God's grace to a suffering Church 1 Peter 5v1-11

1st Peter chapter 5 verses 1 to 11

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings, and one who will also 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.

Young men, in the same way, be submissive to those who are older.

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility towards one another, because God approves us the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

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.

Be self-controlled and alert.

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 your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of sufferings.

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.

Amen.

So now Johnny's going to come up and speak.

Do you mind to hand it out?

Yeah, we'll take that.

Do you mind to hand it out?

Thanks.

Thanks, Peter.

Well, please have your Bibles open at 1 Peter.

I'm just going to do some adjustments here.

I'm a little smaller.

And as we look at this, just to remind you that we've been looking through 1 Peter as a series.

Today, we look at the very last section.

If you've missed any, you can follow along on the church website.

Under sermons, you can listen to any that are there.

And just to remind you as well that on the table, as you came in, there's the winter program,

which will take you through December, January, and February.

And in there are dates for your diary and various things that are happening and coming up in the life of the church.

So take a copy, be informed, and be involved, and know what's going on.

And to encourage you as well to come on Wednesday evening.

I know it's a scary ordeal to put something through a letterbox.

It's not that scary when we're together.

And we can go out and support one another.

Of course, you don't just have to pop it in.

You can knock on the door as well as we seek to bring God's word to the community of Carragalline.

So meeting at our house, quarter to seven on Wednesdays.

We'd love to see as many as possible who can share in that.

Well, let's pray as we look at God's word together.

Father God, we thank you for this letter of 1 Peter.

We thank you for the way in which it speaks to us in our lives today, individually and together as a church.

Father God, we thank you for the way in which it is.

And Father, our desire is that we would humbly submit to you our chief shepherd.

And that we would be those who listen carefully to your word.

That we may be built up and encouraged in the faith.

That we would know your grace at work in our lives as we seek to live for you.

So please help us now, we pray in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well, the Christian life could be summarised like this.

We walk through suffering as we wait for glory.

We walk through suffering as we wait for glory.

That's been the big message of 1 Peter.

If you stand up for Christian values,

if you speak up for Christian truth,

you will suffer.

People will ignore you.

You will be insulted.

And for some, they will be persecuted.

But if you entrust your life to Christ,

if you live for Christ,

you will receive glory.

You will share in an inheritance

that can never perish, spoil or fade.

Have a look at chapter 5, verse 1.

As the letter concludes,

we come back to this great theme.

So chapter 5, verse 1,

To the elders among you,

I, that's Peter,

I appeal as a fellow elder,

a witness of Christ's sufferings.

Not only did Peter see Christ suffer,

but now as a witness for Christ,

he also suffers.

In fact, history tells us

that within a few years

of writing this letter,

Peter was put to death

for being a follower of Christ.

But not only does he suffer,

look at the end of verse 1,

he is one who also will share

in the glory to be revealed.

He will participate

in that future glory.

Now, walking through suffering

and waiting for glory

is hard.

It's not easy.

We know that the journey is tough.

So how do people like you and I

keep on going through the suffering

as we wait for glory?

Well, we need God's grace

to sustain us and keep us.

Look at 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.

God's grace is his kindness,

his goodness,

and his generosity,

which is poured out into your life

and on your life

in abundance,

overflowing to us

each and every day

to keep you

and sustain you.

So,

we could summarize it

like this.

This is where we're going

this morning

in our talk.

As we walk

through suffering,

God's grace will keep you

as we wait for glory.

As we walk through suffering,

God's grace will keep you

as we wait for glory.

God's grace is demonstrated

in a variety of ways.

We're going to look at three

this morning.

So,

God's grace

is shown

first

in the provision

of God's watchful shepherds.

So,

verse 1,

chapter 5,

verse 1.

To the elders among you.

So,

he's writing to the church

and he's addressing

specifically,

he says,

to the elders

among you.

Verse 2,

be shepherds

of God's flock

that is under your care,

serving

as overseers

or watching over

those under your care.

So,

God in his grace

provides elders

to care for the church

as we walk through suffering

and wait for glory.

First,

elders care for the church.

The elders of the church

are,

as we see in verse 2,

the shepherds

of the flock.

It's a wonderful picture,

that image,

of God's

caring provision.

Because

sheep without shepherds

get into all kinds of trouble.

And sheep

that separate themselves

from the shepherds

who live without

that caring protection

are in real danger.

So,

look forward

at verse 8.

He tells us there,

be self-controlled

and alert

because your enemy,

the devil,

prowls around

like a roaring lion

looking for

sheep

to devour.

Now,

we're going to come back

to this later.

But for now,

we must see

that elders

are God's shepherds,

God's gracious

provision

to care for

and watch over

his people

because we've got

an enemy

who is ready

to devour.

That's why

we have elders

in this church.

The elders

in this church

are Ralph,

Jonathan,

Alex,

and myself.

We are

your shepherds.

You have

been entrusted

by God

under

our care.

Look at verse 2.

Be shepherds

of God's flock

that is

under

your care.

Verse 3.

Not lording it

over those

entrusted

to you.

God in his

goodness

calls his sheep,

that is,

the people

who love Christ

and follow Christ

his church

to live

under

the care

of his shepherds

and entrust

themselves

to

the shepherds.

And this

watching over

of the flock

is God's

provision

for you.

It's a gift

to you

and it must

be taken

seriously.

So let me

address

the elders

because that

is what it

does here

in verse 2.

So elders,

be shepherds.

Jonathan,

I know he's not here,

he's in creche,

but he must

take care

out of a deep

love

for the people.

Look at the

end of verse 2.

Not because

you must,

but because

you are willing

as God

wants you to be.

Always

ready

and willing.

Never with a

sense of duty

or resentment

because God

has placed

the welfare

of the sheep

under

our care.

Look at the

rest of verse 2.

Not greedy

for money,

but eager

to serve.

As elders,

and particularly

myself,

and I speak

to myself,

as I am

supported

by the church,

my goal is

not to be

financial gain.

my calling

is not to

go around

demanding

more money,

but to

lovingly

provide for

the spiritual

needs of

the people.

I am to

nurture you.

That is my

calling,

to feed you,

to nurture

you,

by speaking

God's word

freely to

you,

to help

you in

your times

of suffering.

or verse 3.

Not lording it

over those

entrusted to

you,

but being

examples

to the

flock.

So Alex,

your role

is not to

crush

or suppress

with an

attitude of

superiority.

Instead,

together we

are to be

role models,

setting an

example of

sacrificial

service,

because God

has entrusted

the sheep

under

your care.

This is what

God expects

of his

shepherds,

and anything

less should

not be

tolerated,

and the

church is to

hold us

accountable

to this

high

calling.

Of course,

serving as

elders is

costly.

It takes

up time

and energy

and effort,

but the

rewards

are amazing.

So,

verse 4,

Ralph,

Jonathan,

Alex,

those who

are elders,

look at

verse 4,

and when

the chief

shepherd

appears,

you will

receive the

crown of

glory that

will never

fade away.

So,

you see,

God

graciously

provides

elders to

care for

the church

as we

walk through

suffering and

as we

wait for

glory.

So,

the elders

care,

and second,

the church

submits.

Look at

verse 5.

Young men

in the

same way

be submissive

to those

who are

older.

Now,

the word

for older

is the

exact same

word for

elder

in verse

1.

So,

the young

men

are to

submit to

the elders.

And you

think,

well,

why is he

picking on

the young

men?

Why do

they have

to submit?

Well,

it seems

that in

the context

here,

the whole

church

is called

to submit

to the

elders,

especially

the young

men,

those who

are young

in the

faith.

Why?

Well,

because young

men might

be tempted

to go it

alone.

You see,

nothing has

really changed

from the

first century

to 2016.

No one

likes to

submit to

authority.

No one

likes to

take

direction

or accept

advice,

especially

young men

who always

think that

they know

best.

So,

let me

speak

specifically

to the

young

men.

Elders

are not

placed over

you to

make life

difficult

for you.

God

has entrusted

you into

their care

for your

good.

That's

why we

as elders

meet together

we pray

for the

church.

We

think

through

issues.

We

talk

about

the

situations

that

you

may

be

in

and

how

best

we

can

support

you

and

care

for you.

Now,

of course,

the problem

is elders

can abuse

their

authority

and the

church

can ignore

authority.

So,

look at the

rest of

verse 5.

all of

you,

all of

you,

elders

and the

church,

clothe

yourselves

with

humility

towards

one

another

because

God

opposes

the

proud

but

gives

grace

to the

humble.

So,

elders

should

humbly

serve

the

church

and the

church

should

humbly

submit.

And if

we find

that

difficult,

well,

look at

the end

of verse

5.

God

will

give

you

grace.

He

will

help

you

to

work

that

one

through.

So,

as the

elders

care for

you

and

watch

over

you,

if

the

elders

should

ever

challenge

you

over

a

certain

behaviour,

if

they

should

advise

a

certain

direction,

if

they

should

ask

you

to

consider

serving

in a

certain

way,

it's

not

to

cause

you

harm

or

difficulty,

but

it's

for

your

good.

The

shepherds

are there

given

by God

to

provide

the

best

for

you.

So,

God

graciously

provides

elders

to

care

for

the

church

as

we

walk

through

suffering

and

as

we

wait

for

glory.

So,

that's

the

first

gift

of

grace

that

God

gives

to

his

church.

Here's

the

second

one.

The

power

of

God's

mighty

hand.

Verse

6.

Humble

yourselves,

therefore,

under

God's

mighty

hand,

that

he

may

lift

you

up

in

due

time.

God

in

his

grace

powerfully

works

by

or

through

his

mighty

hand

as

we

walk

through

suffering

and

wait

for

glory.

He

has

power

over

your

suffering.

In

the

Old

Testament,

we

read the

story of

God's

people

who

were

in

slavery

in

Egypt.

You

remember

that

story in

Exodus?

They

were

suffering

under

the

brutal

regime

of

Pharaoh.

But

listen

to

what

God

said

he

would

do

for

his

people.

Here

it is.

It's

on the

screen.

You

can

follow

along.

Then

the

Lord

said

to

Moses,

now

you

will

see

what

I

will

do

to

Pharaoh.

Because

of

my

mighty

hand,

he

will

let

them

go.

Because

of

my

mighty

hand,

he

will

drive

them

out

of

his

country.

And

when

God

rescued

the

people,

this

is

what

Moses

said

later

on.

Moses

said

to

the

people,

commemorate

this

day,

the

day

you

came

out

of

Egypt,

out

of

the

land

of

slavery,

because

the

Lord

brought

you

out

of

it

with

a

mighty

hand.

It's

a

description

of

God's

awesome

power,

his

rescuing

power.

Now

just

as

God

rescued

his

people

out

of

slavery

and

brought

them

through

into

the

promised

land,

so

God

is

going

to

bring

you

through

your

suffering

and

into

glory,

the

ultimate

promised

land,

by

his

strong

and

mighty

hand.

But

as we

wait

for

glory,

verse

6,

we

must

humble

ourselves

under

God's

mighty

hand.

That

is,

we

are to

submit

ourselves,

humbly

accept

the

struggles

and the

sufferings

we go

through.

You

see,

the

sufferings

that we

experience

in life

are not

out

of

God's

control.

They

are

under

his

control.

By

his

mighty

hand,

by his

strong

arm,

God

uses

the

struggles

to

strengthen

us,

to

grow

us,

and

refine

us

as we

wait

for

glory.

As we

journey

through

life,

the

sufferings

are not

always

removed

from

us,

rather,

we are

refined

by them

as God

works

in them.

So this

means we

do not

need to

run

from our

struggles,

but we

can embrace

them in

the knowledge

that God

by his

mighty

hand,

look at

the end

of verse

6,

will

lift

you

up

in

due

time.

So,

verse

7,

cast

all

your

anxiety

on

him

because

he

cares

for

you.

When

we

suffer

and

when

we

struggle

in

life

as

a

Christian,

we

can

sometimes

feel

like

God

has

left

us

or

abandoned

us.

We

can

think

that

God

is not

powerful,

that

he's

not

able

to

change

our

circumstances.

But

remember

this,

the

God

who

rescued

God's

people

from

slavery

in

Egypt,

the

God

who

parted

the

sea

so

that

the

people

could

walk

through

into

the

promised

land,

this

God,

this

mighty

God

will

also

rescue

you.

Therefore,

cast

all

your

anxiety

on

him.

Throw

yourselves

into

the

care

of

God.

Entrust

yourself

to

our

faithful

saving

God.

Because

there is

no

safer

place

to be

than

to

humbly

be under

God's

mighty

hands.

God's

love

to

God's

love

to

him.

He

has

power

over

suffering,

but he also has power

over

Satan.

Verse

8,

be

self-controlled

and

alert,

so have

your wits

about you.

Why?

Your

enemy,

the

devil,

prowls

around like

a roaring

lion,

looking

for someone

to

devour.

The

devil,

or

Satan,

is not

an

imaginary

force.

He is a

real person

who stands

opposed to

God and

his people.

In fact,

behind every

insult,

and every

accusation,

and every

persecution of

God's people

stands

Satan.

He is

like a

roaring lion

who seeks

to get in

amongst the

flock,

amongst

his people.

His desire

and his

intention

is to

cause

followers

of Christ

to fall

away and

to turn

their backs

on God.

However,

while we

must not

underestimate

his schemes,

we must

not

overestimate

his power.

Satan

is an

enemy of

God and

his people,

but he

is a

defeated

enemy.

God's

mighty

hand

through the

cross and

the

resurrection

of Jesus

Christ

has

defeated

Satan.

Look back

at chapter

3,

verse 22.

Chapter

3,

verse 22.

Here he's

been talking

about the

death of

Jesus

and the

resurrection

of Jesus

and look

what happens

after the

resurrection

of Jesus,

verse 22.

He has

gone,

that is

Jesus,

has gone

into

heaven

and is

at God's

right hand

with angels,

authorities

and powers

in submission

to him.

To sit

at God's

right hand

is to

be in

the

position

of

absolute

power

and

supreme

authority

where

every

power,

every

ruler,

every

government,

every

nation

sits

in

submission

to

God.

Including

Satan,

all the

authorities

and powers

are in

submission

to Christ,

the risen

ruler.

that means

that

Satan

can only

go as

far

as God

allows.

Satan

does not

have a

free reign

in this

world.

He can

only do

and go

as God

allows

and permits.

He is

under

the

sovereign

control

of God.

He is

a roaring

prowling

lion

but he

is a

lion

on a

leash.

Satan

is

under

God's

mighty

hand.

So,

verse 9,

resist

him.

I don't

know if

you've

ever tried

to resist

a roaring

lion.

I don't

think you'd

come off

very good

one-on-one.

So,

how can

we resist

the roaring

lion like

Satan?

We can

only resist

him because

he has

been

defeated.

And we

resist him,

verse 9,

by standing

firm in

the faith.

So,

we stand

against

Satan by

reminding

ourselves of

the faith in

which we

stand.

That is the

truth of

the gospel,

the good

news of

what God

has done

for us.

You see,

it will be

your experience

if you are

a Christian

that Satan

will tempt

you.

God is

not good.

If

he's

good,

then he

wouldn't

let you

suffer the

way that

you do.

What's

the point

in being

a Christian?

All you

do is

struggle and

suffer.

Life is

going to be

much easier

if you

just keep

quiet and

turn away

from God.

Only

sinful

Christians

suffer.

You

don't

have

enough

faith.

These

are the

temptations,

the voices

that we

deal with.

Well,

don't listen

to his

lies.

Resist

him.

Stand

strong

in the

faith.

Remind

yourself that

suffering,

the struggles

we go

through,

is normal.

Look at

the rest

of verse

9.

Resist

him standing

firm in

the faith

because you

know that

your brothers

and sisters

throughout the

world are

undergoing the

same kind

of sufferings.

This is

normal for

the Christian

to struggle.

And remind

yourself that

God's mighty

hand has

defeated Satan

and that he

is now in

submission to

God.

You belong

to him.

God is

with you.

So God

in his

grace is

powerfully at

work through

his mighty

hand as

we walk

through suffering

and wait

for glory.

So by

his grace

he provides

watchful

shepherds.

His mighty

hand is at

work within

us.

And then

his third

gift of

grace is

the promise

of God's

eternal

glory.

Look at

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.

So God

in his

grace

promises

us that

he will

keep

his

people

as we

walk

through

suffering

and wait

for glory.

We need

to keep

perspective.

We need

perspective as

we journey

through this

life as

Christians.

Look at the

contrast in

verse 10.

Did you

pick it

up?

The God

who has

called us

verse 10

to his

eternal

glory in

Christ.

So we

have an

inheritance

that is

never going

to perish,

never going

to spoil,

never going

to fade.

It is

eternal.

In

contrast to

our eternal

glory, look

at verse 10.

we suffer

for how

long?

A little

while.

Glory is

eternal,

suffering

is temporary.

glory.

If you

look on

the walls

here, these

white panels

that go all

the way

around, you

might not

actually be

able to see

it.

So this

is a good

illustration,

but there's

a dot,

there's just

hundreds and

hundreds of

dots in

each little

panel, little

holes.

If you

just take

one dot

up in the

top corner

and just

imagine that

that's your

life.

It

represents all

the struggles

and all

the sufferings

you go

through, or

maybe what's

easier, think

of the

blocks that

are around

here.

Just pick

one block

that you

can see.

That represents

all your

sufferings, all

your struggles.

That is your

life contained

in that

block.

Now look

at all the

rest of the

concrete blocks

that are all

the way

around.

That is a

picture of

your eternal

glory.

glory.

The painful

trials we

go through

are just

for a little

while.

It's momentary.

It's just a

dot.

It's just a

block.

Glory will

go on

forever and

forever and

forever.

So keep

your

perspective.

And remember

that victory

is assured.

This is not

wishful thinking.

the glory

that to

come is

not just

kind of

some

dream.

It is

absolutely

guaranteed

and assured.

Let's read

verse 10

again.

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.

There's

like four

great

reinforced

concrete

pillars that

support a

house that

doesn't fall.

So God

puts these

four

reinforced,

rock solid,

unmoving,

unshakable

truths into

our lives.

Look at the

end of verse

10.

He will

restore you.

He will

put this

world to

rights.

He will

correct every

injustice.

Everything

that has

gone wrong

is going

to be made

right and

good again.

He will

restore you.

He will

make you

strong.

Every

struggle that

you go

through,

He will

make you

strong in

that struggle.

He will

make you

firm.

Every

difficulty

that you

endure,

He will

make you

firm.

He will

make you

steadfast.

For you

want to

give up

and you

feel you

can't keep

going,

He will

make you

steadfast.

Four truths

that are

strong enough

to face

every storm,

every trial

and every

struggle.

God's

grace is

sufficient.

The God

of all

grace will

make you

strong to

the end.

So whatever

you face

in life,

none,

no one

and nothing,

not even

the sufferings

we go

through,

not even

Satan

himself,

will keep

you from

glory.

The God

of all

grace will

sustain you

and keep

you.

God's

grace will

keep you

as we

wait for

glory.

Living as

a Christian

in this

world is

tough,

it is

hard,

but God

in his

grace provides

us with

shepherds

to care for

his church,

to watch

over you,

to speak

truth into

your life.

God is

powerfully

at work

by his

mighty,

strong hand

over our

suffering,

over Satan.

And he

promises us