Eldership & humility

1 Peter 5:1-7

Day-by-day, week-by-week many of you are under pressure because of your faith and commitment to Jesus Christ.

It may be that the pressure comes from an unsympathetic boss; or from non-Christian family members; or from friends; or from the government.

But when the tide of the world is against us, God fills our sails and carried us forward:

• 2:21-24 – looking back to the cross & the example of Jesus
• present privileges 2:9f
• 4:8-10 – being part of a loving, serving & hospitable church encourages us today & points us forward to the great banquet in heaven.
• 1:13 – hope of the return of Jesus

And now in ch 5 we see how, through a well-ordered and properly led church, God puts more wind in our sails and helps us to keep going.

In vv1-4 he speaks to the 'elders'.

Verse 5a is to 'young men'

And then in vv5b-7 he speaks to everyone.

First of all then, elders.

Now, if you're reaching for the 'off' button because you don't think you're an 'elder' please don't - stay switched on – this is important for us all!

First Q: What is an 'elder'?  Well the word is used in two ways in the Bible. 'Elder' may refer to an older person – male or female. We see this in v5, though it's not obvious in our translation: 'Young men, in the same way, be submissive to those who are older' The word translated 'those who are older' is 'elders' - the same word as in v1.

So 'elders' may simply mean those who are older.

But in other parts of the Bible, 'elder' refers to a man appointed to a formal position of authority. So Paul & Titus appointed 'elders' in every church. These may have been older men – they probably were – but what we know for sure is that they were men who met the criteria for church leaders, some of which Peter now sets out here.

So it seems as though in vv1-4 'elders' means church leaders. But, as I said, we all need to know what's expected of those called to leadership in God's church and why they do what they do.

Over the years, church leaders have developed a wonderfully complicated array of sometimes pompous titles for themselves – well, we all like a good job title, don't we?! So, in the protestant churches, we have bishops, elders, vicars, rectors, clergy, pastors, ministers, presbyters, deacons, curates, priests, deacons, archdeacons, precentors, deans etc. Many of these titles overlap – so, for example, people would call me all sorts of names(!) including clergyman, vicar, incumbent and priest. And as far as the C of E is concerned, all are correct, though few of them are helpful or accurate in describing what church leaders ought to be or do.

But in the bible, the titles do exactly that – they reflect the sort of people leaders should be or what they should do. So, in v2, elders are to 'be shepherds'... 'serving as overseers'. Or we could translate it, elders are to be pastors... serving as bishops. But the words 'pastor' & 'bishop' don't really tell us anything whereas 'shepherds' & 'overseers' are much more descriptive:

Church leaders should 'shepherd God's flock that is under their care' and the shepherd had two key jobs – to feed his masters sheep and to protect his master's sheep.

So the elder in the church must feed God's people with the spiritual food of the word of God, the Bible. And he must protect God's people from false teaching. The shepherding image is not cuddling little fluffy lambs, but feeding them good food and protecting them from wolves and thieves who threaten to kill and to steal.

So when I was ordained, I was told to 'instruct the people committed to your charge, and to teach nothing but that which may be concluded and proved by Scripture' – i.e. to feed God's flock by preaching the word of God. And to, 'be ready with all faithful diligence, to banish & drive away all erroneous & strange doctrines contrary to God's word.' - i.e. to protet God's flock from those who would teach dangerous things.

This is important because we can only know God by knowing his word, the Bible. And it's only by knowing God himself that we can be the people God has called us to be. Being captured by 'erroneous & strange doctrines' will mean that you think you know God when in fact you've been fed a pack of lies about him and don't know him at all.

You need to know the truth about God. And the responsibility of elders is to ensure that you're taught the whole truth & nothing but the truth.

And elders must perform this ministry willingly, v2. They mustn't be forced or coerced into it. No one can teach people effectively if they don't want to do it. We've all suffered at the hands of school teachers who have lost their love of the job but can't do anything else, and that must never happen in God's church – his flock is too valuable to be fed and protected by someone who doesn't want the job. 

Likewise, no-one should be an elder because they're greedy for money. Of course, no-one becomes a C of E clergyman to get rich, but that's not really the point here. The point is that the elder shouldn't be looking for easy money but should be “eager to serve”, v2.

Some years ago I asked a fellow vicar if he was busy, 'Oh no', he replied, 'there's plenty of time for horse-riding.' He wasn't eager to serve, but eager to go hunting.

And so, v3, elders are called to serve God's flock and not lord it over them because God's flock is entrusted to them.St Peter's is not my church it's God's church – you are his sheep. I am simply one of the elders appointed to care for the sheep who are entrusted to us.

Speaking personally, the idea that you are God's flock but under my care is a heavy responsibility, and one I feel very acutely. But fortunately – for you & me – it's not all down to me. Eldership is always plural – I serve alongside Cliff Nay & Richard Akehurst and others – and even more importantly, v4, Christ is our Chief Shepherd.

As if to counterbalance the weight of responsibility on the elders, Peter reminds them of the promised 'crown of glory that will never fade away' when the Chief Shepherd appears. Of course this isn't something special for elders – remember how Peter began the letter with the promise of a glorious inheritance for every true believer – but elders also need to be encouraged to keep going!

And now Peter turns his attention to the young men – or rather, the 'younger men' – all the men who are younger than those who are older – so that could mean every man here this morning because our oldest man is Albert, and he's unable to be here!

Younger men, in the same way – i.e. with eagerness and willingness, because you want to, not because you have to – be submissive to those who are older.

We've already looked at this issue of submissiveness and how it is based on the example of Jesus who submitted even when insulted, taunted, beaten and killed – and that he submitted without retaliation. Now hopefully, our seniors won't insult or beat us! But the point here is surely that even if younger men are provoked by their elders, they should never retaliate, but rather submit with good grace.

Too many churches are characterised by age-wars – the younger generations fighting against their elders, usually over the style of music. Thankfully we don't have these problems at St Peter's, but we mustn't take it for granted.

Indeed, says Peter, all of you are to clothe yourselves with humility towards one another because, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may life you up in due time.

Humility is the characteristic of Xy and of every Christian. In fact, if you're not humble, God opposes you, so humility before God is essential if you're to have any kind of relationship with God at all. Without humility, God opposes you.

So what is humility?

Humility is remembering who we are and who God is.

It's remembering what we are and what God is.

And it's acting appropriately in the light of this truth.

So, says Peter, 'Humble yourselves under God's mighty hand' Of course God doesn't have hands – or feet, for that matter – but to say that God has a mighty hand is to say that he has power and authority to create and to rule. So Psalm 89 says,

Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,

your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!

For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?

Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,

a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,

and awesome above all who are around him?

O Lord God of hosts,

who is mighty as you are, O Lord,

with your faithfulness all around you?

You rule the raging of the sea;

when its waves rise, you still them.

You crushed Rahab like a carcass;

you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.

The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours;

the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.

You have a mighty arm;

strong is your hand, high your right hand.

This is who God is and this is what God does.

To be humble is to acknowledge that we do not have this kind of power, authority, wisdom, faithfulness or righteousness. Humility acknowledges that 'no-one can be compared to the Lord' – least of all me! In fact humility goes further and says, 'Not only am I not as great as you, O Lord, in fact, I am a pathetic rebel. I've kicked you off your throne, and I try to be god of my own little world. And I even fail to do that properly.'

Humility says, 'O Lord, I know you made me, and I owe you everything. Please forgive me. I will serve only you for you alone are my God.'

But this is not just some kind of never-ending guilt trip as some accuse Christianity of inducing. For Peter goes on, 'Humble yourselves 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.'

The same mighty hand of God that bangs down the gavel of judgement, is also stretched out and nailed to the cross to bring us mercy, forgiveness & reconciliation.

These hands of God that hurled stars into space also picked up children and sat them on his knee.

The same mighty arms of God that stretch across the heavens, are opened wide to welcome us home as his children.

This same God who stands over all time and eternity, says to you this morning, 'When you're anxious, cast all your worries on me because I care for you.'

So humility isn't such a bad thing after all! The world may not value it, but God does, and when humility characterises a church family like ours, it's a beautiful thing.

In a community of pride & arrogance each individual is trying to elevate him or herself. In a community of humility, each person is elevated by everyone else.

And when we humble ourselves before God, even he lifts us up! What a great church we have. What a great God we have!