RUSSELL SANDERS
5-20-2025
THE BEATITUDES PART 7
THE PEACEMAKERS – PEACE AND LOVE

Blessed Memorial Day. Yes, today, May 30 is the traditional Memorial Day to honor those who gave their lives for this country. It was created on May 30, 1868, and was on that date until 1971 regardless of the day of the week it fell on. Congress changed it to the last Monday of May in 1971 so that federal holidays would allow for a three-day weekend for workers.

Our soldiers and various patriots sacrificed their lives out of love to secure peace for our country and other countries.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.” Then in Matthew 14:27 He said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you…” He said that His peace is not the same as what the world calls peace. The world sees peace as an absence of conflict. The kind of peace that Jesus gives is a peaceful rest and contentment to the inner man, to his spirit. Sometimes, we may be afflicted in our soul, but our inner spirit remains at peace despite the conflicts of our mind or emotions. This is because Jesus loves us that much and brings us His peace.

Even the world can see that peace and love go together. The hippie movement of the 1960’s – 1970’s spoke of love and peace. The “flower children” became symbols of that message.

True peace comes to the inner human spirit by way of faith upon Christ Jesus. 1 John 4:8b says, “…God is love.” He is the pure essence of love Himself.

Of the three Greek New Testament words for love (eros, philos, agape) it is only agape that speaks of a “God-given” kind of love. When we are born again through Christ, God shares that love by putting in us his (agape) love. That is the only way that we can love ALL mankind and be a peacemaker between man and God because of that love.