Person of Peace - a principle of Jesus (2024)

When we examine the New Testament to see how people came to faith, we have to look at Jesus. How and what did he do? It quickly becomes clear that Jesus acted according to a principle. The principle of the person of peace. Why should we do things differently today when Jesus showed us how he won people for the kingdom?

His principle was simple and worth studying in more detail. One story about it is the story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19,1:10-XNUMX). When Jesus came to Jericho, the whole city was already gathered. Everyone was waiting for Jesus and there were hundreds on the streets waiting for Jesus to come. As he passed by, Jesus casually healed a blind man who was sitting on the ground: Bartimaeus. However, his goal was something else. As he walked past the crowd, he saw Zacchaeus sitting in a tree. Jesus stopped right in front of the tree and looked up. Zacchaeus turned pale and his breath caught. Jesus looked him in the eyes and said: Zacchaeus, today I must be your guest. In this hustle and bustle of people, Jesus knew exactly who the person of peace was. He did not let himself be distracted by anything else and was focused on his goal - Zacchaeus, the person of peace. Zacchaeus was curious about Jesus and so climbed a tree to see him. When he met Jesus, Zacchaeus felt that he should accept the invitation. He took Jesus into his house and thus began a profound change in his life.

The disciples also sought the person of peace

The disciples of Jesus also acted according to this principle. When Jesus sent out his disciples (Luke 10 and Matthew 10), they were to tell people about Jesus on the streets and along the hedges, in the villages and in the cities, and to look for so-called people of peace on site until they were found. They were to stay with them, eat and drink with them, build relationships and continue to invest in this group of people until the group or family was ready for baptism. They were not to go from house to house, but to stay with this group and make them disciples.

Who can be a person of peace?

If we study the various Bible passages about the figures of peace, we find identical characteristics. The figures of peace welcomed the disciples openly, were interested in their message and invited them into their homes - into their network of relationships - such as Cornelius (Acts 10), Lydia the purple seller (Acts 16,14:15-16,23), the jailer (Acts 40:XNUMX-XNUMX).

Making disciples and planting churches is much easier when we follow Jesus' principle. Instead of disciples telling everyone about Jesus as "outsiders," they should look for the "person of peace" - an insider who has access to the whole group. If we find this person and train him and his group, the group will reach out to those around them. That's Jesus' principle. It's actually quite simple, isn't it?

Frequently asked questions on this topic & practical tips:

Do you do it like that too?

If you need support on this topic, get in touch. We have a lot of experience and can support you. The principle of the person of peace works not only in Switzerland, but also in Europe, Africa, Central Asia - all over the world. 😊