1 PETER PART SIXTEEN

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

In this series so far we have learned that Peter wrote this letter to followers of Christ who were scattered in the area of Asia Minor, what is now modern-day Turkey. His main emphasis in this letter was to remind Christians of the hope they have in God because of the gracious salvation provided for them in Jesus Christ as well as how the gift of the Holy Spirit within them works to lead them in sanctification. Christians were facing trials and they needed their hope in God encouraged. We continue now to learn even more about this wonderful salvation that God blesses His children with and how we are to live as Christ and love one another. Part of living as Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior is to seeking to think good and do good.

 

We have learned about the holy spiritual attributes that a follower of Christ will exhibit as they obey the Word, keep in step with the Spirit and model their lives after Jesus Christ. Peter repeatedly instructs in this letter how followers of Christ are to live. He calls the Christians in the Roman provinces of what is now Asia to walk as Jesus walked. This has a three-fold purpose. We have a witness before men that needs to be godly and righteous. We are called by our Heavenly Father to live honorably in the midst of suffering because our Lord and Master Jesus Christ did so. We need to remember that one of the main purposes of suffering is to develop our righteousness and spiritual maturity.

 

Peter now turns back again to speaking about how we are to think, act and respond to trials, suffering and persecution in our lives. Our response to such difficult situations should be grounded in the fact that God is in complete control. He seeks to conform us to the image of His Son, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit who lives within us. His motive is always based in love, compassion and grace towards His spiritual children. Now Peter addresses those who oversee and lead followers of Christ in the churches in the Roman provinces of Asia. He gives instructions as to how to serve God as they serve their fellow Christians and how to walk as Jesus would in this leadership role.

 

1Peter 5:1-4

“To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers — not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over 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.”

 

Peter describes himself in three different ways in this passage. He does not flaunt his own apostleship and identifies himself with these leaders as a “fellow elder.” This close identification with them gives credence to their authority to lead. While they are not apostles like He is, they share a common godly authority over others as leaders and shepherds. He additionally shares the fact that he was an eye-witness of the torture and persecution that Christ received. He also mentions the fact that he will share in the glory that is yet to be revealed, as all true followers of Christ will as well. Peter walks his talk and he appeals with these men who lead Christian small groups, fellowships and churches, to lead other believers in a godly spiritual manner.

 

Peter uses a very practical example of how to serve and lead a group of believers. He compares it to a shepherd and his flock. A strong and self-sacrificial type of shepherd-leadership is needed to assure the survival of the church during the trying times of persecution. Good shepherds do not beat their sheep. They lay down their lives for them. They tend their sheep like they were their own children. A shepherd-leader cares for his flock while seeking out the weak and wandering individuals while sometimes jeopardizing himself in the process. He puts his flock above his own needs Jesus was the perfect shepherd of people and He identified Himself as such in John 10:11-16 and described us like sheep without a shepherd in Matthew 9:36. Other scriptures that use this analogy can be found in Zechariah 13:7, Matthew 2:6, John 10:2, John 21:16, Hebrews 13:20 and Revelation 7:17. The man of God who oversees others in the faith has a high calling with holy requirements. Charles Haddon Spurgeon was such a man. He was one of England’s best-known preachers in the 1800’s. His example and life remain a standard by which men of God can model themselves. In regards to the pastor, elder or overseer who serves a congregation of believers he states,

 

“Every workman knows the necessity of keeping his tools in a good state of repair…If the workman loses the edge…he knows that there will be a greater draught upon his energies, or his work will be badly done….It will be in vain for me to stock my library, or organize societies, or project schemes, if I neglect the culture of myself; for books, and agencies, and systems are only remotely the instruments of my holy calling; my own spirit, soul, and body are my nearest machinery for sacred service; my spiritual faculties, and my inner life, are my battle axe and weapons of war.”

 

Spurgeon is sharing how critical it is for the man who serves as an elder and shepherd of God’s flock to be a godly man of character and to stay that way by clinging to God, His Word and His Holy Spirit.

 

This section of Peter’s letter attempts to encourage the elders in Asia to shepherd and care for other followers of Christ and for members of the flock to submit to their leadership. This is vitally important since this godly structure will enable the Christian community to endure and survive safely, the fiery time of trials that are yet to come.

 

Peter uses another word “overseers” to describe these godly shepherds of the flock. An overseer, “episkopeo,” is one who takes care of, guards against danger and ministers unto others. He takes on this responsibility willingly and sacrificially. He looks out for the interest of others first, before he addresses his own. Peter makes a series of three crucial comments here as to the motivation and function of the shepherd or overseer.

 

First he states in verse 2 that when the overseer serves, he will do so, “not because you must, but because you are willing.” He is saying that this man of God should have a passionate desire to serve others in this leadership capacity and understand when he serves God’s flock he is also serving God. They are to do this because God is prompting them to serve in this capacity and they are to do it because they are more than willing to volunteer for this position of spiritual authority.

 

Secondly, Peter shares that they are not to do it because they are “greedy for money” but instead, because they are “eager to serve.” Some translations say “sordid gain” instead of “greedy for money” but both descriptive phrases are emphasizing that a man who shepherds a flock of God is not to do so for what the flock can do for him, but for what he can do for the flock as he serves their needs and assists God in their spiritual development. An overseer or shepherd will seek to serve the body and not require the body to serve his own selfish interests. The epistle of Titus gives us a description of some godless men who were attempting to exert inappropriate authority over other followers of Christ. Paul in his letter to Titus describes men who attempt to lead in the church for “sordid gain” or are “greedy for money.” According to Paul, they also possess other ungodly character traits as well.

Titus 1:10-12

“For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.”

 

Thirdly, Peter shares one final important instruction regarding the attitude and motivation of those men in leadership who oversee others in God’s church. He is not to go about his leadership, “lording it over those entrusted” to his care, but rather “being an example” to those he serves. The concept of a servant leader involves a degree of Christ-like meekness in the way others are treated. It is a man of God who has compassion and sensitivity to the needs and thoughts of others. They treat others with respect. They know when to stand for truth and when to compromise in a wise way as decisions are made based on God’s Word. Jesus was a true servant leader who led with meekness, but was strong in character to stand up for what was right. Jesus demonstrated His strength of character as He confronted the Pharisees and Sadducees as well as when He drove out the money-changers in the temple. But He also showed His sensitivity to others in situations of the children He ministered to as well as the blind, lame and disease-ridden. Jesus also spoke of those who would “lord it over” others in Matthew 20:25-28.

 

Matthew 20:25-28

“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.  “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant,  and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave;  just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

 

There are also several other scriptures that discuss the requirements and responsibilities of those who serve as elders, pastors or overseers.

 

1 Timothy 3:1-7

“It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.  An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

 

Titus 1:5-9

“You would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”

 

The elder is a divinely appointed office that is held by men who are able to teach sound doctrine, refute error, be of good reputation, having believing children and who manage their households well.  The elder should not be in office if he is unable to fulfill the requirements of the office and he should not be chosen because he is a popular figure in the local church. Any man who leads in this godly Christ-like manner will receive a great reward, “the crown of glory that will never fade away.”