Blessed Are the Peacemakers

 OT Lesson: 1 Samuel 24:1-22 (CEB)

Even as Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was informed that David was in the En-gedi wilderness. So Saul took three thousand men selected from all Israel and went to look for David and his soldiers near the rocks of the wild goats. He came to the sheep pens beside the road where there was a cave. Saul went into the cave to use the restroom. Meanwhile, David and his soldiers were sitting in the very back of the cave.

David’s soldiers said to him, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he promised you, ‘I will hand your enemy over to you, and you can do to him whatever you think best.’” So David snuck up and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. But immediately David felt horrible that he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

“The Lord forbid,” he told his men, “that I should do something like that to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lift my hand against him, because he’s the Lord’s anointed!” So David held his soldiers in check by what he said, and he wouldn’t allow them to attack Saul. Saul then left the cave and went on his way.

Then David also went out of the cave and yelled after Saul, “My master the king!” Saul looked back, and David bowed low out of respect, nose to the ground.

David said to Saul, “Why do you listen when people say, ‘David wants to ruin you’? Look! Today your own eyes have seen that the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. But I refused to kill you. I spared you, saying, ‘I won’t lift a hand against my master because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ Look here, my protector! See the corner of your robe in my hand? I cut off the corner of your robe but didn’t kill you. So know now that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I haven’t wronged you, but you are hunting me down, trying to kill me. May the Lord judge between me and you! May the Lord take vengeance on you for me, but I won’t lift a hand against you. As the old proverb goes, ‘Evil deeds come from evildoers!’ but I won’t lift a hand against you. So who is Israel’s king coming after? Who are you chasing? A dead dog? A single flea? May the Lord be the judge and decide between you and me. May he see what has happened, argue my case, and vindicate me against you!”

As soon as David finished saying all this to Saul, Saul said, “David, my son, is that your voice?” Then he broke down in tears, telling David, “You are more righteous than I am because you have treated me generously, but I have treated you terribly. Today you’ve told me the good you have done for me—how the Lord handed me over to you, but how you didn’t kill me. When someone finds an enemy, do they send the enemy away in peace? May the Lord repay you with good for what you have done for me today. Now even I know that you will definitely become king, and Israel’s kingdom will flourish in your hands. Because of that, make a solemn pledge to me by the Lord that you won’t kill off my descendants after I’m gone and that you won’t destroy my name from my family lineage.”

David made a solemn pledge to Saul. Then Saul went back home, but David and his soldiers went up to the fortress.

NT Lesson: Matthew 5:9 (NRSV)

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Sermon

Introduction

Good morning! Last week was quite hot, but after yesterday’s rain, the temperature has become pleasantly cool, giving us a taste of autumn. It is not just the weather that signals the change in seasons; the calendar does as well. Today marks the beginning of September, and tomorrow we celebrate Labour Day, making this the September Long Weekend. In Canada, this is considered as the last opportunity for camping outside without the danger of being frozen to death. In the United States and Canada, Labour Day falls on the first Monday of September, whereas in most other countries, it is observed on May 1st. Nevertheless, Happy Labour Day to all! May God bless all those who work now or who worked before faithfully and diligently, whose efforts and sweat help to move the world forward.

Meek: Passive Way toward Peace

We continue with the Beatitudes today, focusing on the seventh blessing: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” This blessing bears some similarity to the third: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Being meek involves being gentle and mild, and meek individuals are naturally inclined towards peace. So, why did Jesus seem to emphasise this idea twice? It might seem repetitive or even redundant at first glance.

In the sermon on the first Sunday of August, we considered Moses as an example of meekness. Numbers 12:3 (KJV) tells us that “Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.” Moses exemplified meekness when he did not retaliate after being attacked and humiliated by his own brother and sister in front of everyone. Instead, he even prayed for them when God was angry with them. Rather than striking back, Moses chose to step back, avoiding conflict. In this way, Moses was meek.

Another example is Abraham. When he left his homeland, he was accompanied by his nephew Lot. God blessed them both abundantly in the land of Canaan, and they became wealthy, with many servants and animals. As we read in Genesis 13, their joint estate eventually became too large for the land to support both their flocks and herds. They decided to separate, and Lot attempted to claim the best of the land for himself. Abraham could have rebuked his nephew and insisted on dividing the good land and the bad land equally. However, instead of arguing, Abraham quietly stepped back and avoided the conflict. In this way, Abraham was meek.

Like father, like son—Abraham’s son Isaac also displayed meekness. In Genesis 26, we learn that there was a famine in the land where Isaac lived, so he moved to another region. The Lord blessed him there, and he reaped a hundredfold, becoming increasingly wealthy and prosperous. His neighbours, however, grew envious and asked him to leave, which he did. In his new location, Isaac reopened the wells that his father Abraham had dug long ago. But then, his not-so-friendly neighbours claimed those wells as their own. Rather than fighting back, Isaac surrendered the wells. This was no easy decision, as water is a precious resource, especially in Palestine, even today. Isaac dug another well, and, lo and behold, water was found again. But his neighbours came once more to claim that well too. Again, Isaac did not fight; he gave up the second well and dug a third. The Lord blessed him with water yet again, and thankfully, his neighbours did not contest this time. Instead of fighting, Isaac stepped back twice, avoiding conflict. In this way, Isaac was meek.

Examples of Not Being Meek

But not everyone in the Bible was meek. As you all know, the first brothers, Cain and Abel, did not get along well with each other. Cain had the opportunity to be meek and avoid conflict. Instead, he lifted his hand against his younger brother and struck him down, taking his life. Cain was not meek, and he failed to resolve the situation peacefully.

In Genesis 34, we find another example. Jacob and his entire family were living in the land of Shechem. One day, the son of the local chief forcibly violated Jacob’s beautiful daughter, Dinah. In the patriarchal society of that time, the common, and often the only, solution to such a crime was to marry the victim to the rapist. The chief and his son indeed offered marriage as a solution. Though Dinah’s brothers were furious, they were few in number compared to the men of Shechem. So they pretended to accept the offer but made one condition—that all the men of the tribe must be circumcised, as Israel’s children could not intermarry with the uncircumcised. The chief agreed, and all the men of the tribe were circumcised.

While the men were recovering and unable to move due to the circumcision, Levi and the other brothers took advantage of their vulnerability. They invaded the town with swords and killed them all. Now, I must admit, there’s a certain narrative appeal to this story, but as a pastor, I cannot condone revenge. So, I’ll say, “Bad brothers!” These brothers were not meek, and they did not resolve the situation peacefully.

What is Shalom

Peacemaking is distinct from meekness, which is why Jesus differentiated between the blessings of being meek and being a peacemaker in the Beatitudes. The word for peace in Greek is εἰρήνη (eirene), and in Hebrew, it is שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom). We often think of שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) simply as the absence of war or conflict. However, according to the Biblical Hebrew Dictionary, shalom has six major meanings: (1) completeness, perfection, (2) safety, soundness, (3) health, prosperity, (4) quietness, tranquillity, (5) friendship, and (6) peace from war. Interestingly, peace in the sense of the absence of conflict is the last and least of these meanings. The primary and most significant meaning of שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) is wholeness and completeness.

Some dictionaries also include “finish” as a meaning of שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom), but I have omitted it here because “complete” and “finish” can sometimes carry different connotations. For instance, saying “I finished the work” and “I completed the work” may sound similar, but consider the difference between “My wife completed me” and “My wife finished me.”

In the benediction of most Sunday worship services, I recite the priestly blessing from Numbers 6, which God commanded Aaron and the priests to use in blessing God’s people. This blessing concludes with a wish for שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) for the people. But by שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom), God does not mean something as simple as “I wish you five minutes of quiet time.” No, God desires for you to be perfect in every way. If your health is not good, then you do not have שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom). If you are struggling financially to make ends meet, then you do not have שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom). If your relationships with family members or friends are strained, then you do not have שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom). If you are suffering from anxiety, depression, or any other burden, then you do not have שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom). But God’s desire is for you to experience שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom)—for you and your life to be whole and perfect.

Shalom-Making

Now, Jesus calls us to create שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) for others, helping to make their lives whole and complete as well. This command from Jesus requires us to take active steps. Being meek involves a passive approach to peace, such as avoiding conflicts, stepping back, and not retaliating. However, peacemaking, or shalom-making, is an active process that involves doing something concrete to bring about שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom).

For example, if someone lacks שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) because they are hungry, we must actively feed them. If someone is without שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) because they are exposed to domestic violence, we need to take action to help them. If a child lacks שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) because they have nowhere to go, we must actively work to help them find a home.

Active Peacemaking in the Bible

In today’s Old Testament lesson, it might seem that David was passive in his approach to peacemaking, merely choosing not to kill or seek revenge. However, David actively initiated a gesture of peacemaking towards the very man who was hunting him down and seeking his life. Extending a hand in peace to an enemy requires active effort and involves the risk of humiliation. Abigail also provides an example of active peacemaking. While David and his warriors were fleeing from Saul, they once took refuge near the property of a man named Nabal, as recorded in 1 Samuel 25. During that time, David and his men protected Nabal’s servants and animals from potential dangers, such as wild animals like bears or wolves. When the time of harvest came, David expected some form of compensation for their help, but instead, he was met with mockery and insult.

Angered, David set out with his warriors, intending to kill Nabal. Upon hearing what had happened, Abigail, Nabal’s wife, quickly intervened. She hurried to meet David on the way, bringing with her a large supply of wine and bread. Abigail apologised on behalf of her husband and sought peace actively, preventing the bloodshed that was about to occur.

In the New Testament, we see an example of peacemaking among Christians in Acts 15, which records the very first church council. The early Christians and apostles were deeply divided by their theological differences. But instead of resorting to violence or aggression, they engaged in active debate and discussion, guided by love and the teachings of the Saviour. Eventually, they reached a resolution, demonstrating how we, as Christians, should resolve conflicts and divisions within the church.

In Matthew 8, we read about Jesus healing the servant of a Roman centurion. At first glance, this might seem like just another healing story, but it was actually quite scandalous. It is akin to a French doctor treating a German soldier during the Nazi occupation of France. Yet, Jesus did not care that this man was a Roman centurion, an enemy of Israel. He cared only that the centurion’s servant lacked שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) because he was sick. By healing the servant, Jesus restored shalom to his body and simultaneously made peace with the centurion. The Bible says that Jesus healed people so many times. Every time, Jesus was restoring שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) to them. The Bible shows us several occasion where Jesus fed the hungry crowd. Each time, Jesus was restoring שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) to them.

Peace and Global Witness Offering

As announced earlier, starting next Sunday and continuing through the first Sunday of October, which is World Communion Sunday, we will be collecting the Peace and Global Witness Offering, one of the four special offerings of the PCUSA. This offering is dedicated to sowing the seeds of peace and alleviating the pain of those who lack שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom).

Many people in Ukraine do not have שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) because of the Russian invasion. Similarly, many people in Russia lack שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) due to the dictatorship of Putin. The peoples of Israel and Palestine are without שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) because of ongoing wars and conflicts. In China, many suffer from a lack of שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) under authoritarian rule. The Rohingya people are deprived of שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) due to the ethnic cleansing in Myanmar, and many in Myanmar are oppressed by the military government, living without שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom).

Our offering will be used to sow seeds of peace in these and other troubled regions. Many people around the globe, as well as here in the United States, are without שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) due to natural disasters. Our offering will also be used to help restore שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) in these situations.

Fifty percent of the offering will be distributed nationally or internationally through the General Assembly. Twenty-five percent will be allocated regionally, specifically in Indiana, north of Indianapolis, through the Presbytery. The remaining twenty-five percent will stay within this congregation, allowing us to sow seeds of peace in our local community.

So today, I encourage you to thoughtfully consider contributing to the Peace and Global Witness Offering over the next five Sundays.

Conclusion

But today’s moral is not only about the offering. We must recognise that Jesus is calling us to be active peacemakers. Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” And yet, we are already children of God. Therefore, we are called to actively make peace.

However, in the real world, achieving global peace overnight is not possible. That is why we need to start with ourselves. Begin by doing whatever is necessary to bring שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) into your own life—striving for wholeness in every way: mentally, physically, financially, and environmentally, etc. Once you have שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) within yourself, extend it to your family. Sometimes, reaching out to our own family members can be the most challenging task. This was precisely the issue faced by the elderly neighbour in the movie Home Alone—the old man with shovel. He had wealth and lived in a nice house, but he lacked שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) due to a broken relationship with his family. When he restored the relationship with his son, and when he hugged his granddaughter, he restored שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) and his life made perfect.

After establishing שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) within your home, let us actively work to bring שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom) to our neighbourhoods and communities. As we do this, God will bless us with שָׁלוֹם‎ (shalom), making everything in our lives whole and perfect through the unending love of our God the Father, the everlasting grace of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Amen.