Grace Means…Building

 

Grace Means…Building

1 Peter 5:8-11

In our study of 1 Peter, we have considered twelve things that “grace means.”

These twelve are: 1) Salvation, 2) Godliness, 3) Mercy, 4) Righteousness, 5) Submission, 6) Blessing, 7) Invitation, 8) Determination, 9) Preparation, 10) Glory, 11) Shepherding, 12) Humility.

When we speak of God’s grace, we mean the goodness, kindness, and love He has shown toward us. God shows His goodness and love in more ways than we can count. We see His hand every day in the vegetables we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. Everything He has created shows His goodness. 

When we think of God’s goodness, we must remember what the Psalmist tells us:

Psalm 14:1–3 (NKJV) ¹The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good. ²The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. ³They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.

“The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men…There is none who does good, no, not one.” From this passage, we can deduce that not one of us deserves the goodness of God. The definition of grace is loving and giving good things to those who don’t deserve them.

The extent of God’s involvement in our lives shown by the twelve subjects we covered in our trip through 1 Peter reveals the magnitude of God’s grace. He has poured out more blessings than we could ask or even comprehend.

God’s grace is not without purpose. All twelve subjects are leading to an end. God is working toward a conclusion, and He has a definite work that He desires to complete. Philippians 1:6 assures us:

Philippians 1:6 (NKJV) being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

This passage tells us that the work God has begun in us is a “good work.” God begins His labor in us long before we are aware of Him. Now, concerning the exact nature of this work, Romans 8:29 tells us:

Romans 8:29 (NKJV) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 

From this verse, we understand that the work God is doing is conforming us to the image of His Son. This is the goal and the result of the grace of God. The image of His Son, Jesus Christ, is what God is building. Thus, the title of today’s message, “Grace Means…Building.” God’s grace is transforming our lives according to His will and image. The twelve things we listed are all necessary components of God’s work in our lives.

All earthly buildings are temporary and will perish with the earth in the end. However, God is making an eternal building. Peter points out that the results of God’s construction project are eternal. Peter speaks of the completion of God’s work when he says,

1 Peter 5:11 (NKJV) To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

The completion of God’s work results in God being glorified. God will be glorified, and that glory will last forever and ever. All creatures, both spiritual beings and fleshly beings, will see the greatness of God and acknowledge His great power and love because of what He has done for us, in us, and through us. 

For a building to stand, it must be well built. This is also true of the spiritual building that God is constructing. Today, we will look at four words that Peter uses to describe how God builds so that the structure will last forever. These four terms are found in 1 Peter 5:10.

1 Peter 5:10 NKJV But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

We will look at the meaning of these four words: 1) perfect, 2) establish, 3) strengthen, and 4) settle.

Please notice that the verse starts with the phrase “the God of all grace.” Grace is what the letter is about. We have already looked at the face that “Grace Means Suffering,” but here, it is brought up in a different context. God is working to perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle us. Part of this process, an unavoidable part of the construction, is suffering. Just as Hebrews 12 tells us that God disciplines the child He loves, Peter reminds us that we must suffer.

In our suffering and fight, God is perfecting us.

“Perfect” in 1 Peter 5:10 means “well fit together, or properly adjusted.”

When I was in high school, I helped a friend build a chimney with blocks. We were so excited to get going that we forgot to use a plumb-bob when we started. If that chimney is still standing, it is still crooked at the base. It was a small chimney, so it did not fall. But could you imagine if the Sears Tower was crooked at the base? That thing is 110 stories, or 1,450 feet, tall. For a building of that magnitude to stand, it has to be perfect. Since it is asymmetrical in design, the weight on its foundation is uneven, and it leans four inches to the west (Wikipedia). I point this out because it is so straight that in a little over a quarter of a mile, the four-inch tilt is noticeable.

The Sears (now Willis) Tower will not last forever. However, God’s building (us) will last forever. God’s discipline is perfecting us so that we will “stand” forever.

In our suffering and fight, God is establishing us.

“Establish” in 1 Peter 5:10 means “a support that fixes, gives support or sets fast thus eliminating vacillation.”

Vacillation is a problem in a building. Earthquakes make skyscrapers in Tokyo dangerous because the movement of the earth can make buildings sway, and if they sway too much, they fall. This danger is controlled by making buildings with energy-absorbing shock absorbers at the foundation and every second floor, or a tuned mass dampener is installed toward the top of the building. These buffers absorb the energy of the earthquake and thus keep the building from swaying. The key is not in making the structure more rigid but in constructing the building to absorb or receive the shock.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we must withstand the earthquakes that shake the world around us. Ephesians speaks of those who are tossed about by every wind of doctrine, saying,

Ephesians 4:14 NKJV that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.

In our suffering, God establishes us. (Some translations say “confirm” or “secure.”)

In our suffering and fight, God is also strengthening us.

“Strengthen” in 1 Peter 5:10 means “make strong so as to be mobile – i.e., able to move in a way that achieves something in the most effective way.”

The analogy of a soldier or an athlete is appropriate here. For a soldier or an athlete to survive and prevail, they must be strong. Two types of strength are required. Brute force is needed to out-box, outwrestle, or outrun the opponent. Stamina is required to last to the end. What good is it for a boxer to win the first round if he cannot last through the second round?

In our spiritual battle, physical strength is nothing. We must put on the full armor of God. This is why the Apostle Paul says,

Philippians 4:13 NKJV  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Finally, in our suffering and fight, God is also settling us.

“Settle” in 1 Peter 5:10 means “to lay the foundation.”

The foundation for the Sears Tower is a massive cement structure that is 100 feet deep. In addition, the foundation is surrounded by 200 circular caissons, which are huge cement-filled cylinders bored an additional 100 feet below and set in solid bedrock

It takes being set on bedrock to support the incredible weight of something as large as the Sears Tower.

Jesus is our foundation. He is our bedrock! God works to set us on that foundation and establish us in Christ. Jesus said,

Matthew 7:24 NKJV  “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:”

This is what God’s grace is doing. He is perfecting, establishing, strengthening, and settling us.

Before telling us that God is making this building, Peter says:

I Peter 5:8-9 NKJV  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

Four things stand out to me about this passage.

First, we are to be sober. Do not live your life for pleasure. This does not mean we cannot have pleasure. However, it does mean that pleasure, enjoyment, and even happiness are not the goal. The draw the world has on us is our lusts or desires, and to succumb to them is to be “intoxicated.”

Second, we are to be vigilant. That means alert. The primary meaning of the word Peter uses is “awake.” Do not be asleep at your post. You are on guard duty. So, guard your heart.

You see, Paul says we are not unaware of the devil’s schemes. We know how He operates, how he lies, and how he tempts. So that leads us to the third thing we are told to do. We are to resist him. Stand against him. James 4:7-8 tells us:

James 4:7-8 NKJV  “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

James 4:8 tells us how to resist the devil. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

It is okay. You can rebuke the devil. But know that if you are double-minded with one foot in the world and one foot in Christ, you are already defeated, whether you rebuke the devil or not. If you have an impure heart, loving sin more than God, you are already defeated, whether you rebuke the devil or not. If you are cheating your fellow man, if you are hurting your fellow man, then you are already devoured, whether you rebuke the devil or not. 

Resisting the devil means drawing near to God and cleansing our hands and our hearts.

I want to point out one more thing. 1 Peter 5:8-9 does not say that we are to fear the devil. Rather it says that the same sufferings are experienced by all Christians in the world. In other words, we are victorious in Christ. However, we know that we will be attacked. The “same sufferings” of 1 Peter 5:9 is a reference back to the “roaring lion” of verse 8. Even if we are sober and vigilant, we will “suffer” because of the attacks of the evil one.

Consider Job. He suffered greatly because of the evil one. But also notice that Satan could not attack Job until God allowed him. 

Just before Jesus went to the cross, Luke tells us that Jesus warned Peter.

Luke 22:31-32 NKJV And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

We see that God allows attacks in order to sift us, that Jesus prays for us, and that the results strengthen the brethren. We are back to what God is building. He is building a life that will stand, and part of that process is this sifting and refining. We know that as believers, we will experience sifting. This requires that we remain sober and alert, but we have an advocate who prays for us that we may not fail.

Let me end with a warning. The person who has asked Jesus to be their Savior does not need to fear the roaring lion, but the person who has not asked Jesus to be their Savior is lion food. Seriously, you are under the paw of the lion and do not know it. The only hope for anyone is to call out to Jesus. 

Grace Means…Humility

1 Peter 5:5-7

In today’s passage, we are instructed to clothe ourselves with humility. 

As we look at this passage, we will see first that the younger are to submit to the older, and second, we are to submit to one another. So we show humility by submission. Second, we will see that we are to submit to God. So we understand that we demonstrate humility by trust.

First, we will consider how submission shows humility.

A literal translation of 1 Peter 5:5 is:

1 Peter 5:5 (YLT) In like manner, ye younger, be subject to elders, and all to one another subjecting yourselves; with humble-mindedness clothe yourselves, because God the proud doth resist, but to the humble He doth give grace. 

“Younger,” in this case, does not refer to biological age. This scripture addresses those who are young in the faith. 

Years of life are not enough to qualify a person to lead in the Church. One must be mature in the faith. The Apostle Paul gives the following instruction about church leaders.

1 Timothy 3:6 (CSB) He must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and incur the same condemnation as the devil.

A new convert, or a novice, does not have the knowledge or experience to lead.

A common mistake is to assume that since a person is successful in business, they will bring success to the Church. We need people with gifts for administration, managing money, and finance, and these gifts tend to make a person successful in business. However, a person must have other characteristics without which God cannot bless the Church. The Church operates on faith and trust in God, not on the cleverness of men. Jesus said:

John 15:4–5 (NKJV) ⁴Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. ⁵I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

A person who has not learned to “abide in Christ” is what Peter is calling “young.” And, as Jesus says, unless we abide in Christ, we can do nothing. 

When we think of young, we think of physical age. However, many great Christian leaders have started at a young age. In 1 Timothy 4:12, we learn that Timothy was young, but we cannot put a number on it. Paul encouraged Timothy not to let people look down on him because of his youthfulness. King David was young when he started leading men. The British preacher C.H. Spurgeon was 21 when he became pastor of a large Baptist church in London. I found the following account online, and it is an account I have heard before from more than one source.

On one occasion, a lady who was shaking his hand at the door at the end of the service said, “Mr. Spurgeon, your ministry is so helpful, and it does my soul good to hear you preaching the gospel with such power, but, oh, you are so young!” Spurgeon listened carefully to the lady and then is reputed to have replied, “Well, madam, I suppose if you give me time, I will grow out of that!”

John Calvin published the first edition of the “Institutes of the Christian Religion” when he was 26. However, he revised it throughout his life, publishing the final update, greatly expanded and which he called a new work, just before his death at age 54. 

Young men may qualify as leaders, but they must continue to grow. If they do not continue to grow, they are likely to fall into temptation and the condemnation spoken of in 1 Timothy 3:6, which is pride. A successful church leader must be careful lest he becomes arrogant.

Just like any leader, young or old, young men must meet the qualifications that the Scriptures give. For example, 1 Timothy 3:2-4 says:

1 Timothy 3:2–4 (NLT) ²So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. ³He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. ⁴He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.

(Just a quick note of clarification here. If he has children, they must be respectful, and a child is a little one who is fully dependent on the parent, i.e., not a grown child.) 

Being able to teach is crucial to the leader, which implies that the leader must be knowledgeable in both Scripture and doctrine. Since the elders are charged with shepherding the flock, including protecting them from false teaching, it follows that elders also must be knowledgeable in Scripture and doctrine.

It is possible to be a Christian for many years and yet have little knowledge of the Bible and be unable to distinguish good teaching from bad. So, neither years of life or years of being a Christian are what distinguishes between the older and younger. Instead, it is the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the evidence of a walk with the Lord that marks the difference.

1 Peter 5:5 says:

1 Peter 5:5 (NKJV) Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders.

Since we have spent some time considering who is younger, we need to understand what is meant by “likewise.” The plain meaning is “in the same manner,” but the question is “in the same manner as what?”

We find the answer in the preceding verses, where Peter says:

1 Peter 5:2 (NKJV) not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

These instructions for elders answer the “likewise” in verse 5. As believers, our attitude is crucial to our growth and our testimony. Hebrews 13:17 makes this clear when it says:

Hebrews 13:17 (NLT) Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.

Humility is needed to recognize we are “younger,” and we need instruction. It takes a humble person to listen to correction, especially when the correction comes from one younger than oneself. The Bible says:

1 Timothy 5:1 (NKJV) Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father.

We cannot force someone else to be humble, nor should we show any disrespect, regardless of age or position. Humility is required for both the leader and the led.

Some, who are proud of their success in the world, do not recognize that they are but babes in Christ.

Humility is essential!

The Scriptures say:

Romans 12:3 (NKJV) For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

We all have places where we are “younger” and need to grow and learn. As 1Peter 5:5 says, we must submit to one another and be clothed with humility. Recognizing where we are younger is a necessity that requires humility.

So far, we have been speaking about humility in our relationships within the Body and have not addressed the necessity of humility in our relationship with God.

One would think that we would be humble in approaching the Almighty Creator of the Universe, but such is not the case. Mankind is full of pride by nature, and pride is the source of much of our sin. (I did not say all of our sin. Our desires and lusts are also a large factor in our sin.)

Peter addresses the need for humility before God, saying:

1 Peter 5:5–7 (NKJV) ⁵God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

⁶Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

The end of verse 5, “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble,” is a quote from Proverbs 3:34 that is also quoted in James 4:6. Repeated three times and presented in other ways, this is a crucial concept. Several times God says:

Isaiah 57:15 (NKJV) For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

The Scriptures are clear, “God values humility!”

However, mankind is far from being humble. Psalm 2 shows the arrogance with which men face their Creator. 

Psalm 2:2–3 (NKJV) ²The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ³“Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.”

It is not just the kings of the earth who are too proud to acknowledge God. Psalm 14, along with other Scriptures, says:

Psalm 14:1 (NKJV) The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

Before man sinned, we used to walk with God in the cool of the evening. But ever since sin entered the world, we have tried to live without God. We have tried to do it on our own. We have felt the need to be in control.

If someone is sick, we try to fix it. If someone is wrong, we try to correct them. No matter what the problem, we try to solve it. This is not bad in and of itself. However, as long as our self-sufficiency interferes with our trust in God, it is disastrous. Jeremiah says:

Jeremiah 2:13 (NKJV) For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.

God says that people choose to try to fill themselves and do not recognize that He is the source. 

We work hard every day for success, comfort, and happiness, not realizing that everything we want and need is found in God.

When life gives hardship, what is your first reaction?

Look at what 1 Peter 5:6-7 says:

1 Peter 5:6–7 (NKJV) ⁶Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Humility in these verses is pictured as “casting all our care upon Him.” Pride is what usually keeps us from seeking God and His help for every situation.

Since God is sovereign, He could stop every bad thing from ever happing. But, for His own reasons, He chooses not to. Many have rejected God because they cannot see the point of what He is doing. Questions like, “Why should a child die,” are plentiful. We learn from the book of Job that thinking we have a right to demand an answer from our creator is arrogant. Does He answer to us? NOT HARDLY!

Therefore, Peter says, “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God.”

This requires trust, and trust is what God asks of us. Faith is all that God asks of us. But believe it or not, before we can trust Him, we must humble ourselves before Him. We must acknowledge that He is God and we are not.

Deceiving us and getting us to think that we are more than we are is a trick of the devil. The grace of God saves us from such deception. Humility only comes by grace. To walk humbly with our God is to walk in victory. Without God’s grace in granting us humility, we can never know the joy of God exalting us.

Grace Means…Humility.

Grace Means…Shepherding

Grace Means…Shepherding

1 Peter 5:1-4

1 Peter 5:1 (NKJV) The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed.

In chapter five, Peter closes his letter to the Church. 

His letter offers encouragement for our faith and strength for our trials. We find the foundation for the encouragement and strength He provides in the suffering of Christ Jesus our Lord.

In chapter two, Peter addressed injustice and said, “Follow Jesus’ example by entrusting yourselves to God who judges righteously.” 

The suffering of Jesus brings us the grace of God, and Peter writes to help us understand how God’s grace helps us through our suffering, challenges, and trials. Not only has Jesus’ death paid the price for our sins, but His resurrection frees us from the power of sin. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are reborn and have new life. Our faith and trust in God make us aliens and strangers in this world.

Now that we have reached chapter five, we see Peter giving parting instructions. He has instructed and encouraged through his writing. And now, in closing, he exhorts us as believers. His exhortation focuses on the function of the Church as a body. 

We can each, individually, be encouraged by Peter’s exhortations in chapter five, but even a quick look at this chapter reveals that there is no hint of any of us living the Christian life as a loner. In Peter’s language, we are a flock. We are all under the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4), and He has entrusted us to the care of “overseers.”

In our time today, I intend to look at what Peter says to the “overseers.” In short, he says to shepherd the flock. 

The picture of a shepherd and his sheep frequently appears in the Bible. God chose Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These men were shepherds. Jesus said, 

John 10:11 (NKJV) “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

The Psalmist says,

Psalm 100:3 (NKJV) Know that the Lord, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

God the Son calls Himself “shepherd,” and the Scriptures say we are “the sheep of His pasture.” This metaphor is a picture of God’s care for His people.

If a shepherd ignores his sheep, the sheep will not survive. They are vulnerable to predators, having little to no natural defenses. They must be kept where food and water are available - a task that is best handled by a shepherd since sheep are not good problem solvers. A shepherd must keep track of many things if he is going to have healthy sheep.

The Lord is our shepherd. In 1 Peter 5:4, Peter calls Jesus the “Cheif Shepherd.” 

Peter begins by addressing the “elders.” He says,

1 Peter 5:1–2 (NKJV) ¹The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: ²Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

Peter is an Apostle. He is writing under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Because of these two factors, he has the authority to command us. 1 Peter 5:1 could have said, “I command you.” But, Our Lord is gentle and would have us willingly follow. So, 1 Peter 5:1 says, “I exhort you.” To exhort means to appeal to, and the word Peter uses means to plead. Therefore, this verse could be translated, “I beg you.”

Our Lord is a gentle shepherd and does not beat His sheep into submission.

Looking carefully at 1 Peter 5:1-2, I would like to draw your attention to two things. First, Peter is addressing elders, and, second, he uses the phrase “serving as overseers.” If we look briefly at 1 Peter 5:3, we see that he says, “…nor as being lords over those entrusted to you.” So, we see that “serving as overseers” does not mean that “elders” should be rulers with absolute power.

We must understand what Peter means by “overseers.”

In the Church, no one is given absolute authority over another. Only Jesus holds that position. However, Peter does tell us how elders are to use their position. 1 Peter, 5:3 also says, “…being examples to the flock.”

We understand from this that elders are to lead by example. 

If leading by example does not cause fear, then that person has not understood the responsibility of the position. The critical thing to remember is that any person in the office of the elder is only worth following as far as they are following Christ.

For example, I am terrified at the number and nature of the teachers I see on the internet, terrified that if some of you are listening to these people, you will follow them. Please, please, please base your thinking on the Word of God, the Bible.

There are many good teachers on the internet. However, the bad teachers, the wolves, outnumber the good.

Protecting the flock from bad teaching is part of the idea behind denominations, ordination councils, and doctrinal statements. These things are built into the Church so that a person can at least have an idea of what is being taught by any given teacher. The system is not perfect, but it helps.

For example, if you go to an Evangelical Free Church, you can be reasonably confident that you will encounter a rather cerebral approach to studying the Word of God. Our “intellectual” approach to the faith is probably what is behind our seminary being the largest evangelical seminary in the world. But, as with every other denomination that has gone before, there is “theological drift,” that is, changing doctrine and focus that comes with time.

Returning to our discussion of the overseer elder - if an overseer is not to be the big boss and to lead by example, what then is an overseer? 

Because of the way businesses are run, we tend to think of overseers as being in control. This is not the case in the Church. Elders are to set the direction, but the main idea behind the word overseer is to “watch over.” (Hence, “OVER” “SEE”) The idea of an overseer fits very well with the concept of a shepherd. The elder (overseer) is to keep careful watch over the flock. (Full of “care” for the flock) This watching is to protect, feed, correct, and lead the flock.

When Peter says, “Shepherd the flock,” he defines this job as “serving as overseers.” Both shepherding and overseeing imply taking care of the flock. Two concerns are most evident. First, the devil, the roaring lion that Peter speaks of later in the chapter, is a concern. Second, his minions, the wolves, the false teachers the Apostles warn of are a great danger. Immorality and brothers being caught in sin are also crucial issues, but these things are secondary to teaching because sound teaching serves to correct bad behavior. The job of the elder then is, among other things, to make sure that sound doctrine is being taught.

We have looked at what the job of an elder is, but we have not defined who we are talking about when we say “elder.” Who is Peter referring to when he says, “The elders among you….”

The primary meaning of the word that Peter uses is “an aged man.” (There is an equivalent for an aged woman that is used in 1 Timothy 5:2.) The idea is that the aged men in the Jewish, Roman, and Greek cultures were the leaders of the community. Thus, the word “elder” came to be used to mean “leader.” 

In the Church, elders are those who lead. 

The elder is different from the pastor. Timothy was a pastor and was instructed to appoint elders and not let anyone despise his youthfulness. The same can be said of Titus. This distinction can be most clearly seen in 1 Timothy 3:1. 1 Timothy 3:1 says:

1 Timothy 3:1 (NKJV) This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.

The English word “bishop” means a senior member of the clergy, but in the New Testament, it was used to distinguish the pastor from the rest of the flock. The New Testament word for “bishop” is “overseer,” the same root word used in 1 Peter 5:2 in defining the work of the elders. However, it is a different word and is used in the New Testament of the Apostles and pastors. The “bishops” of the New Testament appointed elders in each church they served. 

The chief meaning of the word “overseer” is watchful care, but coming from the idea of watchfulness, this word is also used to say “visit.” So, part of the responsibilities of elders and pastors is to visit the members of the flock to make sure of their well-being. Consider Mark 9:35, which says, 

Mark 9:35 (NKJV) If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.

This shepherding and care of the flock is part of the grace of God. The Apostle Paul wrote of the gifts that God gave to the Church, and the elders are one of those gifts.

While the elders serve the church freely of their own free will, they do not do it without reward. Peter says:

1 Peter 5:2–3 (NKJV) ²Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; ³nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;

Some minister out of greed or for dishonest gain; thus, the warning. Some want to be in control or have power; hence, the warning. However, we must not think that serving the Lord comes without a reward. Peter says of himself:

1 Peter 5:1 (NKJV) and…a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:

After speaking of the glory he will partake in, Peter tells the elders:

1 Peter 5:4 (NKJV), and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

The elder who serves well will receive the crown of glory. Paul also speaks this way, saying:

1 Corinthians 9:24–25 (NKJV) ²⁴Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. ²⁵And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

God’s grace is so great! Not only does He give us the privilege of participating in what He is doing, but He rewards us for our work.

For the unbeliever, there is a warning and an invitation here. If you do not accept Jesus as Savior, you remain lost. But, if you receive Him, He will be your Shepherd and will keep you from ever being lost.

John 10:27–28 (NKJV) ²⁷My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. ²⁸And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 

Grace Means…Glory

1 Peter 4:12-19

Let’s begin by going back in the context of our passage where, in 1 Peter 4:7, Peter says,

1 Peter 4:7 (NKJV) But the end of all things is at hand…

Because we live in the last days, Peter, by the Holy Spirit, reminds us to be sound-minded and sober. We must live our lives for things that matter and not waste them on things that do not.

However, another issue confronts us in these last days. More and more, the world does not tolerate sound thinking. 2 Timothy 3:13 tells us,

2 Timothy 3:13 (NKJV) But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

This “deceiving and being deceived” describes our world. The thought of this deception reminds me of Isaiah 44:20, where the folly of our world is described.

Isaiah 44:20 (NKJV) A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

The world is so lost that they cannot even recognize lies. Into this darkness, we are sent as salt and light. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14) And, He also said, “You are the salt of the earth.” (Matthew 5:13) Light reveals things. Light can show the truth and expose what is hidden by the dark. Salt is a preservative. Salt keeps meat and vegetables from spoiling. As salt, we slow down the inevitable corruption of the world. As light, we expose the evil deeds of the world. And, the world does not like salt and light.

The world and the devil oppose our function as salt and light. Those who do not want the truth revealed fight against us. This opposition is persecution. The more sound thinking confronts the evil of the age, the more the Church is persecuted.

Persecution is not new. Since the time of the Apostles, the world has opposed the Church. All the Apostles except for John were killed for their faith. The twentieth century saw more Christians martyred than any previous century. The world and the devil are still persecuting the Church.

Because the end of all things is at hand, we must be aware of where this world is heading. Persecution is only going to get worse. This world is not our home. As Peter continues to teach us how to live at the end of all things, he shows us that we are here for glory. We are here to glorify God, and, in turn, we will be glorified.

Grace means glory.

1 Peter 4:12-13 says,

1 Peter 4:12–13 (NKJV) ¹²Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; ¹³but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

The word “strange” in “Do not think it strange” means foreign. From the idea of something being “foreign” or “strange,” the word also means “astonishing.” So we could say, “Do not think it astonishing…as though some astonishing thing happened to you.”

Let’s consider the idea of something being foreign. Picture with me a field of snowy white sheep with one black sheep in the middle. 

The one black sheep is different, and as such, it is “foreign.” Sesame Street used to have a song, “One of these things is not like the others.”

As a tall, white person, I stood out in Japan, like this lone black sheep. When I was out and about, it was not unusual for children to stop and point, saying, “foreigner, foreigner!” To them, I was “astonishing” or “strange.”

That is what Peter means by strange, something foreign, unexpected, astonishing!

Fiery trials do not fall in this category. Suffering is not strange or astonishing. Fiery trials are to be expected. They are “normal,” white sheep among white sheep.

If we did not experience trials, that would be astonishing (strange). 

Peter says these trials come to test us, and then he says they are cause for rejoicing. 

We should rejoice when we encounter various trials. James 1:2 tells us to consider it pure joy when trials come, and Peter also speaks the same way about trials. In chapter one, he says,

1 Peter 1:6–7 (NKJV) ⁶In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, ⁷that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

According to this, we are grieved by trials but rejoice in the benefits to our faith. 

Peter says, “…you have been grieved by various trials.” We all experience many different trials. Persecution is one kind of trial, but it is not the only kind. All trials test our faith and refine us, but persecution is unique. Not only does it refine our faith, but suffering for the name of Christ allows us to partake in Christ’s sufferings. Peter says,

1 Peter 4:13 (NKJV) but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

Peter says to rejoice to the extent that we partake in Christ’s sufferings, because when Christ is glorified, we also will experience “exceeding joy.” So far in his letter, Peter has pointed to Christ’s sufferings as our example (chapter 2), our salvation (chapter 3), and our deliverance (chapter 4). Now, he adds that Christ’s sufferings are our glory. Since we partake in Christ’s sufferings, when He is glorified, we too will partake in His glory. The Apostle Paul says this when he says,

Romans 8:17 (NKJV) …if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

 Not only do our sufferings purify our faith and result in glory, but they also fill up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. The Apostle Paul said,

Colossians 1:24 (NKJV) I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church…

Do not get the wrong idea! Christ’s afflictions are more than enough to save us. In this sense, to say something is lacking in Christ’s afflictions is heresy. However, there is still a need (a lack) for our faith to be refined. There is still a need for our generation to be reached with the gospel. Our sufferings fill this need (lack). Our sufferings are necessary because our faith is lacking, and our generation is lost. These sufferings are lacking in Christ’s suffering because we must experience them.

So, we are told to rejoice because when we partake in His suffering, we also know we will partake in His glory.

Peter makes the point that our suffering also brings God glory. 1 Peter 4:14 says,

1 Peter 4:14 (NKJV) If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part, He is glorified.

“On their part He is blasphemed.” The world and the devil hate God because their deeds are evil. In their hatred, they speak evil of God, His Son, and His children. This is how the world justifies the killing of Christians.

However, although the intention is to dismay or stop God’s work, the opposite occurs, Believers are strengthened, the work gets stronger, and God is glorified. 

 

We must clarify. Some suffering is of our own making and not a result of our faith in God. And, not all suffering glorifies God. Peter points this out when he says that suffering as a criminal does not glorify God. 1 Peter 4:15 says,

1 Peter 4:15 (NKJV) But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.

Suffering as an evildoer may cause a person to change his ways, but it is not done to the glory of God. Such suffering is shameful. This is why Peter tells us not to be ashamed if we suffer for the sake of Christ. 1 Peter 4:16 says,

1 Peter 4:16 (NKJV) Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

“Glorify God in this matter” means “praise God that you bear that name.” (Taken from the NIV) The world may call us “Christian” with scorn, but we are to count it a privilege to bear that name.

However, since we bear the name of Christ (Christian), we must live in a manner that brings honor to that name. Criminal behavior is shameful, and if we as Christians suffer as criminals, we disgrace the name of Christ.

This brings us to the necessity of purification. Not only is our faith made stronger by trials, but our trials also purify us.  This process of purification brings honor and glory to the name of Christ. In chapter 1, Peter compared this purification to the fire that purifies gold. Fire burns out the impurities in the gold. In the case of the Christian, the fire is aimed at specific impurities. Look at what Peter says.

1 Peter 4:17–18 (NKJV) ¹⁷For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? ¹⁸Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

God loves us and does not treat us as our sins deserve. However, He does deal with our sin. Peter tells us that judgment begins with us. When we are dominated by sin, God does not ignore us. Hebrews 12 tells us that God disciplines the child He loves.

Hebrews 12:6 (NKJV) For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.

The love of God does not mean life is pain-free. God’s love means God will not leave us alone. We are His children and are far too important to be neglected.  For example, Hebrews 12 also says,

Hebrews 12:8 (NKJV) But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

If God does not correct us, then we are not His children. This is harsh, but I see no other way to understand this passage. Peter implies as much when he says, “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God.”

In speaking of judgment, Peter directs our thoughts to the unsaved. He says,

1 Peter 4:17 (NKJV) if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

If the unbeliever is suffering and asks, “What does God have against me?” The answer is “your sin.”

“Which sin?”

“Rejecting His Son.”

You see, Jesus died for our sins. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. (1 John 1:9) But, if we refuse His offer of salvation if for any reason we do not ask Him to save us, all our sin remains. Actually, this is not technically true. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. What God holds against us is the rejection of His son. John 3:18-19 tells us:

John 3:18–19 (NKJV) ¹⁸He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Condemned means judged. The person who does not believe in Jesus is condemned because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

All the suffering in the world is a result of sin. Every disease, every hospital bed, every war, and every death remind us of the horrible reality of sin and judgment. 1 Peter 4:19 tells us what our response needs to be. 

1 Peter 4:19 (NKJV) Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

We must commit our souls to God. 

If we, as believers and children of God suffer, it is according to the will of God, and we must commit our souls to Him. This is what Jesus did, and He is our example. (1 Peter 2:23) We can trust Him, as our Father, to do what is best for us.

If you are an unbeliever, please commit your soul to God, who can save you. He wants to save you. He gave His only begotten Son to save you. Rejecting His Son is the only thing that you have done that He holds against you. Solve this problem by asking Jesus to save you. He promises not to reject anyone who calls on His name.