Sermon Tone Analysis

First Peter 5:1–3

* *

*Pastoral Identity*

This confusion is not entirely new to the church.

As early as the first century, Paul felt compelled to articulate carefully the role of the pastor.

All succeeding generations have felt this tension with the corresponding need to reaffirm the biblical absolutes of ministry.

Scripture provides the primary basis for understanding the pastoral office and its functions..

We do not put Scripture under our examination, according to criteria alien to it, in order to understand ministry.

Rather, Scripture examines our prior understandings of ministry.

It puts them to the test.

*Taking a Biblical Approach*

/ “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim.

3:16–17/).

This passage teaches not only a high view of Scripture’s authority but also its sufficiency, especially in formulating ministry plans and priorities.

It demands that we begin with God and the Bible rather than man and culture in order to understand God’s will in ministry.

The ministry tensions, problems, and questions that our generation faces are not new.

*/The contemporary pastor must pay close attention to the lessons of biblical history, for they will surely be repeated in his generation/*.

Therefore when we ask, “What is a pastor to be and do?” we must look to God’s Word for answers and not to the latest fads or theories that find their source in society rather than in Scripture, or in culture but not in Christ.

God has given several defining passages explaining who a pastor is to be and what a pastor is to do (e.g., 1 Tim.

3:1–7; Titus 1:6–9; 1 Pet.

5:1–5), But perhaps the most explicit books in the New Testament regarding the work of the ministry are 1 and 2 Thessalonians.

A careful analysis of these pastoral epistles leads to this basic ministry description.

*A pastor’s primary activities include*:

 

| 1. | Praying | 1 Thess.

1:2–3; 3:9–13 |

| 2. | Evangelizing | 1 Thess.

1:4–5, 9–10 |

| 3. | Equipping | 1 Thess.

1:6–8 |

| 4. | Defending | 1 Thess.

2:1–6 |

| 5. | Loving | 1 Thess.

2:7–8 |

| 6. | Laboring | 1 Thess.

2:9 |

| 7. | Modeling | 1 Thess.

2:10 |

| 8. | Leading | 1 Thess.

2:10–12 |

| 9. | Feeding | 1 Thess.

2:13 |

| 10. | Watching | 1 Thess.

3:1–8 |

| 11. | Warning | 1 Thess.

4:1–8 |

| 12. | Teaching | 1 Thess.

4:9–5:11 |

| 13. | Exhorting | 1 Thess.

5:12–24 |

| 14. | Encouraging | 2 Thess.

1:3–12 |

| 15. | Correcting | 2 Thess.

2:1–12 |

| 16. | Confronting | 2 Thess.

3:6, 14 |

| 17. | Rescuing | 2 Thess.

3:15 |

|   |   |   |

 

The bottom line is simply this: Will we seek to be fruitful in ministry by depending on the power of God’s Word (Rom.

1:16–17; 1 Cor.

1:22–25; 1 Thess.

2:13) and God’s Spirit (Rom 15:13; 2 Tim 1:8) or on the power of man’s wisdom?

Consider how Paul instructed the Corinthian church,:

/For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God.

But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Cor.

1:26–31)./

*Rediscovering Pastoral Ministry*

Ardently desire to let the important consideration of God and His revealed will in Scripture be the major focus.

A significant segment of evangelical churches and a growing proportion of evangelical literature seems to be distancing itself from biblical priorities.

Unbiblical imbalances among contemporary evangelicals are showing up in growing tendencies toward:

     1.

overemphasis on man’s reasoning—and a corresponding under-emphasis on God’s revelation in Scripture

     2.

overemphasis on human need as defined by man—and a corresponding underemphasis on God’s definition of man’s need

     3.

overemphasis on earthly relevance—and a corresponding under-emphasis on spiritual relevance

     4.

overemphasis on the temporal side of life—and a corresponding underemphasis on the eternal.

5.

overemphasis on contemporary culture—and a corresponding underemphasis on the Bible

*/Because of these escalating trends, the church is increasingly in danger of equating religion with Christianity and “going to church” with salvation/*.

*/The church increasingly substitutes human power for God’s power and peripheral talk about God for talk that centers on Him directly.

The church increasingly confuses emotion with worship in Spirit and truth and the cleverness of man’s words with the power of the gospel/*.

Here you will find ministry that is biblically based,/ /not demographically defined; Spirit led,/ /not market driven; Christ centered,/ /not man directed; and God focused,/ /not consumer oriented.

*Being About the Father’s Business*

 

As Jesus engaged in His Father’s work, so must we.

An anonymous writer vividly captured the essence of pastoral stewardship before the Lord with his exhortation to do God’s work God’s way according to God’s Word:

*/Stick with your work.

Do not flinch because the lion roars; do not stop to stone the devil’s dogs; do not fool away your time chasing the devil’s rabbits.

Do your work.

Let liars lie, let sectarians quarrel, let critics malign, let enemies accuse, let the devil do his worst; but see to it nothing hinders you from fulfilling with joy the work God has given you./*

*/He has not commanded you to be admired or esteemed.

He has never bidden you defend your character.

He has not set you at work to contradict falsehood (about yourself) which Satan’s or God’s servants may start to peddle, or to track down every rumor that threatens your reputation.

If you do these things, you will do nothing else; you will be at work for yourself and not for the Lord./*

*/Keep at your work.

Let your aim be as steady as a star.

You may be assaulted, wronged, insulted, slandered, wounded and rejected, misunderstood, or assigned impure motives; you may be abused by foes, forsaken by friends, and despised and rejected of men.

But see to it with steadfast determination, with unfaltering zeal, that you pursue the great purpose of your life and object of your being until at last you can say, “I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do.”/*

 

\\ *What Is a Pastor to Be and Do?*

 

First Peter 5:1–3 expresses the foundational principles of pastoral leadership: *Be humble* and *do the work of shepherding the flock*.

 

.

*/The primary objective in shepherding God’s flock is to feed them/*.

Besides this, a shepherd must exercise oversight of the flock and provide them with an exemplary life to look to.

*/He cannot do his job with an unwilling spirit/*, */neither can he do it for the sake of monetary gain/*.

* He must obey scriptural commands to be faithful to biblical truth,

* bold in exposing and refuting error,

* exemplary in godliness,

* diligent in ministry, and

* willing to suffer in his service.

Can what a pastor is to be and do be boiled down to a few basic principles?

*1 Pet.

5:1–3*:

/Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock/.

*A Pastor Should Be Humble*

* *

We live in a world that neither values nor desires humility.

Whether in politics, business, the arts, or sports, people work hard to achieve prominence, popularity, and fame.

Sadly, that mind-set has spilled over into the church.

Personality cults exist, because pastors and Christian leaders strive for celebrity status.

The true man of God, however, seeks the approval of his Lord rather than the adulation of the crowd.

Take heed that you be not exalted above measure, lest you come to nothing.”

*Keys to Humility*

 

*A humble pastor will be confident in God’s power*.

In 1 Thess.

2:2, Paul reminded the Thessalonians that “after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi (see Acts 16:19–24), as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition.”

Paul’s humble confidence in God’s power translated into boldness and courage in his ministry.

He was confident that God was more powerful than any opposition he would face.

That gave his ministry strength and tenacity.