• Matthew 5:9 — “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
• Proverbs 12:20 —Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but counselors of peace have joy.
• Romans 14:19 —So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.

The importance of pursuing peace. On my own, I cannot make peace if I do not have peace myself. That is the first task, find peace in Jesus. Then, I can make peace by proclaiming His word and carrying on with His deeds of love and mercy at work.

Peacemaking is a big goal at work given to us from Jesus. Jesus says “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9) Peace means reconciliation, and God is the author of peace and of reconciliation.

Indeed, the very same verb which is used in this happiness prescription is applied by the apostle Paul to what God has done through the Messiah.

Through the Messiah God was pleased ‘to reconcile to himself all things, … making peace by the blood of his cross’. And the Messiah’s purpose was to ‘create in himself one new man in place of the two (i.e. Jew and Gentile), so making peace’. (Colossians 1:19-21)

There is good news! We have peace with God through the blood that Jesus shed on the cross. We were estranged from God. We did not know Him and was separated from Him. We were an enemy of God. We need Jesus. Jesus brings peace and reconciliation. We must proclaim that to our colleagues!

• How can a holy God ever be reconciled with sinful man?
• Can God lower His standards, close His eyes to sin, and compromise with man?
• If He did, the universe would fall to pieces! God must be consistent with Himself and maintain His own holy Law.

Perhaps man could somehow please God at work but by nature, man is separated from God; and by his deeds, he is alienated from God. Our colleagues, all sinners are “dead in trespasses and sins”, and therefore is unable to do anything to save himself or to please God.

If there is to be reconciliation between our colleagues and God, the initiative and action must come from God. It is in the Messiah Jesus that God was reconciled to man. But it was not the incarnation of Jesus that carried out this reconciliation, nor was it His example as He lived among men. It was through His death that peace was made between God and our co-workers. He “made peace through the blood of His cross”.

• Colossians 1:19–20 (NASB) —For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
• Isaiah 53:5 —But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.
• Matthew 26:26–28 —While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.
• Galatians 6:14–16 —But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Master Jesus the Messiah, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
• Ephesians 2:13–17 —But now in the Messiah Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near;

We have good news! Want to know how to be saved? Click here and here for more.