1 Peter 5:6-14

-Introduction:

Illustration:

How would you best describe your life: Are you on sinking sand, solid ground, or somewhere in between? Many of us slip and slide in life, rarely coming to a balanced walk with Christ. Why is this so? Why do so many believers settle for a life of instability?

God is never lacking in the resources we need. No matter our circumstances, God is able to abundantly provide. This great truth is often misplaced when we take our eyes off the Provider and place them on ourselves. Instead of turning to God to keep us straight, we veer off the path, lose our bearings, and suffer the consequences.

The Amazon River is the largest river in the world. The mouth is 90 miles across. There is enough water to exceed the combined flow of the Yangtze, Mississippi, and Nile Rivers. So much water comes from the Amazon that they can detect its currents 200 miles out in the Atlantic Ocean. One irony of ancient navigation is that sailors in ancient times died for lack of water … caught in windless waters of the South Atlantic. They were adrift, helpless, dying of thirst. Sometimes other ships from South America who knew the area would come alongside and call out, “What is your problem?” And they would exclaim, “Can you spare us some water? Our sailors are dying of thirst!” And from the other ship would come the cry, “Just lower your buckets. You are in the mouth of the mighty Amazon River.…”

Circumstances of despair may surround us at times, but God is certainly not to blame if we lack what we need. On the contrary, He is always nearby to provide for us. We need only to draw on what He has already given.

Context:

Reminder of Peter’s Audience (scattered, persecuted, confused, defeated, depressed, ready to throw in the towel, etc.)

Chapter 5 (Immediate Context)

1 Peter 5:1-4 addressed the attitudes and intentions of Pastors/leaders

Preach the Word - “Not for selfish gain, not for power and influence, and not because someone twists your arm, but because to this God called you.”

1 Peter 5:5 addressed the attitudes of church members

Be clothed with humility - “Set aside your own wants, desires, and will for that of those God has seen fit to fellowship you with in His church.”

Transition:

Another shift in the direction of Peter’s final thoughts here in this last chapter:

Pastors —> Church Members —> Individual Christians (in relation to everyday life)

Easiest passages to preach because the message is simple:

Peter tells the Christians in his original audience: “You do this, because God!”

Peter also tells the Christians in the present day: “You do this, because God!”

The imperative command is still true, because God is still God!

So, let’s look at 1 Peter 5:6-7 together and see that clear truth together tonight….

1 Peter 5:6–7 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”

-Body:

1. Points that Provide the Premises to the Command - (v. 5b; “Therefore…”)

[Therefore = a marker of result]

Where does God stand on prideful people? - “for God resisteth the proud…”

God hates the sin of Pride -

Proverbs 6:16–17 “There are six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood,”

Proverbs 8:13 ““The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.”

Pride turned Lucifer into Satan

Isaiah 14:12–15 ““How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ “Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit.”

Pride stirred Eve to take the forbidden fruit in the garden

Pride is an evidence of worldliness.

1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”

Where does God stand on humble people? - “for God…giveth grace to the humble.”

Without question, that the Lord is opposed to the proud should be the greatest motivation for saints to adopt the attitude of humility.

Pride sets one against God and vice versa.

One commentator wrote, “The only antidote to pride is the grace of God, and we receive that grace when we yield ourselves to Him. The evidence of that grace is that we yield to one another.”

That sums up the gist of Peter’s teaching on humility throughout the letter, and it shows where God stands on humble people as opposed to the prideful.

2. Pride that Prevents Pursuit of the Command - (v. 6)

The Declaration of the Command - “Humble yourselves…”

“Humble yourselves” = Refers to causing humility, abasement, loss of prestige, or physical lowness.

Humbling yourself is a willingness to submit your will, wants, desires, and best laid plans to His.

You’re no longer in the driver’s seat. You hop in the passenger seat and trust the Lord in faith that He’s got you.

The Direction of Faithful Humility - “…under the mighty hand of God…”

“under” = A marker of the control of something

“hand” = Representation or symbol of power

Example: Acts 11:21 “And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.”

Not the literal ‘hand of God,’ but the power of the Lord, the Spirit of the Lord, the Will of the Lord

The Downshot of Following the Command - “…that he may exalt you in due time…”

“exalt” = lift up, elevate, raise

Two possible interpretations:

Eschatological - “The Day of the Lord”

Temporal - a lifting up from a situation or circumstance of God-ordained suffering

Secret Third option: Both.

“in due time” = In the NT refers to ‘an expected or predicted event, usually one ordained by God.’

Examples:

Mark 13:33 “Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.”

Romans 5:6 “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”

1 Peter 4:7 “The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.”

I’ll say this, one of the evidences of our pride is our impatience with God.

Whether the exaltation is an end times reference or a reference to being lifted out of a God-ordained circumstance of suffering in this life, trust and patience in the Lord is the necessary attitude!

After all, God’s grace in exaltation will be well worth it!

3. Power that Produces Purpose in the Command - (v. 7)

What does it look like to humble yourself? - “casting all your care upon Him…”

Illustration: Giving responsibility to someone else, delegating (group projects in school)

“casting” = stop worrying and trust; put responsibility on someone/something else

What do you cast?

Personal cares, family cares, cares for the present, cares for the future, cares for yourself, cares for others, and cares for the church.

How do you cast?

Delegate or Put all the responsibility for worrying and caring about all those things on God, and trust Him to handle it.

What makes your care different from God’s care? - “for He careth for you.”

“care” = merimna (noun) = a word that can include all discontentment, discouragement, despair, anxiety, worry, care, questioning, pain, suffering and whatever other trials might be encountered

Circumstances and situations in which you do not know the outcome. You can’t see what’s going to happen or where you’ll end up on the other side.

Anxiety and worry are literally the fear of the unknown or uncertain.

“careth” = melei (verb) = worry, care, concern

Different from merimna (anxiety/worry) because God doesn’t have anxiety or worry. God knows the end results from the beginning.

Yet, God cares about you and is concerned about your needs.

That’s the power that comes from humbling yourself and casting all your cares. The Almighty God who created the universe and sustains it even now cares about you.

Warren Wiersbe worked out, biblically, 4 ways that God cares for us:

He gives us the courage to face our cares honestly and not run away (Isaiah 41:10)

He gives us the wisdom to understand the situation (James 1:5)

He gives us the strength to do what we must do (Philippians 4:13)

He gives us the faith to trust Him to do the rest. (Psalm 37:5)

-Conclusion:

We’ll conclude tonight how Peter concludes his letter to those confused, scattered, downtrodden, and persecuted believers across Asia Minor.

We’ll conclude that way because just as much as this earth was not their home, Rome or Asia Minor either one, so to this earth is not our home.

Peter recognized that we’re only here for a little while.

So, speaking to their current circumstances and future hope, Peter writes:

1 Peter 5:8–14 KJV

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand. The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son. Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.