“Humility in Serving”
1 Peter 5:1-5
Pastor John Bright
1 Peter 5 “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 the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion 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. 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.”
As I begin my third year at LHGMC, this is a wonderful reminder for me. After more than 30 years as a local church pastor, it’s easier now to look out at the congregation on a Sunday morning and commit all of you to the Lord’s care. In the beginning, I thought that it was my J.O.B. Hahaha! Again, I want to give God thanks and praise for sending me to the shepherd of HIS flock right here.
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Leadership is important to any organization. If you keep up with the news, there have been multiple changes in leadership at big businesses in the last few months. There have also been some very public changes to the pastoral leadership at some megachurches. Some of these were the result of the same moral failures that led to the downfall of televangelists in the 1980s. Let me share a basic truth: a church will be unable to grow beyond the pastor, and pastors can elevate their leadership potential by the leaders surrounding them. So, how the pastor and church leaders serve has consequences.
Earlier this year, Forbes magazine published an article that highlighted the leadership style of Dwight D. Eisenhower, who led the Allied forces to victory in World War II and served two terms as President of the United States. He was known for his humility. “Eisenhower’s humility was evident even in small moments. During World War II, upon discovering that a luxurious villa had been set aside as his quarters, he famously objected, “This is supposed to be a rest center—for combat men—not a playground for the Brass.” For Ike, leadership was about serving others, not elevating oneself. This ethos extended to his behavior: he was approachable, collaborative, and unafraid to admit what he didn’t know. As he once wrote, “Always try to associate yourself with and learn as much as you can from those who know more than you do, who do better than you, who see more clearly than you.”
They went on to share some of the research on business leaders: “Modern research validates what Eisenhower intuitively knew: humility is a game-changer for leaders. Professor Jeffrey A. Chandler and several colleagues conducted a meta-analysis of 212 published studies. They found, Chandler told me that, “some of the strongest effects of humble leadership are improving satisfaction and performance among their followers.” Additionally, they found that humble leaders empower their teams, foster collaboration, and create environments where employees feel valued.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/martingutmann/2025/02/03/why-humble-leadership-is-a-superpower-now-more-than-ever/
I am NOT suggesting we act like a business; rather, what we see here is that business leaders have discovered the TRUTH of GOD that Peter shared with the church long ago.
Encouragement for the pastor v. 1-4
“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 the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion 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. ”
Pastors are meant to serve as the shepherds of God’s flock, not the pastor’s flock. The imagery of the shepherd as the one who cares for God’s people is used throughout the Bible:
• Psalm 23 is probably the best known – “1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.”
• Zechariah 11:17
“Woe to the worthless shepherd,
Who leaves the flock!
A sword shall be against his arm
And against his right eye;
His arm shall completely wither,
And his right eye shall be totally blinded.”
• John 21:15-17 “15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
The flock, the sheep, the lambs, they all belong to God. In Peter’s day, these were the folks leading the house churches. While the local church pastor is the best example today for whom Peter is giving this message, there is nothing here that can’t also be spoken to the leaders of our small groups/house churches. They, like the pastor, serve as under-shepherds of the Great Shepherd.
So, what do we under-shepherds have to learn from Peter?
First, be willing to do the work. That means you do NOT work from a sense of duty. When I was in seminary, one of my professors told us, “If you think you can do anything else and be reasonably happy, get out now! If your call to the ministry is strong, be sure of it because you will need it in the wilderness seasons of ministry.” He was right.
You see, doing something because you are called to that work/ministry is different than doing it because you HAVE TO DO IT.
Second, don’t be greedy. When Peter was writing to the house churches, it’s hard to be sure what the financial situation was for the elders. At some point, they were paid a fixed amount. He could also be referring to gifts from individuals. Anyway, that’s not why the elder should be serving.
Greed is one of the evil desires Peter warned them about earlier in this letter: 1 Peter 2:11-12 “11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
Third, lead by example. This is different than ordering folks around. When James and John ask for places of authority, Jesus warns them against acting like the world. Jesus describes what it will look like in the church: Mark 10:43-45 “43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Jesus gave us Himself as an example. Paul often asked folks to follow his example. Shouldn’t we do the same?
Since Peter has been talking about THE END, I’m not surprised that he finds a way to mention it again while writing to the elders. In verse 4 – “and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away,” Peter is reminding those in leadership that our true reward will come from the Lord and we will not have that reward until the end.
Instruction to church leadership v. 5
“5 Likewise, you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders.”
The elders were to be submitted to the Lord. If that is happening, leadership in the church should be willing to work with the pastor and should be willing to trust the pastor’s vision for the congregation. We are part of a denomination that has a Book of Doctrine and Discipline. Like other denominations, it is the pastor who leads everyone to stay in compliance with our shared church discipline.
Everyone should be humble v. 5
“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.”
I found this great list of “12 Ways to Humble Yourself” on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website:
1. Routinely confess your sin to God (Luke 18:9–14). All of us sin and fall short of the glory of God. However, too few of us have a routine practice of rigorous self-honesty examination. Weekly, even daily, review of our hearts and behaviors, coupled with confession to God, is an essential practice of humility.
2. Acknowledge your sin to others (James 3:2; 5:16). Humility before God is not complete unless there is also humility before man. A true test of our willingness to humble ourselves is willingness to share with others the weaknesses we confess to God. Wisdom, however, dictates that we do so with others that we trust.
3. Take wrong patiently (1 Peter 3:8–17). When something is unjust we want to react and rectify it. However, patiently responding to the unjust accusations and actions of others demonstrates our strength of godly character and provides an opportunity to put on humility.
4. Actively submit to authority … the good and the bad (1 Peter 2:18). Our culture does not value submission; rather it promotes individualism. How purposely and actively do you work on submission to those whom God has placed as authorities in your life? Doing so is a good way to humble yourself.
5. Receive correction and feedback from others graciously (Proverbs 10:17; 12:1). In the Phoenix area, a local East Valley pastor was noted for graciously receiving any negative feedback or correction offered. He would simply say, “Thank you for caring enough to share that with me. I will pray about it and get back to you.” Look for the kernel of truth in what people offer you, even if it comes from a dubious source. Always pray, “Lord, what are You trying to show me through this?”
6. Accept a lowly place (Proverbs 25:6–7). If you find yourself wanting to sit at the head table, wanting others to recognize your contribution, or become offended when others are honored or chosen, then pride is present. Purpose to support others being recognized, rather than you. Accept and look for the lowly place; it is the place of humility.
7. Purposely associate with people of lower state than you (Luke 7:36–39). Jesus was derided by the Pharisees for socializing with the poor and those of lowly state. Our culture is very status conscious and people naturally want to socialize upward. Resist the temptation of being partial to those with status or wealth.
8. Choose to serve others (Philippians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Matthew 23:11). When we serve others, we are serving God’s purposes in their lives. Doing so reduces our focus on ourselves and builds the kingdom of God. When serving another costs us nothing, we should question whether it is really servanthood
9. Be quick to forgive (Matthew 18:21–35). Forgiveness is possibly one of the greatest acts of humility we can do. To forgive is to acknowledge a wrong that has been done us and also to further release our right of repayment for the wrong. Forgiveness is denial of self. Forgiveness is not insisting on our way and our justice.
10. Cultivate a grateful heart (1 Thessalonians 5:18). The more we develop an attitude of gratitude for the gift of salvation and life He has given us, the more true our perspective of self. A grateful heart is a humble heart.
11. Purpose to speak well of others (Ephesians 4:31–32). Saying negative things about others puts them “one down” and us “one up.” Speaking well of others edifies them and builds them up. Make sure, however, that what you say is not intended as flattery.
12. Treat pride as a condition that always necessitates embracing the cross (Luke 9:23). It is our nature to be proud, and it is God’s nature in us that brings humility. Committing to a lifestyle of dying to ourselves daily and living through Him is the foundation for true humility.
https://billygraham.org/articles/twelve-ways-to-humble-yourself
If all of us – pastor, house church shepherds, church leadership, and everyone in the pews – took that list to heart and tried to “walk humbly with your God,” (Micah 6:8) I believe we would become a great blessing to many who are looking for a church to call home. Amen
Homework:
• Look up all the Bible verses on your teaching sheet. Is humility a hard topic for you? What about submission?
• Please pray for the Staff Support Team as they seek to hold Pastor John accountable in all the areas mentioned by Peter for elders to serve as a shepherd of the Lord’s flock.
• Next week: 1 Peter 5:6-14 “Give Anxiety to God”
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TEACHING SHEET
Sermon: “Humility in Serving”
1 Peter 5:1-5
Encouragement for the pastor v. 1-4
Pastors are meant to serve as the shepherds of God’s flock, not the pastor’s flock. The imagery of the shepherd as the one who cares for God’s people is used throughout the Bible: Psalm 23, Zechariah 11:17, John 21:15-17
So, what do we under-shepherds have to learn from Peter?
First, be willing to do the work. That means you do NOT work from a sense of duty.
Second, don’t be greedy. When Peter was writing to the house churches, it’s hard to be sure what the financial situation was for the elders. At some point, they were paid a fixed amount. He could also be referring to gifts from individuals. Anyway, that’s not why the elder should be serving. 1 Peter 2:11-12
Third, lead by example. This is different than ordering folks around. When James and John ask for places of authority, Jesus warns them against acting like the world. Jesus describes what it will look like in the church: Mark 10:43-45 “43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Jesus gave us Himself as an example. Paul often asked folks to follow his example. Shouldn’t we do the same?
Instruction to church leadership v. 5
The elders were to be submitted to the Lord. If that is happening, leadership in the church should be willing to work with the pastor and should be willing to trust the pastor’s vision for the congregation. We are part of a denomination that has a Book of Doctrine and Discipline. Like other denominations, it is the pastor who leads everyone to stay in compliance with our shared church discipline.
Everyone should be humble v. 5
I found this great list of “12 Ways to Humble Yourself” on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website:
1. Routinely confess your sin to God (Luke 18:9–14). All of us sin and fall short of the glory of God. However, too few of us have a routine practice of rigorous self-honesty examination. Weekly, even daily, review of our hearts and behaviors, coupled with confession to God, is an essential practice of humility.
2. Acknowledge your sin to others (James 3:2; 5:16). Humility before God is not complete unless there is also humility before man. A true test of our willingness to humble ourselves is willingness to share with others the weaknesses we confess to God. Wisdom, however, dictates that we do so with others that we trust.
3. Take wrong patiently (1 Peter 3:8–17). When something is unjust we want to react and rectify it. However, patiently responding to the unjust accusations and actions of others demonstrates our strength of godly character and provides an opportunity to put on humility.
4. Actively submit to authority … the good and the bad (1 Peter 2:18). Our culture does not value submission; rather it promotes individualism. How purposely and actively do you work on submission to those whom God has placed as authorities in your life? Doing so is a good way to humble yourself.
5. Receive correction and feedback from others graciously (Proverbs 10:17; 12:1). In the Phoenix area, a local East Valley pastor was noted for graciously receiving any negative feedback or correction offered. He would simply say, “Thank you for caring enough to share that with me. I will pray about it and get back to you.” Look for the kernel of truth in what people offer you, even if it comes from a dubious source. Always pray, “Lord, what are You trying to show me through this?”
6. Accept a lowly place (Proverbs 25:6–7). If you find yourself wanting to sit at the head table, wanting others to recognize your contribution, or become offended when others are honored or chosen, then pride is present. Purpose to support others being recognized, rather than you. Accept and look for the lowly place; it is the place of humility.
7. Purposely associate with people of lower state than you (Luke 7:36–39). Jesus was derided by the Pharisees for socializing with the poor and those of lowly state. Our culture is very status conscious and people naturally want to socialize upward. Resist the temptation of being partial to those with status or wealth.
8. Choose to serve others (Philippians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Matthew 23:11). When we serve others, we are serving God’s purposes in their lives. Doing so reduces our focus on ourselves and builds the kingdom of God. When serving another costs us nothing, we should question whether it is really servanthood
9. Be quick to forgive (Matthew 18:21–35). Forgiveness is possibly one of the greatest acts of humility we can do. To forgive is to acknowledge a wrong that has been done us and also to further release our right of repayment for the wrong. Forgiveness is denial of self. Forgiveness is not insisting on our way and our justice.
10. Cultivate a grateful heart (1 Thessalonians 5:18). The more we develop an attitude of gratitude for the gift of salvation and life He has given us, the more true our perspective of self. A grateful heart is a humble heart.
11. Purpose to speak well of others (Ephesians 4:31–32). Saying negative things about others puts them “one down” and us “one up.” Speaking well of others edifies them and builds them up. Make sure, however, that what you say is not intended as flattery.
12. Treat pride as a condition that always necessitates embracing the cross (Luke 9:23). It is our nature to be proud, and it is God’s nature in us that brings humility. Committing to a lifestyle of dying to ourselves daily and living through Him is the foundation for true humility.
https://billygraham.org/articles/twelve-ways-to-humble-yourself
Homework:
• Look up all the Bible verses on your teaching sheet. Is humility a hard topic for you? What about submission?
• Please pray for the Staff Support Team as they seek to hold Pastor John accountable in all the areas mentioned by Peter for elders to serve as a shepherd of the Lord’s flock.
• Next week: 1 Peter 5:6-14 “Give Anxiety to God”
