End week 20 begin week 21

1 Peter 5:5–14 (NKJV)

5Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

7casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

We can be too casual with the Bible

Reading instructions…. I’m bad…

Read a passage and miss what it says

  • Matthew 22:29–32 (NKJV) 29Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. 31But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, 32‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
  • Jesus exegetes with the tense of a verb giving important theology

1 Peter 5:5–14 (NKJV)

5Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

7casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

  • Younger people –
  • Do you realize that the Bible has specific words for each type of person?
  • Not just humans
  • Men, women, children, young, older, workers, parents, royalty, money lenders, teachers, military, governments,
  • LEARN these
  • Keep them CONSTANTLY in mind!
  • Submit… to your elders
  • Though there shouldbe a respect shown to all older people by default
  • In our culture… we need this
  • Younger and younger heroes
  • “exhort as a father”
  • Elihu –
  • Let the older men speak first
  • Not JUST to be respectful, it’s so you won’t be a fool
  • He listened
  • He gathered info

Job 32:4–17 (NKJV)

4Now because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited to speak to Job.

5When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was aroused.

6So Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said: “I am young in years, and you are very old; Therefore I was afraid, And dared not declare my opinion to you.

7I said, ‘Age should speak, And multitude of years should teach wisdom.’

8But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.

9Great men are not always wise, Nor do the aged always understand justice.

10“Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me, I also will declare my opinion.’

11Indeed I waited for your words, I listened to your reasonings, while you searched out what to say.

12I paid close attention to you; And surely not one of you convinced Job, Or answered his words—

13Lest you say, ‘We have found wisdom’; God will vanquish him, not man.

14Now he has not directed his words against me; So I will not answer him with your words.

15“They are dismayed and answer no more; Words escape them.

16And I have waited, because they did not speak, Because they stood still and answered no more.

17I also will answer my part, I too will declare my opinion.

  • Submit yourselves to your elders
  • Context is “leadership” specifically church leadership
  • Are elders always eld?
  • Timothy – “let no one despise your youth”
  • But even the young should be tested!!!
  • YOUR elders
  • Limited in application
  • YOUR not every
  • There is a safety in this
  • As unto God -
  • Submit YOURSELF
  • An act of the person submitting
  • If you are forced, you aren’t doing it
  • If you are penalized, you aren’t doing it
  • If you are hounded, you aren’t doing it
  • It should be effortless on behalf of the leader
  • Submitting to their authority doesn’t mean saying they are RIGHT!
  • About teachings
  • Mt 16:5-12 “beware the leaven (doctrine) of the Pharisees”
  • They were rightful leaders.. to be followed but not imitated
  • ALL of you
  • Submit to one another
  • Some take this to mean there is no authority
  • That contradicts
  • Think of the context
  • 1 Peter speaks about submission of…
  • Workers to employers
  • 1 Pet 2:18 “servants… your masters”
  • Citizens to government
  • Wives to husbands
  • 1 Pet 3:1 “wives… your own husbands”
  • Christian youth (in particular) to leaders
  • Do you have a problem with authority?
  • You have a problem with God
  • He IS authority
  • He sets up authority (Rom 13)
  • Romans 13:1–2 (NKJV) 1Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
  • To resist authority is to resist God
  • 5:5c Resists the proud but gives grace to the humble
  • From Pr 3:34
  • This is why“humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God”
  • This is submission – humbling
  • “clothed with humility”
  • Let’s read it again…
  • 1 Pt 5:5-6 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
  • Some say - “I’ll submit if I agree!”
  • That’s not submission, you are just doing what you want!
  • “I’ll submit to rightful authorityUNLESS it causes me to sin”
  • Rightful (2 things)
  • 1- legitimate role
  • 2- the command is within the bounds of that role
  • Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft…
  • “Don’t rebel” is too LOW a standard for followers of Christ
  • Submit!
  • 5:6b “that He may exalt you in due time”
  • We sometimes feel
  • “why am I always the one submitting?”
  • Be patient
  • Future glory
  • A longer story
  • Perhaps your leadership role is much later
  • In a hurry to lead???
  • We are just pilgrims!
  • 5:7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
  • Direct context
  • I’m submitting… so, I’m not in control…
  • I’m worried
  • Cast those cares on Him
  • Why will God take care of what concerns me?
  • He cares about it too?
  • Not just that
  • He cares about YOU!
  • Genesis 16:7–15 (NKJV) 7Now the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. 8And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” 9The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” 10Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” 11And the Angel of the Lord said to her: “Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the Lord has heard your affliction. 12He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” 13Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” 14Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered. 15So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.
  • He heard her… and she realized it
  • Exodus 3:7 (NKJV) 7And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.
  • Imagine Job’s shock… when GOD showed up!
  • Psalm 8:4 (NKJV) 4What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?
  • Trust
  • There is a certain humility in casting your care upon Him
  • Upon, not before
  • It means HE will take care of it
  • Why is “casting our cares” in THIS passage?
  • It’s a lot about humility
  • Do I trust Him to do what’s good?
  • But what if His will isn’t mine???
  • Now you see humility
  • “your will, not mine”
  • How can we pray?
  • Here’s my heart, here’s my hope, and here is my trust… your will be done!
  • Philippians 4:6–7 (NKJV) 6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
  • With thanksgiving
  • In closing
  • There is SO MUCH content in the word!
  • It truly is a lifetime thing
  • Proverbs 1:4–5 (NKJV) 4To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion— 5A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
  • Don’t ignore the particulars.

NEXT WEEK – Spiritual warfare and we finish the book!