1 Peter 5:1-7
Shepherd the Flock
5 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:
2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
3 nor as being lords 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 does not fade away.
Submit to God, Resist the Devil
5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Context
- How would Peter know about shepherding and God’s glory? (Matthew 17:1-5, 2 Peter 1:15-17, John 21:15-17)
Reflection
- What is a biblical elder, shepherd, pastor? (Psalm 23, 1 Peter 5:2, 3, Luke 22:24-30, John 10:11-13, Acts 20:33, 34)
- How important is humility & submission? Why is pride such a deadly sin? (Proverbs 3:34, Philippians 2:3, 4, James 4:6-10, 1 Timothy 3:6, 1 John 2:15)
- Is worry a sin? Why must we ‘cast our care upon Him?’ (Psalm 55:22, Proverbs 3:5, 6, 1 Peter 5:7, Philippians 4:6, 7, Hebrews 13:5)
Testimony Time
- Are you being biblically fed & shepherded?
- How’s your shepherding? (1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:6-9, James 3:1, 2)
- How much does He care for you? (2 Chronicles 7:14, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 37:5, 103:3-5, John 3:16, 17, 15:13, Romans 8:38, 39, James 1:5)
