Shepherding While Suffering

This year we have been studying the book of 1 Peter under the yearly theme of Hope for Everyday Life.

We have some incredible reminders to point us to the fact that even in the midst of suffering, trials, and even testing we need to keep our hope anchored to the gift of salvation that has been offered to us.

To this point we have discussed how the readers of this letter were living as aliens and strangers in a foreign land. They were looked down on because of their beliefs and their lack of willingness to buy into the religious customs of the communities where they were living.

However, we also have learned that there was no excuse for them to live in a constant state of mourning over their current position. They could not decide to respond poorly in the midst of their suffering.

In fact they had been instructed to live like Jesus who set the ultimate example for living in the midst of suffering. So this means that in the midst of suffering we are called to still seek to be a blessing to those around us. In the midst of suffering we are to not look at it through the perspective of what will tomorrow bring but rather how will the way we live in our suffering point others to the eternal hope we have in Christ.

Just last week we were reminded that we should expect there to be trials and as a result we should be prepared for them and for the ultimate truths they will reveal about where we place all of our trust.

One of the best parts of being a part of church family is having others who are able to walk through that suffering with you.

• I am so thankful for the testimony of so many in this church who in the midst of their suffering have been blessed by so many who are walking in that suffering with them while looking for ways to encourage them.

• Families who will talk about the ways the church family has come alongside of them as they mourn the loss of a loved one.

• Families who talk about the ways that in the midst of physical struggles the church has rallied around them to meet their physical needs.

• There is a real beauty that comes with that realization.

Well in the midst of suffering and trials and testing God also provides another level of support that leads to our passage today. The Pastor or Elder within the church has a special role to fulfill in the task of Shepherding While Suffering.

Would you take your Bibles and turn with me to 1 Peter 5? That is page _____ of the back section of the Bible located under the chair in front of you.

I want to draw your attention back to the passage we discussed last week to help us understand the passage we are reading today.

1 Peter 4:12-19

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. 14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; 16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? 19 Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

We just discussed the expectations of suffering being a part of the testing of our faith that we will experience as believers. And here at the end of the book we get some more specifics about the help we should be expecting as we go through suffering.

Let’s read 1 Peter 5:1-5, I like to take pauses to try to explain some the things we are reading a bit better.

Therefore,

• Stop, any time you see a Therefore you need to stop and see what it is there for.

• This is referring back to the passage of Scripture we were just reading.

• One commentator I was reading was believing that the tie to this section of Scriptures is back to the phrase in 4:17 that says

• “For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”

• There is a fiery trial that is coming to the church so be prepared for it.

• How?

I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed,

2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;

3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.

4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

With the time remaining let’s look for 3 Ways the Pastor Serves the Church through Suffering.

I. God has called Pastors to lead the church. (1)

• You may have noticed that this passage uses the term elders here to talk about the leaders within the church and you may be a bit confused because there is no official title of elder in our church.

• In the New Testament there 3 terms which are used interchangeably to describe the same office.

• Elder – which emphasizes the necessity of maturity among the church’s spiritual leadership.

• Bishop or overseer – which shows the need for the church’s spiritual leadership to have guard over the church

• Pastor – which shows the need for the church’s spiritual leadership to feed the church with the Word of God

• This demonstrates a level of humility on the part of Peter in this portion of the passage.

• He is saying that he relates with the church leader.

• He could have easily set himself apart by using the term of and Apostle to cast authority over what he was about to instruct the elders to do.

• Instead, he is saying that he is right there with them ready to face the same testing and trials that they are to then lead the church through.

Bearing witness to the sufferings of Jesus.

• Earlier in the book of 1 Peter we talked about the sufferings of Christ.

• 1 Peter 2:21-24, “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

• 1 Peter 4:1-2 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

• Luke 24:45-48, “Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 “You are witnesses of these things.”

• In the midst of your suffering there is no greater hope that can be given to you than the reminder of the hope that we have as a result of the suffering of Christ.

• The Pastor is to stand ready to point you to the Gospel in the midst of your needs.

• The Pastor is to first be reminding Himself of the glorious hope that is found as a result of the suffering Savior.

• Next the Pastor is to lead the church by reminding them of the coming glory of Jesus.

Keeping their focus on the coming glory of Jesus.

• So, in the midst of the fiery trial that is coming these elders are being called to keep their attention and the attention of the church on the coming glory of Jesus.

• This is referring to the second coming of Christ.

• Matthew 24:30-31, ““And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 “And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

• Matthew 25:31, ““But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.”

• 1 Peter 1:13, “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

• Are you thinking about the incredible joy that will be?

• Are you using the reminders of the coming of Christ as a motivation to endure the sufferings of this world?

• Are you longing to be with Jesus for eternity?

• It is one thing to say you believe in the teachings from Scripture that say that Christ will return again.

• It is another thing entirely to say that you are looking forward to that day.

II. God has called Pastors to lead like a Shepherd (2-4)

• The Bible returns often to the metaphor of a shepherd and sheep.

• We as people are referred to as sheep because sheep are so needy.

• o “It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep. The behavior of sheep and human beings is similar in many ways…. Sheep do not just take care of themselves as some might suppose. The require more than any other class of livestock, endless attention and meticulous care.” – W. Phillip Keller

• They exist mainly to eat and drink.

• However, they will not find their own source of food or drink.

• Sheep may eat plants that are poisonous to them

• Sheep may drink disease filled water.

• Sheep are not well equipped to protect themselves, in fact they just run when attacked.

• Sheep are not able to clean themselves so they could be prone to infection and disease. (Chris the Sheep)

• When they trimmed Chris the Sheep he ended up losing 88 pounds of wool. (Chris the sheep after)

• That is sure a lot like us is it not.

• Tempted to consume the wrong pleasures of life

• Content to drink deeply from the pools of filth on this world

• On our own unable to withstand the attacks of temptation

• Without understanding prone to let the dirt of the lusts of our flesh, lust of our eyes, and the pride of life lead to a binding infection of sin.

• To guide them to eat from the Word of God in a way that will lead them to flourish.

• To help them to drink deeply from the truths of God’s Word

• To point out the possible attacks and to even jump in and try to defend the sheep from those attacks

• To seek to purify them by the cleansing of the Word of God

• John 21:15-17, “So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.” He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep.

Not out of a sense of duty, but with genuine service. (2b)

• exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily,

• This warning to the Pastor is to be sure that they are not leading out of a sense of compulsion.

• What does this mean?

• It is possible that there could be shepherds within the church that do not wish to be in the position of the criticism, persecution, and accountability that comes with being a shepherd of a church.

• Remember the picture of the shepherd that the people in this agrarian society is that the shepherd is staying with his sheep.

• So when the bad weather comes he seeks the safety of the sheep over his own comfort.

• When the attack from a wild beast comes he defends the sheep in the midst of the attack.

• The shepherd is there in the midst of the attack and not running from the attack.

• No matter what names they are called

• No matter what the threats are that are made against them

• No matter how they could use their talents in another calling.

• The shepherd of the church must be willing to lead even in the uncomfortable situations with the passion of a volunteer.

Not to gain temporary possessions, but with eager passion. (2c)

• - This means that a true shepherd should not be in the ministry for the purpose of their own benefit.

• - Yes, they should be paid and taken care of by the church they are shepherding but they cannot seek to be in the ministry for the purpose of profiting off of the ministry.

• - Instead the shepherd is to lead with a passion for the Word of God, a love for the people of God, and heart that eagerly serves the Lord.

Not to control others, but to demonstrate proper living (3)

• nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge but proving to be examples to the flock.

• In the position of an elder it is easy to be consumed with your own pride.

• There is a potential for pride at the end of every sermon

• There is potential for pride after every successful decision made

• There is potential for pride at the participation in God’s plan to redeem a sinner within your community

• There is the potential for pride in your knowledge and mastery of the Scriptures

• There is a potential for pride in the carrying of another title.

• “Do not make them call you Doctor they already call you Pastor.” – Knute Larson

• “Pride is so natural to fallen man that it springs up in his heart like weeds in a watered garden or rushes by a flowing brook. It is an all-pervading sin, and smothers all things like dust in the roads or flour in the mill. Its every touch is evil as the breath of the cholera fiend, or the blast of the simoom. Pride is as hard to get rid of as charlock from the furrows or the American blight from the apple trees. If killed it revives, if buried it bursts the tomb. You may hunt down this fox and think you have destroyed it—and your very exultation is pride. None have more pride than those who dream that they have none. You may labor against vainglory till you conceive that you are humble, and the fond conceit of your humility will prove to be pride in full bloom.” - Charles Spurgeon,

• So, if he does not lead with pride he leads by being an example.

• Demonstrating hospitality

• Leading his family to follow Christ

• Suffering a way that glorifies God

• Finding his ultimate joys in the things of Lord and not of the world.

III. God has called Pastors to lead with eternity in focus (4-5)

Knowing the Chief Shepherd will return.

• The greatest reminder for the shepherd is the fact that there is a shepherd over them.

• I believe the term the Chief Shepherd is a beautiful description of the Lord.

• And it is a reminder to us that the shepherds of our churches are also sheep under the Chief Shepherd.

• James 3:1, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.”

Living to obtain an eternal crown.

• “`What keeps them (true Shepherds) going is not the love of money or the love of power. What keeps them going is that when the Chief Shepherd comes, he is going to call us to account and say, "Did you feed my sheep? Were you vigilant over the souls of my sheep? Did you seek my lost sheep? Did you guard the deposit of my truth? Did you stand watch against the wolves? Did you love my flock?"

• And when the Chief Shepherd comes, with him will come his everlasting reward: the unfading crown of glory. And that will be enough for the elder-shepherd.`” – John Piper

Pointing others to live in humility.

• - You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

• Now we turn our attention to those who sit under the leading of these shepherds we have described.

• Be humble to your leadership.

• “Smooth relations in the church can be preserved if the entire congregation adorns itself with humility. When believers recognize that they are creatures and sinners, they are less apt to be offended by others. Humility is the oil that allows relationships in the church to run smoothly and lovingly. Pride gets upset when another does not follow our own suggestions.” – (Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, vol. 37, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003), 238.

• James 4:6, “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”