As an elder that Jesus told to feed His sheep Peter tells his fellow elders to "shepherd the flock of God that is among you."

Peter shares with his immediate readers as "a witness of the sufferings of Christ." I take it that he means that he shares with them in their sufferings. Peter, the shepherds and the flock of God all suffered. Just like Christ's own sufferings on the cross(1:11) their sufferings were the sufferings of Christ. And while they "suffered a little while" they all looked forward to God's "eternal glory in Christ" (5:10).

When Christ, the Chief Shepherd, appears the elders "will receive the unfading crown of glory." At His ascension Jesus was "crowned with glory and honor." (Heb 2:9). Someday the elders too will be crowned with glory and honor. Peter symbolizes their crowning as "a crown of glory."

Holding that view they were to carry on their pastoral ministry by: "exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock."

Well now, who is Peter calling "the younger"? It seems that all we know about them is wrapped up in the command "be subject to the elders."

The term elder as used for a pastor or some other church leader has survived through the centuries, so we have no problem with it. We know that, whatever the case was as its initial use, it doesn't imply old age. We know that from early church times the rule for pastoral leadership wasn't a matter of old leaders over young followers.

The opposite is seen in Timothy's case. He was put into a pastoral role and told, "Let no one despise you for your youth but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity" (1Tim 4:12). Even setting the example, that we saw ascribed to the elders, fell to youthful Timothy in his leadership role.

As strange as it may seem to us, the term "younger" doesn't appear to be a matter of age difference between the younger and the elder. Picking up a clue in the descriptive words of the ministry of the elders as "exercising oversight," all I can say is that the elders are the shepherds; the younger are the sheep.

As overseering shepherds should feed the sheep. And sheep should want to be fed. Sadly, as far as proper spiritual nourishment is concerned, both of these necessities are greatly lacking today in our evangelical churches.

Small discussion groups are the thing instead. Now, don't get me wrong. Small groups are good; so is small group discussion. But a free-for-all of personal opinions, applications and even biblical interpretations by sheep without shepherds must not replace the ministry of the Holy Spirit in teaching the sheep through Spirit-gifted elders (Jn 16:3; Eph 4:11; Heb 13:7).

If a group leader is a gifted teacher he or she must serve the Lord by teaching, not by throwing out questions, gathering a pool of answers from the group and leaving it at that (Rom 12:6-7). The Word of God must be taught by the teacher with the Word's own authoritative teaching. Believe me; if this is the kind of consistent leading of the sheep that is carried out the discussion that is invited from the group will be an edifying contribution to the main teaching."

When the sheep are well-fed by Bible-teaching elders they are also able to feed themselves and others in the process of spiritual growth and maturity. As Bible teaching small group leader I tell the sheep entrusted to my tutoring that if I think I can't learn from them I disqualify myself from teaching them.

God requires His flock to "be subject to the elders." There is a direct relation of this submission to humility. "Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another" (1 Pet 5:5). This clothing of ourselves with humility stems from the greater act of humbling ourselves "under the mighty hand of God." The motivation for our being thus humbled is stated in these electrified words: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (vss 5-6).

God is "the God of all grace"(vs 10). As members of His flock we can know "the true grace of God" in our experience (vs 12). But we must not be proud, for pride will rob us of that experience. We must be humble. Humility is the prerequisite for our enjoying the grace of God.

I've made mention of the suffering Peter's direct readers were enduring. I'm about to elaborate on that, with personal application for successful victorious living. But for the moment just ponder a warning against proud reactions in tough times.

The passage is dealing with the flock, that is, a group. For such the pressures of tough times can enflame emotions and foster pride. Dominant personalities with know-it-all minds and say-it-all mouths might proudly force their self-imagined expertise on the group. Non-dominant personalities, overwhelmed by the pressures of hardship, might become too overwhelmed to listen to opinion or advice. Both reactions might stem from pride. Perhaps subtle pride, but pride nevertheless.

So Peter warns the flock of God, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble," and urges them to "humble [themselves] under the mighty hand of God." The "mighty hand of God" can either oppose us or give us grace.

I don't know about you, but the thought of God's mighty hand opposing me is a terrifying thought. On the other hand, the thought of God giving me grace is a thrilling thought.

The Old Testament teaches that "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" Prov 16:18. Peter tells us that humility goes before exaltation. "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you."

What is this exaltation? See it in this verse: "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you" (1 Pet 5:10).

This verse apparently speaks of two exaltations and goes from the greater to the lesser. The ultimate exaltation of the flock of God will be into "eternal glory." But the suffering saints of Peter's immediate concern could also anticipate a temporary restoration, confirmation, strengthening and establishment "after [they had] suffered a little while."

We move on. I hope the next words become as charged with meaning for you as they did for me a number of years ago. They are: "casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you" (vs 7).

My Bible in those days was the King James Version. So I'll quote the words as I read them then: "casting all you care upon Him for He careth for you."

As I mused on a problem facing me I saw this statement glaring at me as "casting all your CARE upon him." In that perspective my care appeared to be larger than my Lord. But the Lord corrected me right away and caused me to read the statement in the proper way. Then in true perspective it glared at me as: "casting all your care upon HIM."

Since the people Peter originally wrote to were suffering persecution, when we read his words, "You have been grieved by various trials," (1 Pet 1:6) we're not surprised that those so grieved could fall victims to "anxieties."

But we might be surprised that they rejoiced in spite of their various trials. And we might be surprised that they rejoiced even though they were grieved. "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials." How could they be grieved and rejoice at the same time?

They knew the paradox of joy and grief. The Apostle Paul spoke of this paradox in his own "various trials;" He was "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing" (2 Cor 6:10), in the context of vss 3-10.

I think these people were surprised themselves at the joy they had in their dire circumstances. Doesn't this seem so when we read Peter's remark that they "rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory" (1 Pet 1:8)?

The "various trials" they had been undergoing had a purpose: "so that the tested genuineness of your faith-more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire-may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1:6-7). And now, evidently Peter was preparing them for a further fiery trial as a further test. (4:12-13).

Perhaps he anticipated something so severe that it could rob them their joy and trust in the Lord. They might be driven to wonder if the Lord cares for them. Peter assures them that indeed the Lord does care for them: "casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

Before he got to that he had told them:

- not to be surprised at their fiery trial (1 Pet 4:12)
- to rejoice insofar as they shared in Christ's sufferings (vs 13)
- for this reason: that they may also rejoice and be glad when Christ's glory is revealed (vs 13)

First Peter tells then not to be surprised. Then he tells them to rejoice. This reminds me of Jesus telling His disciples in the upper room not to let their hearts be troubled.

But their particular injunctions didn't stand alone. They were not empty "cheer-up" platitudes. Jesus added, "Believe in God; believe also in me" (Jn 14:1). Peter adds, "But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed."

Christ figures centrally in each addition. Jesus calls for their faith both in God and in Himself. This implied that God and Jesus could be trusted. The disciples were not left on their own to bolster their own sagging hearts. Peter gets the candidates for a further fiery trial to see their trials as Christ's sufferings. That would be the incentive to cast their anxieties on Him.

When their hour of trial would come their prayer should be: "Lord, these trials are not mine. They're yours! Take them and the grief they cause me! I cast the whole lot of them on You!"

Let's say that Peter's suffering saints clothed themselves with humility by humbling themselves under the mighty hand of God. Realizing He cared for them they cast their anxieties on the Him. They tapped into "the true grace of God" from "the God of all grace." They had everything going for them.

But, just as surely as God opposes the proud, the devil opposes the humble. Even if they are coping with their dire circumstances by the grace of God, they need to have their wits and watch out for him. He's on the prowl "like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (vs 8)

They need be "firm in their faith" (vs 9). As for "the true grace of God," they need to "stand firm in it" (vs 12). Their "adversary the devil" is behind their sufferings. Their persecution may come through human instrumentality but they "do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against…the spiritual forces of evil" (Eph 6:12)

A final word about their sufferings. "Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world." I think this is more than just the sentiment that misery loves company.

I think the suffering saints Peter was addressing needed to know the extent of "the same kinds of suffering" so they would realize how powerful their adversary the devil was.

He and his spiritual forces of evil were behind the sufferings of their persecuted brethren all over the then-known world. And just think, the world-range is much larger now. Make no mistake about it. Satanic power is all around us.

Like Peter, the Apostle James also wrote about resisting the devil, adding something quite significant to Peter's instruction (Jam 4:6-7).

Notice that submitting ourselves to God precedes resisting the devil. Such submission is the same as humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God. And God gives grace to the humble. Thus, having submitted ourselves to God, we are in a position to resist the devil, not on our own, but by the grace of God!

Notice Peter's forward view. He speaks "as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed." He wouldn't be one of the living who will be raptured when Jesus returns for His church. He would die. But he will be resurrected and share in the same glory. He tells the elders: "And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory." "Earlier he had said to his immediate readers: "you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed" (4:13), thus getting them to associate their sufferings with Christ's suffering on the cross.

"While they looked ahead to their ultimate eternal joy they could cast a backward gaze on the One Who was "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." They could see Him bearing their griefs and carrying their sorrows and cast their anxieties on Him (Isa 53:3; 1 Pet 5:7). And, PTL, we can do the same with ours!

The joy of the Lord is found in the cluster of the fruit of the Spirit. The Spirit dwells within us. Therefore, we can also look inside our inner being and draw our joy from that God-provided resource.

As an added encouragement we can look upward to our Lord Jesus as our Intercessor in heaven. There He has set Himself apart, consecrated Himself, so that through Him God might sanctify us through the truth of His Word while we live as His sent ones in this world" (Jn 17:17-19).

Even now while He is physically absent from us we can have His joy fulfilled in us, while we are in the world but not of the world (vss 13-14).