MPC 15th August 2004.I Peter 5 - "Perseverance Pays"
Dan Bigg MPC 15th August 2004.
Olympic fever is with us once again. Did anyone watch the opening ceremony on TV last night? No doubt we'll see many of the highs and lows of the competitors over the next few weeks.
Memorable events happen.
Remember the Barcelona Olympics of 1992? It provided one of track-and-field's most incredible moments.
Britain's Derek Redmond was in the start up line of the men's 400-metre semi-finals. He'd won his quarter-final race the day before and he was pumped. This was the race that would get him a through to a chance at the gold. But it wasn't to be. 150 metres into the race with his eye on the finish line he fell flat on his face.
He'd torn his right hamstring. His competitors raced past while he lay in pain. But as the medicos were coming to carry him off, Redmond fought to his feet. He hadn't finished the race yet. He set out hopping towards the finish line.
His Dad ran out onto the field and said to him, "You don't have to do this". "Yes, I do," Redmond said, and kept hobbling down the track. He was determined to finish the race. To persevere to the end. His country didn't send him there to start the race but to finish it. And with his Dad's help he made it in spite of the pain. He missed the glory of going for gold but on making the finish line the 65,000 strong audience gave him a standing ovation… How ironic. The persevering loser who finished the race won all the glory in the end.
Redmond's endurance and perseverance to the end in spite of pain paid off. And as Christians we're called to persevere in the truth to the end, regardless of the pain or cost. We're called to keep at it, to persist at Christianity. And to keep the end in sight. Because by making it to the finish line... we will get the glory.
But this is a real challenge. It's plain hard work. Because it means you have to constantly be resisting the urge to go for glory now. But this is the focus of the passage we're looking at today. It's a passage all about how perseverence pays. Because in the long run, your effort and perseverance in this life, will be richly rewarded in the next.
This is the last chapter of Peter's letter. And he takes the time in the first few verses to address the leaders in the churches he's writing to. His aim is to encourage them to persevere in setting a good example. To be motivated in leadership for all the right reasons. Verse 4 says leaders are to persevere in exemplary service so that,
When the Chief Shepherd appears… you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
Christian leadership isn't about power and importance. It isn't about being at the top of the pecking order. Or bossing others about.
It's about serving.
Christian leaders are understudies… shepherds modelling the Chief Shepherd. Godly leaders are to aim at setting a living example of sacrificial service as Jesus did.
Read vs. 1 with me. Peter says,
To the elders among you I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings, and one who will share in the glory to be revealed: be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers.
There's no pomp and show in Peter's words is there? It's not 'Saint Peter the Pope' demanding... it's 'Peter the fellow elder' appealing.
Peter knew Jesus. He had been an eyewitness of the sufferings of Christ. He had watched the one who founded Christanity model real leadership. A model of persevering in serving in spite of shame and rejection.
Peter's seen it all. Jesus… suffering and dying… then rising and entering into glory. Eternal glory. Peter's got his sights set on the end. The finish line of glory in heaven.
So as a fellow elder… a fellow sufferer with a future hope, Peter urges Christian leaders to shepherd God's flock. Their job's to care for God's people. In Peter's time shepherds protected their sheep from wild animals and thieves. They provided them with good food and water. It was dangerous, hard work. That's the job description of Godly leaders. A life of hard work, protecting and caring and serving God's people. With no desire for glory or recognition in this life.
And to hammer the point Peter compares ungodly incentives for leadership with Godly ones. He contrasts three positive attitudes toward leadership with three negatives.
He says in verse 2,
Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers, not because you must but because you are willing as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve.
Leaders are example setters. Their motivation in leadership will be modelled by those who are following them. The only acceptable form of Christian leadership is willing leadership. Serving God by leading in response to the gospel. Any sort of Christian work for it to be acceptable in God's sight has to be done in response to what he has done for us. Gospel motivation is serving willingly in grateful response to what God has done for us in Jesus. When it comes to leaders this is doubly important because they're the example setters. They're on display. They're to model how each of us is to serve God in the way they lead.
So if you're in any form of Christian leadership check your motivation. Are you serving with a wrong attitude? If it's not willing service it's wrong... The martyr spirit. I've just got to do it… there's nobody else… if I don't do it won't be done. I'll just have to keep on battling on with no help and a bad attitude… That kind of service isn't what God wants. Leaders who serve are to do so willingly.
And don't take a leadership role because you feel duty demands it. The end result is you just won't last the distance… you'll crash and burn. If you're in leadership and just feel your going through the motions, something must change. Leadership's not a case of 'have to'. Serve willingly or not at all…
Next Peter says, we're not to lead for dishonest gain but eagerly. How many church leaders flunk the test? You don't have to go to far to find leaders peddling a Gospel for profit. Turn on the TV and watch some of the televangelists. I read an article about Benny Hinn. It reckoned he made well over $75 million in a year. He just plays on people's emotions. He makes outlandish claims… and abuses God's word to back them up. He's peddling a false Gospel for profit.
And he's very persuasive,
Brother, you want to prosper? Money will be falling on you from left, right, and centre. God will begin to prosper you. Are you ready to sow? Many of you right now can sow $100. Many, some can sow $1,000. When you don't give money, it shows that you have the devil's nature.
Lies… unbiblical… emotional blackmail… robbing the poor naïve people to feather his own nest…
Christian leaders must not lead for dishonest gain. Christian leaders are those who are in it, for what they can give… not what they can get. Leadership is persevering to the end for God's praise and for God's GLORY… not so you can be filthy rich here.
Christian leaders are those willing to serve with eagerness. It's not a power position or a prestigious title. Being an elder in the church or a youth leader isn't just another feather in your cap. It's not an important title designed to improve your credibility in society. Peter's final word to leaders is in v3 where he says leaders are to shepherd God's flock not, lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
Leadership is setting the example.
You can pick Godly leaders. They lead by example. They teach their people to serve… by serving. They encourage kindness and love… by being kind and loving leaders. They take God's word seriously. They study the Word with diligence and care, so God's people will see the importance of God's word in their life. They model commitment… by being committed. They lead by willingly doing... not by demanding. And the motivation for this kind of leadership is a right understanding of the gospel. We have eternal life. We have peace with God. We hold on to our hope of future glory and model servant leadership willingly.
Peter moves away from the elders now and focuses on the Christian community as a whole. He starts by mentioning the young men and then he addresses the whole church family. And he wants to encourage them to just carry on as a believing community. To persevere in Christian living.
They're to persevere in their relationships with each other...
They're to persevere in humility towards God...
And they're to persevere in standing firm and resisting the Devil.
We'll look quickly at each of these now.
As Christians we're to persevere in our relationships with each other. Have a read of verse 5,
Young men in the same way, be submissive to those who are older. Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble".
My guess is Peter singles out young people on purpose because when you're young you have the most difficulty with the notion of submission. But we all struggle with it don't we? Our pride gets in the way. Submission requires humility so Peter says be humble… to get the humility jacket out of the cupboard and wear it…
Humility isn't a process of slowly thinking less and less of yourself. It's actually not thinking about yourself at all. It's thinking of others and their needs and how you can help them. That's biblical humility. God commends us if we have a humble… lowly… and submissive attitude. It's what we're to encourage each other to persevere in. And in God's timing He will lift us up if we're humble and submissive in the way we behave towards each other.
And really our submissive attitude toward each other is just a reflection of our relationship with God. Which raises the question of just how are we to understand God? How are we to relate to Him? Well we are given a clue in verses 6 and7,
Humble yourselves therefore under God's mighty hand that he may lift you up in good time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
God is Almighty. He's huge. And a good exercise for us to go through, is to wrestle with the size of God. Spend a while just thinking about how big God is. When we do that we start to get a bit of perspective on life. We begin to see the magnitude of God in comparison with the microscopic smallness of ourselves. And a healthy dose of humility should result. That's good. Peter says, humble yourselves under God's mighty hand.
Also the bigness of God is our security. We're in good hands, God cares for us. No matter what your situation. No matter what you have to go through or are going through. When your world's falling apart all around you. Tell God about it. Dump it on him. Take a cue from your kids, their always dumping their problems on us. You do the same with God. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
So we're to persist in humility towards each other and towards God. And finally we're to persist in standing against the devil's attacks. The Devil is always out to bring us down. Peter says resist him. Stand firm in your faith. Verse 9:
Resist the devil, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Stand fast in your faith… Jesus has died for your sins… If you believe and trust in Jesus you're in good hands, you're loved and protected by God himself. You're secure beyond a shadow of doubt. Hang onto the truth. Because Satan will try to shake you loose… he'll try single you out with doubts… my situation's a special case… my circumstances are one of a kind… no one else is suffering like me.
Don't fall in the trap. It's a lie, see what Peter says, suffering is universal... it's worldwide. All Christians have to deal with it. Resist the devil… remain steadfast in your faith. Jesus has dealt with your sin and God won't let you down. Look at verse 11, resist, stand firm, and,
The God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Jesus Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever.
Persist in Christian living. That's the bottom line We're called to endure. And we can count on God's help to get us through. In this life we hang onto our hope by faith.
I don't know about you but often it seems the more you look forward to something the more disappointed you are when you get it.
Think of the presents you get that you really wanted. We got our little boy Robert the ultimate Jabba the Hutt Star Wars Lego set. He wanted it so much because I'm sure from looking at the ad., that he was expecting Jabba the Hutt to be bigger than he was. But he wasn't… he's still cool, just a bit of a let down. Robert said to me after he got it, "But Dad, I thought you were going to buy me the big Jabba the Hutt set."
Life's like that. Things we so look forward to often just don't cut it. But heaven won't be a let down. When eternity kicks in our wildest dreams won't come near the real thing. The glory that awaits you as a Christian will beat your biggest expectations. Believe it. Hang onto your hope. Keep eternity, the big picture in sight.
That's the message of 1 Peter. A message designed to encourage you to stand fast in the your faith, persevere through life into eternity. An eternity of glory that will never disappoint or end. Persevere in the Christian life of faith here and wait for the reward of glory to follow.
If we persevere to the end… if we make it to the finish line… God will give us a standing ovation… He will commend us as good and faithful servants. And He will give us the reward of everlasting glory.