Before I Say Goodbye

1 Peter 5:5b-14

Live As A Servant

With Humility

Note in verse 5 there is a four word phrase

And All of you

A period after elder. New sentence. “All of you”

Peter moves from the specific to the general

To us

Demanded in our dealings with one another we are to walk and act with humility.

Trench notes that the very word is a “fruit of the gospel” and was not employed by any Greek writer before the Christian era.

Moulton and Miligan cite no instance of the noun in the papyri nor does it appear in the Greek translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint.

Christ and his example requires that this is a Christian virtue.

The thinking of the world:

Greeks - Be wise

Rome - be strong

Epicureans - enjoy yourself

Humanism - believe in yourself

Psychology - be confident, assert yourself, I’m ok, you’re ok

Pride - promote yourself

God - be humble, forget yourself - serve me

“I don’t think anything has been done in the name of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human personality that the often crude, uncouth, and unchristian strategy of attempting to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition.”

Put on the adornment of the slave.

God is opposed to the proud

Pride robs us of God because we fail to see ourselves exactly as we are

Vs 6 - Allow yourselves to be humbled under the might hand of God (passive verb)

Suffering refines

We cooperate with God

We are like the patient in need of physical treatment and relief so we find our self a doctor and place ourselves under his hand even if it means that hand must do surgery.

God’s hand is not malignant and capricious. Even if that hand allows suffering.

Look at the little word “that”

When is he going to exalt you?

At the proper time

Part of humility is the willingness to patiently wait for things according to God’s timetable!

Vs 7 - Casting

This is a participle - connected to the verb above

In the midst of suffering we cast it on him

Suffering brings anxiety!

Because he cares for us and he will exalt you at the proper time!

Walk in humility - The gentle spirit of someone who trusts God.

Live as a soldier.

Can you identify the enemy?

We know his schemes.

I know we have all heard it before. But we must, we must, we must, know the real things so well that we can sense it when the devil is at work. We can smell him.

Some of his attacks and deeds are very obvious.

He is attacking morality in this state.

His goal: to devour

Resist him

How? Firm in your faith.

Resist the devil and submit to God

Eph 6:10 put on the armor of God

Live as a sufferer

The duration

For a little while

The Decision

he called us to his eternal purpose

The Destiny

Perfect

Confirm

Strengthen

Establish

The Dominion

We are on the winning side

Peace be to you all who are in Christ

Without Care