I am also really excited for summer, maybe even more than some of you students, if that
is possible.
We get to have this summer for the first time since COVID, short-term trips to work alongside
some of our mission partners.
How exciting that is.
Opportunities here, Jeremy was telling you about in relationship with our neighbors.
Invite someone to the cookout or VBS.
This is why God has us here, right?
That we would see His name praised among the nations and the next generations.
That's what we're about.
And it's exciting to get to be a part of that in these ways.
One other thing I wanted to mention before we open God's Word together.
Today is a day that has been set aside months ago by our denomination because our denomination,
the PCA, the Presbyterian Church in America, is turning 50 this year.
And so this is a day of prayer to thank God for His work, to pray for the future of our
denomination.
And it's been especially poignant this week because we have experienced the death of multiple
pastors in our denomination.
Last Sunday, Stephen Smallman in Pennsylvania.
Thursday morning, Pastor Harry Reeder from Briarwood, a sister church in Birmingham, died suddenly
in a car accident.
And then the next morning, Tim Keller went to be with Jesus.
He's been in New York City and battling pancreatic cancer.
I know that He has shaped many of you.
He has certainly shaped many of your pastors.
These are men who are fathers in the PCA.
Maybe some of them, no one outside the Presbyterian Church in America would recognize, but significantly
influential for years and years in our denomination.
And so I encourage us to be praying for the future of the PCA and those who will continue
to lead us and shepherd us as we thank God for these who have done that for us.
As these would certainly have it, let's open our Bibles.
Let's hear from God appropriately this morning about leaders.
We are entering the last chapter of Peter's letter to God's people who are scattered through
the world.
He's been telling them and us about the suffering that we're going to endure because this world
is not our home.
home.
Pastor Keller once said, we all long for a place that is truly home.
Jesus says it awaits you.
He's home now.
We're not.
We live in a place that is not our home.
But at the end of chapter 4 last week, Peter told us God's judgment is coming to refine
us.
These difficult times to discipline our hearts, this suffering to purify our faith in Him.
It starts with God's people.
In fact, in the Old Testament passage, Peter is drawing from it starts in the temple with
the leaders of God's people.
So in light of that, he keeps going.
The leaders of God's people are to lead them toward God, to entrust themselves to God in
the midst of painful suffering.
Peter has some words for those leaders.
Then briefly, words for the rest of the church in relation to them.
In Jesus' church, there are elders called to lead.
Peter doesn't explain that here in this passage as many other letters do.
Peter assumes it.
He's writing to a bunch of churches.
He assumes they all have elders.
Shared leadership as with God's people in the Old Testament.
So he writes to the elders here at the start of chapter 5, God's Word.
Really important for elders to listen.
Really important for all of us to listen to what our leaders should do and what kind of
leaders we need as we nominate them, as we pray for them, as we share God's mission alongside
them.
1 Peter 5 at verse 1.
So I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ,
as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed.
Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion,
but willingly as God would have you.
Not for shameful gain, but eagerly.
Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders.
Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another.
For God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
Let's pray together.
Father, we thank you this morning again for your word.
Would you keep the PCA true and faithful to your word?
That we would be obedient to the great commission that we would not only know your word, that
we would share your word.
Lord, would you do that in our hearts here today?
Would you speak?
We need hear no voice more clearly than yours.
We are your sheep.
So would we hear your voice?
Would we listen?
Would we follow our shepherd?
We ask it in the name of Jesus, our good shepherd.
Amen.
When the people of God are struggling as strangers in a world that's not their home.
When they're enduring suffering at the hands of the world and in their own flesh and their
enemy, the devil.
When they're being tested and refined, in fact, by God himself.
What is imperative for their leaders to do?
Peter has a charge for the elders of every church of Jesus Christ.
He exhorts us.
He urges us as one who has seen the deepest sufferings of Jesus as well as the highest glory
toward one thing.
What is that one thing that Peter exhorts the elders?
Shepherd the flock of God among you.
What is the church of Jesus Christ always in need of?
Shepherds.
An elder, an overseer is another word used here and elsewhere for the same role, is a shepherd.
One who by definition, by spiritual vocation, by divine sanctification, cares for sheep.
Listen, elders.
You may teach.
You may administrate.
You may pray.
You may evangelize.
You may disciple.
You may organize.
You may serve.
You must always shepherd the flock.
Care for sheep.
Peter is echoing the very words that Jesus spoke to him.
The risen Jesus comes to Peter and says,
Feed my sheep.
Tend my lambs.
Pastor my people.
Picture what a shepherd does, right?
He knows the sheep personally.
He lives among them, protecting them from wolves that would attack or harm them.
He sees that they get proper food when they need.
He gives them rest rather than exhausting them.
He searches them out when they wander away.
This is what a shepherd does.
Specifically here, Peter mentions that elders exercise oversight.
Think of looking over the large group, the guarding and the watchful care over the whole flock.
Who is supposed to wrestle and pray over how to care for the sheep during a pandemic?
The shepherds.
Who is called to be surveying the landscape of the surrounding culture and seeing the idols that are distracting our hearts from Jesus and guide the sheep to safety?
The shepherds.
Who should be noticing even the sinful tendencies among the flock, the ways they tend to wander, the most dangerous temptations they encounter, and warn them clearly about the danger?
The shepherds.
This is a weighty role, isn't it?
A great responsibility.
Boy, I have felt that this week.
Can you imagine?
Over 800 sheep.
Precious souls ranging from five days old to 95 years old.
Every single one of them precious to the master, the good chief shepherd who loves them.
Elders, notice who the sheep are that you're to shepherd.
If they are the focus of your shepherding, there's nothing more important than to know who they are.
They are the flock of God.
They belong to Him.
These are the ones, Peter has told us, think back to the beginning of this letter.
These are the ones that God bought for Himself with the precious blood of His Son, the perfect Lamb.
Even the stubborn ones.
Even the wayward ones.
Even the weak ones.
All of them are His blood-bought lambs.
Don't you dare neglect a one of them.
Or mislead any of them away from Him.
Shepherd the flock of God.
Wow.
Listen, brothers.
There's a comfort that comes with the weight of that heavy hand.
That these are God's sheep.
Right?
If they're God's flock, He never stops shepherding them.
Yes, for a season, He puts them in your care.
But while He puts their hand in yours, they never leave His hand.
He will never let them go.
So let that omnipotent hand lighten your burden without lessening your responsibility.
In Ezekiel chapter 34, God speaks some really sobering words against the shepherds of His people.
Because they are feeding themselves and not feeding His sheep.
They're not strengthening the weak.
Caring for the sick.
Seeking the stray.
And the result there in the Old Testament with God's people is the sheep are scattered.
And many of them are lost.
As a result, God promises to remove His shepherds.
He will not stand for that from His shepherds.
And He promises to rescue His sheep.
I myself will search for my sheep and rescue them and feed them.
Make them lie down.
Bind up the injured and be their shepherd.
What a faithful shepherd.
You know you have one of those.
No matter what any leader does that fails you, He will rescue you and be your shepherd.
And so elders, shepherd God's sheep.
God's flock among you.
Southwood elders, you can care for.
But you don't specifically shepherd every Christian around the world.
Amen?
You don't have to understand every political climate in every nation.
You aren't called to understand the conflict in every Christian denomination.
You aren't responsible to understand every suffering everywhere.
But these dear people sitting right here next to you, the ones who can't be here this morning,
the ones you live with in your neighborhood, you must shepherd.
We must shepherd.
Shepherd the flock of God among you.
Last week, 35 sheep stood up here and took membership vows.
Even that looked like a lot to me.
Did you realize that when that happens, that's not merely new members making a commitment to this church family?
Those are the ones we saw and heard.
But when that happens, simultaneously, every active elder who has likewise stood and taken a vow to God before this flock is making a commitment to them too.
Did you know that?
That was happening last week.
When you're received into membership, the elders of Southwood, the session, we call them as a group,
They're receiving you as sheep that they promise to shepherd.
Not even just they promise you, they promise God.
Elders, your sheep are suffering today and will suffer in the future in some ways that are common to all of them
and in 800 plus unique ways.
Following Jesus is different for every one of them, but it's not easy for any of them.
So shepherd God's sheep.
At Southwood, we have 20 active elders, teaching elders we call pastors,
and ruling elders who shepherd together.
That's part of why I'm often saying we this morning.
We as shepherds need your prayers.
We are far from perfect.
But one of the things I want you to know that I most love about these men is how they love the sheep.
How they work to prioritize their time for shepherding the sheep.
We talk about it in terms of praying for you and pointing you to Jesus.
That's pastoring, shepherding, right?
And part of that role as under shepherds, that's what we are, under shepherds to the chief shepherd,
is to raise up other under shepherds so that we shepherd one another better.
Our deacons help.
The women on our advisory team help us shepherd.
Our grace group leaders are a big part of that.
I hope if you are a member here in this church family that you're in a grace group
and that you know that your leader loves you and shepherds you.
We have organized our shepherding as a church so that each of those grace groups has an elder who is responsible for it.
If you want to know who that is and you're confused, we'd love to let you know.
If you're not engaged in a grace group, we love you too.
And you should have an elder who prays for you and contacts you and, among other things, encourages you towards a grace group.
If you feel that we're missing you somewhere in there, you feel lost, you don't know that any shepherd is watching over you, praying for you,
please let us know that if that's what you're feeling this morning.
We don't want to overlook any of the sheep that God has entrusted to our care, but I'm sure that sometimes we do.
Talk to me or any of us.
Email all of us at the same time.
Elders at southwood.org.
You can do it right now.
We'll get it before the sermon's over.
Well, they'll get it.
Our heart is to shepherd this flock so that you are persistently prayed for and pointed to Jesus,
so that you taste his grace more and you share his grace more.
That's what we want.
Next, Peter gives three warnings about the heart of a shepherd.
Elders, I hope you've been reminded we have a weighty calling.
Okay?
Now it's heart check time.
Verse 2, shepherd not under compulsion, but willingly as God would have you.
Don't become or remain an elder merely out of obligation, begrudgingly for your own motivations.
Peter's saying you should be motivated and called by God.
You should shepherd because you are inspired by the grace of Jesus.
You're empowered by the presence of the Holy Spirit.
You're focused on the glory of the Father.
The love of Christ compels you.
The Spirit of Christ indwells you.
The Father of Christ calls you.
And you willingly respond to his call to be an elder and to shepherd his sheep.
Warning 2, verse 2.
Don't do it for shameful gain, but eagerly.
And most of our elders are thinking, oh good, the easy one.
I don't get paid a dime, so no problem on that, you know.
Shameful gain, wow.
Haven't really experienced any of that.
I know y'all are thinking that.
That's fair.
But guard your heart.
Guard your heart against being an elder for your own benefit rather than for the sheep.
It could be for your own influence, your own position, your own social gain.
Listen, if you're to be a faithful shepherd of God's flock for his sake, to watch over his sheep,
then you have to be motivated to love the sheep when it costs you.
When suffering comes to God's people, who usually gets attacked first?
It's usually the leaders.
People may think you're leading poorly and tell you.
They may be right.
When suffering comes, elders, shepherding the flock may cost you friends.
And that is really hard.
It may cost you time and health even.
So often, the anxieties and the sufferings of the people of God will be yours to carry
and your body may feel it.
It may cost you your life.
So many elders have died when persecution comes to the church.
All of those things may happen.
It may cost you all of those things.
Nevertheless, shepherd God's sheep.
Stay in the game for the sheep even if it costs you.
Thank you.
And thank you to those of you who've done that here.
Some of you for many, many years.
Warning 3, verse 3.
Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
Do you sometimes enjoy too much being in charge?
Being on the inside?
Being respected?
Servant leadership in Christ's church must look like the one who modeled it by getting up from the table,
wrapping a towel around his waist,
and washing his disciples' feet.
Elders are not to preach at others while leaning back and propping up their own feet.
They're to set an example in service,
in zeal for evangelism, not by Jeremy's methods,
in friendship,
in priority of knowing God,
in repenting quickly and deeply,
in shaping their lives and families after Jesus,
and standing firm in their faith and suffering.
See, the chief shepherd is coming.
And your job, elders,
is to join everybody else in longing for him to come.
I want you to remember that.
Every time you're serving the Lord's Supper,
and you get to serve that to the sheep,
and then after you do,
you turn,
and as a sheep of the Lord Jesus,
you're fed at his table yourself.
He is your joy.
He is your shepherd.
You are his sheep,
and he will honor you even for caring for his sheep,
receiving an unfading crown.
What he's saying is that your gain is eternal.
Know how much that matters to Peter?
It's the one that lasts.
Your gain is eternal,
even though being an elder likely costs you in this world.
Even that unfading crown,
we will join the elders of Revelation 4
in casting at the throne of the chief shepherd
because he's the one worthy of the honor.
He's the ultimate caretaker of all the sheep.
He's the one who, as the good shepherd,
actually does lay down his life for the sheep.
Friends, you have all known church leaders
who failed to shepherd the sheep,
who failed to shepherd faithfully,
as God calls us to here.
If you're not sure of that,
hi, I'm Will.
Now you do.
But the good shepherd will not fail.
So his under-shepherds here
must above all else keep pointing to him.
Many of you have heard my favorite literary picture
of shepherds pointing others to follow
a Jesus they can know and love.
It's in C.S. Lewis's Prince Caspian.
For much of the story here,
the young children who are the main characters,
they're struggling.
They're suffering.
They're in this dark predicament
where they're wandering around
and they can't see the lion, Aslan,
kind of, sort of the Christ figure.
They can't see him
because they don't believe he's there.
How hard it is
when sheep can't see the shepherd, right?
But there's Lucy,
the youngest of the bunch.
She trusts him like a child
and so she sees him, she alone.
Listen to what happens.
Aslan turned and walked at a slow pace
about 30 yards ahead of them.
The others had only Lucy's directions to guide them.
For Aslan was not only invisible to them
but silent as well.
His big cat-like paws made no noise on the grass.
He led them to the right of the dancing trees.
Whether they were still dancing,
nobody knew.
For Lucy had her eyes on the lion
and the rest had their eyes on Lucy.
Lucy had her eyes on the lion
and the rest had their eyes on Lucy.
Fellow elders,
my dear brothers whom I love,
any of you who would consider God
calling you to shepherd his sheep
and we need you.
Keep your eyes on Jesus.
Don't lead his sheep anywhere else.
Chase after him
so that any sheep following your leadership,
even following you in your failings,
will see through you
to the good shepherd
that your eyes are on.
We need to pray for that.
I've asked Carla Cash
who has for many years been married
to an elder
who is currently serving
on our women's advisory team
that labors alongside of our elders
and prays for us
and helps us.
I've asked her to come lead us in prayer.
As she comes up,
if you're an elder here on our session,
would you stand for a second?
And then as you stand,
would you step out into the aisle
near you
and just kneel?
And if you're near
one of these guys
and you want to put a hand
on his shoulder
or gather around him
while we're praying,
they'd appreciate that encouragement,
I'm sure.
You guys kneel.
Carla's going to lead us
in prayer.
Would all of you
pray for these guys?
Let us pray.
Father,
we praise you
for who you are.
Our Father,
our Redeemer,
our Shepherd,
and our Protector.
You're our guide.
Right now, Lord,
we take a moment
to lift up these elders,
these men
who love you so much,
and we pray for them.
Would you continue
to be with them
as they lead
and guide us
as sheep,
that they would shepherd us
and love us
and not lead us astray?
Lord,
we pray that your Spirit
would rest upon them
so that the decisions
that are made
are made with wisdom
and compassion
so that they experience
a bond of unity
and that their hearts
are willing
and not duty-bound
to guide us
as a congregation.
Protect these men,
Lord,
and their families
from the evil one
who only desires
to deceive us.
We praise you
and we thank you
for each of these men
who serves us
and loves us well.
To you,
O Lord,
and to the Lamb,
be praise
and honor
and glory
forever and ever.
Amen.
Thank you so much, Carla.
Thank you for praying
just then.
Please keep
praying for us.
One verse now
to the other members
in the church family.
you get your turn too.
Particularly,
it says,
to those who are younger,
best understood here
as all those
not serving as elders.
Verse 5,
likewise,
you who are younger
be subject
to the elders.
It's that same word
we've seen before
several times
in 1 Peter
for submitting.
For submitting,
placing ourselves
under authority
for our own good
and the struggle
is the same one
we've seen before.
We know it.
We don't like that.
We are independent.
We are self-sufficient.
We're often sure
that no one
could possibly know
what's best for us
other than me.
But Peter is saying,
you need shepherds.
You need people
who will point you
to Jesus.
Put yourself
in relationship
with them.
Nominate them
and encourage them
to serve as elders
in your church
and then follow them.
Follow godly leaders.
Ones you've seen
are following Jesus
because that's where
you need to go.
We have already
acknowledged our elders
won't always be right.
Sometimes you will need
to help us see that
and that's part of this.
But the posture
of your heart
is to be subject
to our shepherding,
to follow our leading,
to trust ultimately
the God
who called us.
Hebrews chapter 13.
13.
Obey your leaders
and submit to them
for they are keeping
watch over your souls
as those who will
have to give an account.
Let them do this
with joy
and not with groaning
for that would be
of no advantage
to you.
But in fact
it is to your advantage
when people
are shepherding you
and pointing you
to Jesus
with joy.
Following Jesus
is not easy.
Especially when
suffering comes
on that account.
Your heart
will need
to be shepherded.
Trust the good shepherd
and as a result
of your trust in him
those that he puts
in place
to shepherd his sheep.
We do love
to pray for you
as your elders
so I've asked
one of our ruling elders
Alan Judge
to lead us
in praying
for the sheep
of Southwood
this morning.
You don't all
have to get up
and kneel
because that would be
even more awkward
than it was
the first time
but we want
to pray for you.
Let's pray.
Lord you are
a great God
a great king
above all gods.
You alone
are worthy
of all worship
adoration
and praise.
I praise you Lord.
You dwell
in unapproachable light
such that all
the beings
around you
constantly cry
holy
is the Lord.
And yet
you who dwell
in unapproachable light
became approachable
by becoming flesh
and dwelling
among us.
And over
and over again
you have demonstrated
your great love
toward us.
the rich irony
of me
being called
upon to pray
after a sermon
on submission
is too funny
for me not
to also note
that you clearly
have a great
sense of humor.
For you know
all of my sin
as it is ever
before you.
So you know
that submitting
to anyone
other than myself
is one of my
greatest struggles.
Until this morning
I refused
to sign in
using this stupid
code scan thing.
But since I was
being called up
to pray about submission
I thought I better
do it today.
Lord as I have been
called upon
to pray for your church
here at Southwood
I must first confess
that I am
unworthy to do so.
I am selfish
self-reliant
and I constantly
seek to get
my own way.
Have mercy on me
a sinner.
For I can only
stand up here
because of your grace
mercy and love.
But I am not alone.
As Isaiah said
I am a man
of unclean lips
and I dwell
among a people
of unclean lips.
We all struggle
with submitting
to one another
and submitting
to the church.
As I examine
my heart
before you
and ask
why do I
and indeed
why do we all
struggle so mightily
in submitting
to each other?
Your word
reveals the answer
over and over again.
We like sheep
have gone astray.
We forget
who we are
and whose we are
and we have served
the creation
rather than the creator.
In short Lord
we have failed
to submit to you
because we have
forgotten
why we are here.
why did you
who needed
nothing
to be fully
complete
why did you
create us?
You knew
what we were
going to do
Lord.
We would betray
you over
and over again.
You knew
that we would
desire things
of this world
comfort
financial security
reputation
but really
above all else
Lord
like spoiled
children
we want
to get
our own way
most of all.
Even so
knowing all
of that
at the right
time
Christ
died for us
the godly
for the ungodly
he who
knew
no sin
became sin
on our behalf
he who was
and is
equal with the
father
did not
consider such a
quality
a thing
to be grasped
but he
humbled himself
submitting to
the father
to the point
of death
even death
on a cross
at the hands
and for the
benefit of
sinful humans
us
Lord
we caused
you to die
why
Lord
why did you
allow that
to happen
it doesn't
make sense
there's no
way
that if I
was in your
place
that I
would have
done that
in my
judgment
we're not
worth it
but thanks
be to God
that you
are God
and I
am not
your ways
are not
my ways
or our
ways
your thoughts
are not
our thoughts
you do not
treat us
as our sins
deserve
for as high
as the heavens
are above
the earth
and as far
as the east
is from
the west
so far
have you
removed
our sin
from us
and cleansed
us from
all unrighteousness
why
because you
who are
love
wanted to
share that
love with
us
you
who lived
in perfect
relationship
between the
father son
and holy
spirit
created us
to share
that relationship
you created
us to know
you
that is why
we are here
oh what
love the
father has
lavished upon
us that we
might be
called
children
of God
it cost you
everything to
adopt us
your children
as your
children
you are
faithful
and your
faithfulness
is more
than enough
God give us
a picture of
your beauty
and let us
desire to
know you
above all
else
so that your
name will be
glorified in
your church
and in all
the earth
teach us to
remember why
we are here
Lord
and be able
to say with
the psalmist
your face
Lord will we
seek
let the words
of our mouth
and the meditation
of our hearts
be pleasing to
you
our Lord
our Savior
our King
Amen
Thank you
Alan
Finally a word
for all of us
shepherds and
sheep
honor others
above yourself
verse 5
clothe yourselves
all of you
with humility
toward one
another
for God
opposes the
proud
but gives
grace
to the
humble
you've heard
Paul call us
to this
same humility
following in
Jesus
footsteps
and humility
consider others
better than
yourselves
so elders
care more for
the sheep
than for yourself
sheep
care more for
the elders
direction
than your own
agenda
honor others
in your church
family above
yourself
after all
he said
there is one
person
for sure
you need
to know
is on
your team
and that's
God
you don't
want him
against you
and he
opposes
the proud
those who
think they're
okay on
their own
can trust
their own
instincts
their own
wisdom
their own
gifts
but
God
gives
grace
to the
humble
don't we
need grace
Alan's
right
we need
it
doesn't
God
have
so much
of it
abundant
grace
it says
amazing
grace
upon
grace
he gives
more
grace
so confess
how much
you need
him
trust
that
in this
family
there is
one
strong
father
there is
one
perfect
shepherd
there is
one
unending
source
of grace
and praise
God
we are
his
sheep
amen
let me
pray for
all of
us
father
would you
make us
humble
show us
more
of how
much
we need
your grace
that we
might
never
think
there is
something
in us
that commends
us to
you or
anyone
else
oh
but there
is
there is
indeed
more
grace
give it
to us
father
more
of your
spirit
dwelling
in us
empowering
us
making
us
yours
would you
give us
that
grace
that we
might
indeed
live
as your
people
faithfully
in your
church
sharing
the good
news
of eternal
life
with everyone
help us
know you
more
we ask
in Jesus
name
amen
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information
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at
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