The Necessity Of Godly Followers Series

Title: Church Relationships Lesson 2 “The Necessity of Godly Followers”

Text: 1 Peter 5:5-11

Shepherds and Sheep have a Covenant Relationship. It takes both good leadership and good followship to make things run smoothly.

‒ We work together in the roles that God has placed us in order to further the kingdom..

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1. This is the real “no-brainer” for the Sheep. FOLLOWERS FOLLOW! (1 Peter 5:5 NCV) "In the same way, younger people should be willing to be under older people....”

A. Follow with conviction

1. Not knowing wether or not he would live, Paul said in (Philippians 1:20 NCV) "I expect and hope that I will not fail Christ in anything but that I will have the courage now, as always, to show the greatness of Christ in my life here on earth, whether I live or die."

1. Listen to his determination.

1. “I will not fail Christ.”

2. “I will have the courage....”

3. We need to be like a lady I read about. Matthew Henry went to London, met a young lady of the nobility, who was also wealthy, and they fell in love. She went to ask her father if she could marry him and he said, "He’s got no background, you don’t know where he’s come from." She said, "Yes, I know, but I know where he’s going and I want to go with him."

2. The shepherds need sheep who will step up and stand and be counted.

1. I will work.

2. I will lead.

3. I will do what needs to be done!

3. We have enough people who will make excuses about not stepping up ans leading in ministry.

1. “I don’t have time.”

2. “I don’t know how.”

3. “I am afraid.”

B. Follow humbly (1 Peter 5:5-6 NCV) "...and all of you should be very humble with each other. "God is against the proud, but he gives grace to the humble." {6} Be humble under God’s powerful hand so he will lift you up when the right time comes."

1. Someone said, "The person who looks up to God rarely looks down on people"

2. NIV puts this passage this way, “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another....”

1. The word used here is the same as that of a slave that puts on an apron to serve.

3. We are to follow “under His hand” which means that we follow Him even when we do not understand why.

1. When the shepherds are in control of the Chief Shepherd, and the sheep follow them, they all will be traveling toward God.

C. Follow worry free (1 Peter 5:7 NCV) "Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you."

1. Worried sheep have difficulty following.

1. They have anxiety.

2. Peter has in mind the idea of giving God our cares.

1. There are two things you don’t worry about.

1. Things that you can do something about.

2. Things you can’t.

2. “Worry is fear’s extravagance. It extracts interest on trouble before it comes due. It constantly drains the energy God gives us to face daily problems and to fulfill our many responsibilities. It is therefore a sinful waste. A woman who had lived long enough to have learned some important truths about life remarked, "I’ve had a lot of trouble -- most of which never happened!" She had worried about many things that had never occurred, and had come to see the total futility of her anxieties.”

–Author Unknown

3. It is an awesome thing to realize the God cares for me.

1. Through the whole universe he looked down at me and cares.

2. He is my Father.

D. Follow under the control of faith (1 Peter 5:8-9 NCV) "Control yourselves and be careful! The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to eat. {9} Refuse to give in to him, by standing strong in your faith. You know that your Christian family all over the world is having the same kinds of suffering."

1. Sheep have to continually be on the alert.

1. The lion is a prowler.

2. He is crafty and very good at what he does.

3. You may hate him, but you must respect his abilities

2. Sheep must keep themselves healthy because the lion seeks out the weak, young, and struggling to destroy.

1. That’s why the bible says to “guard our hearts.”

3. Sheep must stay together in the struggle.

1. There is strength in numbers.

2. “know that your Christian family all over the world is having the same kinds of suffering."

4. Sheep must trust the shepherd by standing strong in the faith.

1. (James 4:7-8 NCV) "So give yourselves completely to God. Stand against the devil, and the devil will run from you. {8} Come near to God, and God will come near to you...."