SBC Philippi 11/27/05 pm
Rev. Jeff Simms
Some Parting Words of Advice
1 Peter 5:1-10
Primary Purpose: We will look at some parting words of advice that Peter had for the church in 4 major areas.
Peter begins this section by saying that he wants to exhort the elders of the church as a fellow elder. He could make demands upon them as an apostle, but he appeals to them rather as a elder of the church. The word exhort isn’t necessarily to correct nor is it to tell them something they don’t already know. The idea of exhorting is to come alongside and encourage. The word exhort is parakaleo (par-ak-al-eh’-o) means to call to one’s side, to address, to admonish, to strengthen. It’s almost like a coach or a fellow athlete coming alongside a runner who is struggling and encouraging them as they run hard the race. We will see Peter exhorting these believers in 4 main areas: leadership, humility, anxiety and their attitudes about the devil.
Peter’s first words of exhortation are to the leadership. Perhaps he is remembering Jesus’ own words to him that are recorded in John 21:15-17 when Jesus told Peter to “feed his sheep”. Peter sees himself as a kind of shepherd of God’s people whom he calls the flock. He tells the elders they are to lead willingly (Hekousios- voluntarily, of one’s own accord) and not seeing it as a duty, but as a privilege. Keeping in mind that the best way that they can lead is by example vs.3. This is one of the chief characteristics that make leading in the church different from the world. That the leaders in the church see themselves as servants to the rest. Perhaps he was remembering some of Jesus’ words as recorded in Matthew 20:25-28 “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles Lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” So, when we understand leadership in this manner we are following the example that Jesus and Peter set for us.
Another reason for leading in this manner is for them to keep in mind that the Chief Shepherd is going to appear one day. This word is Archipoimen ( ar-khee-poy’mane) and is only used once in the New Testament and here only of Jesus. It’s something that refers to the fact that Jesus is the leader and overseer of the church. Jesus Himself refers to himself as the Good Shepherd in John 10:14. He is the head of the church Col 1:18. In fact, if you notice Peter refers to the church not as the elder’s flock, but as God’s flock. He will when he appears bring with him a reward that will never fade away. Peter is reminding them again of the reward that they should be working for. The metaphor that Peter chooses to use here is of a crown of glory. The crown or “stephanos” representing the eternal blessedness that will be given to true servants of Christ.
The second and third items that Peter wants to mention have to do with attitude and the inner life of the person. Peter wants them to lead and work together in a spirit of humility. Peter goes back and quotes Proverbs 3:34 that says that God Himself will oppose the proud, but gives grace to the humble. The word oppose means to set oneself against. It is the proud that God is opposing. It is the attitude of the heart that seeks self-advancement, that doesn’t want to acknowledge God or the help of others. But, rather than being proud he tells these believers to “clothe” themselves with humility. The idea of clothe is to fasten or gird oneself. The truly great person is God’s eyes in the one who acknowledges their dependence and trust upon God and not their self-sufficiency. (also see Is 57:15)
Following closely to that area is the need for each believer to cast their anxiety upon God. The reason for doing this is because God cares for you. He cares about the small things as well as the big. There isn’t anything that we can’t bring to him. The idea of cast is a greek word for Epirhipto which means to “throw upon”. Notice the command here is not to cast up some of our anxieties but “all” of them. We are to hold nothing back. Sometimes we like to worry because it may empower us feeling like we are in control or doing something to help our troubles. But, the best thing we can do is to cast it up to him.
Finally, the fourth thing is in our attitude is about the devil or literally the slanderer or advesary. This advesary is pictured as a roaring lion seeking something to devour. The very idea of roaring is of a lion seeking prey and preparing to pounce on it. Peter isn’t saying that we should be afraid of him, but rather aware that he is seeking someone to devour and to be alert to the fact that he is warring against us. Paul will use the same word when he is speaking to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 16:13 when he tells them to be watchful and strong. We must stand strong in our faith. James uses the same counsel when he says in James 4:7-8 to resist the devil and he will flee from you.
We aren’t to play with the things of the devil, but to respect the fact that we can only defeat him when we are “in Christ”. He isn’t like the lion I heard about in this story.Writing in Moody Monthly, Carl Armerding recounted his experience of watching a wildcat in a zoo. "As I stood there," he said, "an attendant entered the cage through a door on the opposite side. He had nothing in his hands but a broom. Carefully closing the door, he proceeded to sweep the floor of the cage." He observed that the worker had no weapon to ward off an attack by the beast. In fact, when he got to the corner of the cage where the wildcat was lying, he poked the animal with the broom. The wildcat hissed at him and then lay down in another corner of the enclosure. Armerding remarked to the attendant, "You certainly are a brave man." "No, I ain’t brave," he replied as he continued to sweep. "Well, then that cat must be tame." "No," came the reply, "he ain’t tame." "If you aren’t brave and the wildcat isn’t tame, then I can’t understand why he doesn’t attack you." Armerding said the man chuckled, then replied with an air of confidence, "Mister, he’s old--and he ain’t got no teeth."(Contributed by Carl Armerding, Moody Monthly).
Another reason for standing firm is that we are not alone in what we suffer, but others also suffer as much as we do around the world for the faith. After the period of testing is over, Peter says that God himself will restore and make strong what Satan has sought to destroy. The word “establish” is sterizo which means to turn resolutely in a certain direction “steadfastly set” or “strengthen”. We should remember that the trials the devil seeks to use to destroy us, God desires to use to make us stronger and more equipped to follow Him. Every tree that produces fruit he prunes so as to make it stronger. (John 15:2)
Peter was making some concluding remarks to the church to help strenghthen them. Appealing to them as a fellow elder of the church that he loved. Peter addresses them to remember the teachings of Jesus in the areas of leadership, humility, anxiety and their adversary. Suffering wasn’t a sign that they were doing something wrong, but Peter reminded them that they were up against a real enemy who was seeking someone to devour. He wanted to remind them that God promised to strengthen what Satan wishes to tear down.
