The Humble Church

Introduction

This may come as a surprise but humanity are fallen creatures, and one of the worst traits we have is that we are extremely selfish. As parents we know what it is like to feel frustration when our children do not do as we have asked. We may ask them to wash the dishes, take the trash out, or clean your room. all met with stone silence, or great complaining. Mankind’s motto is: It’s my life and I will do as I please. How dare someone else tell me how to live my life. This has always been the case, though it is more readily seen in the 21st Century. We see it on our televisions, we see this in the people around us; in our cities, our neighborhoods, our families, and even in the mirror. We also see this in our churches. Many hymns and, and what is known as church songs, have been written with ME in mind. We see this in many sermons preached, placing ME, and what I can get out of life. If the Church is to live in harmony and function properly, there must a downgrade of our self importance and an upgrade of God’s importance, and that of our brothers and sisters in the Church.

Submission to others is an extremely important quality for Christians. In the passage from 1 Peter 2:13 through to 1 Peter 3:7 Peter encourages Believers to submit to others. He says that Believers are to submit to the government authority, and to the workplace authority. In addition, there is even to be submission within the home, wives are to submit to their husbands, and husbands to the care and nourishment of their wives. In the first half of the verse of 1 Peter 5:5 Peter encourages the church to submit to their elders. And with Christ as the Great Shepherd, Peter instructs the elders, in 1 Peter 5:1-4, to lead the Church as chosen representatives of God’s flock. The elders are representatives for God in the Church, and are to lead the Church according to God’s orders, and not their own. These orders are very clearly and conveniently written for us in the Holy Bible. These orders are the for the whole Church and as such each member is encouraged to study it.

It is especially true for the Church to humble itself under the leadership of God. However, every Believer is also encouraged to seek the good of others, as it faces persecution from every side. Persecution is what was happening to the Churches in Asia Minor. So Peter exhorts the Believers to think of their lowly situation, as well as their Almighty God, as saved sinners by God, and to God, and for God. We are called to humble ourselves in submission to God, to treat all Believers with a Christlike attitude. Especially in an increasingly hostile environment.

I will pick up in verse 5 where we continue looking at church relationships. Peter gives us several things to do as the body of Believers, as well as in our relationship to God and the world. Also within these verses Peter gives a couple of great reasons why we are to possess these qualities.

But first let me pray.

Within the Church

1 Peter 5:5, Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” This verse is focused on Believers relationship within the Church. Or to put it more plainly, our relationships with other Christians. Christians are to be submissive to one another, while at the same time, we are to clothe ourselves with humility. Peter then gives us the reason for it, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Let’s look at each in turn.

Submit

The first quality of unity within the Church is for every Believer to be submissive to one another. For the church to function properly, we, its members, must understand our low position. It doesn’t matter whether you are the minister, an elder, or someone in the pews, we all are sinners saved by the same grace of God. We have all been bought with the same precious blood of Christ, and so we are all under His authority. When we call Jesus Lord we are professing Jesus as our Master, and when we submit to the welfare of our brothers and sisters and commit to build each other up in Christ, we are demonstrating Christ-likeness, or holiness.

If we are to submit to worldly authorities because God says so, how can we then not submit to our those who are part of our spiritual family. Too often we see Christians fighting among themselves like little children. One doesn’t get their way so they make a great fuss about it. This is not the biblical way. We are to be submissive to one another, praying for each other in times of need, and giving thanks to God for blessings. We are to encourage each other toward maturity in Christ. surrendering ourselves to the will of our brethren.

Clothe

The second quality of unity within the Church is for every Believer to be clothed with humility. Warren Wiersbe explains what humility is. He says, Humility is not demeaning ourselves and thinking poorly of ourselves. It is simply not thinking of ourselves at all. Humility, then, is thinking of the spiritual needs and welfare of each and every other Believer. We are more than happy to help someone out when it suits us, but Peter is telling us to help one another out even when we must suspend our own plans.

He is saying more than that though isn’t he? He says to be clothed with humility. Clothing is especially important throughout the Bible. When our first parents sinned God clothed them with animal skins. When Jonathon met David after he defeated Goliath, he clothed him in royal robes. And when we come to Faith we remove our filthy rags of our fallen nature and Jesus dresses us in his righteous robes. Now though we are to be clothed with humility. We were all sinners in the hand of an angry God, however, once we are saved by His grace, we become reborn as children of God, adopted into His family and given new clothes to wear.

Lack of humility and mutual submissiveness throughout church history has caused much strife and division within the Church. We have a tendency to think that our way is the only way. And when you have 2 groups within the church believing they are the true church, at the exclusion of all others, one group inevitably goes and starts their own church. Can you imagine the excitement on Satan’s face when trials and persecution come our way and the Church does not submit to one another in unity and brotherly love. Humbleness comes from understanding that not one of us are perfect. All are sinners and fall short of the glory of God.

Instead, we are to adorn ourselves with the slaves clothes, just as Christ did in the upper room when He washed His disciples feet, making Himself the least of all men. Christ, the eternal Son of God, who was already in slaves clothes when He was on earth, humbled Himself even further as He washed dirty smelly feet. If the King of kings and Lord of lords is able to humble Himself to the lowest position, then I think it shouldn’t be too heard for us.

Defense

To live in submission and humility we must first have a right attitude to God. Peter defends his position by quoting Proverbs 3:34, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” One of the greatest tragedies we read about in the Old Testament is when Saul saw that God had chosen David as his successor. From that moment on Saul built a wall of pride so great that it would rival the Great Wall of China. 1 Samuel has devoted 13 chapters to the proud heart of Saul against God and David. 13 Chapters of Almighty God resisting the pride of Saul,. In the end Saul’s legacy died with him.

On the other hand David humbled himself before God, even to the point of resisting to kill Saul when given the chance. The result was God pouring His grace upon David with a royal dynasty. A eternal dynasty through the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we feed our own pride, then we are up against an impenetrable force, God. but if we humble ourselves to God now, He will pour His grace upon us. Isaiah 66:2 says, “For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.” I don’t think it is by chance that Jesus began His Sermon on the Mount with the words, Blessed are the humble. Humbleness is being honest with ourselves, others, and God.

God’s Mighty Hand

Verses 6 and 7 exhort Believers how to live in light of the previous Old Testament quote.

Be humbled

1 Peter 5:6, Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. The mighty hand of God is a picture representing God’s strength. In the last 2 verses of Exodus 12 God brought Israel out of Egypt. In chapter 13:3 Moses gives an address to the people saying, Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out of this place. Neither Moses, nor the tribes of Israel, did anything to remove the yoke of Egypt from off their shoulders. Instead, Moses drums into the Israelite's, repeating 4 times in this short exchange, that it was by God’s mighty hand that salvation came to them. In verse 9 he says, It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the LORD’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. Verse 14 says, So it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall say to him, ‘By strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.’ And in verse 16 Moses says, for by strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

God did all the work in releasing Israel from bondage to Egypt. And God does all the work in releasing us from the bondage to sin and Satan, so we might humble ourselves before His might and power. In the same way God led Israel through the wilderness to The Promised Land, He leads those who humble themselves before Him to the eternal Promised Land. A land truly following will milk and honey. Peter says, that He may exalt you in due time. A reference to Christ’s second coming. A time we Christians should be waiting expectantly for every day, as we work and live to His glory.

The loving Father

1 Peter 5:7, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. God cares for us and asks us to offload our cares and burdens to Him. He is a loving God and cares deeply for His people. When the disciples asked Jesus how they should pray the first thing words were our Father, who is in Heaven. We often bottle things up inside so we don’t burden others with our problems. But God always has His ears open to us and desires to help if we honestly confess our worries and concerns. God is concerned with the big problems of our lives, but is also concerned with the very little ones too. We have been born into His family and just as a little child comes with their problems to mum and dad, so too we are encouraged to come to God, our Father, with all ours too.

These verses must have come as great comfort to the Believers in Asia Minor, going through local persecution. And it can bring us great comfort too. Because when we bring all our problems and cares to God we are confident that He takes our burden and helps us through it. God is the One with the mighty hand, and will exalt us in due time. So let us submit to one another, clothe ourselves with humility, and be unified under the mighty hand of God.

Amen.