So have you got into 1 Peter? Or is
it just another book in the Bible? They are there for your training in
righteousness not just to entertain us on a Sunday Morning. Lets just review hat we have learnt. This
letter is about our great salvation. But we are not just to sit back and wallow
in grace. We are called to be transformed people. The changes are for us to set
our hope on God, to be holy, to live as aliens, to love one another and to have
a craving for Spiritual sustenance. The reason is that we are chosen , a
priesthood belonging to God, precious living stones. The transformation is to
infect all our relationships, at work and in the home. husband/wife gets
special mention as a core relationship but every relationship is to be changed
for the glory of God. As a result we become like aliens in this world, because
we reject the hedonism and self-seeking and pursue Godliness. Our godliness is
a challenge to the world around us and that leads to persecution. This brings
us to the beginning of chapter 5, so lets read it.
READ 1PETER 5
“Co-elder; Witness; Fellow” He is about to speak of
leadership but he does not vaunt his own authority.
Be Shepherds; Reading through the Old Testament you get to
understand why the leadership is referred to as shepherds. Israel was a stock
farming society. So it saw itself as a flock. For example both Psalm79:13 and
Ezekial34:31 say Israel is the sheep of God's pasture. Shepherding has royal
connotations - David was a shepherd King; in the prophetic books the care is
approved and the bossing and misdirection
is condemned. In Matthew we have these words quoting Micah 5:2
But you, Bethlehem, in the land of
Judah,
Are by no means least among the
rulers of Judah;
For out of you will come a ruler
Who will be the shepherd of my
people Israel.
Jesus is the Shepherd. The leaders
of this church are here to assist Jesus in his shepherding of his people.
So what do shepherds do? What do
they tell us about leadership?
Shepherds feed and provide drink; bread & wine remind
us that Jesus is the food and drink we offer.
We are to 'feed my sheep'. That is
not just teaching. The shepherds go out and find good pasture; they suppliment
the grass with feed, check the value of diet , check the cleanliness of the
water supply and so on. So the leadership is looking at both the experiences we
have and the teaching, making sure you have a full balanced diet of Jesus.
Shepherds care for health of all of flock - the injured and sick but also get them up to
saleable condition (over a set weight);
Shepherds are concerned with breeding and being midwife. So
the leadership is concerned with spiritual breeding! We are concerned about you
reaching out to your family, neighbours , work colleagues and friends to tell
them this Good News we have. Your purpose here on earth is to tell the Good
News and so the Holy Spirit can bring forth new birth. The leadership are here to help you in that
task and to encourage you.
Shepherds don’t grow sheep just for romantic scenes in fields. A
shepherd has two objectives wool and meat! When my brother was shepherding
he used to shout ‘mint sauce’ when a sheep had the correct weight for market.
The great Shepherd has a long term goal for you and it is in death that he sees
his greatest profit. You are destined to be in heaven. And in the mean time you
to be productive in godliness.
Here Peter emphasizes three aspects of
leadership.
willing not because you must
eager
to serve not greedy for money
examples not lording over
Jesus the chief shepherd rewards. You don’t do it for the reward,
you do it for love. But real, servant shepherd leadership gets rewarded in
heaven because Christ likeness gets rewarded.
Rather than concentrate on one group, I am going to look at the
next verses together. Lets note though
that leadership is pointless if we are not prepared to go with the risks of
letting our leaders lead.
Be submissive is not
new in this letter. We saw it in chapter 2:13 towards authorities. In 2:18
towards bosses. In 3:1 where Peter emphasizes that submission is in the same
way as Jesus see 2:21-25 Here be
submissive in in the same way as the leaders. Leaders are to be followed in
that they follow Christ. Here Peter defines submissiveness in two directions
Humble towards each other and
humble towards God
I am going to suggest some areas
where we test our humility. Humility has to do with accepting we are not in
control. So ‘Be humble’ means accepting
the rule of leadership. It means accepting that others can be wrong and forgiving them. It means accepting you can be wrong and
forgiving yourself! It means accepting
that you are the servant of all, whether you are in leadership or not. Your
Savior‘s example was one of servant hood. We express Christ likeness when we serve
one another. He is the example for
us to follow. That is why I have headed this ‘Discipleship’ because it is about
following and becoming like our Lord. His example was in obedience to his
Father. So accepting God’s choices for my life lie at the heart of humility
towards God. It is also accepting God’s way of salvation through grace rather
than my own efforts.
But there is more. Humility is not
to rub your nose in the dirt. It so that you can be lifted up and restored and
made strong.
cast all anxiety on God
Worrying is meditation but on the
wrong thing. We waste fruitless nights tossing and turning over what might
happen and what did happen. God wants to transform your days and your nights!
Psalm 127:1-2
1Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the
city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
2In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he
loves.
“He give his beloved ones sleep” (AV) Got it? This is one
of the obvious benefits of being a Christian. A cure for worry. Cast can be
translated upload in modern speak. Pass the problem up and then fill your mind
with something better. This is where we so often fall over. We upload in prayer
and promptly we go on worrying. We have to develop an iron discipline to leave
the anxiety with Jesus and fill our mind with his glories. This is the exercise
referred to as practicing the presence of God. You know you can’t stop
thinking, so think on things that are good and wholesome. I find this area very
difficult. But temptation to worry and to sin are there to test our faith. Do
we believe that God is able to care for us? Do we believe that thinking of him
is better than worry? Would we be happier with less sleep and thoughts of
Jesus? The problems do not go away Just read on into verse 8-9 but our minds
can be healthy and as we enjoy or battle to keep our thoughts on Jesus, his
Holy Spirit will pour out his peace in our minds and speak into it. Do we
expect God to tell us how to solve life’s problems? Do we have any choice? There is no other way, no other truth no
other life. So live it as God intended. Take your anxieties to him in prayer,.
Read his Word, to look for answers and fill you mind with Jesus. So Peter says
Be
self-controlled
Be
alert
These are the language of
discipleship. Being a Chrsitian is not a lazy life or easy. We have to be on
guard 24/7. Even in our beds we have to guard against temptation and avoid
sin. Why because if you are living by
faith Satan is really mad about you and will do everything he can to prove you
are just another failure. He wants you to demonstrate that following Jesus is
bad news not Good News. He wants you to fall and stay down. We all watch the
Natural world enough to know that the predator always runs down the weak and
the slow or catches the unwary. So be a meer cat ever watchful but not anxious
because Satan cannot destroy you. He is vanquished at the cross and when he
trips you and you fall, reach out to the saviour who died on the cross for you,
be lifted up by him and receive forgiveness and restoration.
Resist Satan, Stand firm in faith. Notice the
positive stand firm in your faith. This is the key to resisting. Paul describes
putting on the armour of God in Ephesians 6. Interestingly Peter comments that
it is the experience of all Christians. So Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King,
John Stott, J Johns, Graham Kendrick and all those you see on the platform at
West Ham today have the same daily battle with Satan as you do. They like you
have to resist by standing firm in
their faith. Graeme and Jenny will not have less temptation than you just
because we have set them apart for missionary service. All Christians wage
spiritual warfare, every day and nights as well. Be encouraged, we all fail but
God is gracious and we will restore you
Enjoy! It’s a promise its assurance and its God who is speaking!
In verse 12Peter tells us why he wrote – to encourage you and
testify that this is the true grace of God.
A simple
reminder of the key challenges for the disciple.
Be shepherds
Be submissive
Be humble
Cast all your anxiety of God
Be self-controlled
Be alert
Resist Satan, standing firm in your faith