St Theodore's Sermon

	St Theodore's Wattle Park

Sermon of the Week

4/7/99

Humility & Hope 1 Peter 5:1-11

We come today to the last in our series on 1 Peter. So let's begin by reminding ourselves of the major themes of the letter. I guess the major idea in the letter has been how to live in the face of opposition. How to live in a world that's opposed to God, opposed to the gospel. In that context the idea of the Christian's hope, of the promise of eternal life with the Father, becomes all important. So Peter finishes his letter where he began, with this reminder: (1 Pet 5:10 NRSV) "And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you." Another recurring theme throughout the letter has been the need for discipline, the need to be self-controlled and alert. That's the only way we'll be able to resist the devil's attacks, as we'll discover in a moment. Finally, there's been the theme of how to live faithful lives for Christ, and that's how Peter finishes his letter. / Today we look at what makes a good elder, what makes a good congregational member, and the motivation for persevering. / So let's look first at

What makes a good elder?

What do you look for when you're deciding who to nominate to vestry? [for non-Anglicans, the vestry is the committee of management for the church] Do you look for someone who's a leader? A person of wisdom? Someone who shows the fruit of the Spirit in their life? Perhaps you look for someone who agrees with your point of view! Someone with a similar background to you. Or maybe someone who is more vocal, whose opinions you're happy with, someone who'll stand up to the people whose opinions you're not happy with. I think those are all factors that I've used at one time or another in the past when I've been thinking about nominating people for vestry or appointing someone as a vicar, and some are better reasons than others.

But, as we come to 1 Peter 5, we find a different set of criteria for what makes a good leader, a good elder. Have a look at what Peter says about elders?

   The first thing he points out is that they're fellow elders. That is, their leadership of the church is a shared responsibility. There's no concept in the New Testament of the church being ruled over by a single leader, except of course for Christ who is the Head of the Church and from whom we draw our life. But those who are appointed as leaders in the church are always joint elders, sharing the responsibility for the life of the church among themselves. So that's the first thing to understand. Those who are your leaders, the churchwardens and vestry members, as well as the vicar, are joint leaders, sharing responsibility for the life of the church.

   Secondly, good elders are shepherds of God's flock. Now what does that mean? Well, a shepherd is the one whose job it is to look after the sheep. When a wild animal comes along intending to attack them, it's the shepherd's job to drive it off. If they get sick, it's the shepherd's job to care for them and make them well again. He has to see that they're sheared in spring, that their lambs are born safely, and so on. But you can have good and bad shepherds can't you? In fact the Bible gives us models of both good and bad shepherds. The leaders of Israel were referred to as the shepherds of the nation, but in the end they turned out to be bad shepherds. Listen to what God said to them through the prophet Ezekiel: 'The word of the LORD came to me: ²"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? ³You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. ⁴You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. ⁵So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. ⁶My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.'

   Contrast that with the example of Jesus. Here's his description of himself: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹²The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. ¹⁴I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me -- ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father -- and I lay down my life for the sheep." So there's a vast difference, isn't there, between a bad shepherd and a good one. Bad shepherds are only interested in what they can get out of the flock, they mistreat them and ignore their deeper interests. By contrast, Jesus the good shepherd, lays down his life for the sheep. So the leaders we choose should be those who are willing to follow Jesus example, to care for the sheep even at the loss of their own lives. People who are willing to forgo their own rights and desires to serve the flock that's under their care. By the way, notice what Jesus says about hired hands. There are some churches where the minister is thought of as a hired hand. But ask yourself whether a church needs a hired hand, or someone who does their job because they're committed to the flock the way Jesus was.

   Thirdly, being a good leader means serving willingly, not just because you have to, or because there was no-one else to do it, so you got roped in. Sometimes we feel like that don't we? No-one else volunteered and it was a job that had to be done so we said "Oh all right, if no-one else will do it I'll have a go!" But then we feel resentment that we have to do this onerous task. We grumble and complain and wish that someone else would lend a hand. Well, my advice in that situation is this: don't do it! Resign. It would be better if the job weren't done than if we do it unwillingly. God wants leaders who work willingly, simply because God has given them a task to do, people who are eager to serve, eager to be used by God to build up and enrich the church.

   But of course it's only the church that they should be eager to enrich. Peter's next criterion is that they not be greedy for money. They're not to be in it for personal gain. Now obviously you're not normally going to find someone standing for vestry because they're eager for gain. The hourly rate isn't that good! Though I guess it wouldn't hurt to check on the motives of the treasurer before you appoint one. But I think we're pretty safe at the moment. But strange as it may seem, it is possible for clergy to be interested in financial gain, even on our salaries. Clergy can be just as greedy for money as the rest. There have been plenty of cases where clergy have dipped their hand in the plate or have organised their own little discretionary account that no-one knows about so they can indulge themselves a little. In fact they've probably used their low salary as a justification. So don't dismiss this as something to look for when you're choosing an incumbent: make sure you look for someone who's not greedy for money, but who's eager to serve.

   Finally good leaders should be an example to the flock. They shouldn't lord it over those entrusted to them, but should lead by example. In the New Testament context, a shepherd walked out in front of the sheep and the sheep followed along behind. That's what Peter has in mind here. True shepherds show by their lives how the flock is to live. They give direction by going on ahead, paving the way, showing how it can be done, providing models of Christ-likeness for people to copy, rather than by imposing their wills on the congregation, or making rules that people have to follow if they want to be in their church.

   What makes a good congregational member?

   Well, if that's what makes a good leader, a good elder, what is it that makes a good congregational member? Well, what does Peter say? In v5 he says "You who are younger must accept the authority of the elders." This is the first thing that makes a good congregational member: being submissive to those that God has put over you in the church. If you have the sorts of leaders that we've talked about, leaders who work cooperatively, who willingly shepherd their sheep, by setting an example to them rather than by lording it over them, then its a lot easier, isn't it? If you've ever worked under someone like that then you'll know that its a joy to follow their lead. You never feel like it's an imposition, or like they're manipulating you or using you. Instead you feel like you're contributing to something valuable, that you're valued.

   Next, if we're to show humility to those who are over us, we're equally to show humility to one another: "all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another.". We talked a few weeks ago about the value of mutual submission in terms of recommending the gospel to others. An attitude of humility is such a rare thing today that people will notice it. But more than that, if we're to work together as a church it's vital that we show humility, because of the fact that God has given us all different gifts. Nothing will wreck a church faster than some people thinking their gifts are superior to others, or, just as bad, that their gifts are inferior to others.

   Thirdly, we're to humble ourselves, he says, under God's mighty hand (v6). That is, we're to let God work on us. Perhaps he has in mind the picture of the potter, who takes a piece of clay and moulds it into the shape he wants. So we're to submit ourselves to God's Spirit as he seeks to transform us into the likeness of Christ.

   But of course if we humble ourselves under God's mighty hand that should also give us confidence shouldn't it? Not only does God shape us with his hands but he also protects us with them. And so we can cast all our anxiety on him, knowing that he cares for us, that he'll lift us up in due time. I guess I could ask you to put up your hand if you're ever anxious. If you're ever worried about things. But I won't. But my guess is that everyone would put up their hand. Every one of us feels anxiety from time to time. You may be worried about something at this very minute. It may be something that you just can't get out of your mind. If it's bad enough you're probably losing sleep over it. That's what happens to me. I lie in bed trying to find a comfortable position so I'll drift off to sleep, but my mind won't let me. I keep going over in my mind all the possibilities, or what I might say if such and such happens, or who I might turn to. And then I have to tell myself what Peter says here: "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." You see if God cared for you enough to send his Son to die so you could be made acceptable to God, then how much more is he going to take care of your everyday concerns? How much more is he going to look after you, to comfort you in the hard times, to provide a way forward that helps you to grow more like him?

   Why persevere?

   So he finishes by saying be self-controlled and alert. Here we come back to the theme of living faithful lives in the face of opposition. And he identifies the source of that opposition. "Your enemy the devil prowls around looking for someone to devour" (v8). Whatever opposition you encounter because of being a Christian, it comes about because the devil wants to stop you. But we're to resist. We're to persevere. Why? Well, because we're not alone. Others all around the world are suffering in the same way for their faith in Christ, many in far worse ways than we are.

   Secondly, because we know that God will vindicate us in the end. After we've suffered a little while, God will restore us and make us strong, firm, and steadfast. He said the same thing earlier to leaders: "When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." There is a hope for us in the future, when Christ returns. God will restore us. That is, he'll restore us to the state that people were in before the fall. We'll be made perfect in God's sight. And of course that includes a new body doesn't it. No more aches and pains; no more suffering and death, no more failure to obey God's law. Rather we'll be strong in our faith, set on a firm foundation, just as the church is built on the foundation of Christ, our cornerstone (1 Pet 2:6). We'll have our feet planted on solid ground so we can serve God faithfully and grow in our love for him.

   So what do we learn from this passage from 1 Peter about how to live as a church in the last days? First of all, to be careful that the people we choose as our leaders have the necessary characteristics for leading God's church: good shepherds who willingly lead the flock, not for gain, or for the power it gives them, but by example. Secondly to be sure that we have an attitude of humility towards both our leaders and one another as together we seek to grow into the temple of God. And thirdly that we're always aware of God's hand, moulding us and caring for us, keeping us safe, so we can persevere and in the end be made perfect in Jesus Christ. To him be power for ever and ever. Amen.


	Contact us	Preaching Program	Home		Last Week's Sermon

	Sermon of the Week
	4/7/99
	Humility & Hope	1 Peter 5:1-11

	We come today to the last in our series on 1 Peter. So let's begin by reminding ourselves of the major themes of the letter. I guess the major idea in the letter has been how to live in the face of opposition. How to live in a world that's opposed to God, opposed to the gospel. In that context the idea of the Christian's hope, of the promise of eternal life with the Father, becomes all important. So Peter finishes his letter where he began, with this reminder: (1 Pet 5:10 NRSV) "And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you." Another recurring theme throughout the letter has been the need for discipline, the need to be self-controlled and alert. That's the only way we'll be able to resist the devil's attacks, as we'll discover in a moment. Finally, there's been the theme of how to live faithful lives for Christ, and that's how Peter finishes his letter. / Today we look at what makes a good elder, what makes a good congregational member, and the motivation for persevering. / So let's look first at
	What makes a good elder?
	What do you look for when you're deciding who to nominate to vestry? [for non-Anglicans, the vestry is the committee of management for the church] Do you look for someone who's a leader? A person of wisdom? Someone who shows the fruit of the Spirit in their life? Perhaps you look for someone who agrees with your point of view! Someone with a similar background to you. Or maybe someone who is more vocal, whose opinions you're happy with, someone who'll stand up to the people whose opinions you're not happy with. I think those are all factors that I've used at one time or another in the past when I've been thinking about nominating people for vestry or appointing someone as a vicar, and some are better reasons than others.
	But, as we come to 1 Peter 5, we find a different set of criteria for what makes a good leader, a good elder. Have a look at what Peter says about elders?
	The first thing he points out is that they're fellow elders. That is, their leadership of the church is a shared responsibility. There's no concept in the New Testament of the church being ruled over by a single leader, except of course for Christ who is the Head of the Church and from whom we draw our life. But those who are appointed as leaders in the church are always joint elders, sharing the responsibility for the life of the church among themselves. So that's the first thing to understand. Those who are your leaders, the churchwardens and vestry members, as well as the vicar, are joint leaders, sharing responsibility for the life of the church.
	Secondly, good elders are shepherds of God's flock. Now what does that mean? Well, a shepherd is the one whose job it is to look after the sheep. When a wild animal comes along intending to attack them, it's the shepherd's job to drive it off. If they get sick, it's the shepherd's job to care for them and make them well again. He has to see that they're sheared in spring, that their lambs are born safely, and so on. But you can have good and bad shepherds can't you? In fact the Bible gives us models of both good and bad shepherds. The leaders of Israel were referred to as the shepherds of the nation, but in the end they turned out to be bad shepherds. Listen to what God said to them through the prophet Ezekiel: 'The word of the LORD came to me: ²"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? ³You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. ⁴You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. ⁵So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. ⁶My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.'
	Contrast that with the example of Jesus. Here's his description of himself: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹²The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. ¹⁴I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me -- ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father -- and I lay down my life for the sheep." So there's a vast difference, isn't there, between a bad shepherd and a good one. Bad shepherds are only interested in what they can get out of the flock, they mistreat them and ignore their deeper interests. By contrast, Jesus the good shepherd, lays down his life for the sheep. So the leaders we choose should be those who are willing to follow Jesus example, to care for the sheep even at the loss of their own lives. People who are willing to forgo their own rights and desires to serve the flock that's under their care. By the way, notice what Jesus says about hired hands. There are some churches where the minister is thought of as a hired hand. But ask yourself whether a church needs a hired hand, or someone who does their job because they're committed to the flock the way Jesus was.
	Thirdly, being a good leader means serving willingly, not just because you have to, or because there was no-one else to do it, so you got roped in. Sometimes we feel like that don't we? No-one else volunteered and it was a job that had to be done so we said "Oh all right, if no-one else will do it I'll have a go!" But then we feel resentment that we have to do this onerous task. We grumble and complain and wish that someone else would lend a hand. Well, my advice in that situation is this: don't do it! Resign. It would be better if the job weren't done than if we do it unwillingly. God wants leaders who work willingly, simply because God has given them a task to do, people who are eager to serve, eager to be used by God to build up and enrich the church.
	But of course it's only the church that they should be eager to enrich. Peter's next criterion is that they not be greedy for money. They're not to be in it for personal gain. Now obviously you're not normally going to find someone standing for vestry because they're eager for gain. The hourly rate isn't that good! Though I guess it wouldn't hurt to check on the motives of the treasurer before you appoint one. But I think we're pretty safe at the moment. But strange as it may seem, it is possible for clergy to be interested in financial gain, even on our salaries. Clergy can be just as greedy for money as the rest. There have been plenty of cases where clergy have dipped their hand in the plate or have organised their own little discretionary account that no-one knows about so they can indulge themselves a little. In fact they've probably used their low salary as a justification. So don't dismiss this as something to look for when you're choosing an incumbent: make sure you look for someone who's not greedy for money, but who's eager to serve.
	Finally good leaders should be an example to the flock. They shouldn't lord it over those entrusted to them, but should lead by example. In the New Testament context, a shepherd walked out in front of the sheep and the sheep followed along behind. That's what Peter has in mind here. True shepherds show by their lives how the flock is to live. They give direction by going on ahead, paving the way, showing how it can be done, providing models of Christ-likeness for people to copy, rather than by imposing their wills on the congregation, or making rules that people have to follow if they want to be in their church.
	What makes a good congregational member?
	Well, if that's what makes a good leader, a good elder, what is it that makes a good congregational member? Well, what does Peter say? In v5 he says "You who are younger must accept the authority of the elders." This is the first thing that makes a good congregational member: being submissive to those that God has put over you in the church. If you have the sorts of leaders that we've talked about, leaders who work cooperatively, who willingly shepherd their sheep, by setting an example to them rather than by lording it over them, then its a lot easier, isn't it? If you've ever worked under someone like that then you'll know that its a joy to follow their lead. You never feel like it's an imposition, or like they're manipulating you or using you. Instead you feel like you're contributing to something valuable, that you're valued.
	Next, if we're to show humility to those who are over us, we're equally to show humility to one another: "all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another.". We talked a few weeks ago about the value of mutual submission in terms of recommending the gospel to others. An attitude of humility is such a rare thing today that people will notice it. But more than that, if we're to work together as a church it's vital that we show humility, because of the fact that God has given us all different gifts. Nothing will wreck a church faster than some people thinking their gifts are superior to others, or, just as bad, that their gifts are inferior to others.
	Thirdly, we're to humble ourselves, he says, under God's mighty hand (v6). That is, we're to let God work on us. Perhaps he has in mind the picture of the potter, who takes a piece of clay and moulds it into the shape he wants. So we're to submit ourselves to God's Spirit as he seeks to transform us into the likeness of Christ.
	But of course if we humble ourselves under God's mighty hand that should also give us confidence shouldn't it? Not only does God shape us with his hands but he also protects us with them. And so we can cast all our anxiety on him, knowing that he cares for us, that he'll lift us up in due time. I guess I could ask you to put up your hand if you're ever anxious. If you're ever worried about things. But I won't. But my guess is that everyone would put up their hand. Every one of us feels anxiety from time to time. You may be worried about something at this very minute. It may be something that you just can't get out of your mind. If it's bad enough you're probably losing sleep over it. That's what happens to me. I lie in bed trying to find a comfortable position so I'll drift off to sleep, but my mind won't let me. I keep going over in my mind all the possibilities, or what I might say if such and such happens, or who I might turn to. And then I have to tell myself what Peter says here: "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." You see if God cared for you enough to send his Son to die so you could be made acceptable to God, then how much more is he going to take care of your everyday concerns? How much more is he going to look after you, to comfort you in the hard times, to provide a way forward that helps you to grow more like him?
	Why persevere?
	So he finishes by saying be self-controlled and alert. Here we come back to the theme of living faithful lives in the face of opposition. And he identifies the source of that opposition. "Your enemy the devil prowls around looking for someone to devour" (v8). Whatever opposition you encounter because of being a Christian, it comes about because the devil wants to stop you. But we're to resist. We're to persevere. Why? Well, because we're not alone. Others all around the world are suffering in the same way for their faith in Christ, many in far worse ways than we are.
	Secondly, because we know that God will vindicate us in the end. After we've suffered a little while, God will restore us and make us strong, firm, and steadfast. He said the same thing earlier to leaders: "When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." There is a hope for us in the future, when Christ returns. God will restore us. That is, he'll restore us to the state that people were in before the fall. We'll be made perfect in God's sight. And of course that includes a new body doesn't it. No more aches and pains; no more suffering and death, no more failure to obey God's law. Rather we'll be strong in our faith, set on a firm foundation, just as the church is built on the foundation of Christ, our cornerstone (1 Pet 2:6). We'll have our feet planted on solid ground so we can serve God faithfully and grow in our love for him.
	So what do we learn from this passage from 1 Peter about how to live as a church in the last days? First of all, to be careful that the people we choose as our leaders have the necessary characteristics for leading God's church: good shepherds who willingly lead the flock, not for gain, or for the power it gives them, but by example. Secondly to be sure that we have an attitude of humility towards both our leaders and one another as together we seek to grow into the temple of God. And thirdly that we're always aware of God's hand, moulding us and caring for us, keeping us safe, so we can persevere and in the end be made perfect in Jesus Christ. To him be power for ever and ever. Amen.

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