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“Words To The Aged And The Young” •
7.29.18 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- Peter's first epistle has been
short and powerful, hitting hard at each turn. He has been considerate in
encouraging slaves, husbands and wives to walk properly, even as they suffer.
- In this final chapter, Peter
addresses the church's last two demographic members which form the extreme ends
of the spectrum: The elders and the youth. Let's pick it up in verse 1.
Text
• I Peter 5:1,2a : "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: Shepherd the flock of God which is
among you, serving as overseers," : The elders are the senior members of the fellowship, either in
age, or in experience.
- For
example, the elder might be a younger man in the fellowship, but could have had
the longest salvation history! Generally though, these were older men.
-
Observe that the elders are a part of the church, members alongside of them.
They are "among them." Peter, recognizing their place, encourages
them as a fellow elder.
- There
isn't an air of superiority in Peter, despite the fact that he had born
testimony to the sufferings of Christ. He is simply an elder who has had that
experience.
- Peter
was there in the Garden of Gethsemane when the Lord suffered before the Father
in prayer and while he followed at a distance, he was privy to Rome's
mistreatment of the Lord.
- That
isn't where he let himself stop. Peter was also partaker of Christ's future
glory. That theme continues to press in, from suffering to glory. From what is
to what will be!
- Peter
experienced a short glimpse of Christ's glory when he, James and John stood on
the mount of transfiguration and Jesus, for a few moments in time, set aside
His human shell! (Matt. 17)
- He saw
the glory that will be revealed. They lived in anticipation of it! Because that
is their confidence for the future, what is the command for today?
- He
commands them to "Shepherd the flock of God." The word
"Shepherd" is directly related to feeding, to nourishing. Of all the
things that Peter could think to say, this was the first. Why?
- I
imagine because it was what he was told to do by the Lord on the sea of
Galilee, as recorded in John 21. His commission, and theirs, was to tend
to the flock of God.
- In
order to do this, the elders must first be present. They are "among"
the people of God and are therefore, aware of what God is doing in their midst.
-
Because of their proximity, there is an awareness of what part of God's word
applies to their current situation! That leads them to the particular knowledge
of what to feed them!
- Please
take a moment to recognize what is not here. Elders are not called to
entertain, event organize, or cater to the flock of God.
- They
are to put all of their resource and wisdom toward the goal of nourishing the
body of Christ. We pray for the "food" to be nutritious, but beyond
that, there is little concern.
-
Ultimately, you are the flock of God! This is not the flock of the Elders! You
are not "my church." Please desist from saying that!
- WE
belong to Christ's Church! We are a local chapter of a global enterprise, in
which the head of the church rules and reigns through His Word!
- This
is why I insist upon sequential, expository preaching as the order of every
single service.
- If you
and I belong to God, then I had better feed on and feed you with what He left
for us! Anything less is spiritual malpractice and an insult to the God of the
Universe!
- These
elders are to feed and to oversee this body as a matter of service to the Lord!
An overseer looks out to see what is coming next. He looks out at where God's
people are headed.
- As an
overseer today, I take note of the trends that are hitting the church, which
might soon become a question for you. We will also note life choices and track
how each is doing.
- These
are positive job descriptions for the elder that is also an overseer. Peter
goes on to speak about attitudes that they should avoid. Verse 2b.
• I Peter 5:2b-4 : "not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but
eagerly; nor as
being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd
appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away." : You must shepherd and oversee God's
people but never by compulsion, for dishonest gain or as being a spiritual
"overlord!"
-
"Compulsion" or "constraint" seems to deal with the motive
of the elder himself. He should not respond to the needs of the church as a
matter of being compelled or pressured.
- He
shouldn't be one that always seems to need a kick in the pants to do the Lord's
work. You should never hear a minister grumble that the "sheep need
something more from me" this week.
- It
might be difficult and it might take some schedule re-arrangement, but when a
member of the Lord's church has a need, the minister should relish the
opportunity to serve.
- Peter
continues by remarking that an elder should never be in ministry for
"dishonest gain." The King James Version calls it "filthy
lucre," a great name for a band!
- The
element of greed exists within the word. This refers to doing something to be
enriched by it. This primarily refers to finances, but I'd suggest that there
are other riches that the ministry offers.
-
Position, pride and popularity are particular points to beware of in this day
and age.
- To be
known as "Elder" or "Pastor," can begin to bring some sort
of enjoyment to the flesh.
- A true
minister should always be thoughtful of what they are giving, not what they are
gaining by their service! Do what you do unto the Lord eagerly, cheerfully, for
it's own sake!
-
Remember, these elders are not serving during a time of great exaltation. They
are suffering under persecution! Be cheerful? Why? God was using their lives,
blessing His people through them!
- The
third point that Peter makes revolves around not being a spiritual overlord.
Peter does not envision an eldership which leads by manipulative control.
- At
least two of the major translations use the word "domineering." When
someone takes that kind of attitude, they look at God's people as theirs. That
isn't the case. The church is God's flock!
- They
are are "entrusted to you." You are the Lord's allotment, His
inheritance, which He has been gracious enough to allow us to care for until
you are returned to Him.
- I do
not want to be found making God's people MY people by enforcing MY will upon
them!
- We are
simply meant to be an example, a word which describes the leaving of an
impression. We exist simply to
leave an impression upon your heart as you live your life before God.
- Peter
has addressed the elders. He turns his attention now to the other side of the
spectrum, the youth, beginning in verse 5.
• I Peter 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.' Therefore humble
yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." : The elders are called by God through
Peter to lead. God's people are called to submit to that leadership, especially
the younger.
- These are new, perhaps newly born again or
recently brought into the fellowship. Peter commands them to order themselves
behind their elders, which then extends to all.
- Order yourselves together. Submit to each
other with all humilty. In these days, God's church was all that anyone could
truly claim as family.
- Persecution was ramping up and the lifestyle
that befits a Christian made these saints true foreigners in their native land.
Peter is pushing for them to all respect these new boundaries.
- "Do it while you are clothed with
humility." From what I can gather, it appears that this was a type of
clothing that closely resembled overalls.
- This was what the slaves wore when they
worked and it was so wide in circulation that the clothing began to be seen as
distinctively for slaves.
- Humility should be the clothing you wear. It
should signal to everyone what you truly are.
- Consider that earlier, Peter encouraged us to
"love fervently." What do you call a group of people that loves
fervently and walks humbly? Christians!
- Can you feel the pushback from the young and
the young at heart? Why should I listen to them? What do they know that I can't
pick up on my own?
- Oh, young one! Remember that "God
resists the proud but gives grace to the humble!" Peter quotes from Proverbs
3:34 in the same way that James did in James 4:6.
- As with that rendering, so with Peter: God is
always resisting the proud and is always dispensing grace, help, to the humble!
Why does Peter write this here?
- Because it is impossible to be the kind of
body that God calls Christians to exist in apart from the grace that He gives
to help them! Young people, you cannot live this life without God's help!
- Humble yourself under God's mighty hand! This
isn't a suggestion, but a command from the Lord! How can we be humble? By
submitting ourselves to be a member of the body!
- We learn together, grow together, suffer
together, forgive together and stay together!
- When we do that, God promises to lift us up,
to elevate us toward dignity when we throw our concerns upon Him, recognizing
that He is the One that cares for us! Verse 8.
• I Peter 5:8,9 : "Be sober, be vigilant; because your
adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may
devour. Resist
him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced
by your brotherhood in the world." : Cast all your cares upon the Lord, but don't be careless! Young
people, Christianity is a world full of danger!
- Be sober, to be calm and collected in the age
that you are living in! Be vigilant, remain awake. You are on the night watch
and you are not alone! There is a constant presence.
- He is our adversary, literally, our legal
opponent, and he is on the move! What is he like? He is like a roaring lion
intent upon making a meal out of us!
- Who can he destroy? Who can he bring down?
What are we to do? Speak to him and bind him? Endlessly fear his presence and
blame everything on him? Not at all!
- We are commanded simply to resist him!
Withstand, oppose, do not give in to him by being steadfast, immovable in the
faith! Is there a better reason to know what it is that you believe?
- The roaring lion is not necessarily the
adversary you should fear. According to those that have commented on this
passage, the roaring lion is generally the decoy.
- His roar is meant to intimidate, to cause
fear and to make the prey make the mistake.
- Satan banks on people that don't know or
don't attend to the truths of scripture for themselves! It follows then that
knowing your faith would be the highest of your priorities!
- Know and hold to your faith and know that you
are not unique. Peter has told them not to think of their current circumstance
as "strange." He tells them now that it's not uncommon!
- All over the known world, their brothers in
Christ were suffering in the exact same way that they were. Thankfully, Peter
doesn't leave them there. Verse 10.
• I Peter 5:10,11 : "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. To Him be the glory and the dominion
forever and ever. Amen." :
Young people, hold on with all your might! Peter says this knowing that their
might would not be enough! He calls upon the God of all grace to come to their
aid!
- He is the One that called us. He invited us
into Christ! He sought us out from the world of temporary into the eternal
reality of Christ!
- For some of these believers, they will have
suffered for a time, but what about after that? This has been a focal point for
Peter throughout this letter.
- Suffering is not the end of the story and it
doesn't bring an end to the reward the believer should expect! Look back with
me and take note.
- I Peter 1:4 declares that believer has
an inheritance that is reserved in heaven for them. Verse 23 and 24
state that believers have been born again into an eternal promise that lasts
forever.
- I Peter 4:5,6 seems to indicate that
believing martyrs who received the gospel suffered martyrdom, but then lived
according to God.
- I
Peter 4:13 reminds believers that when a believer partakes in Christ's
suffering they will partake equally in the joy of His return.
- Chapter 4, verse 19 brings it
to the logical conclusion: Commit, entrust, your souls to God in doing good, as
to a faithful creator.
- Now, here in the final chapter, he asks God,
after they have suffered a while, to fulfill these things on their behalf!
- The program of suffering on this planet, now
mater how gruesome or grievous, will never be the final word! Peter prays that
God will "perfect" or complete them.
- He will still make of you what He wants you
to be! He will finish what He started! After your suffering, He will complete
and establish you. He will fix you into a firm position.
- Physically, this meant the placement of a
statue upon a foundation that would stand firm against the elements and the
passage of time.
- In a way, that is God's ultimate goal in
salvation, to bring you onto the shores of heaven, where you will ever be by
His side. That's a wonderful thought, but what about now!?
- The word also has a third definition that
best applies to this daily part of salvation, which we would refer to as our
"sanctification."
- After the church suffered the Lord would
"render
constant, confirm, one's mind." When one suffers, there is the inevitable concern that they will
never understand. Not true!
- When the dust is settled, either here or
there, God is able to settle our minds, to confirm in our hearts, that He is
who He says He is! Peter is calling upon God to do this for them.
- "Lord, would you strengthen them?"
This word is a synonym to the previous word and indicates an emphasis on the
singular topic. There is an intensity to the kind of strength given.
- There is an acknowledgement of how much strength
was depleted in the act of resisting Satan's schemes. Peter's words reflect a
call upon God to replenish those stores.
- Finally, Peter calls upon the Lord to settle
them. Again, this word is another way of saying what Peter has already said.
- Truly the God that would do this in spite of
the horrors of Roman persecution deserves all the glory and rule forever! Peter
is reminding them that He deserves their allegiance! Verse 12.
• I Peter 5:12-14 : "By Silvanus, our faithful brother
as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that
this is the true grace of God in which you stand. She who is in Babylon, elect together
with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen." : Peter's letter was coming to the
churches via Silvanus, who is better known to you and I as Paul's traveling
companion Silas.
- Peter dictated the letter to Silas and he
will likely be it's courier. The very best compliment that Peter could bestow
upon him was his own favorable personal consideration.
- "If you ask me, this man is our faithful
brother!" What a high compliment indeed! Here is a man that has remained
reliable, consistent, and true to his confession over the years of his service!
- As he carries this letter, Peter knows that
if it's possible, Silas will bring it to the intended recipients, who will
receive Peter's encouraging testimony to their present state.
- He wants them to know that there hasn't been
a mistake. Their current circumstance did not annul the reality of God's true
grace in their lives that caused them to stand! They had the real thing!
- Peter concludes with a few greetings, first
from "she who is in Babylon." Most believe this to be the underground
church of Rome. They are chosen, just as the others were.
- Mark is with Peter, who he calls his son!
This was the Mark that left Paul and Barnabas to the work of the first
missionary journey.
- He had been a bit of a failure as a
missionary, but here he is near to the Apostle Peter at the end of his life! At
some point, Paul did not want to work with him.
- Thankfully, the Kingdom of God is a much
wider expanse! Paul's loss, for a time, was Peter's gain! Everyone is to be
greeted warmly and to know that there is shalom in the Lord Jesus alone!
Conclusion
- Let's pray!
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