1 Peter 5:5-14—The Suitcase

Introduction

What do you pack for a journey? What goes in your suitcase?

It is hard to decide. Do you pack for bad weather or good weather, or both? Will I wear these shoes or not?

The truth is most trips, I have packed things I did not need. But what I required was vital.

We come to the end of the first letter Peter wrote. While we have a second letter, we never know if Peter planned to write it. This may have been the last time for him to instruct and encourage.

He told them they were to live as sojourners and exiles. They were temporary residents who lived out of a suitcase.

What needed to go in that suitcase? If these are what Peter thought might be his last words, what do you leave them? What do you tell them to keep for the journey they are taking through this life to heaven?

In this lesson, let's look into that suitcase. We find four important things Christians need to stay the course in an apathetic world.

Discussion

A Servant’s Heart

What kind of mindset should you have? Think about being in suffering. It might become "every man for himself." I am responsible for me but not for you.

In the 1900 hurricane in Galveston, fathers found an anguished choice needed to be made. When the water rose, and you could only save one child, which one would it be? And suppose one of those was a neighbor's?

Think about how the pressure of the moment might change how they thought of things.

But Peter begins where he left off in verse 4. It is signaled by the word "likewise."

"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."" (1 Peter 5:5, ESV)

Just as in chapter 3, Peter had given instructions for wives to submit to husbands in the family. Here he instructs those younger to submit to elders in the spiritual family.

He instructed elders to shepherd the flock. But the flock must respond with submission. Listen to them. Accept their wisdom even when it might not make sense.

As Mark Twain observed, "when I was 16, my father was the dumbest man I knew. I was amazed that when I turned 30, how much smarter he had become." Maturity sees things youth cannot.

But this submission is not the same as subjection. It is not someone standing on your neck demanding compliance or else. Instead, in Christian thought, submission is self-accepted. Peter puts it in the broader trait of humility, for no one can submit themselves unless they have humility.

"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."" (1 Peter 5:5, ESV)

Humility is the art of seeing yourself as you indeed are, not as you imagine yourself to be. We assume we are vital to the planet. And in some ways, we are. Yet, most are born and then pass into obscurity.

It is a complex trait to acquire because we want to be important. Our ego fluffs our emotional feathers to where we are much too important than we believe we are.

Yet, humility is a trait that Jesus invites us to share. He was humble because he knew how to lower himself. When we are humble, we step up to the life Jesus lived.

Peter paints a picture. He says, "clothe yourself with humility." He brings them back to a Roman home, replete with servants. The saying says, "clothes make the man." In the Roman world, "clothes made the slave." A slave served in a garment gathered around the waist and tied up so as to not get in the way of walking. When a slave put on this garment, it reminded him of his status in Roman life.

Peter says we should put on a servant's garment. By doing so, he tells them to "take the role of the servant when you serve the body." It is much like Jesus taking the basin and towel in the upper room. It was something donned only by slaves….and a Master.

These words grate against us like fingernails on a chalkboard in a world that preaches self-promotion and personal branding. We are to prove ourselves, claw our way to the top, make sure we are noticed.

Yet, for the Christian, it is the opposite. Find ways to help other people. Go out of your way to do things for which you will never receive recognition. You never get plaques, trophies, or headlines for serving as Christ served. Instead, you get something else.

That is spoken of in the last part of the 5th verse into verse 6.

"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," (1 Peter 5:5–6, ESV)

We deliberately and consciously seek to blend in with other servants.

Peter states a simple principle. We humble ourselves, and God elevates us.

In Luke 14, Jesus watched with fascination how men clamored for attention by selecting seats closest to the host. They wanted to be next or at least close. It may have been like watching a dance of left-footed dancers. Each stepped on the other to get a better seat. 

Jesus gave his disciples a different perspective on life at this event.

"Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, "When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give your place to this person,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 14:7–11, ESV)

The self-seeking bight found himself embarrassed when the host noticed a rival and moved him down. Red-faced, he had to take a seat of less importance. Nothing humiliates egotists so much as being inferior in status.

Instead, Jesus said, take the last seat, the one that nobody wants. If you are genuinely somebody, you will be invited to a better seat and recognized. Let the host decide who has the status.

That picture hangs as a backdrop on this passage. We humiliate ourselves, and God elevates us. Man puts us down, and God lifts us up.

For those enduring the suffering of the times, being stepped on by culture, the words are potent. They provide hope in tough times. I can stand today's humiliation to gain tomorrow's glory.

Can you?

But how do you stand the strain?

Imagine a family who finds their job taken away for their faith? Or a life threatened?

If I don't do something about it, who will? You can't depend on others, so you better grab the bull by the horns. It is the whispers of man's ego to distressed ears.

The feeling is "anxiety," a word well-worn in scripture. Many times it is rendered "worry." But its picture is of a man's mind cut in pieces and divided. It describes the divided attention worry brings.

After all, what keeps you up at night? Where does your mind wander to when you are upset? How much focus do you have on anything, much less your spiritual life?

It is this sense of finding peace in humbly times that Peter speaks to.

"casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7, ESV)

Take all of these thoughts and concerns about "how am I going to…" and throw them on God's shoulders. It took Peter back to the gates of Jerusalem on a spring day. It looked like victory on that day. Jesus did not receive crosses but accolades.

It was what has been called Palm Sunday.

Jesus enters Jerusalem, and someone brings a colt for him to ride into the City of David. But before Jesus mounted the colt, they did something.

"And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it." (Mark 11:7, ESV)

What they did to that colt by laying their coats on his back is what we do with the thoughts, which are spiritual cleavers keeping us from focusing on God's will. Let him do the carrying.

But we can turn loose for one particular reason.

"casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7, ESV)

We can let the mind settle back into peace and focus because God cares. And Peter strengthens it through the tense, which means "God constantly and continually cares." God never goes off station or takes a break. He is holding all of our needs all the time.

Now, please rest! Take your time serving each other because God will take care of your needs. You will have everything your life requires. We can bow because we have a God who elevates us.

There's more in Peter's suitcase.

An Alert Mind

Twice we have heard Peter speak of being sober and alert. It is a theme that means so much.

Now, he repeats it.

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8, ESV)

The words and meanings are the same. Keep a clear mind about yourself. This time, it is not concerning persecution but something much too personal.

We can grow complacent. The less the bad happens, the more you don't think it will happen to you.

I have felt it. As we lived on the Gulf Coast, the calendar grabbed our minds on June 1st and did not relax until November 30th. That's called "hurricane season." For some reason, hurricanes wanted to celebrate my birthday in the middle of September because they seemed to visit at that time.

I would board up my windows, stock up on water, candles, batteries, and whatever else would not spoil. We waited and nothing.

I can tell you that when that happens the third time and then just turns off, your mind starts to think, "why am I doing this? It's never happened before. Let's just ignore it this time."

That's the time you should have.

Peter speaks to the complacency of an unguarded Christian life.

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8, ESV)

He pictures the devil as what he is, an adversary, a deceiver willing to steal your soul if you give him a slight chance. But the picture is more graphic. Usually, we have a hard time taking spiritual beings seriously if we cannot see them in the flesh.

The devil is a ravenous lion, tracing his steps on the empty savannah looking for dinner. He knows better than to charge the elephant. Instead, he watches the water buffalo coming from the watering hole. There is one, the one not staying with the herd. He is small, and he is not paying attention.

So he crouches low and waits for the unsuspecting calf to wander closer, and then he pounces. And he catches his prey.

That's the complacent Christian.

Too many lives have found their ruin on the rocks of "it will never happen to me." Peter knew it because he grew complacent. When Jesus warned they would all fall away, Peter was insistent. "It can never happen to me." And he believed it with the curse in his mouth, saying, "I don't know the man."

The safe Christian is the vigilant Christian. No one is immune or escapes on their own. Pay attention because the danger is always present, even when you cannot see it.

The vigilant have weapons. We are not powerless against the devil. He's not God, and he doesn't have his power.

"Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world." (1 Peter 5:9, ESV)

Peter says, "stand against him." Don't melt or give up but make yourself bigger. The truth is the devil intimidates, but if you don't let him scare you, you can win.

We had a situation at church one Wednesday several years ago. A man came in seeking help. We helped him, and he left the office, but he did not leave the building unknown to us.

Instead, he made his way down to ladies' Bible class. At that time, they collected money for materials by putting cash in a basket.

The man helped himself to the basket, but someone saw him. So they came and got me. (Why they always come to get me, I have no earthly idea!)

I went down and confronted the man and asked him to put the money back and we would call even. He protested he did not take it (even though it was sticking out of his jeans pocket). So I said, "we'll let the police handle this."

At that point, he shouted, "I'm not going to jail," and ran into the nursery hallway where babies were in the building. I had to get him out at that point. I ran after him, and he stopped and took a swing at me. (I outweighed him by 50 pounds, and I had 5 inches on him!) After deflecting the poorly thrown blow, I decided I had to do something. So I started acting like a crazy man. (Not hard for me to do that. It comes naturally.) He said, "leave me alone." And he started running, so I ran after him to keep up the routine. "Run, thief, run. Is that as fast as a thief can run?" I chased him out of the building where he got in his car and sped off after I got a picture of his license plate."

If you stand up to the devil, he will flee from you.

But at the same time, remember you are not alone. Other Christians are suffering the same way. The way Peter phrases it could be rendered, "the brotherhood is paying the same tax of suffering as you are."

We are not unique, and others share our struggle.

But something else must be a treasure in our traveling bag. Our conviction.

A Faith of Conviction

We get caught in the throes of the world's difficulties, and we might forget that God is still doing something. Peter wants to close this portion by reminding them and us of what God can do with a banged up and broken spirit.

"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." (1 Peter 5:10–11, ESV)

Peter says God does four specific things for Christians in the aftermath of their suffering.

Restores

Peter speaks in the language of both physicians and fishermen.

When Jesus called Peter and Andrew, they were "mending" their nets. Holes ripped in the mesh needed to be made right.

But the word sounds different in the sterility of a doctor's office. There, he "sets' a broken bone so it can heal.

The world causes dings and damages to us. But we are never mangled. Instead, God takes the hurts and brings us back to health.

Confirms

Something that is damaged needs its internal strength returned to it.

When roads are being repaired stuck in traffic, you see what they have to do to get them back in shape. They cut out the damaged concrete, and they put new iron rebar in place. It gives it the internal strength it needs.

God puts iron in our hearts to keep us strong. If you feel weak, God can mend it.

Strengthen

In a storm, a tree can whipsaw back and forth. But the root system to help the tree stand the strain of the winds is Peter's picture for God's help. Provides the strength to withstand the winds of modern life.

It may blow you around but not uproot you.

Establish

I have a large oak tree in my front yard. In the 20 years of living there, it has grown even larger. Once, a light was buried in the ground, no longer in use. About 4 years ago, it disappeared. Growth took it in.

This Growth comes because that live oak has large and deep roots. It provides the life and stability it needs to withstand thunderstorms and ice storms.

God puts those kinds of roots in your life. He gives you the foundation to keep you fed and growing, even in the most challenging time.

When you genuinely believe that the Lord is at work in your life-giving you strength, healing, and depth, you can continue to endure.

Togetherness

Many times, we stop our reading of a lesson like this in verse 11. But Peter is not finished.

Instead, the older Peter, with the shaky hands and dimmed eyes, takes the pen from his secretary, who we will meet, and pens the last three verses as personal close.

I like these sections of letters. They tell us much more than incidentals.

In this, we meet three people or groups.

First, we met a man named Silvanus.

"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." (1 Peter 5:12, ESV)

Silvanus, which is his Roman name, is best known as Silas. It knows how to play second fiddle well. When Paul and Barnabas parted company over a disagreement, it was Silas who took the second journey. He was in the Philippian jail with Paul when the earthquake came.

No matter where he was needed, whether assisting Paul or Peter, he did not mind being in the shadows.

The second we meet is "she who is in Babylon."

"She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son." (1 Peter 5:13, ESV)

Some believe this is a Christian woman, but it doesn't make much sense not to name her if she is known. (And there is no reason to say anything if she is unknown to the readers.)

And Babylon? Some make this the historical Babylon. The problem is the country of Babylon ceased to exist during the reign of the Meed-Persians. When Alexander became the world conquerer, he made sure no one would remember its former glory.

In the New Testament, the only time the name Babylon is mentioned is figuratively in Revelation. It stood for Rome with all of its power.

It makes the most sense to see this as the church in Rome. We know it existed because Acts tells us of it, and Paul wrote to it. While some are bothered to try to keep Peter out of Rome to keep him from becoming Pope, that is a wrong reason to reject what looks like the plainest meaning.

However, think for a moment. People in Rome who never knew the Christians Peter wrote to send their greetings. It is a lovely portrait of Christian fellowship.

And finally, we meet Mark.

"She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son." (1 Peter 5:13, ESV)

The best we can tell this is the one called John Mark in Acts. He lost Paul's confidence when he deserted them on the first journey. It would take years for Paul to mellow and say that he could be "helpful" to him.

And here he is, in Rome with Peter. Imagine two deserters getting together to proclaim the gospel. Nothing shows forgiveness and grace more than that.

Conclusion

So Peter lays down the quill, and the words of this letter have ended. The sojourners have what they need.

And for Peter, sojourners only carry what they need. Their faith, their courage, their conviction.

Two observations stand out about our own faith journey through this world.

We don't make the journey without God.

That sounds apparent, but too many believe they are strong enough to be "good" independently. No one makes it through this world without God's assistance. As Peter told them, he restores, confirms, strengthens, and establishes us.

We don't make our journey with others.

It is in first Peter that we hear twice the idea of "brotherhood." We are bound together by blood, the blood of Christ. We are the deserters made whole, the fearful made courageous, and the weak made strong.

We don't travel by ourselves. We travel together.

So here is to a fair journey that we take together.