TITLE: Servant Leadership and Follower-ship TEXT: I Peter 5:1-11 THEME: God rewards those who faithfully and humbly serve

Anne Rice “Today I quit being a Christian. I’m out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being “Christian” or to being part of Christianity. It’s simply impossible for me to “belong” to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I’ve tried. I’ve failed. I’m an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.”

William Black “Because of the rather prominent examples of how struggling, weak or failing Christians are treated, most Christians from leadership to church attendees have learned the lesson that sinners and their sin will not be tolerated in our churches. The great problem, of course, is that everybody who walks in the door of a church is actually a sinner.

William Black Our fear forces us into a double life, our public ‘Christian’ life and our secret life of struggle, pain and sin. Despite statistics that show that more than 60% of American Christian men struggle with pornography, heaven forbid if any of these men’s struggle actually becomes public.

William Black Christian wrath against sexual sinners in particular can be fierce. And so, no one dares admit to anything. Except in ‘accountability’ groups where we will all confess to struggling with ‘temptation’. And whereas the New Testament churches seemed to be safe places for sinners to experience repentance, forgiveness and love,)

William Black Evangelical churches today seem more akin to monuments of superficiality where we ‘preach the gospel’ but end up introducing our converts to communities of hypocrisy. Our churches behave more like museums of the righteous than the hospitals for sinners we are meant to be. (Onesimusonline.com)

How are God’s suffering people supposed to relate to each other in a hostile world?

I. For the Leader: He is to serve as a shepherd. (1-4)

I Peter 5:1-4 I1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must,

I Peter 5:1-4 but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

Three words for Church leaders I. Elder- It is where we get our word “Presbytery” Considered mature in faith and leaders by nature of their knowledge and wisdom.

Three words for Church leaders 2. Pastor or Shepherd- a person who tends a flock of sheep. Sheep are vulnerable, dependent and need a caring person to lead them and provide for them.

Three words for Church leaders 3. Overseer- It the word from which we get our word, “Episcopalian.” It describes one who watches over something.

Three sets of contrasts.

Not: Because he must

Three sets of contrasts. Not: Because he must But: because he wants to.

Three sets of contrasts. Not: Because he must But: because he wants to. Not: Because he is greedy

Three sets of contrasts. Not: Because he must But: because he wants to. Not: Because he is greedy But: because he is eager to.

Three sets of contrasts. Not: Because he must But: because he wants to. Not: Because he is greedy But: because he is eager to. Not: By lording it over people

Three sets of contrasts. Not: Because he must But: because he wants to. Not: Because he is greedy But: because he is eager to. Not: By lording it over people But: by example.

Promise to Faithful Leaders You will receive an eternal crown of glory.

How are God’s suffering people supposed to relate to each other in a hostile world?

II.For Young Men:

I Peter 5: 5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older.

II.For Young Men: Submit to those who are older. (5)

Three Ways to Learn

Education

Three Ways to Learn Education Example

Three Ways to Learn Education Example Experience.

How are God’s suffering people supposed to relate to each other in a hostile world?

III.For Everyone: Be humble (5-11)

I Peter 5:5-11 All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

I Peter 5: Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

I Peter 5: And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

III.For Everyone: Be humble (5-11) Promise: God will exalt you in due time.

James 4:1-11 “ 1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.

James 4:1-11 You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God?

James 4:1-11 Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? [ 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

James 4: Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

James 4: Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

III.For Everyone: Be humble (5-11) Promises: God will exalt you in due time.

III.For Everyone: Be humble (5-11) Promises: God will exalt you in due time. God will care for you at all times. Therefore cast your care upon Him.

III.For Everyone: Be humble (5-11) Promises: God will exalt you in due time. God will care for you at all times. Therefore cast your care upon Him. God will restore and strengthen you in a short time.

John Guest, “Only a Prayer Away” Instead of nursing our wounds of self- pity, pray for the grace to forgive. Instead of worrying about those for whom we are responsible, ask God to intervene and lift the burden from our shoulders. Instead of thinking creatively about how to bring someone else down, pray creatively about how to build them up.

APPLICATION Believers struggling with an addiction in their lives to often do not find a place in the church. They see critical and judgmental people who instead of encouraging them cause them to look elsewhere for support. We need to extend hope and compassion to them.

APPLICATION Leaders in churches have been known to be domineering and controlling and use their position for selfish gain. We need servant leaders who serve as shepherds over God’s flock.

APPLICATION We need humility. When the battle is coming from without we do not need to fight from within. Let’s cast all of our cares upon the God who cares for us. Let Him restore us, strengthen us, and exalt us- all in His time.

APPLICATION God will reward us when we faithfully and humbly endure the battle of life for Him. He will welcome us home with cheers.

Kay Warren “All of us fight unseen battles every day, each believer a secret soldier locked in battle with forces no one else can see. The bravest among us are not necessarily those who fight with guns or tanks. The bravest person you know might be your husband or wife or neighbor or coworker who goes on living one more day when every bone in his or her body says it's no use. …

Kay Warren How much could we lighten the load for another just by telling him how brave we think he is? Oh, to be so merciful with fellow soldiers fighting their personal, hidden wars.

Kay Warren Best of all, how much better when we bring undisclosed struggles into community, where victories can be celebrated together, great losses mourned together, and where whoops of encouragement can provide even the most weary soldier the courage it takes to keep on keeping on, one more day.