Lesson 18 – I Peter Chapter 5:1-5

I Peter 5:1
“Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed,”

Peter is again starting out by saying “therefore,” referring back to all he has instructed us about suffering in and for Christ.

I exhort the elders among you… to exhort means to encourage or strengthen, but also to instruct and teach. We can say to exhort someone is to compel or lead a person in a certain direction, and Peter is doing just that, in a positive way.

Peter is addressing the elders and the leaders in the church. The word elder is one of three titles used in the New Testament referring to the leadership within the church… elder, bishop, and pastor, they’re all interchangeable.

In Titus we see the qualifications for a church leader:

Titus 1:6-9
“An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who don’t have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. An elder is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life.
He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money. Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life. He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.” (NLT)

With all this in mind, elders have a great responsibility when it comes to leading the church. When I say church, I’m referring to the people and not a building… you guys are the church!

So before you get too comfortable thinking that this message is only for church leaders, this also applies to everyone of you who is involved in caring for or overseeing your family, and anyone else for that matter.

As your fellow elder… we see here an example of Peter’s humility, he’s not identifying himself as the first pope or some high position as some believe, but rather, he’s saying, “I’m an elder just like you.” I like that in Peter, because he could have easily put himself on a very high pedestal, after all, he was with Jesus… he walked, talked, laughed and probably joked with Jesus. Peter walked on water with Jesus… oh yeah, he also denied Jesus three times.

Nobody should think too highly of themselves… “For all have sinned and fall short of God’s glorious standard.”

The word pastor (elder) is also the word shepherd, the one who has the responsibility of feeding or teaching the truth of God’s Word to the flock… God’s people.

Isaiah 53:6a
“All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;”

W. Phillip Keller, who wrote “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” says, “The behavior of sheep and human beings is similar in many ways… Sheep do not ‘just take care of themselves’ as some might suppose. They require, more than any other class of livestock, endless attention and meticulous care.”

For example, God has created most animals with an instinct to be able to find their way home… not so with sheep. If a sheep strays into unfamiliar places, they become completely disoriented and cannot not find their way back home, thus their need for a shepherd.

Luke 15:4-7
“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

Peter was a caring shepherd, and he’s trying to encourage his fellow shepherds.

John 21:17
“Jesus said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.”

God’s sheep need godly leaders to watch over them.

And witness of the sufferings of Christ… Peter is reminding them that he was a witness to Jesus’ ministry. He saw how Jesus suffered at the hands of sinful man, and he also saw Jesus the risen Messiah.

After Jesus’ death, a handful of the apostles were out on their boat fishing, they were just trying to get a sense of normalcy back into their lives, because of what they had been a witness to. With that John recognizes Jesus walking along the shoreline…

John 21:7
“Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore.”

Peter was so excited to see that Jesus was alive, he doesn’t wait for their boat to reach the shore, he jumps into the water… clothes and all. Peter loved Jesus, and he and the others were all witnesses.

Witness (mar’-toos) has a twofold meaning; one who personally saw and experienced something, and the one who testified to what he saw.

I John 1:1-4
“What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life… and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us… what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.”

What have the apostles proclaimed to us? That Jesus is the Messiah, that He is the way, the truth, and the life… that whoever believes in Him will receive salvation. We share in this profound truth with the apostles, making us each a witness for Christ.

Each follower of Jesus Christ has received a new life and the Holy Spirit. We were dead in our sins and now we’re alive. A true disciple of Christ lives a changed life… this is our testimony, this is our witness. As witnesses, our job is to help spread the “good news,” to the lost world around us.

Did Jesus change you? Tell someone what He did for you… this is your witness. As I say these things to you, I’m saying it to myself. It’s important for us to be a witness for Christ.

One more interesting fact about the word witness is that the Greek translation gives us the English word martyr. We have a tendency to think of a martyr only as one who gives his life for Christ, and Peter did just that; but basically, a “martyr” is a witness who tells what he has seen and heard.

And a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed…

When we hear phrases like the glory that is to be revealed, we should get “a little sparkle in our spirit.” Here, we have a reminder to the elders and to us, of the genuine hope of an eternal reward for faithful service that is coming.

Matt. 24:30-31
“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”

Peter and every believer is going to share in the glory that is to be revealed. The glory we’re looking forward to is the return of Jesus… “the Son of man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.”

The glory of God is the beauty of His spirit. It is not a visual beauty or a material beauty (I’m sure when we see God, His outward appearance will be beyond all beauty), but the beauty that derives from His character… from all that He is.

Peter experienced this first hand on the Mount of Transfiguration…

Matt. 17:1-2
“Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.”

John 1:14
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The miracles that Jesus did were “signs through which He revealed His glory” (Jn. 2:11) In Christ, we see the glory of God is “meekly veiled” (power under control), approachable, and knowable. In the future New Jerusalem, the glory of God will be manifested: “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp” (Revelation 21:23).

I don’t know about you, but I can hardly wait for the glory that is to be revealed. Praises to the Lord God almighty!

I Peter 5:2
“Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;”

We have a command… Shepherd the flock of God among you. The elders, bishops, and pastors have been commissioned to shepherd the flock of God, which is a tremendous reasonability when you think about it.

R. C. H. Lenski, who died in 1936, was a German-born American-naturalized Lutheran pastor, scholar, and author who published a series of Lutheran New Testament commentaries, he writes: “Flock” brings to mind all the shepherd imagery found in the Scriptures: the sheep gentle, defenseless, liable to stray, needing a shepherd, happy, peaceful under his care, pitiful when lost, scattered, etc. This is “God’s flock” that was bought at a great price, that is exceedingly precious in His sight, a great trust placed into the hands of human shepherds who are to pattern after Yahweh, the Shepherd (Ps. 23) and Christ, the Archshepherd. What shepherd could have the care of any part of God’s flock and treat it carelessly! Peter’s words are sparing but overflow with tender and serious meaning.”

When I teach you guys the Holy Scriptures, it not only ministers to you, but also to me! I have the utmost respect for every one of you, and I will always try to bring you God’s Word as honestly as I can. If you ever think I’m saying something wrong, please come to me and we’ll figure it out.

You are not my flock, but you’re God’s flock.
John 10:14-15
“I am the Good Shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”

Exercising oversight… (episko-pay-ō) which means “to have scope over,” or “to look upon.” Also to oversee and care for. The shepherd is to assess the condition of the flock, so to lead, guard, and feed them. As a partner in salvation, the shepherd is willing to feed the flock… not under compulsion. One example of compulsion would be the son of a pastor goes into the ministry because it’s expected of him, or he feels the pressure from his father or family.

To be a “good shepherd” to God’s flock, you have to be called to that position, it’s not something a person does on a whim, but according to the will of God. God seeks out that person and speaks to their heart, and with that, the shepherd’s heart has to be in it… but voluntarily. A person who wants to be a pastor/leader in the ministry shouldn’t be in it for the money, although, there are those who have become very rich (and not for sordid gain) in fleecing God’s flock… I wouldn’t want to be around them come judgment day.

Bible commentary says, “The obvious point is that the shepherd must be diligent rather than lazy, heart motivated rather than forced to be faithful, and passionate about his privileged duty rather than indifferent. When the heart is fully Christ’s and driven by love for Him and for souls, there is much internal compulsion that precludes any need for external motivational pressure.”

I Cor. 9:16
“For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.”

Paul wasn’t under compulsion from his family, but from God. As Paul was cruising on his way to Damascus, God stopped him dead in his tracks. Paul was about to wreak havoc on Jesus’ church, but God had a different plan.

Paul chose to follow God’s plan rather than to “kick against the goads.” Wise move on Paul’s part!

A shepherd’s heart must be fully devoted to God, then his devotion will spill over into the “flock” he has been blessed with. The same applies for the shepherds over their families. A father and mother who are always seeking the presence of God, become a strong witness to their children… children need that kind of reinforcement in their lives.

With eagerness… No true shepherd should need personal wealth to motivate him, but he should serve his flock with eagerness, because of the high calling and privilege in his life.

I Peter 5:3
“Nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.”

“Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.” (NLT)

There’s nothing worse than a pastor, elder, or leader who thinks they’re better or higher than everyone else under them. Humility is a virtue that should be valued by all, especially to those in positions of leadership. When leaders lose sight of their own humanity and begin to perceive themselves as superior or infallible, it can lead to a disconnect from the very people they are meant to serve.

Matt. 20:25-28
“But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (NLT)

Allotted to your charge… (klay’-ross) simply means, “that which is given to another’s care.” God directs people into leadership positions and this should never be taken for granted. God assigns great responsibility to those who are in charge.

But proving to be examples to the flock… we’re never to “drive” God’s people, but “lead” them in God’s direction. We do this by being a good example, always showing the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Only the shepherd knows where the “good water” can be found. That is why he leads his flock. He doesn’t send them out to find water on their own. Instead, the shepherd leads them. Sometimes he walks ahead of his flock and sometimes he walks among the sheep, but always he leads them.

John 10:27-28
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

I Peter 5:4
“And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

Oh, that the Chief Shepherd would appear. The gospel of John calls Jesus the Good Shepherd, in Hebrews He’s Christ the Great Shepherd, and back in chapter 2, Peter referred to Jesus as the Shepherd and Guardian of souls.

Psalm 23
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Following the Chief Shepherd is the best choice you’ll ever make!

The Chief Shepherd appears… does indeed refer to Jesus’ Second Coming. Now remember, the Second Coming of Christ comes in two parts, first in the clouds to take up His church, the second, as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to rule and reign on the earth for a thousand years.

In this text, the shepherds will receive the unfading crown of glory in the first part, meaning as they stand before Jesus at the Bema Seat Judgment. The Bible speaks of five crowns in heaven, an incorruptible crown, crown of life, crown of glory, and the crown of rejoicing.

Unfading… means Peter wasn’t looking forward to some earthly version of a crown, but more metaphorically… to eternal glory.

Although Peter is addressing the elders, we must also remember that the crown will be awarded to all those who long for or love Jesus’ appearing.

I Chron. 20:2
“David took the crown of their king from his head, and he found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there was a precious stone in it; and it was placed on David’s head.”

I looked up what a crown with a talent of gold would weigh… about 75 pounds. Can you imagine having that on your head?

So when Christ, the Chief Shepherd, appears in His glory at the “end of all things,” He will bring rewards.

For the elders, there will be the unfading crown of glory. We’re not sure exactly what this means, other than the fact that Jesus will share His glory with those who served as the elders of His flock, and they will carry that glory with them forever.

John MacArthur says, “Christ’s undershepherds face a daunting task, but faithful oversight brings eternal reward in the form of greater service and joy in the Lord’s heaven: “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ “(Matt. 25:23)

I Peter 5:5 “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

As Peter taught us before in the previous chapters, we’re back on the subject of submission here. We’ve learned to be submissive to our employers, the civil authorities, and also within our own marriages. And let’s not forget, children are to submit to their parents as well… honor your father and mother.

Now Peter is adding to the list, that those within the church are to submit to the elders, bishops, and pastors. The younger believers should submit to the older believers, not only out of respect for their age, but also out of respect for their spiritual maturity. Granted, not every “older saint” is considered to be a mature Christian… quantity of years doesn’t necessarily translate into the quality of a person’s spiritual maturity.

Eph. 5:21
“And be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.”

The reality is, as believers, we need to be willing to submit to one another. Just as we worship God together, we should have a common respect for one another. Jesus led the example for us when it comes to submission.

John 13:3-5 (you know the story well)
“Jesus knew that the Father had given Him authority over everything and that He had come from God and would return to God. So He got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around His waist, and poured water into a basin. Then He began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel He had around him.” (NLT)

Here we have the King of Kings, and the Lord of all creation… washing the dirty, nasty, smelly feet of His disciples… talk about being humble! When Jesus washed the disciple’s feet, He was submitting to the Father, and by doing so He was showing His humility.

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another…

All means all, this is a command to every one of us, that we are to put on humility just as Jesus was willing to do. That we are ready and willing to serve someone other than ourselves.

Clothe… means to “tie something on oneself,” such as a work apron worn by servants. Jesus literally did that, “He wrapped a towel around His waist” it tells us. I imagine in those days, you would never see a wealthy or person of authority in public with an apron on.

The word humility means “lowliness of mind.” This describes for us someone who has the right attitude when it comes to serving. Jesus’ most frequently asked question is, “What can I do for you?” (Matthew 20:32, Mark 10:36, 51, Luke 18:41).

Perhaps the opposite of humility would be narcissism. Conversing with a narcissist can be described in four ways: confusing, dizzying, infuriating, and meaningless. There’s a good chance a narcissist doesn’t care to serve others.

Possibly even more so than today, humility was not an admired trait in the first-century pagan world. People saw it as a characteristic of being weak or cowardice, it was to be tolerated only in the submission of slaves.

When it comes to humility, we can never be submissive to each other until we are first submissive to God.

For God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble…

Proverbs 3:33-34
“The Lord curses the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the upright. The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble.” (NLT)

Pride sets a person against God, and God is against prideful people. In recent history, our society has seen fit to declare June as “Pride Month.” As soon as I said that, I’m sure some of you had bad thoughts come to mind. Pride Month speaks of people who are proud of their immoral sins against God.

Proverbs 8:13
“All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.” (NLT)

It was pride that turned Lucifer into satan. It was pride, a desire to be like God, that caused Eve to eat the forbidden fruit from the tree.

I John 2:16
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”

The only antidote to pride is the grace of God, and we receive His grace when we repent of our sins and confess Him as Lord of our life.

But gives grace to the humble…

Direct evidence of God’s grace toward us is when we show a willingness to serve one another.

Isaiah 57:15
“The high and lofty One who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: ‘I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.’” (NLT)

For us to be humble, we need to have the heart of Christ… the mind of Christ. This only comes when you’re ready to come to Him. He will graciously give you all things…

Romans 8:32
“Since He did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t He also give us everything else?” (NLT)

I’ll close with this…
I consider it an honor and a privilege to pastor over this small and humble church. I will always do my utmost to serve you the best I can. Remember, just as pastors/elders have a godly duty to serve God and His church, each of you have the same responsibility to watch over your family.

To do this, like I said before, we need to have the mind of Christ… which takes an open and willing heart. God loves you and wants the best for you… “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”