1 Peter Study #13

“Living Low”

1 Peter 5:1-7

Study #13 in 1 Peter Series

INTRODUCTION:

I am certain you have heard these expressions, and they are just a representative sample. There are many others: “high and mighty, keeping a high profile, living the high life, living it up, riding high in the saddle, living high on the hog.” Why do you suppose we have so many similar expressions in our language? Could it be that we are obsessed with the desire to live high and terrified of the idea of living low? In general Americans want to climb the social ladder. We want to climb the wealth ladder. We long to accumulate more material possessions. We want more fame, recognition, power, and authority. Nobody wants less. No, we all want MORE, MORE, MORE!

TRANSITION:

But what does the Bible say? What would Jesus say about our desire to live above others? Is this obsession with high living something that God wants us to pursue? In our text for this study, Peter addresses these very questions, and his conclusions might make you a little bit uncomfortable. Let’s dive in.

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 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,  

• “Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ,” – The word Peter uses here translated as “I exhort” is the Greek verb παρακαλέω (parakaléō), which has several interesting meanings. The literal meaning is “to call to one's side, to call for, or to summon for help.” In the KJV it is most often translated as “to beseech, to beg, or to entreat.” Moreover, it is from this verb that we get the noun, Parácletos, or Paraclete, which is a title for the Holy Spirit, the One who is “called alongside to help us in time of need.”
• Peter bases his exhortation on three (3) facts: (1) First, he is their “fellow elder.”  Here Peter puts himself in the same boat with the elders of the churches of Asia Minor. He is one of them. He is not making pronouncements from the top of the mountain but encouraging them as “your fellow elder.” Although Peter was clearly the prominent disciple among the twelve, he never claimed any special privilege or honor. He was a humble servant who saw himself only as a fellow elder among all the other elders in the church. (2) Second, he was an “eyewitness of the sufferings of Christ.” Indeed, he was there when it all went down. He didn’t read about it in the Jerusalem Herald. He didn’t see it on TV. No, he was with Jesus from day one, from that day on the shore of Lake Galilee when Jesus called him to be a fisher of men, and he saw it all with his own eyes, right up to the end: the mocking crowd, the trials, the derision and cursing of the Jews, the beatings, the crown of thorns, and the crucifixion. He had a front-row seat for all of it. And (3) Third, Peter, along with James and John, was a “partaker also of the glory” on that day on the mountain when they saw Jesus transfigured before their eyes, and they had a glimpse of His glory.
• “…and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed,” – Not only did Peter witness Christ’s glory on the Mount of Transfiguration, he is confident that he, along with all the other believers, will see that same glory revealed in its fulness when Jesus returns to the earth in power and great glory.  

Verse 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;

• “…shepherd the flock of God among you,” – “Shepherd.” Most of the time when we see this word in the N.T. it is in its noun form, ποιμήν (poimēn), which means “a herdsman, esp. a shepherd of sheep.” Here however we have it in the verb form, ποιμαίνω (poimainō), which means “to feed, to tend a flock, or to keep sheep,” but is more often used in the figurative sense of ruling or governing. In verse one Peter lays out his bona fides, in other words, his authority, qualifications, and achievements that give him the right to exhort them in this way. He is their senior shepherd, and as such has the right and responsibility to guide them in their work of caring for God’s sheep, “the flock of God among you.” But there is a right way and a wrong way to do that. A bad shepherd uses a club and a prod. He uses threats and intimidation. He slaps the sheep around, showing little tenderness toward them. He spends his time thinking about how much money the boss will pay him at the end of the work period. In other words, he is a hireling whose heart is not in the work and who cares nothing for the sheep. A good shepherd, on the other hand, loves his sheep and is even willing to sacrifice his life for them.
• If we look through the scriptures, we see that there are many references that describe the duties of a good shepherd. These boil down to six (6) main responsibilities:

1.    A good shepherd FEEDS the sheep – John 21:15-17 (NKJV) – “So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” ¹⁶ He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” ¹⁷ He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, 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, “Feed My sheep.”

2.    A good shepherd PROTECTS the sheep – Acts 20:28 – “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”

3.    A good shepherd LEADS the sheep – Psalm 23:1-3 – “The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

4.    A good shepherd CORRECTS the sheep – 2 Timothy 2:24-26 – “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, ²⁵ with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”

5.    A good shepherd HELPS DELIVER the lambs – Isaiah 40:11 – “He [God] tends His flock [Israel] like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those that have young.”

6.    A good shepherd GOES AFTER wandering sheep – Luke 15:4 – “Suppose one of you [shepherds] has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.’”

• “…exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily,” – If you observe carefully verses 2-3 you will see that Peter gives us eight (8) descriptive phrases that teach elders the right way to care for God’s sheep. The first six (6) are in verse 2, and the last two are in verse 3. Notice that some are positive commands, others are negative.
• #1 “…exercising oversight” – This is one of the chief responsibilities of a pastor or elder, to oversee the work of the church and make sures that everything runs smoothly. He is to be guided by the Word of God and the clear leading of the Holy Spirit. In the N.T. a synonym for the word pastor (poimen) is the Greek word episkopos, which is usually translated as “overseer.”  
• #2 “…not under compulsion” – No one should be pushed into becoming a pastor. No one should be bullied or guilt-tripped into going into the ministry. The shepherding ministry is not merely a profession, but is a divine calling. A man needs to have the certainty that he is serving according to God’s will and with the full approval of his own will.  
• #3 “…but voluntarily” – This is the flip side of the previous statement and says what I just got done saying. A good pastor or elder does it of his own free will, not because of a vacancy or a church vote or pressure from his peers. This is clear from 1 Timothy 3:1 – “It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.” N.B. the words aspires and desires.
• #4 “…according to the will of God;” – As I said, a pastor must be convinced that he is serving because of the will and calling of God. The apostle Paul started many of his epistles with a greeting like this one in 1 Corinthians 1:1 – “Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.” It was that certainty that kept him going when times got tough.  
• #5 “…and not for sordid gain,” – The ministry is no place for someone who wants to use it to get rich. Sadly, over the years there have been many charlatans who have fleeced the flock and made themselves rich. In fact, there are still plenty of these wolves in sheep’s clothing running around becoming fabulously wealthy. Let me name a few: Benny Hinn, Jesse Duplantis, Bill Johnson, T.D. Jakes, Andrew Wommack, Marilyn Hickey, Kenneth Copeland, Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar, and Joyce Meyer just to name a few. I could list many more. We need to call them all out as false shepherds and false prophets and avoid them completely.  
• #6 “…but with eagerness;” – A good shepherd does his work with eagerness, and joy, and a positive attitude. It is a great privilege and honor to serve the Great Shepherd and to care for His sheep. That is not burdensome work. It is not a chore. If you are a pastor but you dread every new day, getting up feeling depressed, dragging your feet and trying to find excuses not to go to work, you are probably in the wrong profession. Something is seriously wrong and you need to get it sorted, and soon!

Verse 3: …nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. 

• #7 “…nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge,” – One of the wrong motives that causes the ministry to be appealing to some people, is the desire for power and authority over others. That explains why we see so many autocratic little Hitler-type preachers, especially in certain denominations. They seem to get their thrills by being big ducks in a little pond and getting to kick the other ducks around. But know this, as an under-shepherd you don’t own the sheep. You are merely a steward, a caretaker, and the Lord hates it when people torment and hurt His lambs. You don’t lead by lording your petty authority over the sheep. And if you do you will answer to Him for it!  
• #8 “…but proving to be examples to the flock.” – The way a good shepherd leads is by going out in front of the sheep, leading the way, marking out the path, protecting them from wolves and lions that lie in wait behind trees and bushes to attack them, in order to guide them to green pastures and still waters. If you are a shepherd you are to lead by example, not by threatening the sheep, frightening the sheep, or haranguing the sheep.

Verse 4: And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

• “And when the Chief Shepherd appears,” – Jesus will return one of these days, just as He promised. He has kept every other promise and has fulfilled every prophecy ever made about Him. He will not fail us on this one. When the right time comes, when His Father says, “GO!” the Lord Jesus will return to finish up business down here. You can take that to the bank! 
• “…you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” – When the Master returns those who have served Him faithfully and taken good care of His flock will be rewarded. That future reward should not be a pastor’s main motivation but there is nothing wrong with having that be one of the motivators for faithful service. I believe this was exactly Paul’s thought when he wrote 2 Timothy 4:7-8 – “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; ⁸ in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Verse 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.  

• “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders;” – Peter is concerned that the younger men in the churches show the proper respect to their elders and overseers. Some have speculated that by “younger men” Peter is referring to the younger elders on the ministry teams, but I don’t think there is evidence for this view. I believe he is speaking in broader terms. Young men sometimes tend to want to challenge the older men who are in authority. I think this is a flaw of our fallen sinful nature. So, Peter warns the young men in the churches not to do this but rather to “subject themselves” to their elders. In Greek this is the verb, ὑποτάσσω (hupotásso), which in the context means “to arrange themselves under, to subordinate themselves.” Of course, this applies to everyone. We should all submit ourselves to the spiritual leaders God has placed over us, but here Peter especially focuses on the young men in the congregations, perhaps because this had already been a problem and he was trying to correct it.  
• “…and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another,” – This command is directed at everyone, not just the young men. Pride, envy, and jealousy are the main causes of disunity in churches. When humility is lacking these negative attitudes tend to take over. James 3:16 says it this way, “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.” Peter knew this. He had undoubtedly seen this play out in more than one church, so he is anxious to nip it in the bud. In this verse Peter likens humility to a garment that we can choose to put on: “clothe yourselves with humility.”  This coincides perfectly with what James wrote in James 4:1-11, “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? ² You lust and do not have; so, you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so, you fight and quarrel…  ⁶ But He gives a greater grace. Therefore, it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” ⁷ Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded…  ¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. ¹¹ Do not speak against one another, brethren.”  
• “…for God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble.” – Any time I read in the Scriptures that God is opposed to something I make a note-to-self to avoid that thought, action, or attitude. I do not want to become the enemy of God by opposing something that He has declared is to be avoided. The verb “is opposed” is the Greek word, ἀντιτάσσω (antitásso), which is a scary word meaning “to range or line up in battle against.” Trust me, I am not interested in squaring off against Almighty God. On the other hand, if He is passing out grace, I want to get in that line. In this case, He is passing out grace to those who will walk humbly with Him and with our brethren.

Verse 6: Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,

• “Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,” – Peter and James both quote Proverbs 3:34 in their appeals for humility. Here Peter uses the reflexive passive verb ταπεινόω (tapeinóō), which in the context means “to make yourself low, to prostrate yourself under the mighty hand of God.”  I have on occasion heard well-meaning but biblically ignorant Christians offer up pious sounding prayers along the lines of, “O Lord, humble your servants, we pray. Teach us humility. Lord, make us humble.” Let me just tell you, that is a prayer you should never pray! You do not want God to have to humble you! You will not like how that turns out! Repeatedly in Scripture we are commanded to humble ourselves. You see, that’s not God’s job. It’s our job, our responsibility to make ourselves low before Him, before His Word, before our leaders, and before His people.
• “…that He may exalt you at the proper time,” – So, what’s God’s job? His promise is that if we humble ourselves and walk before Him in humility He will reward us in His time. But the opposite is true as well. Many passages in the Bible tell us that God will judge the proud and the arrogant. Isaiah 2:12 is a good example: “For the Lord of hosts will have a day of reckoning against everyone who is proud and lofty, and against everyone who is lifted up, that he may be abased.”

Verse 7: …casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 

• “…casting all your anxiety on Him,” – Our cares, worries, guilt, fears, and anxieties are a heavy burden, yet many of us carry this crushing load for our whole life because we don’t know how to get rid of it. When I was a young man, to make extra money I loaded and unloaded heavy grain sacks onto and off trucks. They generally weighed around 75-80 pounds each. The first few weren’t too bad, but by the end of the day I was so beaten down I could barely move. The weight had a cumulative effect. My back ached, my hips and knees and feet burned like fire. And to unload those sacks off your back took real effort. It was hard to get them off you. It had to be done carefully to avoid dropping the sacks and spilling the grain. That’s how it is with our heavy burden of care, worries, and anxiety. Peter invites us to offload them onto Jesus, because He is stronger than we are and can handle them. And what a relief it is to roll them off our shoulders and onto His. The relief is instantaneous. And one more thing: notice the word “all.” Not just some, or a few tidbits, but ALL our anxiety.
• “…because He cares for you.” – Why does the Lord invite us to do this? Because of His great love for us. “He cares for us.” He is our Burden-Bearer. Not like a servant that we press into service to carry our groceries home from the store, but rather like a loving Father who sees His child struggling beneath a heavy load and reaches down to lift off the weight saying, “Here my child, let me carry that for you.”  

CONCLUSION:

Are you carrying a load that’s way too big for you to handle? Is it weighing you down and robbing you of joy? Jesus never intended for you to carry such a load. Maybe you should consider letting Him carry that for you. He will, if you will just ask Him. There’s a wonderful old hymn entitled, “Do You Know My Jesus?” by Vep B. Ellis and William F. Lakey that expresses what Jesus is inviting you to do.   

Verse 1:

Have you a heart that’s weary

Tending a load of care?

Are you a soul that’s seeking

Rest from the burden you bear?

Chorus:

Do you know my Jesus?

Do you know my friend?

Have you heard He loves you?

And that He will abide ’til the end?