Our Shepherds: Servant Leaders

We hope that you enjoy this teaching from Christ Church.

This material is copyrighted and no unauthorized duplication,

redistribution, or any other use of any part is permitted without prior consent from Christ Church.

Please consider donating to this work in the San Francisco Bay Area online at ChristChurchEastBay.org.

1 Peter 5, 1-14. Follow along with me, please.

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ's suffering,

who also will share in the glory to be revealed.

Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, watching over them,

not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be,

not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve,

not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

And when God called, when the chief shepherd appears,

you will receive a crown of glory that will never fade away.

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders.

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility towards one another,

because God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand,

that he may lift you up in due time.

Cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you.

Be alert and of sober mind.

Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Resist him, standing firm in the faith,

because you know that the family of believers throughout the world

is undergoing the same kind of suffering.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ,

after you have suffered a little while,

will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast,

to him be the power forever and ever.

Amen.

With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother,

I have written to you briefly,

encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God.

Stand fast in it.

She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you,

sends you her greeting, and so does my son Mark.

Greet one another with the kiss of love.

This is the word of the Lord.

Amen.

Thanks, Shonsonez.

Good morning, everyone.

My name is Andrew, one of the pastors here.

We're glad to be worshiping with you today.

Why don't we go to the Lord in prayer before we open up his word together.

Our Father, would you lift up our eyes to see what an amazing hope we have in Christ.

Would you give us eyes to see you?

Would you give us eyes to see your son?

Would you give us eyes to see your church as you see it, Lord?

And would the preaching of your word bring honor and glory to your son and confidence to your people?

Because we have such a wonderful Savior.

It's in his name we pray.

Amen.

Amen.

All right.

So we're wrapping up, finally, our series in 1 Peter.

Today we're in chapter 5, the very last chapter.

And in case you are new, brand new to Christ Church, or you missed the whole series,

all Peter's been doing this whole letter is he's been trying to encourage and testify

to like these suffering, persecuted Christian religious minorities scattered all throughout Turkey.

He's been trying to encourage them that it is still worth it.

It is always worth it to follow Christ.

Even when it involves suffering as an outsider, as a cultural alien, being persecuted or perceived

as a deviant or a weirdo, the message of 1 Peter for us is that even when following

Jesus might isolate us from the cool kids at school or from the center of all the fun and

attention at their parties, or even when we're disadvantaged economically or in the marketplace

because of our commitment to generosity and to lifting up the burdens of our neighbors,

or because we just don't elevate profit and production as our highest priority and purpose,

or even when we're considered as backwards and bigoted because we are committed to following

Jesus' way and holding His holy views on the human body and marriage and sex,

Peter wants us to know that it's still worth it.

It's still worth it to not walk in the counsel of evildoers, to not stand in the way of the

wicked or to sit in the seat of scoffers.

Peter's saying again and again and again throughout this letter, it's worth it, it's worth it to

stand in the way of Christ like a tree planted by streams of living water.

And even when it feels like we're wilting in this stream, even when it feels like Jesus'

way isn't the way to favor or success or blessing or even justice, Peter wants us to know that our

sufferings and our experiences of alienation are not because we're standing in the wrong stream.

That's why he says in verse 12 at the end here,

I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God.

Stand fast in it.

He's saying when you're uncomfortable following Jesus, when you feel tied down by your faith and

disadvantaged and like an outsider and like your commitment to Christ is costing you so much,

he's saying you are actually standing in the true grace and favor of God.

You are communing with the crucified and risen Christ.

So continue to stand in Him.

Stand fast in Him because resurrection is coming.

Glory is coming.

And this is not merely conceptual to Peter.

Peter is writing this, as it says in verse 13, from Babylon.

Now Babylon is what many Christians called Rome at the time.

Babylon was, Rome was the new Babylon, right?

The new domineering world power.

So Peter is writing pretty much from the center of the belly of the beast.

And probably fresh on his mind are some of the last words that Jesus spoke to him.

In John's Gospel, chapter 21, Jesus has this moment with Peter.

And he says,

And John writes that Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death that Peter would glorify God with.

And we know from history that he too was crucified in Rome.

So Peter is no stranger to exile.

He's in Rome.

He's close to his crucifixion.

And yet he's still telling his readers, he's still telling us,

Yo, it is worth it.

It is still and always worth it to follow Christ.

We can entrust ourselves to him and to his ways.

That's how he ended last week in chapter 4.

So then those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful creator and continue to do good.

He's pointing us again and again and again to the faithfulness of God and the sureness of God's promises.

He's pointing us again and again and again to the example of Jesus who lived a perfect life and suffered for it on a cross.

And yet rose again into imperishable glory.

This is the way, he says.

This is the way.

You're not off track.

You're suffering in and with Christ will lead to glory in and with Christ.

Now I just mentioned this final chapter in John's gospel, John chapter 21.

John 21 · chapter mention

But there was something else that Jesus also said in that chapter to Peter that you've got to believe was also on his mind as he's wrapping up this letter in 1 Peter chapter 5.

1 Peter 5 · chapter mention

Maybe you remember the story.

Peter is at the Lord's Supper, right?

The last meal that Jesus has with his disciples.

And Jesus is like, Peter, you're going to deny me three times, right?

And Peter's like, no, Lord, that's never going to happen.

All these busters, they might do that, but not me.

I would sooner die than deny you.

But of course, he denies him three times, right?

When everything hits the fan.

So chapter 21 of John's gospel tells us what happens next.

After Jesus rises from the grave, what happens next between Peter and Jesus?

And what we read there is that just as Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus asked Peter a question three times on the beach.

He says, Peter, do you love me?

Peter, do you love me?

Peter, do you love me?

And Peter's like, yes, I love you.

Yes, I love you.

Yes, I love you.

And then he's even hurt that Jesus asked him the same question over and over and over again.

But Jesus wants it imprinted on Peter's mind for the rest of his life and for the rest of his ministry.

He wants to make sure Peter hears very clearly how he will love Jesus for the rest of his life.

So what Jesus tells Peter when Jesus says, I love you, I love you, I love you, he says, well then feed my lambs.

Feed my lambs.

Shepherd my sheep.

Feed my sheep.

If you are going to love me, Peter, for the rest of your life, this is the way.

Feed my sheep.

Shepherd my sheep.

So you've got to believe that this is on Peter's mind as he's writing this very last chapter in this letter, 1 Peter chapter 5.

1 Peter 5 · chapter mention

Feed, shepherd, and guide the flock of God.

And that's why in this last chapter, Peter's pivoting briefly from his discussion about suffering,

and he speaks a very specific and particular word to the elders of the church.

Verse 1.

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ's sufferings,

who also will share in the glory to be revealed,

be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care,

watching over them not because you must, but because you are willing,

as God wants you to be,

not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve,

not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

Just as Jesus had commissioned Peter to go and make disciples who would shepherd the flock of God,

Peter's now commissioning his own disciples,

who will make disciples, who will make disciples, who will make disciples,

generation after generation of elders,

generation after generation of shepherds of God's people.

And that's what we're here to recognize today.

I don't know if you knew that, but we are going to be ordaining two new elders today,

Lori Poore and Brian Lee.

And I want you to have a biblical understanding of what it means to be an elder.

See, an elder, if an elder is anything, an elder is a shepherd.

Not primarily a decision maker or some spiritual C-suite officer,

not some just voting board member on a religious committee.

See, an elder is first and foremost a shepherd.

So what we're recognizing today and celebrating with Lori Poore and Brian Lee

is the ministry of elders that can be traced all the way back to the ancient people of God.

This commission that Jesus gave to Peter on this beach of redemption,

where he entrusted this man who denied him three times,

he entrusted him still with an incredibly high and holy calling and role

and responsibility in the history, really, of the world.

And this is what Brian and Lori are entering into today.

This is what Jonathan St. Clair and Wes Selke and Karen Wastlowski

and Tonya Roby, Bill Barnes, Jesus Arciniega, and myself have all stepped into.

It's a really high calling.

It's a really loaded responsibility.

The writer of Hebrews, in Hebrews chapter 13,

Hebrews 13 · chapter mention

says that your elders are responsible for keeping watch over your souls

as those who will give an account.

It is a heavy and terrifying thing, actually, to be an elder.

So I hope you're ready, Lori and Brian.

You know, last year when I was invited to join our session of elders,

I couldn't say yes right away.

I wasn't exactly jumping at the opportunity.

Because I kind of liked, you know, blaming all the problems of our church on Jonathan

and the rest of the elders.

I couldn't say yes right away.

It's not because I don't love this church,

but because I realize I understand the heavy responsibility

of being a shepherd over this flock.

A shepherd after the model and the way of our good shepherd and Lord Jesus Christ is crazy.

Those are the shoes that we're stepping into in one sense.

To be a shepherd is to know the flock, to feed the flock, to guide the flock,

to protect the flock, like to know each of you by name,

to enter into your lives with empathy,

to carry the griefs of over 150 plus adult members here.

It's a huge emotional capacity that this entails.

And honestly, some of you are not the easiest sheep to guide, all right?

But we're committed.

We're committed to being in communion with our sheep.

We will pursue you when you stray,

when you go after self-destructing habits and ideologies and patterns and idolatries,

just like the good shepherd of Jesus' parable, right?

The one who leaves the 99 and pursues the one.

Christ Church East Bay, you need to know,

we're not going to be the kind of church

where your name is just going to be stuck on some membership role

and where we're going to be content to not have you show up,

you know, for six months at a time.

No, we're going to come after you.

Because that's what a shepherd does.

In love.

In gentleness.

Because that's what a shepherd does.

We're committed to feeding you a healthy diet, right?

Making sure you are nourished by the green pastures of the scriptures and the sacraments

so that you'll be full with Christ and equipped to serve Him.

And, you know, preaching the Bible is hard.

It's hard.

I have no idea what I'm doing up here most of the time.

But I do it because God has ordained this institution.

And He's given us His Word.

And these are the words of life.

And, you know, that's not even the hardest part.

To guide you, to lead you towards streams of living water, right?

To lead you toward the refreshment of your soul,

oftentimes through the valley of the shadow of death.

To make calls and take risks and to discern God's will for this whole body of people

when we don't know the outcomes.

To live with that kind of faith and humility and confidence all at the same time.

It often feels like a tightrope.

And then also to protect you.

That's what we're called to do.

Whether physically.

You know, the elders were the ones really wanting to step up our security presence here.

During our Sunday worship,

they were the ones who called us to raise up our standards of safety guidelines.

But also spiritually, we are called to defend you from all the wolves

and all the bears and all the false voices and spirits

that contend with God's Word and God's Spirit.

It's our elders who, it's on us elders,

to wield the rod and the staff.

Not to harm you, but to comfort you.

To protect you against your enemies.

To preserve the peace and purity and integrity and unity of this church.

I can remember a time when our elders did that before I joined.

The session.

A few years ago, our elders had a super tense meeting

with some disgruntled members in our church

who wanted to change the church's theological position

on something that Jesus is very clear about.

That the whole of Scripture is very clear about.

And one of the disgruntled members,

he was just arguing,

you know, why can't we just get with the times?

Why can't we just get with the times?

And you know, honestly, that would be the easy thing to do.

And it would probably boost up our reputation here in Berkeley.

It would have allowed us to swim in the cultural mainstream of the Bay Area.

But I want you to know that that kind of argument

is not going to fly at Christ Church East Bay with your elders.

I guess we will always consider our context.

We will always seek to be relevant.

But we will not just get with the times to get with the times.

No, we're here to protect the flock from falsehood.

So all this is to say that being an elder is a heavy responsibility.

And I'm not saying this so you'll have more respect for us.

I'm not trying to manipulate you into pity toward us

or greater appreciation for us.

But I'm here to teach you how God sees the office of elder

that Lori and Brian are stepping into today.

I want you to see the fullness of what is happening today

as two people take up this super high calling.

And not because they must, verse 2,

not because they must,

but because they are willing,

because they love Christ,

because they love His church,

and because they love you.

Not for dishonest gain.

Lori and Brian aren't getting paid for this, all right?

You know, me and Jonathan, we're teaching elders.

At least we're on the payroll.

But you should trust your ruling elders here, all right?

You should trust them.

They love you.

They're doing this for free

because they so believe in the mission of Christ Church East Bay

to lead people into deeper relationships

with Christ and His church for the good of the city.

Our elders are eager to serve, as it says in verse 2.

Eager to serve.

And listen, that's the key word, serve.

So I think for some people,

especially actually where I come from

in maybe like the more Asian context,

it can be seen to be an elder

as some kind of status symbol, right?

Some kind of social, religious status symbol,

or you just get lots of power now

over this large group of people.

But that's not the biblical understanding

of what an elder is like.

An elder is not like just being in the C-suite,

just calling all the shots,

and then making other people execute your plans.

No, an elder is a servant leader.

An elder is a servant leader.

The church is such a unique institution and organization,

and it's actually quite difficult to run

because we're trying to steer this 200-plus person boat, right,

into a deeper relationship with Christ,

into greater impact on our city.

But our elders, our shepherds,

we don't have the hard accountability tools, right,

of like wages or of threatening layoffs

or anything like that.

A church is ultimately powered,

in addition to the Holy Spirit,

by volunteers, right?

A church operates through the organic eagerness

of God's people to serve and give their time

and their talent and their treasures

in addition to their responsibilities at work

and in their homes.

So how does a shepherd elder guide sheep

without being able to smack them around

with their rods and with their staffs?

How do they do it without being able

to dangle a nice carrot?

Well, elders, elders lead like our good shepherd, right?

They lead like our good shepherd,

not by self-interested, self-preserving,

self-glorifying dominance,

but through selfless, sacrificial,

self-giving love.

Verse 3,

Effective elders and shepherds live such beautiful lives

that their sheep aren't like,

oh man, I had to follow Bill Barnes

because they made him an elder at this church.

Oh man.

No.

If you're an effective elder,

then your people will say,

oh man, I'm so glad to follow Bill Barnes.

Look at the life he's living in his retirement.

Look how he's giving himself

to feed our houseless neighbors.

Look at how he's spending days in a week,

every week,

to go visit and make disciples of people in prison.

This is what elders do.

Christ Church, your elders are your examples.

These are the ones we are setting forth before you

and telling you to follow them

as they follow Christ.

These are your examples.

And this is how everything links back

to everything that Peter was saying

about suffering and how suffering leads to glory.

See, your elders are your examples.

They're meant to live lives that testify

that living for Jesus is worth it.

Even when it includes suffering,

because it will lead to glory,

our elders believe that with all their hearts.

These few verses on elders here in 1 Peter

are not some random change of topic

that Peter's just trying to squeeze in

at the end of his letter.

Notice in verse 1 how he says

that these elders will share in the glory

to be revealed.

See, what he's doing is he's saying

that not only do you have the example of Jesus,

whose selfless and sacrificial suffering

for others led to glory,

but hey, you have elders.

You have shepherds who are called to do the same,

who are called to point you

to a suffering way of life

that still leads to glory with Christ.

Peter is writing to these weary religious minorities

who are wondering if it was worth it

to follow Jesus,

and he's calling upon the elders

in these churches

to confirm to their wavering flocks

by the way they live

and by the way they lead

that it is worth it to follow Jesus,

even through hardship and persecution.

He's calling on these elders

to show their congregations

by the examples of their lives

that in Christ,

we always have a living hope,

that in Christ,

we always have an imperishable inheritance

that we did not earn

and cannot lose

no matter how terrible our suffering.

See, elders are God's gift to the church

to demonstrate with their lives

and with their leadership

that nothing can strip us

of the glory and the joy

and the honor and the blessing

that are ours in Christ.

And to me, it is so providential

and fitting that we've come to this text today

as we ordain Lori Poor

and Brian Lee specifically.

Because man,

these elders,

specifically Lori and Brian,

if anyone believes in the glory

that will be revealed,

it is them.

You know, we're not ordaining them today

just because they're good looking

or because they passed our Bible

and theology

and church government

and church history exams

or because they're willing to show up

to a three-hour meeting

once a month.

They're being called as elders

because of their faith in

and love for Christ.

And because of the super evident hope

that we've seen them hold on to

in the face of terrible tragedies.

For the many of you

who are newer to Christ Church,

if you're planning to be part of this church,

if you want to get to know us better,

if you want to know the history

of who we are

and the events that have shaped us

as a family of faith,

you need to know the Poor's and the Lee's.

You need to know the stories

of the Poor's and the Lee's.

Both families have experienced

tremendous loss.

The loss of Elizabeth Poor

before she even turned a day old

in that hospital.

And three years ago,

the loss of Isaac Lee.

We were just hanging out with him.

He was only a junior in high school.

We were just hanging out with him

the Wednesday before he was taken

from us on Sunday

from a cancer that none of us

even knew that he had.

You need to know these stories.

You need to know these families

if you want to know

who Christ Church East Bay is.

So that today,

when you watch us lay hands

on Lori and Brian,

you are watching us

as a church family

declare that we want to follow

these kinds of people.

Men and women

who've unreservedly

placed all their marbles,

all their hopes

in the glory

that is to be revealed.

We're setting before you

these people who long,

as it says in verse 4,

for the reappearance

of the chief shepherd.

These people

who are coming up here

are people who believe

by faith

in the unfading glory

to come.

And they don't just believe

it personally,

but they want it

for all of us as well,

for the flock

of Christ Church East Bay,

for the nations,

for the world.

Starting today

for Lori and Brian

and for every single

one of us elders,

again, Jonathan, Karen, Wes,

Tonya, Bill, and Jesus,

and me,

our charge

is to guide you

into glory

as shepherds

guiding their sheep

toward the glory

of green pastures

and living water

even through the valley

of the shadow of death.

We're here

to show you the way,

and it's not just

some way that we made up,

it's the way

of our good shepherd

who also walked

through the valley

of the shadow of death

and came out

on the other side.

Your elders exist

to point you

to Christ

and His way

that leads to life.

We're here to point you

to the ultimate shepherd

who took the rod

of God's judgment

against sin

and evil

in our place

so that we might know Him

as our good shepherd,

so that His rod

and His staff

might comfort us

rather than strike us

with fear.

that this is what

we're about here

at Christ Church East Bay.

We're about following

the ancient traditions

of the scriptures,

the churchly institution

that's laid out

in the Bible

because we trust

that this way

is the way of Jesus

and it will direct us

toward Him

and deeper communion

with Him,

our good shepherd.

And that's why

for the members

of this church,

you will be asked

when we ordain them

in a couple moments,

you'll be asked

to submit to these elders

as it says in verse 5.

In the same way,

you who are younger,

submit yourselves

to your elders.

All of you,

clothe yourselves

with humility

toward one another

because God opposes

the proud

but shows favor

to the humble.

Listen,

this is not a weak

kind of unthinking

submission

to church authority,

to some institutional

religious figures.

No,

it is a humbling

of ourselves,

not simply under

these human elders

but under the divine

designs of God

who as we saw

in the life of Jesus

will always lift up

the humble.

This is why

we clothe ourselves

with humility,

not because Lori

and Brian

and the rest of us

are perfect,

no,

not even because

they deserve

our fullest confidence

and dependence,

no,

we clothe ourselves

with humility

toward one another.

We submit to our elders

not by faith

in our elders

or even in the church

but by faith

in God's mighty hand.

Verse 6,

Humble yourselves

therefore

under God's mighty hand

that He may lift you up

in due time.

Cast all your anxiety

on Him

because He cares for you.

And this could be a sermon

in and of itself,

right,

on humility and anxiety.

We won't get into that today

but ultimately

Peter is wrapping up

by saying,

hey,

look to your chief shepherd.

Look also

to your shepherd elders

and you will be filled

with an anxiety

defying confidence

as you humbly trust

in the mighty hand of God.

And you will also find

when you do that

that He is not only mighty

but He is caring.

And friends,

this is our only hope

in the world

if we are going to live

the Christian life

as elect exiles

in this place.

Look away from Christ.

Look away from the body

of Christ

and its leaders

and you'll only become

more anxious

and more vulnerable

to the visible

and invisible powers

of evil

that you might not

even be aware of.

See,

Peter isn't merely interested

in giving us

some mental health advice

here for people

struggling with anxiety.

anxiety.

He's got a far bigger

picture in mind,

a far more cosmic view

of what we're up against

and what afflicts us.

You know,

throughout this whole letter,

Peter's been giving them

reason after reason, right?

Truth after truth

that they might stand firm

in the faith

and believe that Jesus

is worth it, right?

But in order for them

to know how much

God is for them,

they also need

a clear picture

of what they're up against.

And this is why

he mentions

the very personal powers

and spirits of evil

that love to make

God's people suffer

and fill us with anxiety

in verse 8.

Be alert

and of sober mind.

Your enemy,

the devil,

prowls around

like a roaring lion

looking for someone

to devour.

Resist him,

standing firm

in the faith

because you know

that the family

of believers

throughout the world

is undergoing

the same kind

of sufferings.

Peter's saying,

your struggle

is not merely

against flesh and blood.

God.

And that is exactly

why you need

your chief shepherd,

Jesus,

and his whole flock,

the body of Christ

and all its elders

to resist the devil

and stand firm

in the faith

together as a family.

And maybe this sounds

like super superstitious

to you

and I wish I had more time

to comment on that

but let me just share

with you what one

historian and New Testament

scholar,

N.T. Wright,

says about this.

I love it.

He writes,

the thing about recognizing

the existence

and power of the devil

and learning to see him

behind not only

temptations to sin

but also persecution

and suffering

is that this enables you

to take the position

which the rest of the letter

has been advocating

as elect exiles.

See,

many Western countries

dismissed both God

and the devil

over the last two centuries

but the danger with that

as has been apparent

throughout the last two centuries

is that once you get rid of God

you get rid too

of the devil

and then you yourself

and your friends

or your party

or your country

take the role of God

while your enemies

take the role

of the devil.

But the whole letter

has been insisting

on the contrary

that the way to respond

to attacks

of whatever sort

is with a firm

but gentle faith.

Treating people

who aren't Christians

with respect,

living within the law,

behaving with humility

and patience

in all circumstances.

The point is this,

the actual human opponents,

even your fiercest persecutors,

are not in fact

the real enemy.

There is a real enemy

and he will be using them

but if you resist him

staying resolute in faith

and remembering

that you are holding

your bit of the line

while your Christian brothers

and sisters

all across the world

are holding theirs,

you will find that courteous

and civil behavior

acting with respect

and gentleness

will again and again win.

This is what he's calling us to.

So to close,

this is God's word to us

from 1 Peter.

That yes,

there will be suffering

and hardship

and persecution

and even death

when we follow the way

of our good shepherd,

when we live in his way

of love

even toward those

who mistreat us

because evil is not random.

Evil is not merely material.

It's real

and it's spiritual

and it's personal

and it's prowling around

devising our demise.

But when Christian exiles

remember our status

as the beloved of God,

as the elect

who are united

with the crucified

and risen Christ,

we need not fear.

And we can know

that we'll win

and end in glory.

I love verse 10.

And the God of all grace

who called you

to his eternal glory

in Christ

after you have suffered

a little while

will himself

restore you

and make you strong,

firm,

and steadfast.

See,

in Christ

there is nothing

so broken

that God cannot

restore it

to its proper glory.

Your elders

believe that.

Lori and Brian

believe that

and so must we

as we follow

their examples.

We must believe

in the power of God

which is proclaimed

here in verse 11.

To him be the power

forever and ever.

Amen.

We must believe this

with all our hearts

because this is the gospel.

Verse 11 and verse 14.

To him be the power

forever and ever.

Amen.

Verse 14.

Peace to all you

who are in Christ.

I love this.

To him be the power

and to us be the peace.

To him be the power

and to us be the peace.

This is the good news

of 1 Peter.

That our peace

does not depend

on our own power

but on Christ.

The one who defied

every other narrative

about power and peace.

Unlike the counterfeit

peace of Rome,

right?

The Pax Romana

that was achieved

through violence

and power

and flattening

all their opposition,

Jesus showed us

a different kind of power

and a better kind

of peace.

Rather than demonstrating

the power of his might

and putting his enemies

to death

to preserve himself,

he demonstrated

the power of his love

and selflessly

and sacrificially

gave his life

for his enemies,

for us.

He was pierced

for our transgressions.

He was crushed

for our sins.

The punishment

that brought us peace

was upon him

and by his wounds

we are healed

and raised to life

together with him.

This is the gospel.

To him be the power

and to us

be the peace

in Christ

forever and ever.

Amen.

And so we all say

blessed be the God

and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ.

According to his

great mercy

he has caused us

to be born again

to a living hope

through the resurrection

of Christ

from the dead

to an inheritance

that is imperishable,

undefiled,

unfading,

and kept in heaven

for all of us

and in this

we must rejoice.

Let's pray.

God we thank you

for the chief shepherd

to him be the power

and we thank you

that you said to us

to you be the peace

in Christ.

Lord let us not forget

what this peace

cost you

how your son

emptied himself

of his power

to demonstrate

to the world

a greater power,

resurrection power,

new creation power.

Oh God would we

live in

and under

that kind of power

unto your glory

and for the good

of the world.

God would you

be lifted up,

would you be honored

in this moment

of ordaining new elders

to this church.

we thank you

for the institution

of the church

and we ask

that you would help us

to faithfully

fulfill our callings

oh God

to lead people

into deeper relationships

with Christ

for the good

of the city

in Jesus' name.

Amen.