Leaven for Peace

This article for our Northeast Georgia is an adaption of the sermon I preached at the 2012 Habersham Peace Walk at Shady Grove Missionary Baptist Church on January 15 celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr.  I was  thankful for the opportunity to preach in such a great church.  I look for more opportunities to be be peace in our community in the months and years ahead.  Eric

Too often, it seems, the realities of our world shatter my hopes for peace.  It is not just the 10 years of war we have experienced since the tragedy of 9/11, though.  I become discouraged when politicians, pundits and citizens determine fighting, arguing and screaming at each other on TV, blogs or in person achieve their agenda more than seeking common ground.  Peace becomes lost when we determine our way is the only way. 

            In Matthew 5, Jesus challenges our values as he outlines 9 distinctive ways of living that bring the favor of God into our lives.  One of these Beatitudes simply says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matt 5:9 NRSV). 

            This is not a political strategy, a cultural statement or a mediation technique.  Rather, this is about the kind of people we are to be as followers of Jesus.  The Kingdom of God values peace and calls us to be leaven for peace in our broken world.  Through his own actions, Jesus teaches us how to sow peace in this world. 

            In Luke 19, Jesus encounters Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector for the Roman government of Jericho, waiting in the broad branches of a sycamore tree.  The community hates Zacchaeus because his wealth comes from their pockets.   Jesus stops under the tree; speaks to Zacchaeus; and goes to his home.  No one can believe a rabbi would have dinner with such a man. 

            Jesus demonstrates the power of engaging those different than us in order to seek peace.  Engagement, though, comes at a price.  People who support us and people against us will not understand.  They will talk and squabble and gossip and make pronouncements meant to undermine us.  But the work of peacemaking cannot be accomplished without engagement. 

            In the John 3 Jesus has a late night, secret rendezvous with Nicodemus.  As a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council, Nicodemus represents the most religious and politically powerful people in the nation.  As a radical rabbi, Jesus advocates a world changing new understanding of the Kingdom of God.  At this secret meeting these two men representing such vast differences in the understandings in God’s Kingdom begin to talk.  There are no disciples.  No temple guards or scribes to record what they say.  Alone – they both begin to speak and listen to find common ground. 

            Jesus demonstrates for us the power of dialogue – talking and listening to those who are different than us – in the peacemaking process.  Dialogue does not come easily.  Often, we cannot understand or even tolerate the people or the position of the other side.  However, as leaven for peace, dialogue is a necessity.  Without it, we will never find common ground and peacemaking becomes impossible. 

            Jesus calls us to be peacemakers – leaven for peace.  He demonstrates the power of engagement and dialogue in the way of peace.  When we choose to walk in this third way – many in our fallen world will not understand.  It will seem countercultural – and it is.  It is the way of Jesus.  Amen!