Sheep - Do Your Job 1st Peter 5:6-14
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Sheep – Do your Job
Last week the primary focus of Peter’s instructions was the Elders in the churches. This week we find Peter turning to those that the Elders lead. I normally work on the text paragraph by paragraph. We ended last week in chapter 5 verse 5 because that was part of the same paragraph despite the fact that Peter changes to the followers of the sheep. The paragraph change seems odd in its placement. So, even though we covered verse 5 last week, we are going to being there so that we can see the complete instructions to the Sheep. So, let's dig into the text.
(ESV)
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.”
Peter links the behavior of the followers to that of the leaders. He kind of uses a play on words here. He had been talking about elders in the previous verses. By this time in the church Elder was an office, but the concept and word itself stem from Israel’s tribal system in which the Oldest is the leader. Peter plays on that concept when he calls on the younger. If the elder leads the younger follow. Peter is not specifically speaking of just young people of kids. I think he is using the play on words to address the membership of the churches.
Peter links the behavior of the followers to that of the leaders. He kind of uses a play on words here. He had been talking about elders in the previous verses. By this time in the church Elder was an office, but the concept and word itself stem from Israel’s tribal system in which the Oldest is the leader. Peter plays on that concept when he calls on the younger. If the elder leads the younger follow. Peter is not specifically speaking of just young people of kids. I think he is using the play on words to address the membership of the churches.
Peter tells the general membership to subject themselves to the elders of the church. Not only be subject to the elders but also to be humble with each other. The word translated “Humility” is a word the literally means “to make low.” From this, we understand that Peter was telling the people in the churches they are to place their own interests behind the interests of the others in the church. This is the most genuine form of humility where your own needs and interests are placed behind the others in the congregation.
Peter then quotes when he writes that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
(ESV)
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
Even though Peter has started a new paragraph here in verse 6, he continues on the same topic as he began in verse 5, the role and responsibility of the membership in the church. Peter states that as members of the church, followers in the church, we are responsible for placing the interests of others before our own interests under God’s mighty hand, or in power God gives us. Placing your interests behind that of others is not a normal or easy thing to do. In many ways, it can only be done through the power given to us by the Holy Spirit indwelling us.
Even though Peter has started a new paragraph here in verse 6, he continues on the same topic as he began in verse 5, the role and responsibility of the membership in the church. Peter states that as members of the church, followers in the church, we are responsible for placing the interests of others before our own interests under God’s mighty hand, or in power God gives us. Placing your interests behind that of others is not a normal or easy thing to do. In many ways, it can only be done through the power given to us by the Holy Spirit indwelling us.
Peter speaks of the mighty hand of God as a way to remind us that the power of God at work in us is the same power that ultimately resurrects you or translates you at the return of Jesus we call the rapture. I want you to think about that power a little bit. Resurrect dead bodies and put all the pieces back together into new glorified bodies or translate the living into new glorified bodies. That’s more power than any of us have. The power to resurrect and translate is the same power that provides you the ability to place the interests of others before your own.
But the responsibility of the sheep does not end there.
(ESV)
casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
We also have the responsibility to cast our cares upon God. The one with the mighty hand, who will resurrect you also wants to carry your burdens and care for you tenderly. I am in awe of a God with so much power but yet still cares for me as an individual. He knows me and knows what I need, and He knows how to comfort me.
We also have the responsibility to cast our cares upon God. The one with the mighty hand, who will resurrect you also wants to carry your burdens and care for you tenderly. I am in awe of a God with so much power but yet still cares for me as an individual. He knows me and knows what I need, and He knows how to comfort me.
Peter writes this in such a way as we are to understand that we throw our anxieties on God in a singular action, a onetime event. In other words, we give our anxieties over to God and allow Him to deal with them, we don’t take them back and then give Him the same issue. I know, that’s hard to do, but that is the command that Peter is giving here. Remember the context though. The context is the mighty hand of God who will glorify you at the rapture is the one dealing with your issues. It is in His power that these things are dealt with.
But it still does not end there.
(ESV)
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Peter now moves into a more cautionary tone. He reminds the sheep they are to be sober-minded. He is not speaking specifically of not being drunk but is speaking of being clear-headed and alert. He says to be clear-headed and watchful.
Peter now moves into a more cautionary tone. He reminds the sheep they are to be sober-minded. He is not speaking specifically of not being drunk but is speaking of being clear-headed and alert. He says to be clear-headed and watchful.
It is almost as if Peter had to give the warning because of what he said in verse 7. Cast your cares on Him because He cares for you, might result in a person living the carefree and happy go lucky life. But Peter is reminding the sheep, and I think the shepherd here that there is still an adversary out there who has his sights set on disrupting the church any way he can. We have all seen how Satan comes along when we think everything is going great, and the church is doing what it is supposed to do and disrupts and devours all he can.
Peter is reminding us that even though we have cast our care on God, we still need to keep our eyes wide open and alert looking for the devil and his coming attack. My family knows this because they live with me and see how I am when we go somewhere, but I am always alert when I walk into a room or enter a building. As I approach the building, I am looking for danger. I look for avenues of escape, I look for potions of cover. I never sit with my back to door or window if I can help it. I am always looking around, scanning for approaching danger. This was drilled into me in the Police academy more than 35 years ago and has become part of my nature. But that is exactly what Peter is telling the church they are to do as well. Eyes wide open looking for the approach of the enemy, the Devil.
The devil is roaming around looking for those he can trouble. No, that not what Peter says. Satan does not want to trouble you he wants to destroy you. Devour is the translation of a word the literally means to drink up or consume. Satan wants to assimilate you just like the Borg on Star Trek. However, resistance is not futile, it is commanded.
(ESV)
Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
As Satan attempts to assimilate you, you are to resist him. We have always heard that we are to flee Satan and resist temptation. In reality, we are to flee temptation and resist Satan. So, how do we resist Satan? Peter gives us a hint. We resist Satan by showing him hostility and opposing him through affirming our faith. As we have seen several times in our studies of the New Testament Epistles faith does not always speak of our saving faith. The word faith is also used to speak of the totality of what we believe. Faith represents the body of our belief system. Peter commands us to resist Satan by standing firm, unwavering, without compromise, by trusting in what you believe.
As Satan attempts to assimilate you, you are to resist him. We have always heard that we are to flee Satan and resist temptation. In reality, we are to flee temptation and resist Satan. So, how do we resist Satan? Peter gives us a hint. We resist Satan by showing him hostility and opposing him through affirming our faith. As we have seen several times in our studies of the New Testament Epistles faith does not always speak of our saving faith. The word faith is also used to speak of the totality of what we believe. Faith represents the body of our belief system. Peter commands us to resist Satan by standing firm, unwavering, without compromise, by trusting in what you believe.
The image the helps me understand standing firm is the guards at the Buckingham Palace. They must stand at attention without being influenced by outside forces. We have all seen a video of kids trying to make the guard blink or flinch. They are required to stand firm against the outside force.
Resist Satan by standing firm in our knowledge of who God is and what He does for us. Remember He is the one that cares for us utilizing the same power that He is going glorify us. Stand firm in your knowledge of God’s Word. This is why I drive that all the time. Study God’s word. Get to know it and apply it to your lives. It will prepare you to resist Satan.
Go back to verse 9 again.
(ESV)
Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
Satan often uses our suffering to push us away from God and our faith in Him. Peter reminds us that the suffering you are going through is not unique to you. The same kinds of suffering are being experienced by the church throughout the world. I want to read into this statement from Peter here “suck it up buttercup it's not all about you.” I think that might be taking Peter’s statement a little further than it really goes, it just seems like the perfect place to say it.
Satan often uses our suffering to push us away from God and our faith in Him. Peter reminds us that the suffering you are going through is not unique to you. The same kinds of suffering are being experienced by the church throughout the world. I want to read into this statement from Peter here “suck it up buttercup it's not all about you.” I think that might be taking Peter’s statement a little further than it really goes, it just seems like the perfect place to say it.
But look what happens after we suffer.
(ESV)
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.
After we have suffered a little while God will restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you. The message puts it this way:
After we have suffered a little while God will restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you. The message puts it this way:
(The Message)
The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good.
In the scope of eternity, our suffering is only for awhile, and the God will perfect us as the King James says. He will complete our salvation process and bring us to Him for eternity. Not because you suffered but because He chose you and cared for you and protected you.
In the scope of eternity, our suffering is only for awhile, and the God will perfect us as the King James says. He will complete our salvation process and bring us to Him for eternity. Not because you suffered but because He chose you and cared for you and protected you.
Peter is reminding the people who were under persecution by Nero, simply for being Christians that they will not be suffering forever. Jesus would return soon, or they would die and be with God in heaven. Many of the early church were with Jesus in heaven very soon after their salvation because they were executed by Rome. For the rest of us who have to remain firm under pain of and difficulty of aging and disease should take comfort in the reality that it is but a short time in the scope of eternity and He cares for us and provides for us the ability to go through the suffering while resisting the devil. We have the future with Him to look forward to.
Besides, look what Peter says next:
(ESV)
To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
The reality is that God has dominion for eternity, and that dominion means He makes the rules and controls everything. We should take confidence in that reality, and it should make our suffering just a little easier.
The reality is that God has dominion for eternity, and that dominion means He makes the rules and controls everything. We should take confidence in that reality, and it should make our suffering just a little easier.
Salutation to 1st Peter
(ESV)
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.
In typical 1st Century letter writing style Peter closes his letter with a few personal notes. He refers to Silvanus, who Peter calls a faithful brother, as the one who penned the letter. Peter dictated, and Silvanus wrote it down. Silvanus is also known as Silas. Silas was one of the emissaries sent from the Jerusalem church after the decision in concerning whether or not Gentiles had to conform to the Jewish law to be saved. Silas was one of the men sent from Jerusalem to the churches with the decision. It's not like they could post it on the church website or send out a tweet.
In typical 1st Century letter writing style Peter closes his letter with a few personal notes. He refers to Silvanus, who Peter calls a faithful brother, as the one who penned the letter. Peter dictated, and Silvanus wrote it down. Silvanus is also known as Silas. Silas was one of the emissaries sent from the Jerusalem church after the decision in concerning whether or not Gentiles had to conform to the Jewish law to be saved. Silas was one of the men sent from Jerusalem to the churches with the decision. It's not like they could post it on the church website or send out a tweet.
Silas was also a member of the apostle Paul’s team during the 2nd missionary journey. So he had good credentials to serve Peter as his associate and also as his emissary.
In paying tribute to Silas Peter also gives a short rundown of what his main theme was in the entire letter. Stand firm in your faith of God in the face of trouble.
Peter then moves on verse 13 to speak of others.
(ESV)
She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son.
I have to admit that there are a lot of divergent views on who Peter is speaking of here. Some believe Peter is speaking of his wife actually being in Babylon, modern Iraq. Other believe that he is speaking of his wife in Rome.
I have to admit that there are a lot of divergent views on who Peter is speaking of here. Some believe Peter is speaking of his wife actually being in Babylon, modern Iraq. Other believe that he is speaking of his wife in Rome.
It was common in the day to speak of Rome by the code word Babylon. But I don’t think Peter is talking about Rome or Babylon, nor is he speaking about his wife.
The word for church is always presented in the feminine, so the church is referred to as a “she.” After all the church is the bride of Christ. Babylon is often used to speak of exile among the Jews. Remember Peter is writing to the churches started by Jews in Jerusalem for the feasts when the church was born. They would have understood the reference to Babylon as a reminder of the time the Jews were in exile in Babylon. Since the Babylonian captivity, it was common to refer to Babylon as being an exile. The Jews certainly were in exile at this time as they under oppression from Rome and these particular Jews were not in Israel.
So I think Peter is saying to the church that all the other churches started by People in Jerusalem at the formation of the church greet each other. This letter was written to be shared among the churches.
Peter also mentions Mark, his son in the faith. Peter is referring to John Mark, the author of the gospel of Mark. John Mark was also the cousin to Barnabas and went along with Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. But then got homesick and went home abandoning the team. He was the reason for the breakup of the team of Paul and Barnabas.
(ESV)
Greet one another with the kiss of love.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
Peter closes the letter with the instruction to greet one another with the kiss of love. Culturally this is the same concept as our handshake. In Middle Eastern and European cultures this still occurs. This week as President Trump welcomed President Macron of France to the white house we saw them first shake hands and then kiss both cheeks. Very much like what Peter is talking about here. It was not cultural for the Greco-Roman world but was in the church. It was in effect the secret handshake of the church.
Peter closes the letter with the instruction to greet one another with the kiss of love. Culturally this is the same concept as our handshake. In Middle Eastern and European cultures this still occurs. This week as President Trump welcomed President Macron of France to the white house we saw them first shake hands and then kiss both cheeks. Very much like what Peter is talking about here. It was not cultural for the Greco-Roman world but was in the church. It was in effect the secret handshake of the church.
Peter then calls for peace for all who are in Christ. Because we are in Christ, that is saved, and our destiny resides in the work of Christ we have peace with the Father.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Over the last two messages, we have seen Peter give some pretty strong instructions to the Shepherds and then to the sheep about how we are to live and to act as followers of Jesus. He gives these very specific instructions because Satan is looking to assimilate us, Compromise and confuse us and make us ineffective as followers of Jesus. Satan would like nothing more than to destroy every church that has godly leaders and godly sheep. That is his entire goal.
It is a huge responsibility and burden to lead and care for a flock of sheep, even a small one like this. This week as I was not feeling very good The elders and our Pastoral Intern stepped up and made some hospital calls. I heard more than once that it was difficult personally for them to do that. It cost them emotionally. But that is the role that God has called us to, and we are told to do it and trust God to care for us. I often struggle emotionally after making those visits or dealing with someone dying, and I have to count on strength from God. That is what Peter is talking about here.
Peter concludes the letter by drawing us back to remember the grace of God and how He cares for us and provides for us. Peter links the power of God’s care for us to the power He will demonstrate when Jesus returns. That is tremendous power, and we should take comfort in that power.
Next week, Lord willing we will be going through Peter’s 2nd letter. Let’s Pray!