1 Peter 5:1-4

¹To 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: ²Be 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; ³not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. ⁴And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

Nothing to Eat

There was a fictional story of a poor family. They lived next to a wealthy household, and they can hear the loud music and shouts of New Year celebration from the other side of the wall. The poor family had nothing to eat during New Year celebration, so they prayed that God may drop food on their table.

Meanwhile, the loud celebration of their wealthy neighbor had turned sour; they threw food at each other. One person took a whole piece of baked turkey and threw it at another person, but it was so strong that the turkey dropped on the table of the poor family at the other side of the wall. As the surprised poor family thanked the Lord for the blessing, more food kept dropping before them.

Speaking of New Year, what do you expect personally? Do you hope for experiences better than last year? Do you expect more blessings this year?

The Lord wants you also to receive much blessing. Do you believe that? Can you believe that you can receive blessings proportionate to your faith in the Lord?

You’ve heard it before and you will hear it again that the commands of God are his means to distribute blessings without partiality. Blessings don’t depend on our status as Christians. Ordinary Christians or church leaders, everyone has fair share of receiving blessings from God. If we want his blessings, we must obey the Lord.

Moses had clearly declared it to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 28:2-3: ²All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: ³You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

Can you strongly accept that blessings are included in the instructions of the Lord? The Lord in the Old Testament who blessed the obedient Israelites is the same Lord who was born in human Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Christ had declared that we are blessed when we hear his words and obey it. He said it in Luke 11:28, ²⁸Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.

Many individuals are confused that obedience to the Lord deprived them of material abundance. Material abundance is commonly considered as blessing to them. Yet, many people with material abundance still feel miserable in their life. No satisfaction. They threw away foods. Meaning, material abundance is not the entirety of blessing. If you enjoy your wealth, that is blessing from God.

Personally, how do you interpret it when it declares in Ecclesiastes 5:19:  ¹⁹When God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.

It is best to seek the Lord’s favor, and when he gives you wealth and other possessions, enjoy it. How do we get favor from God? Ask for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, why? He knows the ways of God; he reveals the will of God. It was written in Romans 8:26-27, ²⁶The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

What do we pray for? Easy life? Most often, we pray for convenience.

Sometimes, we don’t want others to know what we’re praying for. If God deems it as essential to our testimony as believers of Christ, he grants what we pray for.

To know what we ought to pray for, we need inspiration of the Holy Spirit. If you’re very sure that God grants your prayer, you’ll be eager to pray, for sure.

1.  Eager

¹To 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: ²Be 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; 

Apostle Peter addressed a possible problem about leadership in the church, specifically the elders. He appealed as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s suffering. Intentionally, he mentioned that. Why? Did Peter imply about possible suffering of elders? Shepherd of God’s flock is a responsibility for church elders. Watching for the welfare of the congregation requires extra hours of their service.

Eagerness to serve is vital attitude for elder. The term “eagerness” includes cheerfulness and readiness which may suggest inspiration from the Holy Spirit. There’s enthusiasm to serve; there’s no reluctance, not conditional. Enthusiastic attitude is the kind of service that could expect a share in the glory to be revealed.

Normally, if glorious reward on any task is guaranteed, there’s eagerness and enthusiasm to serve the Lord. By faith, we serve the Lord, and we believe that he rewards us, when we get involved in the ministry. And, when we obey the Lord sincerely, honestly and eagerly, those attitudes testify to his grace and love.

When Apostle Peter mentioned himself as a witness of Christ’s suffering who also will share in the glory to be revealed, he indirectly included in his appeal to all believers. When we witness and testify for Christ, we will share in his glory. And we use our spiritual gift to serve the Lord sincerely, honestly and eagerly.

You and I are gifted. It teaches us in Romans 12:6-8, ⁶We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

How do you know your Spiritual gift? A Bible character you can relate with may help you identify your gift. If you sense the need to plant a church like Apostle Paul, you may be called a missionary. If the leadership of King David had impressed you, pray for godly wisdom; God may have called you to lead.

If you were to choose just one particular Biblical character that you like the most, who would that be? Most believers will say Jesus Christ. If Jesus Christ is your model for godly lifestyle, obey him even if it means, giving up materialism.

It says in Hebrews 13:5-8, ⁵Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” ⁶So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” ⁷Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

            Regularly pray also for our church leaders, so that everyone may find them worthy to imitate in their dedication, devotion, diligence and eagerness to serve. Our church leaders are prone to attack from the enemy, but by the grace of God we pray that they become great examples to everyone who attends this church.

2.  Exemplary

³not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 

Church leaders who serve the Lord with eagerness and cheerfulness are great examples on how the grace of God is at work in the believer’s life. Possibly in the first century Christianity, church leaders were chosen based on their social status. Perhaps, they chose leaders who were prominent figures in the society.

Apostle Peter appealed to elders not to lord over those entrusted to them.

Maybe, some of the first century elders, if not most of them, were wealthy people who have servants and/or business owners who have employees or managers. Even in our generation, prominent personalities are normally elected to leadership.

It’s common to be elected as leaders but for church leaders, to be example to the flock is biblical. Be prayerful when electing leaders. May God bless church leaders to exemplify godly character and not cause confusion in the congregation!

Someone suggested: “If you made someone angry, you control them, their emotion, and you become their master.” Somehow, people are following you.

Social Media

Whenever you update your social media, followers or subscribers respond. If you have followers or subscribers in your social media accounts, you become their master, and you lord over them somehow. As Christians, it is imperative for us to be watchful of our activity even in social media. There are things that we may do that should be kept privately and be exemplary publicly.

Have you ever wondered if Apostle Paul, Apostle Peter, and the brothers of Jesus got married? Why was it that the Bible did not specifically mention about their marriage or family affairs? Personally, how do you interpret it, when Apostle Paul had rhetorically explained about his right as apostle in 1 Corinthians 9:3-4? ³This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. ⁴Don’t we have the right to food and drink? ⁵Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?

Do you interpret that, as if, Apostle Paul was saying, “The half-brothers of Jesus our Lord, Cephas and I, each of us have wife with us. We also need food and drink like everyone else.” Indirectly, Paul was saying, “I am married, the Lord’s brothers are married; Cephas or Peter is married. We also eat; we also drink.”

Apostle Paul did not specify everything except for their right to food and drink and to tag along with them a believing wife. Exclusively private matters should not be publicly exposed nor obviously told. Apostle Paul exemplified a reserved behavior on matters that are not essential to our testimony.

We have to be careful of our testimony if we hope for eternal rewards.

3.  Eternal

⁴And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

Jesus Christ is the Chief Shepherd. He is coming again soon; every leader is rewarded with the crown of glory. Listen! Don’t say, “I am not a leader; don’t say, “I am not a church elder!” Apostle Peter may have specified his appeal to elders. But, did you know that all disciples are called to lead others to the Lord?

The Chief Shepherd had instructed in Matthew 28:19-20, ¹⁹Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

This great commission of the Lord is where we derived our church slogan. What is our slogan as members of The Maples Evangelical Church? Did you know?

“A member has a disciple!” Can you repeat that? “A member has a disciple!”

So, if you are registered as member of this church, your goal is to disciple someone else. If you disciple someone, you lead that someone to Christ, and that makes you a leader. As a concerned leader, you watch over those you lead and become example to them. If you are an example to those you disciple and lead to the Lord, then, won’t you be qualified to receive the eternal crown of glory?

It did not mention that the eternal crown of glory that never fades away is exclusively given to elders only. Is it proper to interpret that the eternal crown of glory is rewarded to disciples who shepherd others and be exemplary of them?

Documentary

There is online video of a person who had Goat Farm. Is it “Goat herding?” He started with few heads of goats. He attended seminars on taking care of goats. He did all by himself everything about “Goat Farming.” When his flock increased, he hired helpers; he taught them and demonstrated how he takes care of goats.

Our behavior as Christians is best example to demonstrate to disciples. It says in 1 Timothy 5:17, ¹⁷The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

It seems like it, but this passage did not specify that “double honor” is only exclusive for elders who preach and teach. Elected to the office of elders or not, but if you lead others to believe in Christ and disciple them, teach them and be example to them, the Lord will decide if you are worthy of double honor.

When Christ returns, may all of us receive an eternal crown of glory! Amen.

Hallelujah!!!

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