1st Peter chapter 5 verses 1 to 11
To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings, and one who will also share in the glory to be revealed.
Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers.
Not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be.
Not greedy for money, but eager to serve.
Not lording it 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 will never fade away.
Young men, in the same way, be submissive to those who are older.
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility towards one another, because God approves us the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.
Be self-controlled and alert.
Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of sufferings.
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.
To him be the power, forever and ever. Amen.
Amen.
So now Johnny's going to come up and speak.
Do you mind to hand it out?
Yeah, we'll take that.
Do you mind to hand it out?
Thanks.
Thanks, Peter.
Well, please have your Bibles open at 1 Peter.
I'm just going to do some adjustments here.
I'm a little smaller.
And as we look at this, just to remind you that we've been looking through 1 Peter as a series.
Today, we look at the very last section.
If you've missed any, you can follow along on the church website.
Under sermons, you can listen to any that are there.
And just to remind you as well that on the table, as you came in, there's the winter program,
which will take you through December, January, and February.
And in there are dates for your diary and various things that are happening and coming up in the life of the church.
So take a copy, be informed, and be involved, and know what's going on.
And to encourage you as well to come on Wednesday evening.
I know it's a scary ordeal to put something through a letterbox.
It's not that scary when we're together.
And we can go out and support one another.
Of course, you don't just have to pop it in.
You can knock on the door as well as we seek to bring God's word to the community of Carragalline.
So meeting at our house, quarter to seven on Wednesdays.
We'd love to see as many as possible who can share in that.
Well, let's pray as we look at God's word together.
Father God, we thank you for this letter of 1 Peter.
We thank you for the way in which it speaks to us in our lives today, individually and together as a church.
Father God, we thank you for the way in which it is.
And Father, our desire is that we would humbly submit to you our chief shepherd.
And that we would be those who listen carefully to your word.
That we may be built up and encouraged in the faith.
That we would know your grace at work in our lives as we seek to live for you.
So please help us now, we pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, the Christian life could be summarised like this.
We walk through suffering as we wait for glory.
That's been the big message of 1 Peter.
If you stand up for Christian values,
if you speak up for Christian truth,
you will suffer.
People will ignore you.
You will be insulted.
And for some, they will be persecuted.
But if you entrust your life to Christ,
if you live for Christ,
you will receive glory.
You will share in an inheritance
that can never perish, spoil or fade.
Have a look at chapter 5, verse 1.
As the letter concludes,
we come back to this great theme.
So chapter 5, verse 1,
To the elders among you,
I, that's Peter,
I appeal as a fellow elder,
a witness of Christ's sufferings.
Not only did Peter see Christ suffer,
but now as a witness for Christ,
he also suffers.
In fact, history tells us
that within a few years
of writing this letter,
Peter was put to death
for being a follower of Christ.
But not only does he suffer,
look at the end of verse 1,
he is one who also will share
in the glory to be revealed.
He will participate
in that future glory.
Now, walking through suffering
and waiting for glory
is hard.
It's not easy.
We know that the journey is tough.
So how do people like you and I
keep on going through the suffering
as we wait for glory?
Well, we need God's grace
to sustain us and keep us.
Look at verse 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.
God's grace is his kindness,
his goodness,
and his generosity,
which is poured out into your life
and on your life
in abundance,
overflowing to us
each and every day
to keep you
and sustain you.
So,
we could summarize it
like this.
This is where we're going
this morning
in our talk.
As we walk
through suffering,
God's grace will keep you
as we wait for glory.
As we walk through suffering,
God's grace will keep you
as we wait for glory.
God's grace is demonstrated
in a variety of ways.
We're going to look at three
this morning.
So,
God's grace
is shown
first
in the provision
of God's watchful shepherds.
So,
verse 1,
chapter 5,
verse 1.
To the elders among you.
So,
he's writing to the church
and he's addressing
specifically,
he says,
to the elders
among you.
Verse 2,
be shepherds
of God's flock
that is under your care,
serving
as overseers
or watching over
those under your care.
So,
God in his grace
provides elders
to care for the church
as we walk through suffering
and wait for glory.
First,
elders care for the church.
The elders of the church
are,
as we see in verse 2,
the shepherds
of the flock.
It's a wonderful picture,
that image,
of God's
caring provision.
Because
sheep without shepherds
get into all kinds of trouble.
And sheep
that separate themselves
from the shepherds
who live without
that caring protection
are in real danger.
So,
look forward
at verse 8.
He tells us there,
be self-controlled
and alert
because your enemy,
the devil,
prowls around
like a roaring lion
looking for
sheep
to devour.
Now,
we're going to come back
to this later.
But for now,
we must see
that elders
are God's shepherds,
God's gracious
provision
to care for
and watch over
his people
because we've got
an enemy
who is ready
to devour.
That's why
we have elders
in this church.
The elders
in this church
are Ralph,
Jonathan,
Alex,
and myself.
We are
your shepherds.
You have
been entrusted
by God
under
our care.
Look at verse 2.
Be shepherds
of God's flock
that is
under
your care.
Verse 3.
Not lording it
over those
entrusted
to you.
God in his
goodness
calls his sheep,
that is,
the people
who love Christ
and follow Christ
his church
to live
under
the care
of his shepherds
and entrust
themselves
to
the shepherds.
And this
watching over
of the flock
is God's
provision
for you.
It's a gift
to you
and it must
be taken
seriously.
So let me
address
the elders
because that
is what it
does here
in verse 2.
So elders,
be shepherds.
Jonathan,
I know he's not here,
he's in creche,
but he must
take care
out of a deep
love
for the people.
Look at the
end of verse 2.
Not because
you must,
but because
you are willing
as God
wants you to be.
Always
ready
and willing.
Never with a
sense of duty
or resentment
because God
has placed
the welfare
of the sheep
under
our care.
Look at the
rest of verse 2.
Not greedy
for money,
but eager
to serve.
As elders,
and particularly
myself,
and I speak
to myself,
as I am
supported
by the church,
my goal is
not to be
financial gain.
my calling
is not to
go around
demanding
more money,
but to
lovingly
provide for
the spiritual
needs of
the people.
I am to
nurture you.
That is my
calling,
to feed you,
to nurture
you,
by speaking
God's word
freely to
you,
to help
you in
your times
of suffering.
or verse 3.
Not lording it
over those
entrusted to
you,
but being
examples
to the
flock.
So Alex,
your role
is not to
crush
or suppress
with an
attitude of
superiority.
Instead,
together we
are to be
role models,
setting an
example of
sacrificial
service,
because God
has entrusted
the sheep
under
your care.
This is what
God expects
of his
shepherds,
and anything
less should
not be
tolerated,
and the
church is to
hold us
accountable
to this
high
calling.
Of course,
serving as
elders is
costly.
It takes
up time
and energy
and effort,
but the
rewards
are amazing.
So,
verse 4,
Ralph,
Jonathan,
Alex,
those who
are elders,
look at
verse 4,
and when
the chief
shepherd
appears,
you will
receive the
crown of
glory that
will never
fade away.
So,
you see,
God
graciously
provides
elders to
care for
the church
as we
walk through
suffering and
as we
wait for
glory.
So,
the elders
care,
and second,
the church
submits.
Look at
verse 5.
Young men
in the
same way
be submissive
to those
who are
older.
Now,
the word
for older
is the
exact same
word for
elder
in verse
1.
So,
the young
men
are to
submit to
the elders.
And you
think,
well,
why is he
picking on
the young
men?
Why do
they have
to submit?
Well,
it seems
that in
the context
here,
the whole
church
is called
to submit
to the
elders,
especially
the young
men,
those who
are young
in the
faith.
Why?
Well,
because young
men might
be tempted
to go it
alone.
You see,
nothing has
really changed
from the
first century
to 2016.
No one
likes to
submit to
authority.
No one
likes to
take
direction
or accept
advice,
especially
young men
who always
think that
they know
best.
So,
let me
speak
specifically
to the
young
men.
Elders
are not
placed over
you to
make life
difficult
for you.
God
has entrusted
you into
their care
for your
good.
That's
why we
as elders
meet together
we pray
for the
church.
We
think
through
issues.
We
talk
about
the
situations
that
you
may
be
in
and
how
best
we
can
support
you
and
care
for you.
Now,
of course,
the problem
is elders
can abuse
their
authority
and the
church
can ignore
authority.
So,
look at the
rest of
verse 5.
all of
you,
all of
you,
elders
and the
church,
clothe
yourselves
with
humility
towards
one
another
because
God
opposes
the
proud
but
gives
grace
to the
humble.
So,
elders
should
humbly
serve
the
church
and the
church
should
humbly
submit.
And if
we find
that
difficult,
well,
look at
the end
of verse
5.
God
will
give
you
grace.
He
will
help
you
to
work
that
one
through.
So,
as the
elders
care for
you
and
watch
over
you,
if
the
elders
should
ever
challenge
you
over
a
certain
behaviour,
if
they
should
advise
a
certain
direction,
if
they
should
ask
you
to
consider
serving
in a
certain
way,
it's
not
to
cause
you
harm
or
difficulty,
but
it's
for
your
good.
The
shepherds
are there
given
by God
to
provide
the
best
for
you.
So,
God
graciously
provides
elders
to
care
for
the
church
as
we
walk
through
suffering
and
as
we
wait
for
glory.
So,
that's
the
first
gift
of
grace
that
God
gives
to
his
church.
Here's
the
second
one.
The
power
of
God's
mighty
hand.
Verse
6.
Humble
yourselves,
therefore,
under
God's
mighty
hand,
that
he
may
lift
you
up
in
due
time.
God
in
his
grace
powerfully
works
by
or
through
his
mighty
hand
as
we
walk
through
suffering
and
wait
for
glory.
He
has
power
over
your
suffering.
In
the
Old
Testament,
we
read the
story of
God's
people
who
were
in
slavery
in
Egypt.
You
remember
that
story in
Exodus?
They
were
suffering
under
the
brutal
regime
of
Pharaoh.
But
listen
to
what
God
said
he
would
do
for
his
people.
Here
it is.
It's
on the
screen.
You
can
follow
along.
Then
the
Lord
said
to
Moses,
now
you
will
see
what
I
will
do
to
Pharaoh.
Because
of
my
mighty
hand,
he
will
let
them
go.
Because
of
my
mighty
hand,
he
will
drive
them
out
of
his
country.
And
when
God
rescued
the
people,
this
is
what
Moses
said
later
on.
Moses
said
to
the
people,
commemorate
this
day,
the
day
you
came
out
of
Egypt,
out
of
the
land
of
slavery,
because
the
Lord
brought
you
out
of
it
with
a
mighty
hand.
It's
a
description
of
God's
awesome
power,
his
rescuing
power.
Now
just
as
God
rescued
his
people
out
of
slavery
and
brought
them
through
into
the
promised
land,
so
God
is
going
to
bring
you
through
your
suffering
and
into
glory,
the
ultimate
promised
land,
by
his
strong
and
mighty
hand.
But
as we
wait
for
glory,
verse
6,
we
must
humble
ourselves
under
God's
mighty
hand.
That
is,
we
are to
submit
ourselves,
humbly
accept
the
struggles
and the
sufferings
we go
through.
You
see,
the
sufferings
that we
experience
in life
are not
out
of
God's
control.
They
are
under
his
control.
By
his
mighty
hand,
by his
strong
arm,
God
uses
the
struggles
to
strengthen
us,
to
grow
us,
and
refine
us
as we
wait
for
glory.
As we
journey
through
life,
the
sufferings
are not
always
removed
from
us,
rather,
we are
refined
by them
as God
works
in them.
So this
means we
do not
need to
run
from our
struggles,
but we
can embrace
them in
the knowledge
that God
by his
mighty
hand,
look at
the end
of verse
6,
will
lift
you
up
in
due
time.
So,
verse
7,
cast
all
your
anxiety
on
him
because
he
cares
for
you.
When
we
suffer
and
when
we
struggle
in
life
as
a
Christian,
we
can
sometimes
feel
like
God
has
left
us
or
abandoned
us.
We
can
think
that
God
is not
powerful,
that
he's
not
able
to
change
our
circumstances.
But
remember
this,
the
God
who
rescued
God's
people
from
slavery
in
Egypt,
the
God
who
parted
the
sea
so
that
the
people
could
walk
through
into
the
promised
land,
this
God,
this
mighty
God
will
also
rescue
you.
Therefore,
cast
all
your
anxiety
on
him.
Throw
yourselves
into
the
care
of
God.
Entrust
yourself
to
our
faithful
saving
God.
Because
there is
no
safer
place
to be
than
to
humbly
be under
God's
mighty
hands.
God's
love
to
God's
love
to
him.
He
has
power
over
suffering,
but he also has power
over
Satan.
Verse
8,
be
self-controlled
and
alert,
so have
your wits
about you.
Why?
Your
enemy,
the
devil,
prowls
around like
a roaring
lion,
looking
for someone
to
devour.
The
devil,
or
Satan,
is not
an
imaginary
force.
He is a
real person
who stands
opposed to
God and
his people.
In fact,
behind every
insult,
and every
accusation,
and every
persecution of
God's people
stands
Satan.
He is
like a
roaring lion
who seeks
to get in
amongst the
flock,
amongst
his people.
His desire
and his
intention
is to
cause
followers
of Christ
to fall
away and
to turn
their backs
on God.
However,
while we
must not
underestimate
his schemes,
we must
not
overestimate
his power.
Satan
is an
enemy of
God and
his people,
but he
is a
defeated
enemy.
God's
mighty
hand
through the
cross and
the
resurrection
of Jesus
Christ
has
defeated
Satan.
Look back
at chapter
3,
verse 22.
Chapter
3,
verse 22.
Here he's
been talking
about the
death of
Jesus
and the
resurrection
of Jesus
and look
what happens
after the
resurrection
of Jesus,
verse 22.
He has
gone,
that is
Jesus,
has gone
into
heaven
and is
at God's
right hand
with angels,
authorities
and powers
in submission
to him.
To sit
at God's
right hand
is to
be in
the
position
of
absolute
power
and
supreme
authority
where
every
power,
every
ruler,
every
government,
every
nation
sits
in
submission
to
God.
Including
Satan,
all the
authorities
and powers
are in
submission
to Christ,
the risen
ruler.
that means
that
Satan
can only
go as
far
as God
allows.
Satan
does not
have a
free reign
in this
world.
He can
only do
and go
as God
allows
and permits.
He is
under
the
sovereign
control
of God.
He is
a roaring
prowling
lion
but he
is a
lion
on a
leash.
Satan
is
under
God's
mighty
hand.
So,
verse 9,
resist
him.
I don't
know if
you've
ever tried
to resist
a roaring
lion.
I don't
think you'd
come off
very good
one-on-one.
So,
how can
we resist
the roaring
lion like
Satan?
We can
only resist
him because
he has
been
defeated.
And we
resist him,
verse 9,
by standing
firm in
the faith.
So,
we stand
against
Satan by
reminding
ourselves of
the faith in
which we
stand.
That is the
truth of
the gospel,
the good
news of
what God
has done
for us.
You see,
it will be
your experience
if you are
a Christian
that Satan
will tempt
you.
God is
not good.
If
he's
good,
then he
wouldn't
let you
suffer the
way that
you do.
What's
the point
in being
a Christian?
All you
do is
struggle and
suffer.
Life is
going to be
much easier
if you
just keep
quiet and
turn away
from God.
Only
sinful
Christians
suffer.
You
don't
have
enough
faith.
These
are the
temptations,
the voices
that we
deal with.
Well,
don't listen
to his
lies.
Resist
him.
Stand
strong
in the
faith.
Remind
yourself that
suffering,
the struggles
we go
through,
is normal.
Look at
the rest
of verse
9.
Resist
him standing
firm in
the faith
because you
know that
your brothers
and sisters
throughout the
world are
undergoing the
same kind
of sufferings.
This is
normal for
the Christian
to struggle.
And remind
yourself that
God's mighty
hand has
defeated Satan
and that he
is now in
submission to
God.
You belong
to him.
God is
with you.
So God
in his
grace is
powerfully at
work through
his mighty
hand as
we walk
through suffering
and wait
for glory.
So by
his grace
he provides
watchful
shepherds.
His mighty
hand is at
work within
us.
And then
his third
gift of
grace is
the promise
of God's
eternal
glory.
Look at
verse 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.
So God
in his
grace
promises
us that
he will
keep
his
people
as we
walk
through
suffering
and wait
for glory.
We need
to keep
perspective.
We need
perspective as
we journey
through this
life as
Christians.
Look at the
contrast in
verse 10.
Did you
pick it
up?
The God
who has
called us
verse 10
to his
eternal
glory in
Christ.
So we
have an
inheritance
that is
never going
to perish,
never going
to spoil,
never going
to fade.
It is
eternal.
In
contrast to
our eternal
glory, look
at verse 10.
we suffer
for how
long?
A little
while.
Glory is
eternal,
suffering
is temporary.
glory.
If you
look on
the walls
here, these
white panels
that go all
the way
around, you
might not
actually be
able to see
it.
So this
is a good
illustration,
but there's
a dot,
there's just
hundreds and
hundreds of
dots in
each little
panel, little
holes.
If you
just take
one dot
up in the
top corner
and just
imagine that
that's your
life.
It
represents all
the struggles
and all
the sufferings
you go
through, or
maybe what's
easier, think
of the
blocks that
are around
here.
Just pick
one block
that you
can see.
That represents
all your
sufferings, all
your struggles.
That is your
life contained
in that
block.
Now look
at all the
rest of the
concrete blocks
that are all
the way
around.
That is a
picture of
your eternal
glory.
The painful
trials we
go through
are just
for a little
while.
It's momentary.
It's just a
dot.
It's just a
block.
Glory will
go on
forever and
forever.
So keep
your
perspective.
And remember
that victory
is assured.
This is not
wishful thinking.
the glory
that to
come is
not just
kind of
some
dream.
It is
absolutely
guaranteed
and assured.
Let's read
verse 10
again.
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.
There's
like four
great
reinforced
concrete
pillars that
support a
house that
doesn't fall.
So God
puts these
four
reinforced,
rock solid,
unmoving,
unshakable
truths into
our lives.
Look at the
end of verse
10.
He will
restore you.
He will
put this
world to
rights.
He will
correct every
injustice.
Everything
that has
gone wrong
is going
to be made
right and
good again.
He will
restore you.
He will
make you
strong.
Every
struggle that
you go
through,
He will
make you
strong in
that struggle.
He will
make you
firm.
Every
difficulty
that you
endure,
He will
make you
firm.
He will
make you
steadfast.
For you
want to
give up
and you
feel you
can't keep
going,
He will
make you
steadfast.
Four truths
that are
strong enough
to face
every storm,
every trial
and every
struggle.
God's
grace is
sufficient.
The God
of all
grace will
make you
strong to
the end.
So whatever
you face
in life,
none,
no one
and nothing,
not even
the sufferings
we go
through,
not even
Satan
himself,
will keep
you from
glory.
The God
of all
grace will
sustain you
and keep
you.
God's
grace will
keep you
as we
wait for
glory.
Living as
a Christian
in this
world is
tough,
it is
hard,
but God
in his
grace provides
us with
shepherds
to care for
his church,
to watch
over you,
to speak
truth into
your life.
God is
powerfully
at work
by his
mighty,
strong hand
over our
suffering,
over Satan.
And he
promises us
by his
grace the
hope of
eternal glory.
Nothing and
no one
will stop
you from
reaching your
destiny.
glory.
So,
verse 11,
it's to
him,
the God
of all
grace,
the God
who created
you,
the God
who saved
you,
the God
who will
keep you,
the God
who will
bring you
through
suffering
and unto
glory.
To him
be the
power
forever
and
forever.
And all
of God's
people said,
Amen.
May it
be so.
Let's pray
together.