Be a Peacemaker

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³³ I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. (John 16:33)

¹⁸ Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” (Luke 1:18)

²⁰ But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. (Luke 1:20)

⁷⁸ 78 Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, ⁷⁹ 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” (Luke 1:78-79)

³ “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.⁴ God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. ⁵ 5 God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. ⁶ God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. ⁷ God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. ⁸ God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:3-8)

⁹ God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. ¹⁰ God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” (Matthew 5:9-10)

¹³ “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.” “Snake venom drips from their lips.” ¹⁴ “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” (Romans 3:13-14)

1. My help to make peace.

“They don’t know where to find peace.” (Romans 3:17)

2. Use to make peace.

⁵ If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. (James 1:5)

¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. ¹⁸ And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:17-18)

3. Do all that I can to with everyone.

Being offended is inevitable, but living offended is a missed to live in peace.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.  ¹⁵ Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.  ¹⁶ Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!  ¹⁷ Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.  ¹⁸ Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.  ¹⁹ Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, (Deut 32:35) “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.  ²⁰ Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”  ²¹ Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. (Romans 12:14-21)

Additional Notes

What’s Happening at Crossroads

CHRISTMAS EVE GATHERINGS

Peace is underrated in a world that seeks happiness. As we look to the Christmas story, we find that peace is not circumstantial but a perspective of the heart. Come join one of our gatherings as we celebrate the arrival of Jesus and what that means in the gospel story.

• Downtown
  • Sunday 12/24 – 10:45am
• South
  • Saturday 12/23 – 5:00pm
  • Sunday 12/24 – 9:15am & 10:45am
  • Sunday 12/24 – 10:00pm*

*The 10pm family gathering will be a special time that includes Christmas carols, a Christmas message, and beautiful candlelight.
Childcare will be available for our youngest age groups at each gathering except for the 10pm family gathering.

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVING

Everyone wants to be noticed and feel welcome! And we’d like to ask you to help make that happen during our Christmas Gatherings. You can do that through greeting, serving cookies and drinks, and more! Check out all your options at http://tiny.cc/ChristmasEve2023. We look forward to serving you as you serve others!

MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTATION

If you have a hurt, habit, or hang-up and you’re not sure if you need to meet with a counselor, we can help. A group of mental health professionals in Crossroads are willing to help you figure out your next step. They will meet with clients at Downtown on the 2nd weekends and at South on the 4th weekends for a one-time consultation. If you’re interested in getting some help, fill out our consultation form.