1 Peter 5:1-11

Be Humble

Let’s read 1 Peter 5:1-4

1To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it 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 will never fade away.

Peter’s letter are to the churches throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,.

It was the practice of Paul and Barnabas to appoint elders in the churches they had founded as we read in Acts 14:23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

Elders are different from deacons. While both are seen as servants of the church,  Elders are expected to be able to teach and explain the Bible. The Pastor would be considered an Elder as can others who act as spiritual guides, helping church members in life struggles through Biblical principles, and growing in their faith.

Here we see Peter is addressing those leaders on how to be effective for the Lord.

The first thing he tells them is to be shepherds of God’s flock which is something they would be familiar with in the first century.

A shepherd at that time was primarily responsible for the welfare and safety of their flock.

Jesus considered Himself a Sheperd as we read in John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

Allow me to show you why Jesus called Himself a shepherd and why Peter used this comparison. I’ll relate the duty of a shepherd with God’s Word.

Shepherds led their flocks to green pastures and clean water sources.

Psalm 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

They watched for and defended their sheep from predators.

Psalm 121:7-8 The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

They protected their flock from threats like thieves and robbers.

John 10: 7-10 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.

They searched for and rescued lost or trapped sheep, bringing them back to the safety of the flock.

Matthew 18:12-14 What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

Shepherds are to teach the flock to recognize their voice.

John 10:4-5 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.

Elders as shepherd should teach God’s flock to recognize the Word of God so that are not fooled by the words of others.

Then Peter goes on to say in verse two and three…. Be a shepherd not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve, not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

If someone wants to be a church leader it should first of all be a calling from God. A member of the church should not seek the position of Elder for monetary gain or notoriety. Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for their self-seeking desire to be seen and admired by others rather than looking out for the best interest of the people.

Matthew 23:5-6 Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries (little Scripture boxes they wear) wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues.

An Elder that is in the position for any other reason than genuinely caring for God’s people, is not a true shepherd.

John 10:12-13 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

When Jesus spoke to the people they knew He was the true Shepherd and not like the Pharisees of that day.

Matthew 7:28-29 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

Therefore, Peter is telling the church Elders to lead or Shepherd their flock just as Christ leads the church.

I read it explained this way; A spiritual shepherd does his job in two main ways. The first job is to feed the sheep. Jesus emphasized this to Peter in John 21:15-17. Another aspect of the job is to tend the sheep, which means protecting, guiding, nurturing, and caring for the sheep. The most important “tool” to shepherd the flock of God is a heart like the heart of Jesus, one that is willing to give one’s life for the sheep, and who genuinely cares about and is interested in them

Faithful shepherds are promised a crown of glory.

1 Corinthians 9:25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Let’s read 1 Peter 5:5-7

5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Peter shifts from Elders to those who do not younger in age but those that are new to the faith.

I related it to 1 Peter 2:1-2 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

I share this: The elders are the pastors, the spiritual leaders of the church (verse 1). The church members, especially the young people, are to give honor, deference, and respect to spiritual leadership. Submission is a fundamental attitude of spiritual maturity (1 Cor. 16:15; 1 Thess. 5:12-14; Titus 3:1-2; Heb. 13:7, 17). Lack of submission to the elders not only makes the ministry difficult but also forfeits God’s grace (as noted in the quote from Prov. 3:34). This is saying that the Elder, who has been a follower of Christ for a long time, has studied the Word of God more than one who is a new Christian. It would be best for the new Christian to learn from the elder.

Peter quickly switches it up again and includes Elders and young alike to humble themselves to one another.

I read this: Peter is saying that humility is essential to our relationship with God. If we want to live in God’s grace (His unmerited favor) then we must lay aside our pride and be humble – not only to Him but also to one another.

To help understand this I go to 1 John 4:20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

If we cannot humble ourselves before one another who see and have a relationship, how can we have humble relationship with God who we cannot see?

In verse 7 Peter tells us “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

When I read this the thing that came to my mind was shrimping. Specifically, cast netting. If you have ever thrown a cast net or watched someone do it, that’s a good illustration of what Peter I saying.

When you throw that cast net out and it opens up on that water the weight id off of you and on the place it landed.

Peter says take all your worries and cast or throw them out to God who cares for you. Don’t be weighted down buy the struggles of this world.

Our Christian cast net is prayer. We give our worries over to God in prayer.

Trust God. Have faith that He will take care of it and you.

Let’s read 1 Peter 5:8-11

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Worries and temptations can take our mind off our relationship with Christ Jesus. We can lose sight of Christ when we are not humble, when we blinded by greed, overwhelmed with our situations, when we take drugs or get drunk on alcohol and let our guard down  

I read this: Be vigilant”: Strong confidence in God’s sovereign care does not mean that the believer may live carelessly. The outside evil forces which come against the Christian demand that the Christian stay alert. The roaring lion, here, is speaking of the devil. The devil would love to catch us unaware (not vigilant). It means that we must keep our sound mind operating at full capacity. We should not take drugs or get drunk on alcohol and let our guard down. Satan and his forces are always active, looking for opportunities to overwhelm the believer with temptation, persecution, and discouragement.

The only way we can resist satan is by our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and savior. Even satan and his demons know who Jesus is.

Acts 19:15 But one time an evil spirit said to these Jews, “I know Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”

We see that in Acts 2:21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

Luke 4:34 “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

I share this: Peter personally knew the futility of trying to face suffering and danger in one’s own strength. His own failure taught him the need for constant reliance on God’s work in our lives, so he prays for his Christian friends.

The Lord holds all us children in His mighty hand and nothing can take us from Him.

John 10:28-30 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

To truly follow Jesus you must “Be Humble”.