Gospel-Centered Eldership

We’re moving onward in our series called ‘Stand Firm” where we’ve been doing a deep dive into the Books of 1 & 2 Peter. We’re nearing the end of Peter’s letter to the ‘elect exiles’ of Asia Minor, but he still has a few things to say to them. This week, our text covers Peter’s exhortations to the elders of these churches in light of the ‘fiery ordeal’ that he mentioned in 4:12-19. 1 Peter 5:1-5 reads,

1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings ofChrist, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd theflock 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 inyour charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, youwill receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to theelders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposesthe proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Peter writes this on the heels of talking about the ‘fiery ordeal of testing’ (cf. 4:12-19) and he seems to be saying that if we (the Church) are going to get safely through that ‘fiery ordeal,’ we need to have gospel-centered elders who lead like Jesus and gospel-centered church members who submit to them. No doubt this idea has an even greater charge and pretense to it given the rise of abusive, coercive, and toxic leadership inside and outside of the Church. But Peter isn’t the only one to address it (cf. 1 Timothy 3, 5; Titus 1; Acts 14:23, 20:28; Hebrews 13:17ff, etc.) and it’s obviously important enough that he includes it here in his exhortation to the Church to stand firm.

Give the sermon text a read and a listen and we hope to see you this week at a Family Meal and/or a DNA group to dive even deeper.