God’s Victory Plan For Us

God’s Victory Plan for Us

1 Peter 5:1-14

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church - Feb. 24, 2013

*Remember when the Saints were winning a few years ago? -- Of course we do. Everybody loves a winner! And Christians: we are winners for all eternity! Jesus Christ won the victory for us when He died on the cross 2,000 years ago.

*And our final victory is certain, even though it may not seem so as we go through troubles in life. But God’s got a victory plan for our lives in this world. God has a victory plan for us. It’s the best possible plan we could ever have. And Peter helps us see it here in the Word of God.

1. How can we live in Christian victory? -- First: Serve like our Savior.

*This is Peter’s message to us in vs. 1-4, where he said:

1. 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:

2. Shepherd (feed or take care of) the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by constraint but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

3. nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;

4. and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

*Peter is primarily speaking to preachers here. And we can see how Jesus wants me to serve: Faithfully, properly, willingly, unselfishly, eagerly, gently, and expectantly. God wants me to be a servant-hearted leader like Jesus.

*He wants me to be an example as your pastor. And one reason why is because God has called all of us to serve. We see some examples of service in the closing verses of Peter’s letter.

*In vs. 12, Peter said: "By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting (or encouraging you) and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand."

-Encouraging other people: That’s a big thing, because it can have a big impact.

*Testifying about God grace is an even bigger thing! And every Christian has testimonies: The testimony of our salvation, plus testimonies of God’s ongoing work in our lives.

*Then in vs. 13&14, Peter said:

13. She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.

14. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

*Greeting one another may seem like a small thing. But small expressions of love can also make a big difference in peoples’ lives.

*How can we live in Christian victory? -- Serve like our Savior.

2. And humble our hearts.

*This is Peter’s instruction to us in vs. 5&6, where he said:

5. Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.''

6. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

*God wants His followers to put on servant-hearted humility. As Peter said in vs. 5, "Be clothed with humility." The original word for "be clothed with" is an unusual word in the Bible. This is the only place where it can be found.

*The word picture is "to tie a knot," but not just any knot. Slaves in that day wore aprons when they went out to work for their master. Those aprons were tied with a knot, and this is the kind of knot God is talking about here.

*God used this word picture to help us put on servant-hearted humility. A. T. Robertson tells us that as Peter wrote those words, he may have been thinking back to the night before Jesus died on the cross. The Lord wrapped Himself in a servant’s towel and began to wash His disciples’ feet. That’s the humble attitude God wants us to have. (1)

*God wants us to live in Christian victory. -- So humble your heart.

3. And cast your cares on the Lord.

*In vs. 7 Peter tells believers to be "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." The idea here is to do it quickly. Don’t wait around. Throw your cares on the Lord.

*John Piper tells us: "This word 'casting' occurs one other time in the New Testament, in Luke 19:35. It's Palm Sunday and the disciples have been sent to get the donkey for Jesus to ride on. Then Luke 19:35 says, 'They brought it to Jesus, and casting their garments on the colt, they set Jesus on it.'