The First Letter of Peter- 20

Subtitle: How Suffering Ties To Our Future Hope- Part 2

1 Peter 5:1-5.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on Sunday, April 19, 2026.

Peter has been pointing to suffering and how it leads to a witness to the world.  We are suffering with Christ before the world.  Yet, he also wants to connect our suffering to our future glory with Christ at his Second Coming.

Peter now gives some exhortations to people within the body of Christ with this in view.  These are more than commands on how to do church.  It is an exhortation to Christians about being faithful under difficult circumstances.

Let’s look at our passage.

An exhortation to elders (v. 1-4)

The exhortation Peter gives to elders is connected to some commands.  These are stronger than saying, “Let’s do this!”  It pictures a person summoning others to their side in order to receive important instructions.

In this case, we have important instructions for those who are elders within the Church of Jesus Christ, the people of God.  Elder is a word that essentially refers to one who is older.  However, in this case, Peter is talking about more than those who are older.  It is a reference to those who have spiritual maturity through years of walking with God.  If an 80-year-old person repents and becomes a believer in Jesus, they are not an elder within a church because they have no maturity with spiritual matters.

Peter is writing to a large area, so these men are particularly elders within the local group of Christians where they live.  They have been through trials and joys of life while remaining steadfast followers of Jesus.  For these men, that has also meant withstanding periods of intense persecution for following Christ.  Their spiritual maturity comes from winning spiritual battles and not from degrees at a Bible school or seminary. 

Peter does not address them as an overlord, their general, or as “the Pope.”  He exhorts them as a “fellow elder.”  This is important because Peter will challenge them to be humble, so he demonstrates that here.  Though he has had spiritual training directly under Jesus, he speaks to them as one of them.  He is even now showing an example to them of how to speak to believers within their local groups.  They will perform the same function of an elder as he but with a smaller scope.

Peter further describes himself as a “witness of the sufferings of Christ.”  This is not just his suffering on the cross, but also of what Jesus suffered in order to minister to Israel.  Yes, Jesus suffered and died on a cross, but he also suffered lack of sleep, lack of time alone, physical hardship through the demands of people on his time.  All this, he endured in order to minister to people.  Jesus also suffered slander, attacks, and arrest from those who did not like what he was doing.  Lastly, let us not forget that our Lord experienced betrayal from Judas and also from the religious leaders of Israel who should have been the first to embrace him and his ministry.

Peter knows what it looks like and what it takes to follow Jesus, to minister on behalf of God.  A witness not only sees something but also gives testimony to those with ears to hear.

Peter further describes himself as a partaker of the glory that will be revealed.  Partaker translates a word that describes the portion, or share, that believers have in Jesus.  This is both a portion in what Christ is doing now and a portion in what Christ will do at his Second Coming.

However, Peter has also “partaken” of a glimpse, a foretaste, of what that glorious coming of Christ will be like.  He saw the true glory of Christ shine through his mortal body on the Mount of Transfiguration.  More than this, Peter also saw the glory of Jesus in his resurrected, glorified body, later ascending into heaven before him and many others.  In the book of Revelation, the apostle John sees Jesus in his immortal body, but it is also shining with his greater glory.  Not everyone was given such powerful portions of witness to the glory of Christ.

All believers will one day see this glorious Jesus, and they will share in it through resurrection and glorification.  We will participate and partake fully in the glory of Jesus!

In verse two, we come to the first command.  Shepherd the flock of God among you.

The shepherd image for leaders is used throughout the Bible.  God with Israel is pictured as a shepherd with a flock in the wilderness.  God led them, but also used a delegate-shepherd, Moses.  Psalm 78:52 and following uses this language.  David uses it personally of himself in Psalm 23, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not lack!”

A shepherd watches over sheep in order to protect them from predators, protect them from themselves, whether wayward or injured, and they care for their physical needs such as food, water, and shelter.

God is our shepherd, and He has sent forth Jesus as the Good Shepherd to help the flock of God.  Jesus is still the Good Shepherd of the flock of God, but he also works through the spiritually mature, elders, in order to shepherd his people.  Mature Christians need to take this seriously and pray for the leading of Christ in helping young believers.

The flock of God, the people of God, do not belong to the elders of the Church.  Neither do they belong to any particular elder.  Notice that Peter presents himself as a fellow-elder.

Shepherd is not a term about ruling but about care.  It is about being the hand of God’s love in all its facets within the lives of His people.  Hebrews 13:17 does use the term “rule” for leaders but notice to whom it is speaking.  The spiritually immature need to respect the reality that God’s will is to use the spiritually mature believers around them in order to help them grow to maturity.  They are not God to us, but they are being used by Him.

Elders, shepherds, do not need a title or even an official position.  They don’t need payment in order to do what they are called to do.  I say this because the Greek word behind this term elder is where we get the English term, Presbyter.  Don’t say, “I’m not an official Presbyter of the church, so Peter isn’t talking to me.”  No, you must hear the Spirit speaking through Peter to the spiritually mature among us, “Shepherd the flock of God… [for His purposes and with His heart].”

Peter describes some of the things that flesh out what it means to shepherd God’s people.  They are to exercise oversight.  This is what Hebrews 13 was talking about.  Watching over and watching out for the souls of young Christians is a main responsibility for elders.  This idea of watching over is where we get the English words bishop and episcopal.  Again, this is not about having the title of a bishop (one who watches over).  He is talking about a function.  The elder does not watch over the younger for their own purposes, or for protecting the organization.  They do so for the sake of the young person’s spiritual growth.  Of course, this will help the group, but that is not the primary focus.

Peter then brings up the issue of serving voluntarily versus under compulsion.  Elders should not be forced to do this.  In fact, giving a person a title and a paycheck is one sure way to make sure something gets done.  However, we can overly lean on such types of compelling.  Of course, it is not wrong to provide materially for those who minister to us spiritually.  Yet, this should not be the thing that drives spiritual work.  Spirit work within the people of God needs to be driven by the Holy Spirit stirring up the heart of a shepherd within the spiritually mature.  This will help the Holy Spirit’s work within the heart of the young sheep of the flock.

Peter also adds the phrase, “according to God’s will.”  It is God’s will that we all voluntarily serve His purpose.  He desires those who trust His wisdom, His vision then to serve Him with joy.

Those who put their faith in Jesus are not compelled to do so.  We are all volunteers to join the ranks of those following the Good Shepherd.  Yet, amongst this great body of happy volunteers, God stirs up volunteers to watch over and help the spiritually young among us.

Peter then tells them that they should serve with eagerness and not for “sordid gain.”  Sordid is the idea of something that is base, vile, the opposite of something that is morally noble.  Thus, elders must be eager to serve the people of God, but their purpose for serving must not be for an immoral purpose.  If you want to serve because it gives you money, fame, power, and the respect of people around you, then you are not serving for the right reasons.  Repent of it.  Our eagerness must come from serving Jesus.  It must come from seeing his heart for our younger spiritual brothers and sisters.

In verse three, Peter challenges them to be examples to the flock and not “lording it over those allotted to your charge.”  We have witnessed in history how these words in the New Testament have turned into positions and titles in the Church.  Men with positions can easily fall into the trap of emphasizing their authority to the detriment of the example of Christ.  It is more important for an elder to be an example to others of how to live than it is for them to have authority over them.

Lording it over them comes from the instructions of Jesus in the Gospels (e.g., Matthew 20:25-28).  Jesus reminds us that the Gentiles love to lord their authority over those under them.  It is the picture of dominating and rubbing their noses in the fact that you are the one in charge.  Yet, Jesus says to them, “It shall not be so among you!” 

We should pause and meditate on that simple command.  This is not a prophecy that no one will ever do such a thing.  Rather, it is a challenge to those who would disobey the command.  Jesus feels quite strongly about this. 

He went on to challenge his followers.  Do you want to be great?  You should then become servant to your brothers and sisters.  Do you want to be number one?  You should then become a slave to your brothers and sisters.  Notice the progression.  A servant still has some areas of their life that are up to them.  However, a slave has no personal plan or purpose.  They exist solely for God’s purposes in the lives of others.

“Those who are allotted into your charge” refers to the sphere of influence in which you find yourself.  Most of them would simply be watching over a local gathering of believers.  Peter as an apostle had a calling for a much larger sphere.  He was an apostle to the Jewish people no matter where they were.  Just like parents who have children know that God has allotted this child into their care, their charge, so elders find themselves with a sphere of influence given by God.  It is not given by Him to stroke their ego.  It is given by Him to serve the flock of God.

Verse four says that elders who serve well will receive a crown when the Chief Shepherd appears.  Our work in the midst of suffering in this life will be rewarded.  The Chief Shepherd is Jesus.  His appearing is the Second Coming.  Those who have believed in him and served his purpose will be rewarded by him.  This crown of glory may indeed be a literal crown.  But if it is literal, it still symbolizes the glory of Christ in which we participate.  Christ will resurrect us into glorified, immortal bodies to serve at his side.  We shall accompany him in his train as he takes up the reins (and the reigns) of the earth.  Our glory is to be at his side when he takes possession of the earth, raising up righteousness and putting down wickedness.

Of course, this is not only a promise for elders.  This is for all who believe.  This mortal time calls for those who are further along to help those who are coming behind.  However, there will be no “elders” in our immortal state for we shall all be fully, spiritually mature.  We shall be like Jesus!

An exhortation to younger men (v. 5a)

Peter then moves to give a short exhortation to young men, i.e., the men who are not elders, the spiritually immature benefiting from the help of spiritual elders.  They are told to be subject to their elders.

I made this point when talking about wives being subject to their husbands.  The point here is to the spiritually immature.  They are to willingly make a choice to take their proper place under the spiritually mature in the group.  It is only proper that novices listen to and learn from those who are farther down this path of following Jesus.  It is only proper for a novice to humble themselves and recognize that they have much to learn and should not be too quick to criticize and try to correct the elders.  Yet, this is something that young men need to do for themselves.  It is not the job of elders to scour the lives of their charges looking for any seeds of rebellion, quashing it instantly with harsh measures.  Elders need to recognize that the spiritually immature will never grow until they get to a place where they can make that choice willingly.  They need to choose it because they see that it is the Lord’s will and that it is good for them.

There is a long history in this world of young men chaffing at the leadership and words of their elders.  This is true in the Church and outside of it.  There are times when the elders are right.  These young men rush headlong into paths and ideas that end up destroying them and those who follow them.

However, there is also a long history of elders who are entrenched in a position and system that they love to rule.  Their heart is in the wrong place.  This creates an impasse between entrenched elders and rebel-youngers.  A young person can point to Jesus facing the religious elders of his day and fancy themselves following in his footsteps.  However, remember that you will one day stand before this very same Jesus and give account for just how well you followed his commands.

What is the end of the matter?  Elders, you must not mimic such false elders.  You need to be like Jesus who laid his life down so that the spiritually immature disciples could follow him.  Yet, young men, you must not be too quick to paint yourself as Jesus standing against wicked leaders.  You must ask, “Is my Lord pleased with my attitude and actions?”

The proper place for these young men is not under the feet of the elders, but to willingly come under their spiritual experience and to learn.  It is not to fight them all the time.

An exhortation to all Christians (v. 5b)

Peter then quickly turns to all Christians, “all of you…”  It is clear that the following command is the natural point that would be made to the younger men.  They are to choose to take their proper place under their elders and “clothe [themselves] with humility…”  Yet, Peter expands this to include the elders and the rest of the church, “all of you.”

This is important.  It is easy for elders to tell young people to humble themselves in an inadequate way.  This is when elders have an attitude that they no longer need to be humble themselves, as if humility is only for those in the “lower position.”  We could use this same criticism in the relationships between husbands and wives.

Yes, young men need to clothe themselves in humility, but so do elders.  In fact, all of God’s people need to be clothed in humility.  Why the imagery of clothing?

We wear clothing suitable for the task at hand.  One who gets up in the morning does not wear their bed clothes to go to the market or to work in the garden.  In this case, we are not talking about literal clothing.  We are talking about an attitude of heart and of the mind.

This is a purposeful action of every believer and not about any particular time of the day.  All believers regardless of age, spiritual maturity, class distinction, or sex need to consciously put on humility in their dealings with one another.

Elders cannot remind young men to be humble without first demonstrating what humility looks like.  Leaders cannot remind those who are not leaders to be humble without being humble with them.

We are not “doing church” for our purposes and our desires.  This all for Jesus.  If we do it improperly, we will give an account to him.  Thus, there should be no place in the Church for pride and ego.

Peter then quotes Proverbs 3:34, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Do we really believe that God is against the proud but gives grace to the humble?  Grace is the favor of God that can come to us in many different ways.  We can speak of it in general, but the verse is pointing to all the specific ways that God gives grace to the humble.  It is not the same specific grace for each humble person, but it is the grace given to them by God.

When a person is suffering or being persecuted, it always feels like proof that we are not favored by God.  However, we should always remember the suffering of our Lord and the fact that he was the Most Favored One of the Father!  You might quip that Jesus is different.  Of course, he is more than a man and different than you and me.  However, he was setting an example of humility in the face of suffering, faithfulness to God’s will in the face of hatred.  If you do not follow the example of Jesus because you think it was different for him, then you are not listening to what the Holy Spirit is trying to say to you throughout the New Testament.  Everywhere, Jesus is our example, our pattern, our trailblazer.  We are to pick up our cross and follow him.  Believe me, clothing yourself in humility is not the worst cross that you will have to die on, but it is a big one for us.

Do you want God’s favor, His grace?  Trust His Word and humble yourself.  It is interesting how humble circumstances and being treated lowly can stir up non-humble attitudes.  The flesh wants to respond in all of the wrong ways.  The challenge is put before us.  We must be humble if we do not want the Lord to be against us.

We have a whole generation of people who are chafing at this world and how it is run.  Of course, they are not wrong.  Things are messed up in every nation, including this republic, the United States of America.  However, if we respond with a heart of rage, destruction, pride and arrogance, then we will only make God our enemy.  We only destroy ourselves by refusing to listen to His instruction.

Just as the elders need to set the example of humility before the young, so the Church needs to set the example of humility to a lost world.  Instead of becoming angry with the proud of our land, let us humble ourselves and speak the truth in love to them so that they may have a chance to repent and avoid God’s judgment.

We have to stop here, but Peter’s instructions to them continue, which we will pick up next week.  Let’s live for Jesus this week by clothing ourselves in humility towards one another!