10.30.22 - 1 Peter 5:1-5

Open your Bibles to 1 Peter 5:1-5.  •Today’s worship service is out of the ordinary.  •Today we are going to bear witness to the installation of our brother David Allison to the office of Elder.  •He has already been accepted into this office by the common consent of the church. But today he will be formally recognized and begin his ministry as an Elder.  •Today is very exciting for our church. It’s a day we’ve been looking forward to for quite some time.  •And we are grateful to God for His grace toward Dave and toward this church to give us another Elder.  In light of the fact that an Elder will be installed today, we will be considering the duties of Elders from 1 Peter 5:1-5. •But let me be clear before we begin: Though we are grateful for our brother Dave Allison, and we are excited to see him flourish and bear fruit in the work of the ministry, this service isn’t about him.  •This is a worship service. Therefore, this entire gathering is about Christ.  •Even Dave’s installation is about what CHRIST HAS DONE in gifting, calling, and leading His Church to affirm what HE HAS DONE.  •Everything we do in our worship gathering is for the glory of the risen Lord and Head of the Church, Jesus Christ.  •And so, we will look to the Word of Christ this morning to hear from HIM and see what HE has to say about Elders and what they are called to do in HIS Church.  Now some of you may be wondering how this sermon will be beneficial to the entire congregation if the passage is mainly addressing Elders.  •So let me say a few things to address that: 1. This sermon will be beneficial to all the Elders in this church to remind us of our job and refocus us.  •And the entire church benefits when it’s leaders are operating properly and fulfilling their calling according to the Word of God.  2. This sermon will teach the congregation what to DEMAND from the Elders with all the authority of Christ.  •It will help all of us to hold the Elders accountable to perform the duties of their office. •And that will be a great long-term blessing to the health of this congregation.  3. This sermon will remind the congregation of their duty toward the Elders.  4. This sermon will potentially serve as a call to any men in this congregation who may be considering pursuing the office of Elder.  •God may use this sermon to plant seeds in the hearts of men that He will one day call and qualify for the office.  •And, if God so chooses to give us more Elders, it will be a great blessing to the church.  The office of Elder is no small thing.  •The Church is the highest institution in the world. It is the visible expression of the Kingdom of God in the world.  •And Elders are the highest office holders in that institution, under Christ.  •To be an Elder, then, is a terribly weighty thing.  •The Elders hold much authority and much influence in the Church.  •And if the Church is to do well, the Elders must serve and lead well.  •And so, we will now look to the Word of God to see what it is that His ministers are called to do.  •May God bless us as we sit under the ministry of His Word.  If you would, and are able, please stand with me now for the reading of the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God.  1 Peter 5:1-5 [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:  [2] 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;  [3] not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.  [4] And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.  [5] 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.” (PRAY) Our Great God and Father,  We come before you this morning grateful to hear your voice in your Word.  And we ask that you would speak to us and instruct us.  But if you don’t give us ears to hear, we cannot hear. And so, we ask for more grace: By your Holy Spirit, open our ears, minds, and hearts to receive the Word.  Cause us to behold wonderful things in your Law.  Show us Christ this morning. Show us how all things point to Him and find their fulfillment and grounding in Him.  Sanctify us this morning as we humble ourselves before your Word. And glorify yourself in us today.  We ask these things in Jesus’ Name and for His sake.  Amen. 1.) Before the Apostle Peter gives his exhortation to Elders, he begins with what I take to be some motivation for Elders to listen to him: [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:  1. First, Peter reminds us that he himself is a “fellow Elder.” •He’s more than that, of course. He is an Apostle. But notice how humble he is here. (Much more humble than those men who claim to be his successors in Rome.) •He’s letting the Elders of the churches know that he sympathizes with us. He understands the job because he himself is a pastor.  •Whatever church he planted, or found himself in as God directed him to move and go to different areas to evangelize and help churches, Peter served as an Elder/Pastor there.  •Brothers, he understands the job. He had to do the same job. He is a doctor who took his own medicine.  •He’s not like many foremen and managers who like to give orders but know nothing about the work. Far from it. He was daily engaged in the work of shepherding.  •So, Elders, you should listen to your brother-Elder, Peter as he talks to you. 2. Second, Peter reminds us that he is “a witness of the sufferings of Christ.” •Peter was with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was there are His trial before the Sanhedrin.  •Peter lived with and was personally taught by the Lord Jesus. I think that’s what he is getting at here.  •And by reminding us that he was an eyewitness of Christ, he is, in a veiled way, reminding us that he is an Apostle. (Messenger chosen and sent by Jesus.) •An Apostle had to know Christ personally, been taught by Him personally, and commissioned by Him personally.  •He carries the authority of Christ. He was chosen to be an Apostle by Christ. He was commission directly by Christ to govern, teach, and lead the Church.  •So then, what follows are the commands of Christ Himself. Peter is a messenger sent by Jesus. He knows what we should be doing because Christ has told him. •Elders, you should listen to Peter who has been commissioned directly by Christ to govern you.  3. Third, Peter tells us that he is a “partaker in the glory that is to be revealed.” •Peter is a believer who is looking forward all the glory and reward that will come from Christ at His return.  •Peter is, at root, our fellow Christian who looks forward to the day when our Lord Jesus returns in glory.  •As our fellow-Christian, Peter is our brother in the Lord. And, as our brother, he, like any good Christian, desires his brothers to glorify Christ and serve Him faithfully.  Based on these things, Peter makes his exhortation to the Elders.  •He is a trustworthy man, he understand the job, he has been commissioned by Christ, and he desires our good as our brother in the Lord.  •So then, my fellow Elders, LISTEN TO HIM as he exhorts you in how to fulfill your calling.  2.) Now let’s consider the duties of the Elder.  •Peter writes, [2] shepherd the flock of God that is among you,  •Let’s stop there. We’ll get into some of the aspects of what it means to “shepherd” here in a moment.  •But first, every Elder must remember just who it is that he is shepherding.  •The Elder is shepherding the FLOCK OF GOD.  Pastor, you remember this: It is God’s Flock that you are shepherding.  •These are HIS SHEEP. They do not belong to you.  •It is only your flock in the sense that you have been put over it, by Christ, as an UNDER-shepherd to Him.  •These sheep are not your sheep. And you cannot do with them whatever you will.  In John 21, Jesus tells Peter, “Feed MY lambs…tend MY sheep…Feed MY sheep.” •In John 10, Jesus the Good Shepherd, says, “I know MY own…I HAVE sheep…MY SHEEP hear my voice…My Father, who has given them TO ME…” •In Ephesians 1, the Apostle Paul tells us that JESUS is the Head of the Church.  •In Matthew 16 Jesus says, “Upon this rock I will build MY Church.” •Acts 20:28 reminds us that JESUS bought the Church with His own blood. So it belongs to HIM. HE BOUGHT IT. The Son of God has buyer’s rights to the Church.  Let me say it again: The Church belongs to GOD, not you.  •Therefore, you cannot rule over it however you please.  •The sheep don’t belong to you. They belong to God. And so, you must rule over them, you must shepherd them, as God would have you. •You are God’s representative to the sheep, in a sense. So you must represent Him well as you care for them.  Hear me: You are not the Lord of the house. You are merely a steward over the house.  •You are not the King of the Kingdom. You are a servant in the Kingdom who has been placed in a high and weighty position over the citizens.  •When the sheep come to you and ask questions about how you shepherd, you must be convinced that you are shepherding according to the will of God.  •If the sheep come and say, “Why do we do things that way in the church? Why that rule? Why this practice? Why that policy? Why this method? Why that decision?” •Our answer must be this: Because, after searching the Scriptures and praying for wisdom, I am convinced that this is how God would have us operate. And it’s not my Church. It’s God’s Church.  My fellow Elders, remember who these sheep are.  •They are precious sheep. They are sheep for whom the Good Shepherd died. They are men and women for whom Christ gave His life to save.  •Jesus Christ loves them so much that He took their sin, suffered the wrath of God on a Cross, died, and was raised from the dead to save them.  •Jesus loves them so much that He lived perfectly in order to give them His righteousness to stand before God.  •They are precious to Him. He loves them dearly.  They are precious children who have been adopted by God.  •Yes, they were born in sin and misery and were by nature children of wrath, just like all of us were.  •But God made them alive together with Christ, by grace, and gave them the gift of faith.  •And through faith in Christ, in Him, they have been adopted in God’s family.  •God is the Father of these precious children.  They are the precious bride of Christ.  •The Lord Jesus Christ has committed Himself to them.  •He has washed them in pure water and made them clean. He is faithful to them even though they are often foolish. He will never forsake or abandon them.  •You are dealing with Jesus’ bride.  Don’t you forget these things, Elder! •You must care for them well, for they are precious to our God.  •They must be precious to you as well. For you are not greater than the Lord.  •They are blood bought, eternally loved, and kept by God for His glory.  •They are His special possession, set apart from the rest of the world in Christ.  •Treat them as such, Elder! •Just as we readily receive that these things are all true about us, so also, we must remember that they are just as true of our brothers and sisters as well.  •NOTE: We would all do well, Elders and laity, to remember this. If we do, we will love one another as we ought.  But hear me again, Elder: God loves them.  •You must love them, too.  •You are His representative and steward over them.  •Deal tenderly and carefully and compassionately with the Flock of God.  3.) Let’s continue on in the text: [2] shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight,  •Elders are to shepherd. And that reminds us that we are shepherding SHEEP.  •The Bible uses that language quite fittingly. God’s People are sheep.  •And sheep are often dumb animals. They get in trouble. They get lost. They need taken care of more than pretty much any other kind of livestock. They die easily.  •THEY NEED A SHEPHERD.  •Remember that, Elder. You must be patient and diligent.  •And you must also remember that you are a shepherd WHO IS ALSO A SHEEP.  •You haven’t arrived. You’re dumb, too. You stray, too. You need help, too.  •Be humble as you shepherd. You’re dealing with sheep and you yourself are a sheep.  Peter tells the Elders to exercise oversight. And understanding what that means will help us to understand the general call to “shepherd.” •To exercise oversight means to watch over the flock. More literally, it’s something like “look intently into it.” •The shepherd, the Elder, is to watch the flock closely. He is to KNOW THE SHEEP and be diligent to know the STATE of the sheep.  •He must pay attention to them. There is no “auto-pilot” shepherding.  •He must tend them. He must be involved with them.  A great principle that the Elder must never forget if he is going to truly exercise oversight is this: •SHEPHERDS SMELL LIKE SHEEP. •Why? Because they are around sheep all the time. They deal with them. They know them and are known by them.  •Shepherds smell like sheep. Remember that.  But what must a shepherd DO? 1. First, and most importantly, the shepherd must FEED the sheep. (That’s actually more of a literal translation here. “Feed the flock of God…”) •This is the primary task of the Elder: Make sure the sheep have good food to eat.  •And the food of the Flock of God is the Word of God.  •And that’s why the Apostle Paul tells Timothy something very important in 2 Timothy 4:1-2. “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” Elders, hear me: PREACH THE WORD.  •Feed the flock with the pure Word of God. It is the only food that will sustain the sheep.  •You are to devote yourself, to the best of your ability, to mastering the contents of the sacred Book. (And beingmastered by it.) •You are to make it your primary focus to understand the Word of God so that you can accurately convey the truth of it to the People of God.  •Preach the Word. Preach it as it reads. Preach it with the tone it conveys. Water nothing down.  •You don’t make the food. You just serve the food. Don’t mess with it. It’s perfect. Your job is to take the food, the Word of God, and bring it from the kitchen to the table and tell them to eat.  •Don’t entertain the sheep. Don’t use gimmicks. Don’t use anything other than the true food, the Word of God.  Elder, you have nothing to say apart from the Word of God.  •You have no wisdom. You have no learning. You have no authority. You have no insight. You have no counsel. You have no good ideas. You have nothing apart from the Word of God.  •Feed them with the food that Christ has given. Feed them His Word.  2. Obviously this feeding is done in our weekly gathering on the Lord’s Day. (What we’re doing now.) •But there is another aspect of this feeding: Counseling.  •In Acts 20:20 Paul says, that he taught the Church “publicly and from house to house.” •Paul smelled like sheep. Paul was in the homes of the church members.  •Paul knew the flock in Ephesus. Paul was involved in their lives. They could come to him with their problems and receive private instruction in the Word of God.  •That’s all that counseling is, by the way: Private, individual teaching from the Word concerning specific problems that an individual is facing.  Elder, counsel the sheep. Feed the individually as well as corporately.  •Encourage them. Rebuke them. Remind them of God’s grace. Remind them of God’s Law.  •Tell them what the Lord says about their lives and their problems.  •Exhort them. And help them stay on track. Be involved.  3. A shepherd must also protect the sheep.  •Shepherds cannot be cowards. They must at times fend off wolves.  •They must fight against error and heresy and heretics and false teachers if they see that the sheep are beginning to listen to and eat poisonous food.  •The shepherd cannot be afraid of conflict. He cannot be afraid to teach against error. He cannot be afraid to name names and warn the sheep to stay away.  •He must protect the sheep from that which will destroy their souls.  4. And a shepherd must go after the strays.  •Psalm 23:3 says that the LORD, who is our shepherd, “restores my soul.” •God brings us back when we stray. By His grace, He tenderly brings us back to Himself.  •The Elder, the under-shepherd, must imitate God in this work of restoration.  •When the sheep are straying, they’re not coming around like they used to. They’re skipping church. Reports are coming in about sin they are caught in. Things don’t seem right.  •The Elder must pursue them. The Elder must go after the sheep to restore it, if he is able.  And this isn’t only the one who is near to apostasy.  •A sheep can stray into doctrinal error and sinful living.  •And the Elder must go after them with gentleness, firmness, and patience so that they might come back to the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.  Elder, REMEMBER CHRIST, the Good Shepherd.  •How He feeds you, encourages you, protects you, corrects you, speaks to you through the Word, how He pursues you, how He loves you.  •And imitate Him to the sheep.  4.) Peter then goes on: not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you;  •The Elder must not serve UNDER COMPULSION.  •He cannot serve because others want him to.  •He can’t do it because the church wants him to.  •He can’t do it because his family wants him to.  •He cannot assume this office for any worldly reason.  Rather, he must shepherd WILLINGLY.  •He must have an intense, personal desire to do the work of the ministry.  •He knows that the Lord has called him to it. And that the Lord of the Church has gifted him for the work.  •And the Lord of the Church has put the Elder’s hand to the work.  Hear the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:16: “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!” •This is the heart of every minister: “I MUST DO IT. There is a fire shut up in my bones and I must speak. I must preach. I must pastor. I must shepherd the sheep. Christ compels me. Not man, but Christ has called me and I must follow wherever the Shepherd leads me.” The Elder does not do his work from a sense of mere duty.  •He has a sincere desire and love for the work.  •And that desire flows from love for the Lord Jesus, the Chief Shepherd.  •Don’t misunderstand me: Duty is an appropriate thing. A sense of duty can be good. It helps you to keep going when things are hard.  •But if that’s all you’ve got, then get out of the ministry. It’s not for you.  •LOVE for Christ and LOVE for the sheep is what primarily motivates the Elder. He wants to do the work.  NOTE: The Elder may have days when he doesn’t want to do the work anymore.  •The Elder can be frustrated for many reasons and temporarily want to quit.  •Those feelings come and go. And they do not disqualify. But they must not be the continual disposition of the minister.  •He must do the work willingly.  Elder, REMEMBER CHRIST who willingly agreed to save us.  •He agreed to the plan of salvation. He willingly came to earth. He willingly represents us. He willingly laid down His life for us.  •Nothing our Lord did or does for us is under compulsion, but stems from a willing heart of LOVE for His People and LOVE for God’s glory.  •Imitate Him.  5.) Next, Peter tells us that the Elder must shepherd, not for shameful gain, but eagerly;  •Shameful gain primarily has reference to monetary gain.  •The Elder must not be in it for the money.  •He must not be in the office for an “easy job.” He must not take the office simply because he no longer wants to work in the world.  •The Elder, though he may begin unpaid, must not be in the office because he hopes to one day “stop working” and “take it easy” and get paid by the church.  •That is ungodly, greedy, selfish, and lazy motivation for being an Elder. And such a man is a lover of money and self and is unqualified for the office.  But I think there are other kinds of shameful gain that we could consider in our day: •The Elder must not serve because he loves power and authority. He must not take the office because he desires some kind of power trip. Because he simply likes to rule over others (even if the group is small).  •And the Elder must not serve for any kind of celebrity. Even local celebrity and recognition among churches or within this particular congregation. He must not serve because he wants attention and a platform.  •These are both kinds of shameful gain.  Please hear me, Elder: THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS JOB IS ABOUT! •This job is not about you and what you can get out of it.  •The Elder, in the grand scheme of things, is INSIGNIFICANT. We don’t really matter. And we are not to do the job because we want to gain in this world.  •The only significance that the Man of God has is that Christ will use him as an instrument in His holy hands for His glory! •This job is about the glory of the risen Lord Jesus Christ and the good of His sheep for whom He died.  •This job is holding the hands of the sheep and walking them home to Christ.  •We are not in this for worldly gain. We’re in it for the glory of Jesus and a heavenly reward in the end.  And so, we are to shepherd, “EAGERLY.” •That is, with zeal, energy, and enthusiasm for the work. We are to have a cheerful disposition as we serve others.  •Let me put it this way: The Elder is to serve with the right ATTITUDE. Doing the work, not for shameful gain, but because he loves it.  •Hear me: We serve with gladness and a sense of AWE that we have been PERMITTED by the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ, to do this job.  •And, therefore, we view the work as delightful in itself.  Elders, know this and keep it in mind: To serve as a Pastor is a PRIVILEGE and an HONOR.  •The Church is the highest institution in the world. And Elder is the highest office, under Christ, in the Church.  •To become a king of an earthly nation would actually be a demotion for a Pastor.  •You are privileged to do the work. So view it that way.  Elder, REMEMBER CHRIST! •He has called you and placed you in your office.  •The King of kings has put you here. The Good Shepherd has placed you in charge of His precious sheep.  •The work itself is a joy and a privilege.  •So be eager to do the work and please Him! 6.) Next, Peter says, [3] not domineering over those in your charge,  •The Elder must never be domineering over the sheep.  •Brothers, we do not lord our authority over the sheep, like those in authority in the world do to everyone else.  •“Those in your charge” in v3 parallels “the flock of God” in v2.  •Again, remember, these are God’s sheep. Some translations even say, “God’s heritage/portion.” The office of Elder is not an office for barking orders at the sheep.  •You do not take this office expecting to be served by others.  •While Elders do have the most authority, under Christ, in the Church, and we do make most decisions for the church, we are NOT bosses.  •We are ministers. That is, we are SERVANTS of the sheep. Our lives revolve around helping and doing good for the flock of God, not being served by them.  Not being domineering also means that you must never assume authority to yourself that doesn’t belong to you. •What I mean by that is this: The Elder must never go beyond the Word of God.  •He must never give personal opinions as if they were the Word of God.  •He must never give rules and commandments that God has not given in the Scriptures.  •He must not make himself equal with the Chief Shepherd by enforcing his will rather than Christ’s.  •He must never bind the consciences of the sheep where God has left them free, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. The shepherd is also never to be harsh with the sheep. Again, no domineering.  •He must not be a bully. He must never use public shaming or any intimidation tactics to get his way.  •Instead, he must be gentle with the sheep.  •Yes, brothers, sometimes we must be firm.  •Sometimes the Elders must do things that are unpopular.  •Sometimes you will have to use the strong voice of the shepherd and brings things to order, by God’s grace.  •But you NEVER abuse the sheep. You never deal harshly with them. You never treat them cruelly.  •Everything the Elder does must be for their good.  •Remember, they are not your sheep.  •So you must deal patiently and gently with them, never lording your authority over them.  Elder, REMEMBER CHRIST and how He served.  •He is never domineering with His sheep.  •He is firm when He must be. But He is tender toward them and loves them. Everything He does is in love for them.  •Remember the words of our Lord in Mark 10:42-45. “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” •Imitate Him.  7.) Instead of being domineering, Peter tells us that Elders are to be “examples to the flock.” •Hear the words of the Apostle Paul: •”Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.” (Philippians 3:17) •And again, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”                  (1 Corinthians 11:1) •Brothers, being a Pastor is more about giving an example to God’s People than it is about lecturing them.  •I’m not denigrating the fact that we must preach the Word. But even our preaching is giving an example of how to read and study and apply the Word.  •Being an Elder is about giving an example to the sheep so they know how to live by imitating you.  •We must preach the Word. But we must equally live it and show how the Word of God impacts the lives of those who receive it with faith.  •We must practice what we preach, lest we be the biggest hypocrites in the Church! You know, ancient shepherds did not drive the sheep like we usually think.  •Rather, they walked in front of the sheep and the sheep FOLLOWED them.  •Elders, lead!  •Walk before the church and teach them by example. If they follow you, they should be following Christ because you are following Him.  The Elder is to be a living Bible. He is to be Christ among the people, so to speak.  •We are to be samples in serving other selflessly.  •In leading our families in godliness and worship.  •In piety and holy living. In killing our sin and striving after godliness.  •In cheerfulness, joy, kindness, faith, confession of sin, humility, gentleness, generosity, and all other virtues.  •We are to lead by example and demonstration sincere devotion to the Lord Jesus and love for His Word.  •And in being an example to the flock, we encourage them to be believe and live out the doctrines that we preach.  We will not be perfect. That’s not what Peter is saying.  •We will fail. We will sin. We will not always lead the way we ought.  •But the Elder’s overall life is to be exemplary for the whole church.  •The goal of the Elder is to be able to say with Paul, “Imitate me, as I imitate Christ. If you live like me and follow me, you will be pleasing to the Lord.” Elder, REMEMBER CHRIST, who has left us an example in all things.  •He is first our Savior. But then He is our example for everything. Every aspect of our lives.  •And our Lord ALWAYS practiced what He preached.  •Imitate Him.  My fellow Elders, and would-be Elders, I hope something is becoming clear to you: •Shepherding, pastoring, is chiefly about remembering who the True Shepherd is and imitating His love and works among His sheep.  •So remember Him in all things as you set your hand to the work of the ministry.  8.) Now we come to the incentive Peter gives for Elders to do their work faithfully: [4] And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.  •Peter reminds us that one day the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ, will appear.  •One day He will return in power and glory to judge the living and the dead.  •And on that day, there will be a reckoning and a rewarding for Elders (and everyone else).  The first incentive for Elders to serve well is this:  •We will give an account to Hm for how we pastored.  •If He will reward those who were faithful, then there must be an accounting with Him.  •Elders, serve with an eye on that day when you will stand before Christ and give an account for every word, every decision, every interaction you had with the sheep.  •This is no light thing. The day will come.  The second incentive is this: There is a crown awaiting faithful Elders.  •An unfading crown of glory awaits us, brothers.  •Not a crown that perishes, like the wreaths the Greeks gave to honor people that only lasted for a short time. But an ETERNAL CROWN OF GLORY that Jesus will give.  •And this must be something beyond our salvation. A reward beyond eternal life.  Now what is this? I’m not entirely sure.  •But it sounds like some kind of eternal reputation among God’s People as a faithful man who pleased the Lord Jesus Christ.  •A recognition of faithfulness from the Lord Himself.  •WHAT A REWARD! To be noticed and singled out for faithfulness among the general assembly of the saved! •To be eternally honored and recognized by Jesus is an amazing thing! It’s not small. It’s glorious! •It must truly be something worth striving for if the Word of God promises it.  •Remember this: God will not under-deliver or exaggerate how awesome a reward is. If He says it’s worth striving for, then it must be, even if we must wait to see exactly what it is.  •Elders, let this encourage you to be found faithful: Jesus promises to reward you for it in some way.  •So pastor in such a way that you will be found faithful! 9.) Lastly, a word to the congregation is given in v5: [5] Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. •In the same manner that Peter addressed Elders, he now speaks to the “younger.” That is, anyone who is not an Elder. He’s speaking the whole church.  And he says that you must “be subject to the elders.” •You must listen to them.  •You must embrace the doctrine they teach, so long as it is biblical.  •You must receive the Word of God from them without fighting them.  •You must listen to and put into practice the counsel they give you from the Word of God.  •You must take their rebukes and reproofs and correction to heart and submit to them.  •You must treat them with the respect that is due to them by virtue of the OFFICE that Christ has placed them in.  •Brothers and sisters, recognize that they have legitimate authority over you, under Christ, in His Church.  NOTE: This DOES NOT mean that you should never question your Elders. •Far from it. If we’re wrong, behaving sinfully, not doing our job as defined by Scripture, making bad decisions that hurt the sheep, are teaching contrary to the Word, or anything like that CONFRONT US! •But do so with a humble heart, a respectful tongue, and an OPEN BIBLE.  But, I must say that I thank God that I see submission and respect for the Elders in this congregation.  •I have been confronted when I’ve been wrong.  •And I’ve seen you submit to our counsel and instruction from the Word.  •It is a joy to pastor you all. And I have rarely had any serious difficulties within this church. And I praise God for that.  •Continue on in the way you’ve been going, brothers and sisters. You are pleasing the Lord in this area. And you are making our job a joyful one.  10.) As I come near the end of this sermon, let me say just a few more things by way of application: 1. To the current Elders and especially our brother David Allison who is about to be installed:  •Does the work ahead feel too heavy? GOOD. It’s supposed to.  •We are not sufficient for these things. The job is too big. The responsibility is too great.  •And so we must look to God for help. We must search His Word and go to Him in prayer for help.  •We must rely upon Him for wisdom, discretion, insight, strength, protection, and perseverance to shepherd the flock of God that is among us here at CRBC.  •Humble yourself before the Lord and He will be gracious to help you.  2. To the Church: See what you are to expect from your Elders and what the Elders are to expect from you.  •Hold us to it! •We are all accountable to the Word of God. This Church belongs to Christ, not to any of us! •Submit to your Elders in Christian love and humility.  •And hold us accountable to shepherd you according to the command of King Jesus.  And may the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, have His way and be glorified in this congregation as we all seek to honor Him, both the Elders and the younger. Amen.