Don't Be Bossy Be Glossy! Series

“Be Glossy! Not Bossy!”

Thesis: Church leaders need be willing to serve God and His people and not become deceived by the world but remain servant leaders to the end. Young people in the church need to learn to follow Jesus and submit to the leadership that God has put into place.

Scripture Text: 1 Peter 5: 1-14:

1To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

5Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

“God opposes the proud

but gives grace to the humble.”

6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

12With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.

13She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. 14Greet one another with a kiss of love.

Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

I. Leaders need to be willing to serve God and His people and not become deceived by the world (I Peter 5:1-5).

a. Peter appeals to church leadership and warns them against becoming deceived by the world in the following areas.

i. Do not become deceived by the world and buy into a greedy mentality.

1. Greed is the pitfall of many leaders in the church.

a. "The poorest person I know is the one who has nothing but money." --John D. Rockefeller Jr.

b. Spurgeon says: "Ships never strike on rocks out in the great deeps. Children, perhaps, may fancy that a shallow sea is the safest, but an old sailor knows better. While he is off the Irish coast the captain has to keep a good look out, but while he is crossing the Atlantic he is in far less danger. There he has plenty of sea room, and there is no fear of quicksands or of shoals. When the sailor enters the Thames he encounters first one sand bank and then another, and he is in danger, but out in the deep water, where he finds no bottom, he is but little afraid. So, mark you, in the judgments of God. When he is dealing out affliction to us it is the safest possible sailing that a Christian can have. ’What,’ says one, ’trial safe?’ Yes, very safe. The safest part of a Christian’s life is the time of trial. ’What, when a man is down do you say he is safe?’ Yes, for then he need fear no fall; when he is low he need fear no pride; when he is humbled under God’s hand then he is less likely to be carried away with every wind of temptation. Smooth water on the way to heaven is always a sign that the soul should keep wide awake, for danger is near. One comes at last to feel a solemn dread creeping over one in times of prosperity. ’Thou shalt fear and tremble because of all the good that God shall make to pass before thee’ {Jer. 33:9}, fearing not so much lest the good should depart as lest we should make an ill use of it, and should have a canker of sloth, or self-confidence, or worldliness growing up in our spirits. We have seen many professed Christians make shipwreck, in some few instances it has been attributable to overwhelming sorrow, but in ten cases to the one it has been attributable to prosperity."

c. In nearly every American city or town, you can find people like Peter Jaquith. He is 67 and has $150 in his checking account. He lives on $1,100 a month in Social Security and a little help from family members. To make ends meet, he has worked as a deliveryman and a toilet cleaner. It hasn’t always been like this for Mr. Jaquith. In the 1980’s, he was a partner at Lazard Frères, the elite investment bank, and the right-hand man of Felix Rohatyn, its legendary deal maker. At his peak, Mr. Jaquith was worth at least $20 million. Posted by Ram Ahluwalia at August 24, 2003 08:03 AM