Text: 1 Peter 5:1-4, Title: Leadership in the Suffering Church, Date/Place: LSCC, 3/5/06, AM
A. Opening illustration: Quoted from Pastoral Life magazine: One Sunday morning a pastor got up in the pulpit and apologized for the Band-aid on his face. He said "I was thinking about my sermon while shaving and cut my face." Afterward he found a note in collection plate, "Next time, think about your face and cut the sermon." After the service a stranger from another church approached the pastor and said, “Preacher, please let me know if that dog of yours has any pups. If it does, I want to buy one for my minister.” A study of 301 clergy revealed: 66% feel lonely and isolated, 80% sometimes experience feelings of futility, and 90% suffer stress because of problems with parishioners. Many are tired after a 55-hour week, but most say they are 95% satisfied with their work.
B. Background to passage: Peter makes the jump from judgment in the house of God and the purification that would go on there to where it always begins—with leadership. Both texts in the OT deal with the priests and Levites being purified. So Peter begins his final section addressing the thought of how the church should act toward itself during times of suffering. He begins by addressing the leadership of the church, noting himself as a fellow elder. But keep in mind that these letters would have been read publicly at the church meetings, so it is within the hearing of all. We are also going to broaden the application level of this text toward leadership in general and not just elders; and even to the familial leadership. And finally, I intend to make some sweeping applications for the entirety of the church based on the instruction that responsibility given to its leadership and how the church should respond. Speak a disclaimer.
C. Main thought: Peter highlights what leadership should look like in suffering in the church
II. BODY
A. Job of Leadership (v. 1-2)
1. In these first two verses we see the NT position the office of pastor. Called by three Gr terms, used interchangeably, each one giving insight into function. The elder/pastors of the local church are supposed to be those that shepherd the sheep. They have grave responsibility and accountability to Christ, whose church they shepherd. Shepherding includes feeding, protecting, and caring for. Oversight includes leading, administrating, and discerning. We don’t have time to go in depth about the fullness of the office of elder at this point. There is much more to be said—exp a little about our gov style.
2. Acts 20:28
3. Illustration: “A shepherd’s task is not to tell people only what they want to hear, but to edify and strengthen them with the deep truths of solid spiritual food that produces discernment, conviction, consistency, power, and effective testimony to the greatness of the saving work of Christ.” –JM, the man in Marshall’s hospital room that was telling me about the French Huguenots that despised the Roman clergy so much that they were determined to have no clergy or leadership.
4. By way of application, we can look to all leaders at those that shepherd the flock placed under you. The authority given to elders, is not necessarily conferred, but the job description may be. As a ministry leader, are you shepherding, protecting, caring for? Are you leading, planning, administrating? Especially when you suffer, do you demonstrate an example? How about parents—are you shepherding the heart of your children to love God? Are you overseeing their lives to bring about godly character and goals? Take some initiative. Don’t wait for someone to give you permission to do what God has called you to do.
B. Pitfalls of Leadership (v.2-3)
1. Peter gives three possible pitfalls of leadership in this text as a warning, not only to those that are elders, but also to those who are in the church. 1) Serving from compulsion. He doesn’t mean that elders and pastors should feel a compulsion from God about pastoring. Explain the first cent mindset, then MacArthur’s statement about God gonna play that way… Note: according to God. 2) Serving for dishonest gain. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t pay ministers (in fact in other places Paul affirms that), but that a man shouldn’t minister in order to make the big bucks. Ministers should be examples of Christian stewardship, and churches should be examples of how to deal with pastors. 3) Serving for power and domination. We don’t lead this way, we bring others along by example.
2. 2 Pet 2:3, Luke 16:12-13, Mark 10:45,
3. Illustration: Bob Reccord’s story about the pastor who fell, p. 36 Beneath the Surface, story of my Dad’s fall as a leader in our home, even good theology doesn’t mean good leadership—Jonathon Edwards,
4. As leaders, we must ask ourselves the question, “Why do we do what we do?” The Spirit of God knows our deepest motivations, even when we don’t even know ourselves. We should lead by example, service and character. Satan is out to attack and bring down the leaders of our families and churches. Nothing destroys children, ministries, and churches like moral or spiritual failure in leadership. And unless due diligence is maintained, you will fall. Dive into the word, the disciplines. Vow to lead.
C. Rewards of Leadership (v. 4)
1. Peter says when Jesus comes, and He is, there will be accountability and reward. Peter gives one reward that is greater than all—crown of glory from Jesus. This was a crown given to an extraordinarily valiant soldier. It signified unusually meritorious accomplishment. This crown will be unfading, a word used to describe a flower that wilts. Our reward is everlasting. I would like to add another—lives changed.
2. Matt 10:41, Rev 22:12,
3. Illustration: “They may be despised on earth (and indeed rejected by their own neighbors), but they will be honored in heaven.” Ray Boltz’s Thank You,
4. Leaders and parents will receive a reward for the accomplishments that they have seen in their disciples and children. However, as usual, with reward there is also loss. Accountability will be greater for those with leadership, influence, and responsibility. As leaders and parents we must maintain an eternal perspective on life. Eternal things are the only things that last; therefore they should be a priority over temporal things. God will not ask how well your kids did in football, or how much you taught them, but do they know him. Leader, will not ask how many came to your bible study, but if you were faithful to shepherd them and see their lives changed.
D. Congregational Response to Leadership
1. Pray for your leaders—daily or weekly pray for their walk, their families, their minds, their hands, for wisdom, for passion, for strength, for vision, for discernment. Wives for husbands…
2. Help them watch their lives, set boundaries—care for those that lead by making sure that they maintain a lifestyle that will help them be at their best for the Lord for the long term. Bro JD.
3. Make sure that they get rest, have accountability relationships, and maintain their spiritual disciplines—spend time with them developing relationships, hold them accountable. No one has ever asked
4. Make sure they have times of refreshment/education—Make sure that opportunities for personal development. Pastor John always ending up in the hospital.
5. Support, submit to, and follow their lead—Allow them to lead, and when they lead, follow. They have God given responsibility and God will take care of them when they stray. Beth Moore: husbands
6. Esteem them, appreciate them, let them know it—Take them time to write a little note to that person who ministered to you, and really tell them what they have done. Letter in sem, Tom Haskell and Gary
7. Imitate their lives—leaders should have lives to imitate, so strive to be like them in as much as they are like Christ. 1 Cor 11:1
III. CONCLUSION
A. Closing illustration: Four men of the cloth, taking a short breather from their heavy schedules, were on a park bench, chatting and enjoying an early spring day. “You know, since all of us are such good friends,” said one, “this might be a good time to discuss the problems that are disturbing us.” They all nodded in agreement. “Well, I would like to share with you the fact that I drink to excess,” said one. There was a gasp from the other three. Then another spoke up. “Since you were so honest, I’d like to say that my big problem is gambling. It’s terrible, I know, but I can’t quit. I’ve even been tempted to take money from the collection plate.” Another gasp was heard, and the third clergyman spoke. “I’m really troubled, brothers, because I’m growing fond of a woman in my church—a married woman.” More gasps. But the fourth man remained silent. After a few minutes the others coaxed him to open up. “The fact is,” he said, “I just don’t know how to tell you about my problem.” “It’s all right, brother. Your secret is safe with us.” “Well, it’s this way,” he said. “You see, I’m an incurable gossip.”
B. God give us leaders…ribbed with the steel of Your Holy Spirit…men who will not flinch when the battle’s fiercest…men who won’t acquiesce, or compromise, or fade when the enemy rages. God give us men who can’t be bought, bartered, or badgered by the enemy, men who will pay the price, make the sacrifice, stand the ground, and hold the torch high. God give us men obsessed with the principles true to your word, men stripped of self-seeking and a yen for security…men who will pay any price for freedom and go any lengths for truth. God give us men delivered from mediocrity, men with vision high, pride low, faith wide, love deep, and patience long…men who will dare to march to the drumbeat of a distant drummer, men who will not surrender principles of truth in order to accommodate their peers. God give us men more interested in scars than medals. More committed to conviction than convenience, men who will give their life for the eternal, instead of indulging their lives for a moment in time. Give us men who are fearless in the face of danger, calm in the midst of pressure, bold in the midst of opposition. God give us men who will pray earnestly, work long, preach clearly, and wait patiently. Give us men whose walk is by faith, behaviour is by principle, whose dreams are in heaven, and whose book is the Bible. God give us men who are equal to the task. Those are the men the church needs today.
