To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout the earth, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood:

Grace and peace be yours in abundance. You are invited to come to the Wednesday evening prayer meeting and pray. (8:30 PM EDT Wed., Jan. 9, 2002) (If you have e-mail prayer requests, please send them before 5:00 PM.)

!!! THE PRAYER MEETING TIME IS BACK TO 8:30 PM !!!

Today's passage starts out with the word "therefore." (The NIV translators did not include it in their translation, but to use the phrase that the NIV translators frequently use in footnotes, "the earliest and most reliable manuscripts" have "therefore," so I added it in parentheses. The NASB also has "therefore.") The word "therefore" connects this passage with what precedes it where Peter talks about sufferings and judgment.

In chapter 4 verse 17, just prior to today's passage, Peter says, "For it is time judgment to begin with the family (literally, 'house') of God. As I explained last week, the phrase "the house of God" is always used in the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) to refer to the temple where the priests served before God. Now, because of Christ we are all priests. All of us who are God's elect can serve before God and intercede with him on behalf of others. But God has also appointed leaders among us. These are the elders who are to be shepherds of God's flock and act as overseers. I think Peter is telling the leaders of the church to be especially aware of the trials that they, as well as the whole church will undergo. If the "house of God" is to be judged before everyone else, the leaders of the house of God might also expect to be judged first. The judgment, in this case, refers to our being tried.

In introducing this passage, Peter identifies and qualifies himself in three ways. First, he is a fellow elder. Although he is an apostle and was a disciple of Jesus throughout Jesus's entire ministry on earth, Peter first of all identifies himself with all of the other leaders of the church. Then, second, he identifies himself as a witness of Christ's sufferings. This also leads you to believe that at least one of the things he had in mind when he wrote these verses was suffering.

But one of the things that would have passed me by if it wasn't for the commentary I've been using, is the way in which Peter was a witness of Christ's sufferings. It's a thing that most of us, if we were him, would probably rather forget. While Jesus was being tried and beaten and abused, Peter was denying that he even knew him. Of all the ways that he could have picked to identify himself with Jesus, Peter picked the one that was the most shameful to him. But to Peter, it was God's grace that was the most important thing. The one who is forgiven the most will love the most (see Luke 7:36-50).

To go on, the third way Peter identifies himself is as one who will also share in the glory to be revealed. He talked about it this way back in chapter 1:

"In this (salvation) you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:6-9)

Peter identifies himself as one who will be tested now and later will share in the glory and honor of Christ, the king of the universe. This is what he is looking forward to.

Now here's what Peter has to say to those who are leaders -- and I think that the principles apply to everyone. As God appoints elders in the church, so he appoints everyone to serve in a particular way as he chooses, so that no one is indispensable. Elders are to be examples for everyone.

So, here's what Peter has to say to the elders: "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."

Peter says, "Be shepherds of God's flock." It's the same thing Jesus told Peter after he was raised from the dead. (See John 21:16. The NIV translators translated John 21:16 a little different, "take care of my sheep," but the Greek word for "take care of" and "be a shepherd of" is the same.) What does it mean to be a shepherd of God's flock? Well, we all know that a shepherd is supposed to lead the flock of sheep to good pastures where they can eat and grow, and to water for them to drink. He is also supposed to protect them from predators and to make sure that none wander away. If one wanders away, he has to go after it and bring it back. Peter calls Jesus the Chief Shepherd. But Jesus called himself the good shepherd. Here's what he said about himself: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11). That's the bottom line. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

"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." Elders must serve because they are willing, as God wants them to be. This is a command to those who are already elders, telling them how to serve -- not because they must, but because they are willing. Peter is telling elders to be willing. It's something you can decide to do -- to be willing. If you don't think so, here's something you definitely can do. You can ask God to make you willing.

"Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care...not greedy for money, but eager to serve." John Wesley's comment from 250 years ago about not being greedy for money was this: "Oh, consider this, ye that leave one flock to go to another, merely because there is more gain, a large salary! Is it not astonishing that men can see no harm in this? that it is not only practised, but avowed, all over the nation?" God does call people to go elsewhere to serve, but it is to serve, not to have better or more comfortable material circumstances. Be eager to serve.

"Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care...not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." On the night before Jesus was crucified, a dispute arose among the disciples about which of them would be considered the greatest. This is what Jesus told them: "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves." (Luke 22:25-27) Jesus, who is vastly greater than any of us, who is God who came in the flesh, didn't come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many -- for us. He is our example. And we are to be examples for others. Can you do it? After what happened the night before Jesus's crucifixion, it didn't look like Peter could, but he did!

Verse 4 says, "And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." This is what we have to look forward to. It will happen at the second coming of Christ. Does a "crown of glory" not seem like a very big deal to you? Well, what if it were an Olympic gold medal? But even that would just be human glory awarded by human judges. The crown of glory that Peter is talking about is the crown awarded to us by the Creator of the universe!

But maybe you are saying, "I'm not an elder or even any kind of leader, so what kind of honor will God have for me?" Here are some scripture to encourage you:

This is the apostle Paul writing: "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing (2 Timothy 4:8)."

And is what the apostle James has to say: "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him (James 1:12).".

Do you long for Jesus to appear? You will receive the crown of righteousness. Do you love God? Do you love Jesus? You will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Pray for all of us to be like Jesus, who didn't come to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

Come and let's pray for each other as well as for the whole church. Come and encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Love them.

Love in Christ,
Dean.

PS: If you absolutely can't make it to the prayer meeting, send your prayer requests back to me by e-mail and we'll pray for them.