November 26, 2023
Morning Service

As we finish up Peter’s first letter to us, he leaves us with three charges here in chapter 5.  Again he does not address specific actions to take, but the attitude that needs to be behind our actions.  Here he addresses those in the church and the attitude needed for the roles we are fulfilling.  He begins with the leadership of the church.  Here at the Bride, we have established our leadership according the scriptures in I Timothy 3 with a pastor (bishop) led church and a group of chosen men to assist him and serve the congregation fulfilling the office of deacon. We have a wonderful group of men who fill those rolls well using their gifts to make our church well. Sam, Steve, Denny, Willie, and Andy are the men that you have chosen to serve and lead you.  Other men within the church also serve as leaders fulfilling rolls that Paul referred to as the Presbytery or Eldership (I Tim 4:14).  That does apply to their age but mostly to their spiritual maturity.  We have many men who fulfill this role working, leading and serving within our church as the Spirit guides them to do the things that need to be done.  They are active to take ownership of playing an active role within our church family and we are all better because of it.  This is the group Peter begins with.

1Pe 5:1-4 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:  (2)  Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;  (3)  nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;  (4)  and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

            Peter identifies himself as an elder within the church, one who has been around a while and even walked with Christ.  This gives power to his words.   He charges the leadership to “shepherd the flock.”  This means not only to lead, but to guide and protect those under their care as well.  We must always be looking for any danger approaching and be prepared for it.  To shepherd also means to know the sheep and keep tabs on each one to be sure they are following faithfully.  He then stresses that we are to do this with a willing attitude, not grudgingly or with a dishonest agenda, but living as examples to those in our fellowship being doers of the Word and not hearers only.  We are not to do this as if we were carrying a burden, but with joy to play a part in being a tool in the Lord’s tool belt.  Many feel these tasks fall solely upon the pastor, but as you see here Peter is instructing the older generation (the elders) to be active in these leadership and serving roles under the authority of the pastor.  We are a leadership team that works together to make our fellowship all that it is.  Peter’s first charge is to the leadership telling them to lead with a willing spirit.  We are better together and Peter promises a “crown of glory that does not fade away” for us in the end!  Peter now moves to his second charge to the next generation.

 

1Pe 5:5-7 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."  (6)  Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, (7) casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

            Peter’s second charge to the younger generation (in age and faith) is to submit to the authority of the leadership of the church.  To one-day lead, you must first learn to submit.  Our culture today is doing an absolutely terrible job of teaching this.  Our youth have no respect for those in authority let alone submitting themselves to them.  This is a recipe for trouble as this generation gets older and has their time to lead.  In reality they are not only defying the authority of men, but also the authority of God.  Peter quotes Proverbs in verse 6 stating that God pushes away those who are proud, but embraces those who live in humility.  God will bless you when you humble yourself under the authority of the church and those He has set up in authority in our society over and He promises to “exalt you in due time.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Submission/humility is not always easy, but he reminds us in verse 7 of a powerful tool we have to use in any struggle we have.  “Casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.”  When we are humble and submissive we often feel invisible, but God assures us He sees us.  He commands us to “cast ALL our cares upon Him.”  Not just the big things, but anything that concerns you, God wants you to tell Him about it through prayer.  Worry and anxiety are unnecessary emotions as we are privileged to be invited to “cast” all our cares down at the feet of the Creator of the universe with all confidence that He hears and will act because “He cares for you.”  What a totally unbelievable thought and it is absolutely true!  God loves me and cares for anything that I care about.  He wants me to “cast” or lay down all of my cares at His feet and trust Him to work them out.  Cast your cares at the feet of the One who loves you beyond understanding and leave them there by faith.

Peter’s first charge was for leaders to lead with a willing spirt and his second is for the congregation to submit with humility.  This chain of command only works if each has the correct attitude and yielding to the Spirit’s guidance in our life.  Now Peter has a very serious final charge in this chapter that applies well to the time we are in now.

 

1Pe 5:8-11Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  (9)  Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.  (10)  But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.  (11)  To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

            To be sober is an attitude that means to be serious-minded taking a realistic not frivolous approach to life of following Jesus.  It means we are aware that we are in a spiritual battle and our enemy is not only powerful but also “seeking whom he may devour.”  We must be vigilant (prepared) to handle his attacks.  At times our enemy comes to us in a sneaky manner as a snake tempting us in subtle ways to destroy us.  He even comes as an angel of light attempting to deceive us into believing his lies are commands from God.  Here Peter portrays him as a roaring lion being very open and obvious about his intentions; to devour us through persecution! 

Jesus tells us that “the thief does not come but to steal, kill and destroy.” (John 10:10) If he attacks and you are prepared, the battle can be difficult and far worse if you are not ready for it.  A lion often preys on the one of the flock who has fallen behind or ventures out away from the safety of fellowship and becomes and easy target.  Peter here charges us to not to be caught unaware but be prepared to “resist him, steadfast in the faith.”  You don’t become steadfast in your faith in a moment, it takes time of faithful following, obedience, Bible study, and prayer to be able to fight back.  You must be prepared to fight! (Homework read Eph. 6) To fight successfully and resist our enemy we first must surrender (that makes no sense!).  We must surrender our will to the will of our Lord and Savior realizing the battle belongs to the Lord.  If we fight alone, we will lose but when we surrender to Jesus and allow Him to fight for us we will be victorious.  Jesus already has won the war as He tells us in John 16; “be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

            Notice in verse 10 Peter again mentions our suffering and the purpose of it.  “After you have suffered a while, may the grace of God perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.”  It is in that state that we will be able to fight off our enemy successfully.  Perfect, established, strong and settled.  Are those words that describe your walk with the Lord?  They need to be.  Our enemy is very active right now and you can hear him roaring as he knows time is short.  Nothing is out of bounds for him nor will he hold back as he seeks to steal, kill and destroy you. 

In summary, Peter charges the leadership to lead by example and with a willing spirit.  He charges the congregation to submit to the authority of the church with a humble spirit.  His final charge is very important for us to here and act upon.  Be sober and vigilant as our adversary is seeking to attack us.  Surrender to the Lord, dying to yourself, and become steadfast in your faith and able to resist the attacks that are coming.

 

Heavenly Father mold us to become all that You designed us to be.  We surrender to Your Will in our lives and ask that You fight these spiritual battles for us.  Make us steadfast in our faith; perfect us, establish us, strengthen us, and settle us in You.