = an absense of PEACE

CF THE FOUR PILLARS OF MENTAL HEALTH…Not just “not spiritual enough”

WE ALL HAVE TO FIGHT FOR PEACE!

“O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore.” Psalm 131

c. WITH OTHERS children of God, his reputation is at stake in how we treat others

“And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” Is 32:17-18

Ephesians 2 speaks of “separated from Christ” , “alienated from God’s people “strangers” ”no hope” and “without God” “far off” “brought near” by the blood of Christ.

2;14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility” NO NEED FOR DIVISIONS OF RACE, CLASS, CULTURE, GENDER

Eph 4: “urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace….. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

PRACTICALLY: CHANGE THE WAY WE THINK & ASSESS: If you want peace

Get rid of Mindreading vs thinking the best of people.

Awfulising vs gratitude.

Overgeneralisation vs specific sin cf condemnation vs conviction.

Threatening to leave vs commitment.

Careless speach / emotive language vs peaceful words.

Impulsive acts vs thought through responses

The price of peace

* Jesus paid the ultimate peace price & He wants us to pay the peace price

* Dying to self and own desires

* Dying to the right to be indignant

* Dying to the right of reply

* Dying inside to say ‘Sorry’ and mean it

* Peacemaking is a lifestyle not just for conflicts

Lies that destroy peace

* Look out for number one

* God helps those who help themselves

* Surely God doesn’t want me to remain in an unhappy situation

* Ill forgive you but I cant forget

* Dont get mad, get even

* I deserve better than this

* GO to solve conflicts: NOT an E-mail (worst of all!) NOT a letter NOT a phone call ……..Face to face

7 A’s of confession

* Address everyone involved

* Avoid ifs but and maybe

* Admit specifically- Call a sin a sin.

* Apologize

* Accept the consequences- How can you reverse the damage you have caused eg go to police to confess to crime.

* Alter your behaviour- What changes do you intend to carry out

* Ask for forgiveness- Trust may need to be earned

Forgiveness means to ‘DROP’ it

* Not a feeling

* Not forgetting

* Not excusing –Don’t say ‘it was nothing’

D “I will no longer dwell on this incident.”

R “I will not allow this incident to stand between us or hinder our relationship.

O “I will not talk to others about this incident.”

P “I consign this to the past. I will not punish you for this incident or use it against you.

* Ban the use of the words always or never

NB SOMEONE SEEKING FORGIVENESS WILL STILL NEED TO FACE ANY LEGAL CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS

“Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” Psalm 34:14

How do we become Peacemakers?

When we are at peace ourselves we can help others find peace with God, themselves and others. Those who bring reconciliation will be called sons of God

Peacemakers love peace. Long to restore peace when it’s broken.
When you make peace you are like your father because he is the God of peace.
Must be at peace with both sides!

Some Christians are too angry and no wonder the world thinks we are haters (esp true of Gay’s)

Peace with God, peace with self and with others.

Peacemakers want peace to reign.

God calls us to be peacemakers at home. In the office. At church.

You can’t make peace in the world if you can’t make peace with your brothers.

Romans 12:18. “As much as it lies within you lives at peace with all.”

All means all. Make a choice to live at peace. Strive.

When you live at peace God blesses you.

2 Cor 5:20-21 We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Help When Life Hurts

This article is part of a growing collection, drawing from Adrian Warnock’s medical and psychological expertise, lived experience, and Christian faith.

Click the type of pain you or a loved one are experiencing right now

General suffering & disappointment
Financial difficulties
Feeling disqualified
Chronic illness & disability
Divorce & family pain
Depression & mental health
Bereavement & end-of-life

See the full list of over 40 articles

Home and Religion

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About Adrian Warnock

Adrian Warnock

Medical doctor · Published author · Patheos writer since 2003

I have always lived within sixty miles of London, UK where I studied, worked and worshipped for thirty years. I began writing for this Patheos blog in April 2003, making it one of the longest-running individual columns on the Christian Internet. My writing here, on Substack, and in my books is influenced by my medical training, eight years of working as a psychiatrist in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), eighteen years working in medical research in the pharmaceutical industry, twenty-five years of serving as a pastoral leader in a growing multicultural church, and a difficult decade of lived experience with chronic illness, including blood cancer, and the unexpected losses, including early retirement, that resulted.

Together, these all shape a biopsychosocial-spiritual approach which I first wrote about on Patheos in 2013. This model offers us hope, compassion, and healing in all life’s challenges. This holistic approach is based on the idea that all truth is God’s truth.

At times, since my illness, my faith has been faint. I wondered if this was the end of my story. I was not strong enough to live for Jesus the way I wanted to. I could not change myself. And then hope reminded me: The resurrection of Jesus changes everything. Just not all at once. Healing takes time. Compassion and patience sustain us over a lifetime of change. I aim to approach suffering with hope and compassion, and address tough questions including:

What does Jesus’ resurrection mean for you?

Raised With Christ: How the Resurrection Changes Everything (Crossway, 2010; 2nd edition, Amazon, 2025)
Why is change so difficult? What causes the resistance?

The Traitor Within: Understanding and Healing Our Deceitful Hearts (Amazon, 2026)
Why is change so slow? How does grace lead us over a lifetime?

Amazing Grace: How Faith Grows in the Human Heart (Amazon, 2026)
How do you become a Christian? Can you know if you really are one?

Hope Reborn: How to Become a Christian and Live for Jesus Co-authored with Tope Koleoso (Christian Focus, 2014)

Qualifications

I qualified with an MB BS from the University of London (equivalent to an MD in the United States), hold postgraduate qualifications in psychiatry (MRCPsych) and pharmaceutical medicine (MFFM, DipPharmMed), and took theological training courses run by Newfrontiers.

Connect With me

Substack: adrianwarnock.substack.com (the best way to ask questions)
Twitter/X: @adrianwarnock
Facebook: Adrian Warnock
Email: [email protected] (I may not be able to respond to every message)

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