Humble Pastures of the Elect Exiles

[Announce text] Please look with me in Scripture at 1 Peter 5:1-7.

[Scripture introduction] In Peter’s first letter, the Apostle flips the script from Christian suffering according to the will of God to a new conversation on eldership and congregational life as elect exiles. In this final chapter, Peter speaks about the role of each member in the body and how clergy and laity are to live in as exiles in a foreign land.

[Reannounce and read text] Please turn with me Peter’s address concerning the heart and attitudes of the those who are elders and congregational members in 1 Peter 5:1-7. Please stand with me for the reading of the Word.

[Prayer for illumination] O Lord, use your God-breathed Scriptures to spiritually resuscitate your church. We desire to hear from you, Almighty One. Speak to all of us through your servant, and let us hear your mighty voice in this message. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

[Introduction] When considering this Scripture of the pastures of the God. My mind begins to wander to the Psalm written by King David. You already heard Psalm 23, and how David begins this refers himself as a lamb, because in the Psalm, David calls the Lord his shepherd. He recognizes that Yahweh is the chief Shepherd of his life. It is the God of Isreal that leads and comforts. He protects and provides for his own, and David ends the Psalm declaring that he will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

In God’s pastures all is very well. There is peace, security, and abundance of every blessing. Therefore, in God’s fields shouldn’t everything be fine?

Yes, it should be, but the reality is that we are still living in war torn world and the wolves are out to eat. Thankfully through, the pastures of Christ are already here, but not yet. We are still awaiting our chief Shepherd to appear and make all things news.

But until he returns, what is the ideal landscape of the pastures of Christ?

Or said another way.

[FCF] What should God’s people be occupied with in Christ’s pastures?

[Scripture bond] Turning to Peter’s first letter, the Apostle describes the positions and attitudes of his people who abide in the flock of God in 1 Peter 5:1-7.

He begins with the first group of people in the flock of God and what they are to be doing.

[Main point 1] Elders, shepherd the flock of God that is among you.

[Explanation] Elders are the spiritual overseers of the church given by God to shepherd the flock of Christ. In this church office, each elder must exercise oversight, willingly, eagerly, as an example of the chief Shepherd.

In Christ’s pastures, the elders are only responsible for overseeing the lives of their local sheep. They are not responsible for the church down the road or the sending church that planted them. Our elders who are gifts of God given to the church are in charged by the grace of God to shepherd this flock. So Ken, Floyd, Jerry and I will remember who we serve. We serve Christ, by overseeing you all.

[Application] Fellow elders at Ubly Christian, let us manage this house. This is the one granted to us by Christ. And let’s remember Christ’s response when he saw a large herd of people without guidance and how he had compassion on them. This pasture has shepherd and you are them!

But what are the elders of Christ’s pasture to do for his flock?

[Main Point 2] Elders, be an example of Christ with a shepherd’s staff in your hand and a towel around your waist.

[Explanation] Elders preach and pray, and tend and heal the flock of God. Each elder must carry the shepherd’s staff and towel. For we must cloth ourselves with humility toward one another. This refers to the time of Jesus at the last Supper.

[Illustration] John 13:3-5

John 13:3–5 ESV

3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

The chief shepherd led his disciples and washed their feet. To be an elder with only a staff or only a towel is a letdown for the role of a shepherd. We are commissioned to care and guide.

[Application] Elders, know your sheep. Lead them to spiritual water, and bind up their wounds. Our towel must be as long as our staff. For Christ is our example.

But who else is in the pastures of Christ?

Well it’s the sheep of course and as David referred early. We all our the sheep of God. So if you’re not an elder, you are a member of Christ’s church through faith.

So what is the church to do in Christ’s pasture?

[Main Point 3] Church, humble yourselves, and subject yourselves under the authority to your elders.

[Explanation] Listen to the voice of those who lead and tend to your care. Even more prominently stated by Peter, “be subject to the elder.”

[Illustration] The church should be members who humble listen and heed the guidance of those who are looking after their welfare. Doing so we are united and God will continue exalting and care of each of us.

[Application] Church, you must place yourselves under the leadership of these men who love and care for you. A kingdom divided cannot stand. We are exiles who need each other and remember that only God can be your chief shepherd who will never let you down, but until then look to your elders, who God has appointed.

[Conclusion] Imagine the pastures of God’s church if everyone did as Peter instructed? There would be abused sheep in the flock. The sheep would hear the voices of the ones who love them and follow their promoting. Hence, we would be the church that would continue to stand out in a crumbling world.

But before I close, remember your chief shepherd Jesus. Our glorious crown worn in faith was bequeathed to us sheep because he endured the cross of Calvary. The gown of humility we wear is made of the fabric of his shame upon the cross. Without Christ there is no crown, gown, or exultation of man. Without Christ, all of us are lost and helpless. However, when we come to Jesus we become the spiritual exiles who are under the care the chief Shepherd.

So until he returns, let us be united together with elders who shepherd and sheep who follow.

I say it again like this...

[Proposition] In the pastures of Christ, the elders guide and care for God's flock, while His sheep obediently heed the guidance of their elders.

Together, we are safe in our chief shepherds arms and in his pastures the Father love is upon us. Amen.