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Lesson Focus: We should be humble and respectful of one another"

1. Humble- not proud or haughty; not pretentious or unassuming; insignificant-( meek, modest, lowly)
2. Haughty- disdainfully proud-( lordly, overbearing, arrogant, insolent)
3. Pretentious - making or possessing usually unjustified claims (as to excellence)
4.Respectful-relation to something usually specified ( in reference to) ( high regard to)

1 Peter 5:1
*Peter is lifting up the elders of the churches ( in which are the Pastors and spiritual guides appointed by the apostles in various cities over in( 1 Peter 1:1; Acts 14:23))
*** The word Elders here is not referring to age, but Elder is a title for office, referring to respect( which originally came from age).
* Peter is stating that he has a special concern for the elders here and he wants to lift them up by sharing this knowledge with them...

Reference Scripture: Luke 24:48
This scripture is Jesus verifying that His apostles are and were witnesses to His sufferings.

( Matthew 19:27-29)
*Verification that Peter is legit in what he says: Jesus is stating that the ones of you that follow me and who have sided with me, will sit by My side on thrones and be judges of the 12 Tribes...

1 Peter 5:2
*Peter is clearly stating that those in position as leaders of the church better tend to the ones that God has placed under them as sheep. Elders ( in which are the spiritual leaders or shepherds) must ( tend to, nurture, guard, guide, & feed) the ones that God has placed them over...

* And that they need do so by not with constraint( meaning forced into or forcefully unwilling), but they should do it willingly with the right intentions of doing because they know that they are called and not because of the money or power of the held position... they must serve the flock cheerfully!!!

* A shepherd is not to just feed, but is to guide, nurture, guard, feed and tend to on a regular basis. The shepherd is not to only feed them, but to do all these things...

*** Peters identification here with the elders, is a powerful example of Christian leadership, where authority is based on service, not power ( Mark 10: 42-45) Jesus is telling His disciples that whomever of you want to be great in rank, then he must be a slave to all !!!

NOTE***Ancient Israelite shepherds would go before his sheep and lead them, not get behind them and drive them and we as Christian leaders must do the same...

Reference Scriptures:
*John 21:16- After Jesus reinstates Peter by asking him 3 times if he loved Him, Jesus knew his heart and said Shepherd, tend My sheep...

*Acts 20:28- Paul is implicating that we as leaders must be on guard for ourselves and the wellness of our flock that the Holy Spirit has appointed us. He is letting us know that Jesus paid for the church with His own blood, so we need to take our duties very cautious and serious...

1 Peter 5:3
* Peter is insinuating that we must not be lords over our appointed people that God has given us a duty to watch over. Peter is stating that their must be no whip cracking or forceful actions or even no intimidation...

* Matthew 20:25-28- Jesus is stating again: any of you that want to lifted up, must stay humble and learn to serve others...
*** There should be no job to puny or worthless to us that we turn face on it, we should not have to be asked to do it, just do it.... We should learn to not use people but serve them, and lead by example ( be the boss by leading by example and staying humble & serve others well and all the time...

*Mark 10:42-45- Jesus once again is stating that if you want to be the greatest, you must learn to serve others. "Its not what can you do for me, its what can I do 4 you"

NOTE*** Businesses, organizations, and institutions, all say that you must be powerful and push and shove your way to the top:" Dog eat dog", but Christ says that if we serve others, we will be at the top in His Kingdom, and as a result of this, we shall also become great on earth...

* Peter states that we must be examples to the flock..
1. Example - something forming a model, a representative ( Jesus is our model and He was and is our Representative... When He died on the cross, we also died with Him... We as the believers..

How do we be examples???

* Philippians 3:17
* Paul is challenging the Philippians to follow his own example as for he has the mind of Christ. He is stating that he is not perfect, but he is a great example...

* 2 Thessalonians 3:9
* Paul explains here that their is a difference between laziness and leisureliness. Work when it is time to work, play when it is time to play, rest when it is time to rest ... We should lead by example on these things...

*1 Timothy 4:12
* Timothy was a young preacher that had to gain the respect of the elders by his words, conduct, love spirit, faith and purity. Do not allow the age card to hinder you from doing what God has called you to do... Be an example at any age...

* John 13:15
* Jesus washes the disciples feet and tells them that this is the way to serve others. This is the example I have set forth to you... He is not implicating that we wash others feet, but He is stating that we must inherit the humility side of it...

1 Peter 5:4

* Peter is referring to the 2nd coming of Christ ( our Chief Shepherd). He is letting us know that if we as ministers follow the guidelines that have been laid out, then we are assured that on this day of return, we will receive our crown of glory...

NOTE *** In order sometimes to get what God wants us to have, we have to give up what we want. Our essential Bible studies, prayer lives, and worship gets us closer to our crown. Dont just jog a few laps, train vigorously in order to keep up in the race...

Hebrews 13:20,21
* God wants to make us complete, but we must do these things in order to reach our goal: stay humble, serve others, lead, feed, and guard God's sheep, do not become slave-drivers, but become the slaves...