Dear friend, welcome back. You are nearing the end of this course; I hope it has been a blessing and a joy to focus on the Word of the Lord - Jesus and His gospel for the church - which endures forever (1 Peter 1:25).
In this lesson, we will consider the plea of Peter, as he was bringing his first letter to a close, appealing to the elders of the church as a fellow elder and witness.
“To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it 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 will never fade away. 1 Peter 5:1-4 (NIV)
In his closing appeal to his “fellow elders,” one of the first things Peter mentions is that he is not only a fellow elder but also a witness of “Christ’s sufferings.” Peter’s heart is pleading to his fellow witnesses to remember what they saw with their own eyes - the cross and the sufferings of Christ.
Friend, as ministers of the New Covenant (2 Corinthians 3:6), we must first remember the sufferings of Christ, about which Peter and many others testify to us in the Scriptures. For if we forget the sufferings of Christ, we become void of the power of God ourselves, and go on to train up generations of biblical teachers and preachers void of the power of God, void of that which is of “first importance,” and void of that power that can transform the lives of those God has put under your care. “For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” 1 Corinthians 9:16 NIV
As believers in Jesus, elders, leaders, and teachers, we have been given a high calling to:
“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve” 1 Peter 5:2
In light of the sufferings of Christ, we are to be shepherds of God’s flock. If you are a pastor, teacher, leader of any kind, God has placed you in your position to care for and watch over His people. Elders have a special calling to oversee the body of Christ, but all believers are ministers of the gospel, so there is an application here for everyone.
Question 2. According to 1 Peter 5:2, what is to be our attitude as we watch over and serve the flock?