Follow THE Leader!

Introduction

Leadership’ is a word shared by Christians and non-Christians alike, but this does not mean that their concept of it is the same. On the contrary, Jesus introduced into the world a new style of servant-leadership.

John Stott

Leadership is all about motivating people to follow. Therefore everything in leadership hinges on the leader’s relationship to his people. It is possible to motivate people simply by sheer force, but that is not real leadership; it’s dictatorship.

John F. MacArthur

The curse of modern Christian leadership is the pattern of looking around and taking our spiritual bearing from what we see, rather than from what the Lord has said.3

A. W. Tozer

This book is written by Peter whom Jesus told that he would use to build his church (Matthew 16:18). By the way this was a man who failed in leadership miserably when he had an opportunity to be unashamed of his savior and instead he denied him. After telling Jesus he loved him 3 times when it was time to stand on business about his love for Jesus he folded and started cursing denying the one whom he loved 3 times. So in other words if you think you are too far gone to be a leader heres your reminder that God can use anybody.

This book was written to a network of churches that were suffering in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). Peter is writing to Christians that have been in a cultural crises enduring extreme persecution for there faith under the hand of King Nero.

They were under a bad government lead by the evil powers that be and it was so bad that he had to write a 2nd letter because it was only going to get worst.

1 Peter for You Introduction to 1 Peter

In such a context, believers may not necessarily face imprisonments, torture or executions; however, we do face a progressively intolerant culture in which we are likely to be discriminated against simply because we identify with Christ.

Peter doing what leaders do is leading them in how they should suffer well and live for Christ a mist a life with much suffering.

Peter writes this letter with the goal of encouraging people to follow christ while things are bad and are only going to get worst.

1 Peter for You Introduction to 1 Peter

Jonathan Merrit explained in the Religion News Service in early 2015 that …

“Christian persecution reached historic levels in 2014, with approximately 100 million Christians around the world facing possible dire consequences for merely practicing their religion, according to the [Open Doors ‘World Watch List’ report] … From imprisonment to torture to beheadings, more Christians worldwide live in fear for their lives than at any [other] time in the modern era.”

He spent the previous chapter calling the church to be good stewards of God’s grace and to suffer well as Christians. Now he pivots to speaking a prayer for the church and leaders within the church.

God gives the marching orders. (vs.1-4)

Peter starts this passage off addressing the leaders and elders of the church. Being in leadership in church is a call by God that is weighty and that is heavy. This is important to note because everything that Peter is exhorting the leaders in the church to do he is already doing himself.

The worst kind of leader is the one makes no effort to do the very things that they are calling those whom they are leading to do and this applies to both the elder/pastor and the lay-person/church member but especially for the pastor.

You don’t have to be perfect and always get it right to lead well in a way that glorifies God that is not what the text nor myself is saying. The greatest men that lead in the bible and in church history were flawed men that sinned. But there is a standard for those that lead and especially those in ministry.

“It will always be our wisdom, dear friends, to put ourselves as much as we can into the position of those whom we address. It is a pity for anyone ever to seem to preach down to people; it is always better to be as nearly as possible on the same level as they are.” (Spurgeon)

This why James records in James 3:1 “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

This is why you when someone says they feel led to serve in ministry or called to ministry it is not something that is done flippantly because if the weightiness that comes with it.

The road to today with Devin being ordained was a very long road. Hes not being ordained today because he woke up last week with a itch for a platform and a title. The moment he expressed to Pastor Chris that he felt called to ministry 2 years ago everything changed in terms of how we looked at him and expectation because it is such a heavy call.

“No pastor lives up to what he preaches. If he does, he is preaching to low”-John Piper

We watched him intently watched how he lead in his marriage, his commitment to the church, his love of Jesus, the role of the bible in his life, how he handles trials and suffering. I was a very long process sometime is felt so long devin thought maybe its not going to happen but would fight through those thoughts and persevered.

See a lot people think the test to a call to ministry is how theological you are and how many big words that no one understands you know but that's just not the case. Must you be sound in doctrine of course but that's the easy part. The real test is not just theological academia but character. If you fail in character you fell the whole text no matter how well you can exegete a passage.

1 Peter 5:2 “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;”

In whatever capacity you are called by God to lead in weather is in the church as pastor, deacon, ministry director, board member, or outside the church, in the home, at the job site or wherever you called to lead it by God it must always be with a spirit and attitude that is willing and eager. Or as pastor Chris would put it begrudgingly.

No one wants to sit under a leader that's acts like they were dragged kicking a screaming to lead. That is not the way Jesus led and we must not behave in that manner either.

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 (John 10:11–14 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,” )

“None of God’s soldiers are mercenaries or pressed men: they are all volunteers. We must have a shepherd’s heart if we would do a shepherd’s work.” (Meyer)

2. Keep it low key (vs, 5-7)

Here peter cause us to be humble. The closer we get to pride the farther we get from God.

C.S Lewis once said that “Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less”.

Pride makes you the center of the universe and everyone else including God need to orbit around you.

The key to humliity is not to focus on your humility but rather to focus on the humility of Jesus. We must look to Christ who is the standard and example of humility.

“If you are willing to be nothing God will make something of you. The way to the top of the ladder is to begin at the lowest round. In fact in the church of God, the way up is to go down; but he that is ambitious to be at the top will find himself before long at the bottom.” (Spurgeon)

In the gospel of John 3 John The Baptist is having a conversation with the disciples and a jew about salvation as a result of witnessing the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus and in John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Being lowly being humble is at the core of a christian and we don’t talk about it enough because we love being prideful more than we care to admit.

Look to Christ in Philippians 2:1–8 “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Humility is mentioned over 900 times in the bible because we forget it so much. Driscoll said that “pride pulls hell up in your life and humility invites heaven down in your life”.

Thats why the great hymn is “how great thou are” the proud sing “how great I are”. Pride is our nature default, humilty is supernature and can’t be accomplished apart from the work of the Holy Spirit.

Many marriages are in shambles and end in divorce on the alter of pride. Pride is demonic and wrecks lives and destroys marriages. There is nothing more threatening to a marriage than a man that is prideful. Jesus has had to break be down because of my pride in order to build me back up in humility.

This is not a sermon on marriage so this is for free:

Proud + proud + = A battle

Proud + humble = Abuse

Humble + Humble = A blessing

If we want to be humble we look to Christ and imatate him as Paul says in Ephesians 5:1 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.”

When we walk in pride we walk with the devil, when we walk in humility we place ourselves under the might hand of God as it says in vs.6

A proud christian is a dinner plate for the enemy whom roars like a lion seeking whom he can destroy and devour.

Humility is a bag into which Christ puts the riches of His grace. The one infallible test of our holiness will be the humility before God and men which marks us. Humility is the bloom and the beauty of holiness. The chief mark of counterfeit holiness is its lack of humility.

Andrew Murray

Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Pride will kill your marriage, ministry, relationships, and life and it will inevitably bring you much anxiety. Pride can show up in many ways which is way scripture speaks some much about it.

Boasting is the voice of pride in the heart of the strong. Self-pity is the voice of pride in the heart of the weak.

John Piper

Thank God that peter draws us back to Christ at the end of vs 7. The antidote to pride, anxiety, is Christ. This is why we have to always end at Christ in every sermon as preaches we must get to Christ every sermon because he is our only help. Peter lets the people know remember the gospel look to Christ cast your cares on him because he cares.

“This work of casting can be so difficult that we need to use two hands to do it: the hand of prayer and the hand of faith. “Prayer tells God what the care is, and asks God to help, while faith believes that God can and will do it. Prayer spreads the letter of trouble and grief before the Lord, and opens all its budget, and then faith cries, ‘I believe that God cares, and cares for me; I believe that he will bring me out of my distress, and make it promote his own glory.’” (Spurgeon)

This is good needs that we have a savior that cares about us. Lucky for us our troubles in this life wether it be pride, anxiety, or whatever you are struggling with are not to much for Jesus.

“Meek. Humble. Gentle. Jesus is not trigger-happy. Not harsh, reactionary, easily exasperated. He is the most understanding person in the universe. The posture most natural to him is not a pointed finger but open arms … You don’t need to unburden or collect yourself and then come to Jesus. Your very burden is what qualifies you to come.”-Dane Ortland (Gentle & Lowly)

3. Stand Firm (vs.8-11)

This is the part of the passage where Peter is letting the people know that its going to get worst before it gets better.

Remember the context of this book Christians are under a tyrant government King Nero who was persecuting christians every way possible even burning them to the stake because of there faith.

Peter says to be sober-minded and watchful in other words remain clear-headed and vigilant because as Christians we have a enemy and he is the devil.

The enemy wants to destroy you christian. He wants to wreck you faith, your family, your marriage he wants to crush you and you think you can afford just be casual about your faith.

When you read “your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” that means YOU. The devil wants you, the devil wants your marriage, your devotion, the devil wants to destroy you and you have to resist him.

Satan’s goal: seeking whom he may devour. He isn’t just looking to lick or nibble on his prey; he wants to devour. “He can never be content till he sees the believer utterly devoured. He would rend him in pieces, and break his bones and utterly destroy him if he could. Do not, therefore, indulge the thought, that the main purpose of Satan is to make you miserable. He is pleased with that, but that is not his ultimate end. Sometimes he may even make you happy, for he hath dainty poisons sweet to the taste which he administers to God’s people. If he feels that our destruction can be more readily achieved by sweets than by bitters, he certainly would prefer that which would best effect his end.” (Spurgeon)

You cannot resist the devil apart from Jesus, the power of the holy spirit, and the local church. While we are here the enemy wants your view of church because he knows what the church is for Christians. The enemy loves seeing Christians that do not take the local church serious, is not devoted to the local church, or worst turn there back on the church that is what the devil wants. Is your view of church devil centered or christ centered?

He then speaks to there suffering because this is the reality christian that we cannot escape. How we suffer matters we must suffer well. Even while we suffer we must stand firm in our faith. Suffering is not the meal ticket to sin and take a break from Jesus and his church.

We communicate to a lost and dying world more about who Jesus is not by how well we prosper but how well we suffer.

These Christians that Peter are writing to are under a great amount of persecution under the hands of King Nero. If they turn from Jesus while suffering what does that communicate to King Nero. How we suffer is a testimony.

This makes me think of the prophet Daniel who had to choose between standing firm in his faith and resisting the devil or bend the knee to King Nebuchadnezzer who wanted him to eat his idol food and worship him a creature rather then God our creator. Daniel chose to stand firm and not eat the kings food he choose to suffer well he didn’t pout and walk around whoa is me he stood on business and resisted the devil and lived for God dispute his awful circumstances.

How we behave when we are suffering and when we are in hard seasons in life says a lot about how we view the gospel and where we are spiritually. So its not a matter of if you suffer but rather when you suffer.

What I love in Peters final words in this passage is he gives them good news he points them to Christ and this is where we will land this plane this morning.

Read 1 Peter 5:10 “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

God is most glorified in us when we most sense our need of Christ and cast ourselves upon him and into his arms.

This is a promise in this passage that Jesus will restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

I know life be lifing, I know that its hard right now look to Christ. He will be your strength to remain humble, he will be your strength to lead well, he will be your strength to suffer well, he will be your strength in this life and we can always draw from his never ending fountain of grace and mercy. Jesus loves you christian and he cares for you and he is your strength especially in times of weakness.

Closing

“God never pursues His glory at the expense of the good of His people, nor does He ever seek our good at the expense of His glory. He has designed His eternal purpose so that His glory and our good are inextricably bound together. What comfort and encouragement this should be to us. If we are going to learn to trust God in adversity, we must believe that just as certainly as God will allow nothing to subvert His glory, so He will allow nothing to spoil the good He is working out in us and for us.”-Jerry Bridges