The Unfading Crown of Glory

1 Peter 5

Father’s Day

Good morning, church family—and Happy Father’s Day to all the dads in the room!

Today, we want to take a moment to celebrate, honor, and encourage the men who hold one of the most important roles in the world—being a dad.

Now, let’s just get something straight right out of the gate:

Fatherhood is not for the faint of heart. No one warned me that you’re going to be a part-time handyman, full-time snack locator, remote control negotiator, spider killer, and professional toy assembler—usually without instructions and under pressure all while navigating what can only be described as a lego mine field.

And don’t even get me started on bedtime… I’m thirsty, I’m hungry, or they want a story, and a deep theological explanation about dinosaurs—right when you're trying to sit down and relax for a few minutes before bed.

It’s no small task.

We all know this though: being a father is one of the highest callings God gives a man. It's a role of leadership, of love, of sacrifice, and of deep responsibility. Its a blessing.

Proverbs 20:7 says:

“The righteous who walks in his integrity—blessed are his children after him!” (ESV)

You hear that? The best gift a father can give his children is his example. Not just his paycheck. Not just his protection. But his integrity—a life that shows his kids what it looks like to follow Jesus when no one’s looking.

I got an 8 year old, you wants to do everything I do. He wants to wear what I wear. He wants to talk like how I talk. He watches and sees everything I do even when I don’t think he is.

I don’t take that lightly.

Our kids don’t need perfect dads. (And thank the Lord for that, amen?)

They need present dads. They need praying dads. They need Dads who go to them and admit they messed up and ask for forgiveness when they do. They need gospel-saturated dads who can say, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”

Now listen—I know for some, Father’s Day can be tough. Maybe your dad’s no longer here. Maybe your dad wasn’t around. Or maybe you’ve always wanted to be a dad, but that door hasn’t opened yet. If that’s you, I want you to hear this loud and clear: your Heavenly Father sees you, knows you, and loves you deeply. His love isn’t distant or demanding—it’s near, and it’s always faithful.

But for the dads in the room today—whether you're raising toddlers or texting grown kids who still ask for gas money—we want to honor you. We want to cheer you on. Because our world needs more men who stand strong in grace, who fight for their families, who love their wives, who serve their churches, and who raise the next generation to know and follow Jesus.

And so—because we love you, and because you probably don’t want another tie or cologne that smells like “Woodland Thunder”—we’ve got a small gift for you today. Just a little something to say, “Thank you.” Thank you for showing up. Thank you for loving your kids. Thank you for being an image—however imperfect—of the Father who never fails.

So if you are a dad, a stepdad, a foster dad, or a spiritual father to someone—you matter, you are loved, and we are grateful for you.

for every man that falls into that category, would you please stand and continue to stand.

Let’s give our dads a round of applause.

(Gift Distribution Moment)

Can the kids come forward to pass out the gifts, and then I want to pray over the fathers in the room today.

Closing Prayer:

“Heavenly Father, thank You for being the perfect Father. For loving us when we were unlovable. For pursuing us when we were running. For adopting us into Your family through the blood of Jesus.

We pray today for the dads in this room. Strengthen them. Encourage them. Fill them with wisdom and grace. Help them lead their families with courage, humility, and joy. And for every man here—whether he has biological kids or not—remind him that he has a role to play in this generation. Use him to disciple, to protect, to encourage, and to love like You do.

We thank You for the gift of fathers—and most of all, we thank You for being ours. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.”

Sermon:

Good morning Church. If you have your Bible, and I trust that you do, go ahead and grab’em and make you way to 1 Peter 5.

This is the 9th and final week in our walk through Peter’s first letter.

We have walked through this entire book of the Bible and Peter’s last chapter is a challenge that hits like a freight train.

And to fully understand what Peter is saying if you have to understand the church is not man’s idea but it is ultimately God’s idea.

You have the global Big C church that unites all believers as brothers and sisters in Christ but then you have the local church.

The local church is where believers in an area gather to make much of Jesus.

The early Puritans who came over in the colonies- didnt call the church the church, they called it the meeting house.

In their view: "You don’t go to church. You are the church. You go to the meeting house.”

And its at the local church, the meeting house, you have elders.

Think of elders as the pastoral leaders of the church.

Their job? Lead, feed, protect, and oversee the spiritual life of the congregation.

They teach the Word, correct false doctrine, pray for the people, and watch over the flock.

They’re the ones called to shepherd like Jesus—not lording over people, but lovingly leading them toward maturity in Christ.

Elders are like the spiritual coaches—called to teach the playbook, call the plays, and walk alongside the team when they’re hurting, limping, or losing hope.

At Cedar Bay Baptist- I am the Head Pastor. I am an Elder.

Then we have five deacons: The Servants of the Church

Deacons are the shock absorbers and table-setters—servant leaders who handle the practical needs so elders can focus on shepherding.

Their ministry centers around mercy, logistics, support, and service.

They step into the mess—caring for those hurting, helping with distribution, managing resources—so no one slips through the cracks. Thats one of the reasons when you become a member of Cedar Bay you are assigned a Deacon. So the church can know whats going on when you are sick, hurting, or in need.

If elders are shepherds, deacons are the hands and feet—making sure the sheep are fed, the fence is fixed, and the pasture’s not on fire.

I don’t want to go too far down this rabbit hole but- many Southern Baptist churches have blurred the biblical lines between elders and deacons, and it’s caused some confusion, dysfunction, and at times, division.

I just gotta say—we are blessed at Cedar Bay. We’ve got some faithful, godly men serving as deacons who don’t just hold a title—they live it. They don’t sit around trying to run the church like a boardroom. They show up early, stay late, pray hard, love well, and serve like Jesus with a towel in hand.

John Wesley

Truth be told, a lot of these brothers are already functioning more like elders—shepherding hearts, guarding unity, pointing folks to Jesus. If we were strictly going by the book—like the book of Acts and the Pastoral Epistles—we’d probably lay hands on ’em and call them elders already.

And I thank God for that. Because in a world where leadership can get messy, these men don’t flex for power—they kneel to serve. That’s rare. That’s biblical. And that’s exactly what the church needs.

and that is the very heart of Peters Word in Chapter 5.

Lets go ahead and open up God’s Word and read Chapter 5 of 1st peter.

1 Peter 5 ESV

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: 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; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 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.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 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. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

Pray

It’s a final word to the leaders, the followers, and everybody in between who’s just trying to follow Jesus in a world that’s falling apart.

So Peter is telling these Elected Exiles and us- Whatever your role is- from elder to deacon to teacher to volunteer to member, do it with humility, that is essentially what He is encouraging everyone to do.

Thats our First Truth:

Serve with Humility.

and There a lot of men and women who do that really really really well in this church.

But I think what makes Cedar Bay so unique is we have a lot of men who do this really really well.

They do what they do to serve the Lord.

They serve with humility.

and if you have to tell people about what you did or make a video about it- that’s not walking in humility. Those people who go around and film themselves giving money to the poor, or taking the shirt off their own backs while filming. There is nothing humble about that.

i’d arguing its not even true serving, it’s self- serving because you want people to know how great a person you are and get some type of credit for helping. Look I bought 500 pizzas and give it out to all these homeless people.

But that person you “helped”, you didn’t help them because you wanted to show them the love of Jesus- and the people doing it online don’t even have to be Christian- they didn’t really want to help them.

You used them as a means to an end to get the attention you wanted, more likes- more subscribers, more followers, because you wanted people to know how great you are. They were a prop and nothing else.

You think that’s how people- the image bearers of Christ- should be treated?

In the gospels, Jesus would see the crowds and have compassion on them. He loved them. He loved them so much that He died for them- for us.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

And if you call yourself a Christian that means by definition- you follow Christ. We are to serve humbly.

Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.

He starts by speaking straight to the elders—the leaders of the church, those shepherding the flock. And he doesn’t speak like some armchair quarterback throwing advice from the sidelines. No, he talks as a fellow elder, as someone who’s been there and done that.

He telling the elected exiles to, “Lead willingly. Lead humbly.

Don’t point at all the amazing things you think you have done “for the church.”

You didn’t do anything for the church. God did it- We were just the devices He used for His name to be glorified. and when you point at yourself and talk about how awesome you are, you are taking the credit that should go to God.

I’ve had a lot of people come up- and its from a good place in their hearts- but they come up and say “I’ve heard you are doing a great job at the church and you are really making an impact and getting things done.”

I just respond “praise God, thank you.” It’s not me. I’m just a big dumb educated redneck from Oceanway who loves Jesus and wants to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel. Its not me. I’m just doing what the Lord puts on my heart to do it- and then like a big old rhino, I take off as fast as I can and as hard as I can.

And if it didn’t work out, I move on to the next thing.

John Wesley once said-“Give me a hundred men who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God—and I care not a straw whether they are clergymen or laymen—they alone will shake the gates of hell.”

If you don’t know who John Wesley is - he was a preacher, a theologian, and honestly, a spiritual firestarter in the 1700s. He was born in England, raised in a big ol’ preacher’s house (we’re talking 19 kids, y’all—his mama Susanna deserves her own book in the Bible). And from a young age, John knew there was a call on his life. But here’s the thing—he tried to be holy by checking all the boxes. He even sailed across the ocean to preach to Native Americans in Georgia… and left feeling like a total failure.

But on May 24, 1738, something changed. He was in a Bible study on Aldersgate Street, listening to someone read the intro to Romans—and boom! He said his heart was “strangely warmed.” That’s when the gospel finally hit him—not just in his head, but in his heart. He realized salvation wasn’t about earning God’s love. It was about receiving it by grace through faith in Jesus.

After that, this man did not stop. He preached in the open fields because churches locked their doors on him. He rode over 250,000 miles on horseback, preaching up to three sermons a day. And he didn’t just preach the gospel—he organized it. Discipleship groups. Accountability meetings. Bible studies. Prayer gatherings. What he started eventually became the Methodist movement.

He would die at the age of 87.

As he lay on his deathbed, he repeated the words, “The best of all is, God is with us.” Then he raised his feeble arms one last time and said it again: “The best of all is, God is with us.” And then he stepped into eternity.

Isn’t that something?

After decades of riding on horseback, preaching in fields, forming revival groups, writing books and hymns, and sparking a movement that would span the globe—he crossed the finish line pointing to the same Savior he had preached for over 60 years.

He died poor in earthly possessions, but rich in faith and legacy.

So if you're wondering what a faithful life in humility looks like at the finish line—it looks like John Wesley, whispering truth with his last breath: God is with us.

Humility isn’t optional in the Kingdom of God; it’s the dress code. Pride puts you in opposition to God, but humility puts you right in the flow of His grace. And y’all, that’s not a small thing. Scripture says God opposes the proud. Opposes. Meaning against. Meaning your own this team and God’s on that team.

You might remember when we walked through the book of Joshua, and they are about to have the battle of Jericho- the commander of the army of the Lord- a preincarnate picture of Christ- the Son of God before he stepped off the thrown and Joshua asked him “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” 

And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.”

God is for God. And the best thing we can do- is instead of checking to see if God is on our side- we better start making sure we are on God’s side.

Because if our views aren’t in line with Scripture- we are not on God’s side- and if we refuse- thats the pride of life.

One of the most humble, most countercultural things a person can do in this world is to just bow the knee and say, “God, You’re right. I’m not.” Full submission. Full surrender. Not halfway obedience. Not picking and choosing verses like a buffet line.

I’m talking about laying it all down and saying, “Lord, whatever You say—I’ll do it.”

And the crazy part? When we actually do what the Bible says—when we just trust and obey—life tends to go better.

Now, I’m not promising health and wealth. This isn’t a vending machine gospel. But I am saying God’s ways are good and right and lead to peace.

Let’s talk about the basics for a second. Don’t lie. Don’t kill anybody. Be faithful to your spouse. Don’t get eaten alive with jealousy. Listen to your parents. I mean, come on—this ain’t rocket science. Even people who don’t believe in the Bible still tend to agree those are solid rules for a society that works. And guess where they came from? God.

So here’s the question that punches me in the chest every time: If we can trust Him with the obvious stuff—why do we hesitate to trust Him with everything else?

Why do we nod along when He says, “Don’t steal,” but then we wrestle when He says, “Forgive your enemies”? Why do we post the Ten Commandments in the living room but ignore the part about loving our neighbor when they’re hard to love? Why do we trust Him with our eternity—but not with our money, our marriage, our singleness, our kids, or our calendar?

Could it be that our trust in God is more selective than surrendered?

Adrian Rogers used to say He is either Lord of all or Not at all.

A half surrendered life is not a life living with Jesus as Lord.

And the path to peace? It’s not found in control. It’s found in surrender. That’s true humility.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Secondly.

Walk with Integrity.

“And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

Peter’s talking to the elders, but don’t think for a second this doesn’t apply to you. If you lead anyone—your kids, your coworkers, your students, your small group—then this word is for you. He says, “Shepherd the flock of God.” Not your flock. Not your fanbase. Not your platform. It’s God’s people, and we’re just under-shepherds. That means we don’t get to lead however we want—we lead the way Jesus leads: with truth in our mouth, grace in our hands, and a towel over our arm, not a crown on our head.

Peter says don’t lead because you have to—lead because you’re called to. If someone has to twist your arm to serve, then maybe it’s not your season. But if it burns in your bones to pour out your life for others, even when it costs you something, that’s the heart of a shepherd. He goes on to say, don’t lead for shameful gain. That means we don’t use ministry as a way to get rich, build influence, or gather fans. The goal is not celebrity—it’s faithfulness. It’s not about spotlight—it’s about souls.

Because the crown we’re after? It’s not gold, it’s not man-made, and it doesn’t fade. Peter calls it “the unfading crown of glory.” That’s the reward that Jesus Himself—the Chief Shepherd—is bringing with Him for those who lead His people well. Not the flashy leaders. Not the ones with the biggest crowds. The faithful ones. The ones who showed up when nobody noticed. The ones who pointed people to Jesus more than they pointed to themselves.

Now here’s the wild part—this crown is one of five that the New Testament promises to followers of Jesus. There’s the crown of righteousness for those who long for His appearing (2 Tim. 4:8), the crown of life for those who endure trials and love Him (James 1:12, Rev. 2:10), the crown of rejoicing for those who bring others to Christ (1 Thess. 2:19), the imperishable crown for those who run the race with discipline (1 Cor. 9:25), and then here in 1 Peter 5—the crown of glory for those who shepherd God’s people well. Five crowns. One Savior. And they’re not given to the strong or the successful—they’re given to the faithful.

and you know what we are going to do with those crowns? We aren’t going to keep them and wear them like accesories in heaven. tomorrow I’ll wear the crown of life....no I just wore that one while worhipping Jesus.

We will take those crowns and lay them at the feet of Jesus. 5 crowns. 2 of them have to do with others. Telling people about Jesus and shepherding God’s people well.

I can’t talk anyone into Heaven- if I can talk people into Heaven. If you can be talked into it, you can be talked out it.

Only through the Holy Spirit can someone have Salvation eternal. But we are the messengers and I want to tell lots of people. The more people I tell about the goodnews of the gospel, the more opportunties the Holy Spirit has to work.

People are the only thing that can come to heaven with me and I want nothing more then to bring a whole bunch of people.

So let me ask you—who’s your flock? Maybe it’s your kids. Maybe it’s a classroom. Maybe it’s a ministry team. Maybe it’s just one person that God’s placed in your life. Whoever it is, lead them well. Not for applause. Not for approval. Lead them for eternity. Because the Chief Shepherd is coming. And when He shows up, He won’t be checking your platform or your popularity—He’ll be looking for your faithfulness.

And in that moment, He’s not coming empty-handed. He’s bringing a crown that will never fade. So don’t quit. Don’t coast. Don’t get distracted by what the world calls success. Keep showing up. Keep serving. Keep shepherding. The reward is coming.

But its not easy. If it was easy everyone would do it.

We have an adversary- that’s why Peter tells us to be sober-minded and stand firm.

No one ever makes good decision while intoxicated. Nothing good ever happens when some good ol boy out in oceanway and yulee says “Hold my beer and watch this.”

when we just trust and obey—life tends to go better.

I’m what you call a teetotaler. I don’t drink at all anymore. Its been several years since I have.

It’s a personal conviction that the Lord has placed on my heart.

But understand- Having a drink is not a sin- being drunk is.

Proverbs 20:1

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.”

That doesn’t mean just avoid wine and just throw back natty lights. It means if you’re getting white-girl wasted on anything- then you’re an idiot.

and while i’m at it: Genesis 1:29- And God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth.”

has nothing to with smoking marijuana, pot heads. Be sober-minded.

Because when your not you are more susceptable to not walk with integrity.

Because we have an adversary-an opponent- Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

I love nature shows- especially watching the ones where the lions are looking for dinner. I don’t really watch’em anymore because Blair acts like me watching a football game.

She is yelling at the TV for the little baby elk or whatever- she’s over there run, run little friend. No don’t trip. Don’t stop. oh no. you’re dead. Which sounds pretty similar to how I watch the Gators and Jaguars.

Or she’ll be yelling at the Zebra that got away from the group and is not paying attention. “Look up, Look up, pay attention! They are right there!” and by that time it’s too late.

I wonder if that’s how the angelic beings look at us sometimes. We have the devil and His demons prowling like lions around us looking to kill, steal, and destroy everything we have and we are just “ der der der- one more beer won’t hurt” “der der der- Those videos I watch when I’m home alone aren’t hurting any body.” and they are just waiting for the exact right moment to kill you.

The only way to resist Him to be firm in your faith. Repent and follow jesus.

If you’re out there doing life on your own, coasting spiritually, laughing off sin like it’s no big deal—you’re exactly the kind of target he’s looking for. Isolated. Distracted. Drifting. And he’s just waiting for the right moment to pounce.

You don’t beat the lion by trying harder. You don’t outmuscle the devil in your own strength. The only way to resist him is to stand firm in your faith. And the only way to stand firm is to kneel first—at the feet of Jesus.

So maybe today’s the day you stop running your own race and surrender. Maybe today’s the day you say, “I’m done being lukewarm, I’m done making excuses, I’m done letting the enemy have territory in my life that doesn’t belong to him.” Repent. Believe. Follow Jesus.

Because He’s the only one who faced that roaring lion head-on… and won. At the cross, Jesus didn’t just resist the enemy—He crushed him. He broke the power of sin and death and shame. And when He rose again, He made it possible for you and me to walk in freedom—not just someday, but today.

So if you’ve never trusted Christ—do it now. Right now. Don’t wait until the lion’s got your leg in his jaws to call out for help. Surrender now. Cry out now. Because Jesus is mighty to save, and His arms are wide open.

And for those of us who have trusted Christ, we’re about to take part in something sacred-its a high holy moment. We are going to—communion. It’s not just a religious ritual. It’s a declaration: Jesus is enough. His body was broken for us. His blood was poured out for our sin. And when we take the bread and the cup, we’re not just remembering what He did—we’re realigning our hearts with who He is.

So before we move into this time, take a moment. Examine your heart. If there’s sin to confess, confess it. If there’s forgiveness to receive, receive it. If there’s gratitude to give, give it.

Let’s pray together.

Communion:

At this time I would ask that the deacons come forward and prepare for communion.

Now, if you’re here today and you belong to Jesus—if you’ve repented of your sin, trusted in His finished work on the cross, and you’re walking in fellowship with Him—then this is for you. Not because you earned it, but because He did.

But if you're still figuring this whole Jesus thing out… or if you're living in unrepentant sin… then hear me: the most honoring thing you could do in this moment is to just pause, reflect, and let the gospel sink in. Paul tells us this isn’t something to take lightly.

He writes in 1 Corinthians 11:27–29:

“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.”

So right now, before we take anything—let’s take a minute. Quiet your heart. Ask the Lord to search you. Confess what needs confessing. Thank Him for His grace. This is a holy moment.

On the night before Jesus was betrayed, He gathered with His disciples. And in that upper room, He redefined everything. He pointed to His broken body, His shed blood, and He said, “This is for you.”

Before the bread is passed out, I would ask that Brother Charles pray over the bread.

[once bread is passed out, deacons are to sit]

On the night Jesus was betrayed—He took some bread, gave thanks, and then He broke it. And He said to His disciples:

“‘This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” (1 Corinthians 11:24)

He was talking about the cross. About His flesh being torn for ours. About taking what we deserved so we could get what only He deserved.

So let’s remember Jesus. Let’s take the bread together.

Repeat after me- His body.

At this time- I would ask Brother Larry to pray over the juice.

And then He took the cup. That Passover wine that had always pointed to the blood of a lamb… now Jesus says it points to Him. Because He is the Lamb.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 11:25:

“‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’”

This cup reminds us that we are forgiven. Not because we got our act together. But because Jesus bled for us.

Let’s drink and remember the blood that covers it all.

Repeat after me- His Blood.

His Body. His Blood. For Me.

Every time we do this, we are preaching a sermon with bread and cup. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:26:

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

So, we remember the cross. We celebrate the resurrection. And we lean in with hope… because our King is coming back. And when He does, we won’t need a little cracker and a sip of juice to remember Him—we’ll see Him face to face.

Commissioning

Before we wrap up this morning, I want to invite our mission team to come on up to the front.

Next Saturday, a group of us from here at Cedar Bay will be heading to Montañita, Ecuador to partner with Pate Ministries. They’re doing some incredible gospel work among the children of Ecuador—teaching them about Jesus, loving them well, and helping meet both physical and spiritual needs.

And we get to join in that mission.

We’re going to serve, to share, and to shine the light of Jesus in a place where the gospel is desperately needed. And church, we’re asking you to go with us—not physically, but in prayer. Cover us. Encourage us. And most of all, pray that God would use us to plant seeds of hope that only He can make grow.

So right now, we want to take a moment to be commissioned and prayed over by our church family.

Brother Tommy is going to come and share a quick word, and then he’s going to lead us in prayer as we get ready to go in the name of Jesus.