1 Peter: Responsibilities of God’s Sheep

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Just as shepherds have responsibilities towards the sheep in their care, sheep have responsibilities to the congregation.

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Text: 1 Peter 5:5-11

Theme: Just as shepherds have responsibilities towards the sheep in their care, sheep have responsibilities to the congregation.

Date: 12/18/2022 File Name: 1_Peter_16 Code: NT21-05

Last Sunday evening I preached on rules for elders. Peter writes, I exhort the elders among you, ... shepherd the flock of God. (1 Peter 5:1-2, ESV). It’s a humbling venture for a pastor to have to preach about pastoring!

Tonight I’ll be preaching on Rules for Sheep (vs. 5-11). [Read verses)

I. RULES FOR SHEEP

1. both Old and New Testaments compare God’s people to sheep

“But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.” (Psalm 79:13, ESV)

“For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice,” (Psalm 95:7, ESV)

“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.” (John 10:14–15, ESV)

ILLUS. When you and I hear that we’re sheep and Jesus is the shepherd, it makes us feel warm, and fuzzy. We think of fluffy little lambs and green pastures and still waters. But you need to know when the Bible calls Jesus the Great Shepherd and us sheep, it is a well-meant spiritual insult.

A. A DESCRIPTION OF THE SHEEP

1. 1st, Sheep Are First and Foremost a Flock

a. Peter’s admonition to the Elders is shepherd the flock that is among you

1) the verb translated shepherd means to feed the flock

b. Peter’s assumption is that those who call themselves Christian will be an active part of a New Testament congregation

1) just as it is in the DNA of sheep to be heard animals, so it is in the DNA of believers to be a congregational people

ILLUS. Sheep may wander off, from time-to-time, and when they do they rarely survive. In 2004, a male sheep in New Zealand by the name of Shrek escaped from his pen and eluded the shearers for six years. His owners assumed he was dead — taken by the elements. Then, one day, he was spotted and the chase was on. When he was finally caught, he was virtually unrecognizable as a sheep. He looked like a dirty Cumulus Cloud. Wild sheep, like our American Big Horn Sheep, shed most of their wool every year, but domestic breeds continue to grow wool year round until sheared. During his years as a fugitive, Shrek grew 80 pounds of wool — enough to make 30 3-piece men’s suits. Sadly, Shrek had to be euthanised in 2011 because of old age.

2) like Shrek it’s not impossible for Christians to survive on their own, but it rare, and along the way they usually collect a lot of unsightly stuff in their lives that the Holy Spirit needs to shear away

c. what we call “lone-wolf” Christianity was simply unheard of in the early church

1) unfortunately, Americans are increasingly disillusioned with the “established church” and have developed a growing contempt towards formalized worship

a) the mantra is everywhere: “Christianity is a relationship, not a religion” which has come to serve as an excuse to abandon public worship

2) are many churches disappointing? ... Of course. Throughout the history of the church there have been schisms, scandals, frauds, and embarrassments

d. but the answer is not to swing to the opposite end of the spectrum, reject church life altogether and adopt a “lone wolf” Christianity

1) the very nature of our faith does not give us that option — it is in the DNA of believers to be a congregational people

2. 2nd, Sheep Are Terribly Needy

ILLUS. In his book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, W. Phillip Keller writes, “Seep do not ‘just take care of themselves’ as some might suppose. They require, more than any other class of livestock, endless attention and meticulous care.”

a. Keller compares us to sheep in three way ...

1) sheep are weak, and so are we

a) sheep cannot save themselves ... the only thing they know how to do is run

b) men, spiritually speaking, cannot save themselves ... the only thing we know how to do is run from God ... i.e. See Jonah

2) sheep are wayward, and so are we

a) sheep, like Shrek, like to stray, and when they stray too far, they’re lost and can’t find their way home

b) men, because of sin, are lost the moment they’re born, and outside of the grace of God, will never find their way home to heaven

3) sheep have worth, and so do we

a) sheep are the oldest of domesticated animals and have been supplying wool, and milk and meat to men since the dawn of history

b) men are valuable to God, so much so that the Chief Shepherd laid down his live for the sheep

3. 3rd, Sheep Stray Easily

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6)

a. sheep often play “follow the leader” even when the “leader” takes them in the wrong direction

ILLUS. In 2005, Turkish herdsmen watched in horror and fascination a 1,500 sheep all jump off a cliff. The shepherds had just finished their breakfast when they noticed the flock's alpha-ram heading toward a cliff. Suddenly he tumbled off. The entire heard followed, jumping off the same cliff. 450 animals died and the only reason more didn't was because after the first several hundred, the rest of the sheep had the bodies of the dead sheep to cushion their fall.

4. for all these reasons sheep need shepherds

B. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SHEEP

1. 1st, Congregants Are to Be Humble — “Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to your elders ... ” (1 Peter 5:5a, ESV)

a. it is more than likely that Peter is simply referring to a congregation that is younger than their pastor, and more than likely the younger men

1) Peter is writing this letter toward the end of his life when he’s an old (for that day) in his mid to late sixties

2) he’s reminding younger believers that they should have a deference toward old believer — respecting them for their spiritual walk and their biblical knowledge

ILLUS. In Peter’s day, as in ours, there is a tendency for young people, even Christian young people to believe that they’ve got the proverbial “bull by the tail.” ... that they have life under control and don’t need the wisdom of their elders.

b. Peter is telling the congregations who receive his letter that as their shepherds submit to the Chief Shepherd, so the flock submits to their shepherd in all humility

1) submission has been one of the major themes in Peter’s epistle

2) Peter commanded believers to be submissive to employers, civil authorities, and within marriage ... No less is required of a congregation’s submission to its pastor

c. in vs. 5 Peter uses a military term that means to line up under

1) he calls everyone in the church to put aside self-promoting pride and willingly and respectfully place themselves under the leadership of their shepherds

2) in the context of the passage, this assumes that the Elders of the church are being the kind of shepherds Peter has just admonished them to be

2. 2nd, Congregants Are to Be Gracious Toward Each Other — “ ... Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”” (1 Peter 5:5, ESV)

a. the word clothe in this verse means to gird oneself

ILLUS. When Peter writes this, is he seeing in his mind’s eye, that moment when Jesus took off his robe, girded himself with a towel, and began washing the feet of the disciples during that last Passover Supper.

b. Jesus always sets the bar for his disciples

1) humility is something we wear — we put it on and tuck it in — it’s a piece of clothing we should never be without

a) we are to wear it in our homes, and in the market place, and in the business place and especially in the church

b) Peter closes the sentence by quoting Proverbs3:34 for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble

c. biblical humility, Christian humility is a willingness to put other interests ahead of our own and to do so in a spirit of service

ILLUS. C.S. Lewis got it right when he wrote in Mere Christianity, “Humility is not thinking less or yourself. It is thinking of yourself less.

d. Peter repeats this admonition in vs. 6 reminding us that each of us is under the mighty hand of God and, in due season ... at the proper time ... God will exalt us

3. 3rd, Congregants Are to Be Confidently Faithful, Not Anxious — “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, ESV)

a. the word casting means committing to something or someone with full confidence

1) the verb tense that Peter uses means a once-for-all act that confidently places all our cares into the hands of God

b. why? because the Lord of Glory cares for you

1) to worry, and to worry excessively, essentially means we don’t trust God with our lives

2) in his Sermon on the Mount Jesus said ...

“But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.” (Luke 12:28–31, ESV)

4. 4th, Congregants Are to Be Alert for Spiritual Danger — “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, ESV)

a. Peter is encouraging his readers to be mentally sharp and spiritually vigilant

b. the Devil is the Christian’s most dangerous spiritual adversary

1) Peter portrays him as a lion patiently stalking its pray until he is close enough to pounce

2) Peter, in a chilling word picture, warned against the persistent, insidious threat to believers’ faithfulness to Christ that temptations to sin posed

c. the good news, is that if we resist the devil in the name of and power of Christ, he will flee from us

“Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.” (1 Peter 5:9, ESV)

1) Peter also lets his readers know that they’re not in this alone

a) it’s easy for believers to think that we’re the only ones experiencing the opposition of Satan and the persecution of the state

2) “Not so” says Peter ... your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are experiencing similar situations

a) you need to pray for them just as they are praying for you

5. 5th, Congregants Are to Rest in the Promises of God in Christ

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10, ESV)

a. our God is a gracious God who will not let us suffer more than we can bear

b. what will God do for us?

1) God sill use the Christians’ suffering to refine their character and equip us for further ministry — that’s what restore essentially means

2) God will use the Christians’ suffering to more firmly ground us in the faith — that what the word confirm essentially means

3) God will use the Christians’ suffering to build moral character and spiritual muscle — that’s what the word strengthen essentially means

4) God will use the Christians’ suffering firmly establish the truth of the Gospel and the foundation of our faith — that’s what the word establish essentially means

II. CHRIST IS THE SHEPHERD WHO SEARCHES FOR LOST SHEEP

A. HE URGENTLY SEARCHES

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep ... ?” (Luke 15:4, NIV84)

ILLUS. Phillip Keller writes: “A sheep is a stupid animal. It loses its direction continually in a way a cat or a dog never does. Even when you find a lost sheep, the lost sheep rushes to and fro and will not follow you home. So when you find it, you must seize it, throw it to the ground, tie its fore legs and hind legs together, put it over your shoulders, and carry it home. That’s the only way to save a lost sheep.”

B. HE LONGINGLY SEARCHES

““Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?” (Luke 15:4, NIV84)

C. HE JOYFULLY CELEBRATES WHEN THE SEARCH HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL

“And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’” (Luke 15:5–6, NIV84)