1 Peter 5:1-5
1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Leaders don’t give us clear heads. Leaders lead us to the ONE who does.
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Leadership is not an
. Leadership is a
.
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“
is a gift.
is a choice.” -John Maxwell
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always matters
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We need
, because we
.
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Make sure you are
someone who is
.
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If you’re
, make sure your
is
.
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If you have a
following Jesus, tell them
.
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Jesus is the
, and in times of
, we need him the
.
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Sermon Discussion
1) Read 1 Peter 5:1-4. Peter speaks directly to men serving as shepherds in the Lord’s church. What is Peter’s overall charge to these men? Read 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, and Acts 20:17-38. When you take all of this New Testament teaching together as a whole, how would you describe a Shepherd or Elder in the church?
2) Peter was writing to disciples living in exile. Why would it be important to Peter for this group of exiled disciples to consider leadership? How is leading during a time of crisis different than leading during a time of peace? What are unique challenges for both leaders and those they lead during times of crisis?
3) Why would God care more about the character of the men who lead His church rather than the talent of those men to lead? How does having the right character equip a man to lead God’s church regardless of that man’s natural talent to lead?
4) How do you respond to leadership in general? How do you respond to leadership in the church? Read 1 Peter 5:5. Why is humility necessary for of those who lead? Why is humility necessary for those who are under the leadership of elders? How do both elders and those they lead demonstrate humility? See Philippians 2:3 for additional reference.
5) Peter begins in 5:1 by addressing the elders in Asia Minor as “one of them.” This is interesting for Peter to say because he was most likely the only one in these churches who had seen Christ face to face. He certainly was the only one in these churches who was an apostle. Yet in this letter, he comes to them as a co-laborer for the kingdom and not as one who is higher or above doing the work that he is asking them to do. What does Peter’s attitude tell you about the nature of Christian leadership in the church?
6) 5:2 reminds the leaders in the churches that all the flock – or the congregation- belong to God, not the shepherds. This is an extremely important reminder. What would be some of the implications if Christian leaders viewed their congregations as “theirs” not God’s?
7) In 5:2b-3, Peter shares a series of contrasts to describe characteristics of leaders in the church. One characteristic is that the leader is to serve willingly, not under compulsion. The Lord does not force us or coerce us to be involved in ministry. He calls us and invites us to ministry, but we have the freedom of saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’! Even for those of us who are not Shepherds, many are SERVING the church in some capacity. If leaders are supposed to lead willingly, should this principle apply to those who are serving in other ways? How does this impact you as it pertains to serving in the church?
8) Are you ever, like the hymn says, “prone to wander” from the Lord? When? What helps you move back to Jesus when you begin to wander? How does having a relationship with church leadership help you follow Jesus?