Focus on "tending" not whats "trending"
1 Peter • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Are we tending or are you trending?
Are we tending or are you trending?
During days which are overbooked, highly distracting, filled with sin, sorrrow and pain, how do we minister to eachother well? How do we do it with precision?
1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords 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 does not fade away. 5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Peter closes out this letter to the scattered believers with a few challenges to the leaders and to the followers within the church during the troubled times they are facing. He exhorts the elders to shepherd the people, the young men to submit to the elders, and everyone to stand firm in the faith.
Peter speaks from experience in verse 1, however he gets his authority from the fact that he was an apostle (1 Peter 1:1) and also a witness of Christ’s sufferings. Peter shared in the previous chapter (4:13) that he is one who will share in the glory to be revealed. Peter had just made the point that those who share in Christ’s sufferings will also share in His Glory. Peter then in this passage identifies with the readers by referring to his own suffering for Christ’s sake in Acts 5:40
40 And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
Although this passage is intended to exhort a Pastor, the meaning of Elder, I believe we can look at an overall meaning of the entire passage and see a melodic line of what Peter is getting at. Tending requires caring, leading, guiding, and protecting.
In the next section he transitions on focusing on young people. We do know that the word “Elder” here is being used for presbyterious or “Pastor” but it also takes on the weight of spiritual maturity. This usually comes with age and time spent with the Father.
If time allowed I would love to open up the conversation and ask who the person was that impacted you to consider a walk with Christ. Who the people are that you go to today for a mentorship and wisdom.
Young people:
Submissive one to another. Hypotasso= A military term that signified an obedient willingness regardless of circumstances. This first is achieved by putting on humility.
There are a few actions on our part as young people in order to follow well and see to it that we are not easily drawn by sin:
Submit
Humble ourselves
Cast all your cares
BE Sober
Be vigilant
Resist the devil
Steadfast in the faith
But then in verse 10 we realize the ultimate purpose and plan of God. “The why” Through it all He seeks in due time to:
Perfect
Establish
Strengthen
Settle
YOU!
Peter had encouraged his readers to endure suffering in a such a way that the grace of God would be manifest in their lives.
Peter then closes out this letter with a very example of this principle: 1 Peter 5:12-14
12 By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. 13 She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Silvanus was a faithful man, exhorting, and testifying, that which Paul has spoken is the true grace of God in which we all stand. The circumstances around us may look awful but we must not loose sight of this reality.
With all that we face day in and day out, the only element of Peace we will truly experience is and will be in and through Christ Jesus.
With the context in mind, it is almost as if Peter is wrapping up his letter by challenging the leadership and mature believers to encourage and minister to those within the group and community who may have a shallow faith relationship. Peter has seemed to be concerned with the depthness of the overall relationship of their Christian faith if we refer back to chapter 2 when he challenges them to consider the great inheritance they have, with the Chief Cornerstone, and the Chief Shepherd of their Faith.
Young people need older people to look up to who are following the Lord. Usually in one degree or another, we become who we are looking up at often.
Older women to the younger women
Experienced to the inexperienced
Polished to the unpolished
At times today I believe we are in this scenario too often.
As a body of believers we should be looking for opportunities to minister to one another. Opportunities to encourage each other in the Word and deed. (example of Prophecy and college and career discussion).
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Are we focus on tending or are we focusing on what’s trending? That is to say, are focusing on things that are temporal, and things that are going on around us like the circumstances rather than the opportunities?
In the 70’s a popular song was written:
Sometimes in our lives
We all have pain
We all have sorrow
Lean on me
When you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on...
For it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need somebody to lean on