A Word on Church Conduct • 09.17.23
A Word on Church Conduct
1 Peter 5:1-5
Counsel for pastors and congregants on doing good in the last days
- Pastors, shepherd God’s flock with the right disposition
- Congregants, submit to your pastors
- Everyone, clothe yourselves with humility
What a wonderful morning of worship through singing and celebrating believers obeying the Lord in baptism! Welcome to our visitors. My name is Pastor Nick and I have the privilege of studying God’s Word with you. We’re in a series through 1 Peter called Elect Exiles: Living as Outsiders. Today we enter the final chapter of the letter – chapter 5.
Dismiss 4th+5th graders
Ushers + Bibles (1 Peter 5; page 1206)
If you were writing and sending a letter across the world to encourage a group of suffering Christians, what would you say in it? *pause* You’d probably write words of encouragement. Remind them of truths from God’s Word and character. Point them to the hope of eternity, right? These are all things that Peter has done so far in his letter…
Would you write to them about the character and conduct of godly church leadership and church members? I have to say that I do not know if I would think of addressing these topics, but Peter sure did! As he is finishing up his letter, he makes sure to give them counsel on how both their leaders and members ought to conduct themselves. If you stop and think about it, the possible reasons for this make a lot of sense:
- It’s important
- It directly impacts the health of the church and testimony of Christ
- In times of suffering, it will be easy to act/respond sinfully
- Your eyes are prone to wander from Christ and turn inward/selfish
- God intends to establish his church and the gates of hell will not stand against it
- We need healthy, God-glorifying churches!
- Which means we need healthy, God-glorifying church members and leaders
Today’s text picks right up where we left off last week, having spoken about judgment beginning with the household of God and the call to entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good… Let’s turn our attention to 1 Peter 5:1:
1 Peter 5:1 (ESV)
So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:
Peter turns his attention to the leadership of the churches. And for good reason, they are likely the ones who will face persecution and suffering first. It makes sense for the opponents of Christ to target the leadership first. This is what happened in the book of Acts when they drug the apostles before the authorities and councils. This still happens to this day. For example, let’s remember China’s treatment of Early Rain Covenant Church back in December 2018. We had a prayer night for this church and their leadership that month. Here’s what happened:
Pastor Wang was found guilty on charges of “incitement to subvert state power” and “operating an illegal business,” both are familiar charges for those running unregistered house churches and practicing outside of the sanctioned rules for religious groups in China. The Chengdu People’s Court sentenced Pastor Wang to nine years in jail. Several of his family members were placed under house arrest, and detained members of the church were later charged with lesser offenses. (Source: https://www.persecution.org/2022/02/04/pastor-wang-yi/)
As I was looking online at updates since 2019, the persecutions and harassment by the Chinese Communist Party continues to this day of both the leaders and members of the church. This is but one of many examples of such opposition faced by Christians around the world. And to be a leader in the church means that they must be ready to face the fiery trials that are coming.
Peter appeals to the leaders/elders in a way that indicates he is identifying with them. He is a fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ. He is also a partaker of the glory that is going to be revealed when Jesus returns. Peter is writing to them as one who understands their role and their hope. So, what does he say to them? Let’s keep reading.
1 Peter 5:2–5 (ESV)
2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
This is a relatively short passage that is packed with great counsel for churches. If a church listens and obeys this counsel, it will represent Christ well in the last days. One commentator pointed out that the churches of Asia Minor to whom Peter is writing became the cradle of Christian doctrine in the first four centuries of the church, hosting the great early councils of the Christian faith. It is not hard to believe that there is a connection between the churches heeding Peter’s counsel and its blessing by God to produce such good fruit. I don’t know about you, but I want to be faithful and watch God work through our church like that!
Let’s dig into the text as we consider…
Counsel for pastors and congregants on doing good in the last days
Beginning with the command to pastors in verses 2-3…
- Pastors, shepherd God’s flock with the right disposition
We’re going to break this down into two parts. First, the command to shepherd God’s flock. (Illustration) This command draws upon a repeated metaphor found in the Scriptures wherein Jesus is represented as the Chief Shepherd over the flock (sheep) of God. Jesus, the Chief Shepherd, has appointed church leaders (elders/pastors) as shepherds to watch over and care for the flock. Listen as Jesus identifies himself in this manner:
John 10:14–15 (ESV)
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
The church is ultimately Jesus’ flock. When Peter wrote this, it was likely that he was thinking of his own interaction with Jesus after Jesus’ resurrection. Listen to what Jesus said to Peter:
John 21:15–17 (ESV)
15 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, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him 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, “Tend my sheep.”
17 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 everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
Jesus was restoring Peter to the shepherding ministry after his 3-fold denial of Jesus before his crucifixion! Peter was an under-shepherd. We also see the Apostle Paul had this understanding of church leaders as shepherds. Listen to his words to the elders of the Ephesian church:
Acts 20:28 (ESV)
28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
You are hearing the testimony of the Scriptures that God has appointed men to lead the church as shepherds/pastors/overseers/elders. These are synonymous terms for the same role and calling. The men who are called and appointed to this role are responsible for caring for the flock – their flock, but ultimately God’s flock. This is a helpful reminder that pastors/elders are under-shepherds who ultimately care for God’s sheep/people. The best pastors are those who spend time with the flock and know them well. One of the beauties of this metaphor is that a shepherd is incredibly attentive to the wellbeing of his sheep. He is the one protecting them from predators, caring for them in times of need or distress, and making sure they are pastured in a healthy, safe place where they can thrive. What a beautiful picture of what church is supposed to be when a pastor and the members are operating biblically!
Peter gives another clarifying statement when he says, “shepherd the flock of God that is among you”. God’s design is for pastors to care for the specific flock that God has placed in their presence. This is a reminder of the importance of the local church. God’s plan for his people is to be saved from their sin into the bride of Christ, the church. And the church gathers locally as believers within a geographically delimited area come together to worship, hear the preaching of the Word, celebrate the ordinances (baptism and communion), practice the one-anothers, and do so under the guidance and care of God’s appointed shepherds.
How do you respond to this? Do you agree with God’s Word on the value of a shepherd for your soul? As we will soon unpack, you should look for a shepherd(s) who emulates the Chief Shepherd. But are you willing to submit yourself to such a shepherd? These are questions worth considering… *pause*
In order to follow God’s design for the church, we must gather with the church. Back in our study through Hebrews earlier this year, we heard this command:
Hebrews 10:24–25 (ESV)
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
In our day and age of livestreaming, prioritization of sports/entertainment, or just pure selfishness, so many professing Christians disobey God on this matter by forsaking the gathering of believers. Valuing comfort, ease, and convenience is not compatible with the message of 1 Peter to endure suffering for Christ as his people. I would be a poor pastor if I did not encourage you to prioritize regularly assembling with the saints and submitting to God’s plan for the church. (Caveat: I’m not speaking to those who are homebound.)
It is when we gather that we can bear one another’s burdens, pray for one another, love one another in tangible ways, cultivate peace with one another, confess our sins to one another, serve one another, speak truth to one another, and so on. The gathered church is able to practice the ordinances of believer’s baptism, as we did today, and communion, as we did two weeks ago. Are you willing to prioritize gathering with the church and submitting to God’s plan for the church?
God’s plan is for pastors to shepherd his flock that is among them… and they are called to do so… with the right disposition!
Disposition – a person’s inherent qualities of mind and character. (COED) prevailing tendency, mood, or inclination (MWCDEE)
Peter goes on in verses 2-3 to give some qualities that should define the way a pastor shepherds God’s flock. Let’s read it again.
1 Peter 5:2–3 (ESV)
2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
Pay attention! This is who you should expect to see leading you. The kind of men to whom you are willing to submit. Peter gives three qualifiers for how pastors ought to shepherd God’s flock. They are to be…
- Exercising oversight willingly
- As God would have you
- Not under compulsion
This speaks to a man’s attitude about the pastoral task. Is he resentful of his shepherding calling or is he ready and willing to pursue this calling God has given him? “Not under compulsion” means that he isn’t simply fulfilling the role as a duty… “If I don’t do it, who will?” That’s the wrong reason to be in this role! A pastor must desire the task. Paul addresses this in his writing to Timothy:
1 Timothy 3:1 (ESV)
The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.
“Aspires” – there is an internal desire that is driving the man to pursue this calling. Given the tremendous pressure that would have been on the churches of Asia Minor as they faced opposition and suffering, you can begin to see why their leaders needed to have the right motives. If a man is in the role for the wrong reasons, he will not stand firm in the face of trials. He will not lead the people well in obeying and glorifying God. God wants willing pastors to shepherd his flock.
He also wants those who are…
- Exercising oversight eagerly
- Not for shameful gain (out of greed)
An unfortunate repeated theme of Scripture is that false teachers coveted their position for the sake of the financial benefits they could get from it. There is a reason why Paul tells Timothy that anyone who desires the office of overseer must not be a lover of money! Greed is a powerful and sinful motivator for the human heart.
False shepherds who love money are alive and well in our day. Many of the so-called televangelists are repeatedly asking for your financial support and telling you to “sow a seed and reap a blessing” – meaning give to support their ministry and God will bless you. This is the tell-tale sign of a charlatan. A true shepherd is looking out for your soul, not after your finances. It ought to bring us to righteous anger to see men and women professing to serve God who own their own private jets and are known for their excessive and lavish lifestyles. These are not the marks of an authentic under-shepherd of Christ but a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Consider the rebuke that God had issued through the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel to the false shepherds of his day:
Ezekiel 34:1–6 (ESV)
The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep.
4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; 6 they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.
What a horrific recounting of the religious leaders of those days! God’s people were suffering under these selfish leaders. A true shepherd cares for the sheep! A true shepherd will not fatten their own life at the expense of the sheep. Beware false teachers and godless shepherds who would mislead you to their gain and your peril. Look for a man who is eager to shepherd and not motivated by greed.
The third qualifier for a godly shepherd is…
- Being examples to the flock
- Not domineering (lording) over those in your charge
A godly shepherd sets an example to follow; he is not an authoritarian issuing demands from on high. A good shepherd smells like the sheep because he has been among them and is showing them the way. Someone who is aloof and arrogant has no place in the pastorate.
Of course, we have the best example possible for this in Jesus. He is the one who came and walked among his people and laid down his life for them! He also taught the following to his disciples:
Mark 10:42–45 (ESV)
42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Peter had witnessed Jesus’ sacrificial example firsthand. He had benefited from Jesus’ forgiveness and commission into ministry. He had learned the hard way that the calling to shepherd God’s people was a calling to selfless, sacrificial service. And Peter embraced this calling for his own life and gave himself to it. And we are getting to witness it by studying this letter as he calls other pastors to do the same! *pause*
Did you notice the phrase “in your charge” in verse 3? The word literally means “in your lot or portion”. This could suggest the divine appointment of particular people to particular elders! That God has allotted specific people to specific shepherds for their care. How cool is that?! At least I thought it was a neat observation. I take the calling to shepherd the souls of our church members very seriously. Our pastor team believes that we will stand before King Jesus one day and give an account for how we’ve fulfilled our calling. And we want to be able to give a good account!
Why? Because Peter says in verse 4, “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive an unfading crown of glory.” There is an eternal reward at Jesus’ return! What a sweet blessing that God rewards the shepherds who have given their lives in sacrificial service to his flock. Having a reward isn’t necessary, but it is very much appreciated and valued and is a good motivator to endure as a pastor! This surely is why Peter references it here. He knows it will be tempting for pastors to grow discouraged or weary in the face of suffering, whether from within or without. But they must press on in service to the Lord!
Peter also gives a very important calling to the congregation in the first half of verse 5.
1 Peter 5:5a (ESV)
5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders.
By “the younger” Peter is speaking to those who are not in the position of elders/pastors in the church. It is not simply a comparison of age, but of position in the church. This is counsel to church members. Peter says…
- Congregants, submit to your pastors
The verb translated “be subject” is the same as we saw in 1 Peter 2:13 where he wrote about submitting to the governing authorities. It carries the same idea as we heard throughout the household codes in chapters 2-3. When we studied that, we explained the concept this way:
To “be subject” is the same as to be submissive or to be subordinate. It is recognizing that there is an ordered structure to relationships and willingly subjecting yourself to that order. A very clear example is in the military where everyone has a specific rank and those of lower ranks are subordinate to those of higher ranks. In this case, Peter is commanding these Christians to submit to others, as appropriate to their roles, as servants of God. Christians submit to earthly authorities out of reverence and submission to their heavenly authority.
Whenever and wherever possible, we are to be joyfully submissive to our authorities, so long as they are not asking us to contradict our ultimate authority, God. Because God is our ultimate authority, we must always obey him. There are times when earthly authorities overstep the limits of their rightful rule, and they ask us to do things that would be sinful in God’s sight. If this is the case, then we must respectfully say, “No, I cannot do this. I will obey God, not man.”
We are talking about submitting to godly pastors who are leading in a godly manner in the areas of oversight that God intended. This is not meant to give spiritual bullies authority over every area of your life.
The reality is, God has provided pastors as leaders in the church for the spiritual wellbeing of the flock. If a pastor is fulfilling God’s calling in a biblical manner, your default disposition should be to submit to his leadership. That is what pleases God. Again, I think of a command we heard loud and clear from our study of Hebrews earlier this year:
Hebrews 13:17 (ESV)
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
A day is coming when pastors will give an account to God for how they’ve led. That is a terrifying reality for people in my position. And what that means for you is that you should willingly and humbly submit to godly leadership, knowing that your pastors will give an account. You can either make their leadership a joy or a burden by the way you respond to them. Doing the latter is of no advantage to you. Don’t make it hard to be led. Don’t disdain or disregard those who are sincerely seeking to lead you in a way that pleases God.
Why would anyone want to make it harder on those trying to lead them? It is SUCH A JOY to do life with people who want to grow and change and please Jesus. It is SO DELIGHTFUL to reap the harvest of good fruit together. Yet it is so PAINFUL to try to lead someone who doesn’t want it. Who avoids your attempts to communicate or to meet for guidance or who speaks critically or harshly when you are trying to help them. Who stirs up division rather than being a peacemaker in the body. If this is hitting close to home for you, please confess your sins to the Lord and repent. Repent and return to worship of God by following his plan for the church. There’s grace for you in Christ!
Why would Peter mention this? How could this be important to newer churches in Asia Minor? The answer is plain – if pastors are ungodly in their leadership or members are ungodly in their response to pastors, then the church’s growth in maturity and overall testimony will be hindered. Rather than being a light on a hill for the gospel, they will be a worldly, carnal circus that is no different than those who do not believe in Christ. The fruit of such a church will be unrepentant, arrogant men and women who boast in their sin rather than humble worshippers of God who pursue holiness together. Again, I don’t know about you, but I want the good fruit, not the bad.
Before we transition to our final point, I want to use this as an opportunity to share about our Next Steps process again. This is the pathway to church membership at Harvest. I would highly encourage everyone who professes Christ to be pursuing membership at a biblical local church. If not ours, then somewhere else. But please do not be content to attend each week without committing to the body.
When I walk through a discussion of church membership in our class, this is part of our discussion:
Being a member is a commitment from the member that he/she will submit to the church’s leadership and a commitment from the church’s leadership that they will shepherd and pastor that believer (they share responsibility for one another). (Heb. 13:17) In effect, you are telling the Pastors “I’m no longer shopping. I’m now gladly under your care and am here to stay and serve.”
Church membership has many benefits! It will make the witness of our church clearer, it will make it harder for weaker sheep to stray from the fold while still calling themselves sheep, it will help shape and focus the discipleship of more mature Christians, and it will help church leaders know exactly for whom they are responsible. In all of this, God will be glorified.
Who are the Pastors you submit to and do those Pastors know you are under their care?
If you’ve never given careful thought to this matter and that question, please do so today! This mutual ministry of a pastor and church member is such a beautiful testimony to the power of Christ when it is functioning properly. Together we journey onwards towards maturity in the faith and the glory of eternity with God! And Peter tells us of one of the most useful character qualities that will be necessary for all of us to live this way. Let’s see it by finishing out verse 5.
1 Peter 5:5 (ESV)
…Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
For all of us, doing good in the last days means…
- Everyone, clothe yourselves with humility
Notice that this is a reflexive action. Meaning it is something you are responsible for doing for yourself. We cannot make one another be humble.
What is humility? To define it, why don’t we first define pride? After all, in order to clothe ourselves in humility, we first must put off pride.
I’m benefiting here from Pastor Stuart Scott from his article Pursue the Servant’s Mindset in the Journal of Biblical Counseling:
What’s the definition of pride? If we could sum it up, it’s the mindset of self, the pursuit of self-exaltation, a focus on the desire to control all things for self. In exalting himself, the person actually believes, “I am valuable and worthy. I am the source of anything good or wise or successful. I deserve the credit for whatever I achieve or acquire. I deserve love, admiration, and respect. All good things are from me, through me and to me. All honor and glory should go to me for my enjoyment and pleasure.
Do you hear that? “I, I, I, I, ME, ME, ME” Summary version: Sinful human beings putting themselves in God’s position and refusing to acknowledge their dependence on Him. Many of us wouldn’t admit to thinking or daring to speak this way, but it’s there. Hidden in our hearts. It shows up when you treat others poorly or as inconveniences who are getting in your way. It rears its ugly head when a wrench gets thrown into your plan for the day and you respond in sinful anger. It looks like basking in the praise of others when you do something well rather than giving the glory to God.
That’s pride – the complete anti-God state of mind. It takes what is rightfully God’s for self. There are many synonyms in the Bible for pride – vainglory, conceit, boasting, arrogance, scoffing… to name a few. Here’s one you might not expect – self-pity. Did you know self-pity is also pride? Let me explain why. Self-pity is the belief that I am worthy of something but I’m not getting it. It’s pride failing to get what it wants. “I deserve __________, but I’m not getting it!” That’s pride!
If that’s pride, then what is humility? Again, benefiting from Pastor Scott:
The terms used in Hebrew and Greek for this character of humility all refer to bowing low, crouching. Bowing low used to be a sign of oppression and affliction in the Old Testament, an attitude of mind of one who bends down. It’s an attitude of heart, the real you. It means to bring low, to yield, to give way to God’s way….
Humility is the pursuit to magnify Christ by bowing low in complete adoration and obedience. It’s the pursuit of magnifying Christ, not self, realizing that all goodness, honor, and glory comes from God and needs to go to God. It confesses that anything good, wise, or helpful comes from Him and is done by Him or through Him, and the goal is for Him. Such a mind is what Christ displayed when He was here. (Stuart Scott, Pursue the Servant’s Mindset)
Summary: Humility is having a right view of God and self that leads you to worship Him. It’s making much of him and less of me. To say, “God, your will and your way, not mine” and to say it with complete and utter joy! Humility comes from a heart that recognizes that God is worthy of worship, which means it’s not something you can produce on your own. You need God to work in and through you to become humble. Humility is something God produces in you as you pursue and submit to him! So “clothing yourself” with humility requires you to pursue and submit to God – this primarily happens as we study and submit to His Word. Are you a man or woman of the Word? Do you regularly study and submit to it?
Now, Peter said that we are to clothe ourselves with humility “toward one another!” Our humility must change the way we interact with fellow Christians! When we are magnifying Christ and seeking to serve him, not self, then our goals are aligned. Humility fosters unity and an environment where each of us puts the other first! That is the kind of church community that will endure trials and opposition from within and without. Whereas one that is characterized by pride will tear itself apart from the inside out!
Humility in a congregant allows a pastor to come alongside them to help them in times of need. It welcomes accountability and pastoral guidance rather than rebuffs it. Humility in a pastor facilitates a selfless sacrificial service for the sake of the flock. It enables the pastor to lay themselves down over and over again rather than getting angry when someone rebuffs their desire for help. Humility keeps them from responding sinfully in self-pity or arrogance – “Don’t they understand my calling!? How dare they!?”
Humility is worth pursuing. It is the kind of character that allows a church to be holy as God is holy and to be a light on the hill that reaches the community. I am thankful that we will have more time next week to study this topic of pride and humility. But I also want to point out that in two weeks we’ll be kicking off our next sermon series called Blessed are the Peacemakers. This will be a series that addresses the teachings on biblical communication and conflict resolution through the Scriptures. Talk about an opportunity to address pride and humility! This is probably one of the easiest avenues for these issues to show up. I want to encourage you to invite at least one person/family to church for this series. *pause*
Now, why should everyone clothe themselves with humility? Peter gave us the answer. Because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. So… if you want the Creator of Heaven and Earth against you, then, by all means, continue in your pride… But if you want his blessing, then learn the way of humility! This is equally applicable to both pastors and congregants. Everyone needs humility!
Remember earlier when I shared the observation that the churches in Asia Minor went on to become the cradle of Christian doctrine in the first four centuries of the church? That didn’t happen overnight. It happened as men and women obeyed God’s Word and applied it to their relationships within the church and community. As generation after generation passed on the importance and practice of humility towards one another. Can you imagine what God might do through our church if we did the same? I can see the city of Grimes becoming a hub for biblical counseling in the state of Iowa. I can see the next generation growing up with firm convictions in their faith and living as lights for Christ in their schools, their future marriages and workplaces. I can see godly men and women raised up and sent out to plant churches and accomplish the Great Commission. Can you imagine what God might do? *pause*
A church that functions the way Peter has laid out will produce good fruit. And that, I hope, is the kind of church you want to be.
Let’s pray.
Pray