Peter's Encouragement To The Church

Peter’s practical encouragement to the Church dispersed… (~65 AD) – Humility, steadfastness & vigilance

To the elders who are among you I exhort (call near to encourage & strengthen)… v. 1-4

A fellow elder, walking together, following Jesus, … a leader among equals.

Dietrich Bonhoffer wrote: “Pastoral authority can be attained only by the servant of Jesus who seeks no power of

his own, who himself is a brother among brothers submitted to the authority of the Word.”

SHEPHERD THE FLOCK OF GOD… Serve as an overseer: Keeping watch: Feeding, guiding –Look after, care for.*

A. Contrasting Attitudes of heart & action

1. Not by compulsion, but willingly – not because you have to, but because you want to.

2. Not for what you will get out of it (dishonest gain), but because you are eager to serve God

3. Not lording it over (boss) those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock

And when the Chief Shepherd appears… you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away

TO THEH YOUNGER PEOPLE v. 5-7 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders.

1. Continuing call for pattern of submission and humility.

2. Rightly relating to authority, seeing God as the ultimate authority in all things.

3. Be ‘clothed’ with humility … "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.“

4. Fruit of humility: “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (v.6-7)

STANCE AGAINST YOUR ADVERSARY – Be sober minded and watchful - v. 8-11

1. Your adversary the devil: aka serpent, tempter, destroyer, accuser, prince of darkness, prince of the power of the air, angel of light, liar and Beelzebub (lord of the flies).

2. He is the true origin of evil in the world. (Biblical historical background can be found in Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14)

3. His intentions are clear – he is ‘seeking to devour.’ (swallow up and destroy)

a. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. ~ John 10:10

4. Resist him… Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the ‘wiles’ of the devil. ~ Eph 6:10 (Wiles: trickery, deceit, cunning craftiness)

5. Temptation: Attempts to entice, lure, trap – lead you away from following Jesus

6. Pride: Fosters haughtiness, conceit, boasting, overconfidence, self-righteousness, arrogance…

7. Distraction: As seen in parable of sower – distract us away from cultivating the ‘good ground’ for God’s Word to take root and grow. (Fear & worry, politics, sports, material stuff…)

8. Defamation: Wear down and tear down, attack self-esteem, self-worth… (comparison)

RESIST (stand against, oppose) him, standing firm in your faith… (armor of God, prayer, spiritual warfare.)

1. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will

draw near to you. ~ James 4:7-8

2. Partnership in sufferings…We’re not alone:

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen. (v. 8-11- NLT)