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Episode 809: In this episode, we delve into 1 Peter chapter 5, where Peter, writing under significant stress and persecution, offers encouragement and guidance to church leaders. He emphasizes the importance of humility and caring for the flock entrusted to them. We discuss the roles of elders, pastors, and bishops, highlighting that they are all part of the same leadership group responsible for spiritual guidance and care.
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You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun in practical ways. Hey, everybody, Welcome to the Bible Guys. We appreciate you tuning in. And we are in the middle of a series talking about the promises of God, and this week we're talking about the Peace of God. That's the theme. Because we're talking about different promises all throughout the Bible. That sounds super great. It does back and forward. It's been you know what. I think that I think that it's interesting how you can take sort of one topic, you know, the theme, different promises that sort of promise the same thing. But the best part about it is, and I told you at the beginning I would love to have somehow in this series said promises in context. Oh yes, right, because they are the same promise, but they have different contexts. And I think that that is brilliant, how you can take the promise of God and you could actually apply it to so many different contexts. And I think that but I think it's worth talking. About, and I think it's interesting to mention it might be interesting for some people. One of the benefits of knowing the promises of God for me hasn't just been to know them, but I sometimes I'll pray them back to God. I'll say, God, you promised this, so you better come through. Well, no, I just know that God won't lie. He's not going to go back on his promises, and so me mentioning it to God a lot of times reaffirms the fact that I really do believe he's going to keep his promises. Which then that's where I think the peace begins to come from. Is it reminds me. And then when I'm reminding him, it gives me confidence that, Okay, we're clear right right. And then there been times where I felt like I was claiming a promise and then while I was claiming it to God, you know, praying it, God would remind me, well, you're not stepping up to the plate in this area. I said this caveat to that promise, and I'll be like, so then all of a sudden, he starts changing me. I want God to change my circumstances. I realized, oh, I'm praying this promise, God starts chane to me instead. So there's a big, big difference on that. So anyways, Hey, would you rather. I think I would you would rather? All right? I would love these? Would you rather? Yes? They're so fun and it's just really insight about you and me and and the different choices. Right when when you realize that a choice somebody would make, you're like, hey, that's a little bit of insight on that person. So all right, here we go. Number one. Would you rather only watch one single movie for the rest of your life? Or only eat the same food for the rest of your life? Oh? She designed this for me and you? Yes she did, right, You're the foodye grill master. I'm the movie watcher, so I'd be like, yeah for you, Well, you already know every word that anyway. Oh she got an Indiana Jones one on the next one. That's so funny. Oh wow. Okay, So so let's answer the question, would you rather have to eat one? I think I? I think I. I honestly think that one of the only only things that could trump movies, although incredibly important to me, are not even the same hemisphere as food. Food has to be There's no possible way anybody can choose one food for the rest of your I mean you can, but that would be horrific. So I'm gonna say, I'd rather see one movie for the rest of my life. So the way this is worded, yes, oh there is there loopol. Are we eating this same food over and over and over again? It's it's yeah, no, I mean I literally ate this piece of chicken yesterday. I mean no, no, it's the same type of food. It doesn't it doesn't discriminate here, it doesn't say and then is this the only the same food group? Okay, stop it? Or is this the same it's the same. Food like like like like chicken, chicken. Sandwich, chicken, a thousand different ways. No or no, same order. So you're putting rules on this that aren't there. I'm supposing. Okay, so you know, think of a think of a I would I would just go with one single movie. Yeah, because she's not limiting books. Yeah that's right. Yeah, so so you still have you know, entertainment stuff. So yeah, I would I would eliminate limit the movie one single movie for the rest of my life. What movie would it be. That was loopool looopool lawyer stuff? Yeah? What movie would it be? I mean, I'd like to say that I'd choose my favorite movie, which is The Count of Money Cristo. But uh, but honestly, if I was stuck with only one more, I might choose a really super long, great movie just to get to know a new movie. Now that's not true. No, I would. I would choose The Count of Money, Money Cristo. Okay, yeah, I would. I would choose one of the Indiana Jones movies, probably either Raiders of Lost Ark or Last Crusade. Yeah that's Crusade. Yeah, okay, not not the the not the. Collem. Yeah. Would you rather go on an adventure with Indiana Jones or Han Solo? Literally she deals with Indiana Jones and then this is really fun, that's hysterical. Yeah, so I already know mine in a heartbeat? Which is Han Solo? Really? Sure? Because you get get on a space ship? Yeah space, I mean it's limits. It's got a Wookie for a friend. It's pretty cool. Yeah right, pretty cool? Can you do the Wookie sound? I can't. I don't know. I can't. I can't do it. I can't work can And you knew you could, you just didn't. Want to do it. I just wanted to see you do it first. No, I knew I couldn't. Yeah, so let me see uh yeah. Indiana Jones though, So Han Solo and Indian Jones have a similar thing, and that is they're always on the verge of losing and somehow they win. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, that's that's pretty much the character. Uh players, He's always on the verge of losing, somehow he wins. Yeah, and he's the every man thing. So okay, which one, oh Indiana Jones for me? Oh yeah for sure. Yeah. And that archaeological digs, history, all that kind of stuff, that problem solving mystery and I'd rather lasers. Yeah yeah. Han Solo never seems like he's actually problem solving. He's just winging it the whole time. I love it, Yeah, I love it. Yeah, okay, oh yeah, you got to read the next one. Yeah. Would you rather have a mariachi band follow you everywhere you go or have a personal cheerleader narrate your life? Oh, I'll have a cheerleader. I think cheerleader too. Oh I love It's so awesome mariachi band. That's it. I do too. So did you know that when when my wife or not my wife, well, my daughter and I went to go to see that Steve Martin concert in Martin Short, we had a little extra time, and so my daughter is really good at finding great restaurants. She finds this phenomenal, phenomenal Mexican restaurant. It was a Maria excuse me, mariachi band there, and they were so top notch that I was actually thinking to myself, I'm not sure I've seen it was only a three person band, but I've not seen a better mariachi band. It was so great. They came and played for us. They played the whole time we were there on live music sort of my thing, right, and I was in you give a good tip? Oh, I give him twenty dollars? Yeah, okay, for all five of them, for. All three of them. There's only a three person bond. Okay, but but I mean twenty bucks to sing one song at your tap. It's great. Yeah, fantastic, man. And I appreciate them so very much. They were so good. My daughter's fiance is from Jalisco in Mexico. That's where his family's from, and that's where Mariacci comes from. Oh really yeah yeah okay. So here's number four. So hey, hi Jenna, Hi John, here's number four. Would you rather always have a unibrow or always have a mullet. Well, there's no question, right, Mullets are cool. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, linsa youni brow is pretty rough, that's a no brainer. Yeah. Unibrow is like inexcusable. Yeah, although, well it is a choice. Although I would say I've seen epic, epic yeah mullets, But I've also seen some epic unibrows. But yeah, yeah, I always have a mullet. So do you have to leave the unibrow. It doesn't say you can't manage the unibrow. I'm assuming that's what it means, because it says always have one. Yeah, right, yeah, so you have. To always have it. Okay, I was looking for them just for fun. I was going to play you a clip of the Mariachi, but I don't see it, and I'm very sad because of it. Oh man, Yeah, we've had We've had lots of mariaci in the world. Alright, you want me to read number five? Yeah, go ahead, Okay, we've had one similar to this before. Would you rather have the ability to turn invisible but only when you're sneezing, or the power to fly but only we're all singing. I can believe, I believe I can fly. Oh, I love it. I would do the fly. I would do the fly too. Do you think so? I mean, can you imagine that being the thing that triggers Yeah? Yeah yeah, when you start singing, you just you start to elevate. I believe I can touch this guy. Yeah, that'd be great. Yeah I can. I can't find it. I'm so disappointed right now because it's so good the mariachi be But it's okay, but you can live without it. Yeah yeah. And of course you know they only have like they're like, they're like, what's only is you? Like, I'm like I don't know. And he's like, la bumba. I'm like, of course, of course you got to choose that, right, But they did, and then you know, we already talked about invisible is like it's pretty lame. We've we've done some vacations in Latin America, different countries, and you know, the mariachi bands come to restaurants all the time and play. Yeah, it's a lot of fun. Okay, are you ready? Yep? You know who wasn't playing in the mariachi band? Peter the worst transition ever? Hey, do you know who wasn't a part of a mariachi band at all. Peter, hey, and everybody in the Bible, by the way, okay, transition ever, I mean, you win, buddy, you win so far you're the winner, answered ridiculous. Okay, So anyways, I pull this back together. So we're in First Peter chapter five, and this whole week we're talking about God's peace in our lives, right, And so Peter he only wrote two books and then he I think he had a heavy influence on Mark for the for the Gospel of Mark, but he just wrote these two books, and the whole time he's under a lot of tension, a lot of stress, a lot of persecution, those kinds of things. So they're really encouraging and challenging books. So he's ending First Peter here in chapter five he says, and now a word to you, who are elders in the church, I too am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ, and I too will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world as a fellow elder. I appeal to you, care for the flock that God has entrusted. You watch over it willingly, not grudgingly, not for what you'll get out of it. But because you are eager to serve God, do not lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never ending glory and honor. In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders, and all of you dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another. For God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. Stay alert, watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness, God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you've suffered a little while, he will restore support and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. I'll power to him forever. Amen. Then he says, I've written and sent this short letter to you with the help of Silas whom I come ind to you as a faithful brother. My purpose in writing is to encourage you and ensure you that you are experiencing. What you're experiencing is truly part of God's grace, for you stand firm in his grace. Your sister church here in Babylon sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark. Greet each other with a kiss of love. Peace be with all of you who are in Christ. Didn't you say that Mark was Peter's secretary. Of sorts usually yeah, yeah, yeah, And so when he calls him a son, he's he's saying, you know, he's a young man. Yeah and yeah yeah. Well in the same way that he, you know, calls Christians brothers and sisters. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of stuffering you are. So I would just say it's very likely he's not writing from the actual city of Babylon, but that was code for Rome because the really yeah, because the Jews. The Jews were rejecting the Christians were rejecting Nero at that point, how wicked he was, how evil was Right after Peter got done writing First Peter, is when Nero began persecuting Christians literally burning them on steaks, you know, with covered in tar, and lighting them on fire and beheading them and feeding them to the lions. It was just it was unbelievable what Nero did, and so it was very likely that this was code not for Babylon, but for how wicked Rome was. Yeah, so I thought that was just interesting because he dies not long after this, right, he writes Second Peter, and then they CRUCIFIAI in Rome. Yeah. I would not have ever known that. I And you know, obviously I've been around church world for thirty five years, and I'm not sure I've ever heard that before. And if I did, I certainly forgot it. But I just thought it was an interesting little side note to mention. Yeah, and obviously we don't know, right, right, So but. Yeah, yeah, pretty I think for two thousand years Christianity they've always said it was wrong. Yeah really, yeah, yeah, but interesting. So yeah, so Peter is uh uh talking to uh, you know, other other people who are leaders in the church, and he's uh, he's saying, hey, I'm an elder, so respect my opinion, and I'm appealing to you as elders. Right, So he's actually saying, hey, you have responsibility, you have spiritual influence and uh. And and he says, care for the flock that God has entrusted to you, watch over it willingly, not grudgingly. And he's just reinforcing the responsibility of what it means to spiritual authority, I guess in these couple verses. So it's interesting. There's a couple of things that he highlights, you know, an elder yep. Uh. There's three words that he uses poiman, episcopas and pres butudoras in this passage, and we tend to make them be pastor bishop and no pastor bishop and elder elder, right, And he uses all three of those like we make it up like three different positions elders, pastors, bishops, And he's referring to all three of those being one group of people one, you know. And so he's saying, as a fellow elder, I'm appealing to you, care for the flock that's pointman, that's shepherd. That's the word where we get shepherd. That's where we get pastor from. And then he says, uh, watch over it. That's bishop. That's the word that we would that he would have used for bishop, or that we would use for the word bishop is watch over It's it's an organizational directional kind of management kind of a role. And then uh, he says, you know, serve them like an elder, and elder being kind of the spiritual authority of the group. So he's referencing one group of leaders and calling and telling them you have three big jobs. Be spiritual leader, be a good manager, and really care for these people like a shepherd. Right, That's that's the and so that's our rule. Right as pastors, you ever wonder what pastor's supposed to do. We're supposed to give direction and leadership like a bishop. We're supposed to give spiritual covering and care like an elder. We're supposed to give oversight and direction and leadership and protection and feeding like a shepherd, guidance like a shepherd. Yeah. Yeah, so that's it. Yeah, that's great. But here's the promise. The promise is what one. Verses give all your worries to God and cares to God, for he cares about you. And it's interesting because it's we're in this series about peace, and it doesn't actually use the word piece, but what it's doing is it's it's a very specific part of the process that this verse is commanding us to do, which is, Hey, in this process, give your worries, all your anxieties, all your cares, all your you know what ifs, give it to God in all your cares because he cares for you. And I think that that is an important part to unpack because when we always talk about, hey, God, to give you peace, there is a process, and the process says, Okay, God, I surrender to your will. I acknowledge the fact that I cannot control the outcome of whatever it is that I'm worried about. And sometimes we can, of course, but I think that the things we worry about the most are the things that are out of our control, right, right, And so you know, when we get to the end of ourselves and we say, God, I can't do anything else to fix this, this is in your hands, when the reality is is actually everything's in his hands, right even if we do have some control over it, It's always in God's hands. And so you know, we can't we can't change any outcome that God wants to bring about. If God wants to bring about a certain outcome, we can't control it. We can do it our part, but God's ultimately going to always do his part. So anyway, all that to say, I think that it's really important for us to realize that there has to be a surrendering or a giving to God and say, God, I can't handle this, I can't solve this, I can't control this. So God, I give it to you. I give you my worries and my cares because He cares for us. He cares about your anxiety rights amazing, cares about you, Yes, and not only about you as in like, are you doing what I want you to do? I care about how you feel right now? Yes, that's amazing to me. Yeah, because that is the that is the applications in that right give he said, because right give, give your worries and cares to him because he cares for you. He cares that you should experience peace. He wants you to have peace. He wants you to trust him, He wants you to you know, be able to get through your day and just you know, say okay, God, everything's in your hands. And and by the way, that that helps us to walk in faith, doesn't it? And uh And I've always said this and we all know this, but it's a great reminder when we're talking about something like this, is that we take small steps of faith, and then when we see God come through and when we have a much better experience experiencing peace because we gave it to Him, then the next time something else big comes along, we're able to take bigger steps of faith and and and and then and then the next time we can trust God with something bigger, and then even bigger, and then even bigger, and pretty soon, when you're a Christian for a certain amount of time, you know, it's almost it's almost like instinct to say, Okay, I know there's a lot of steak, but we're going to trust God. And it's like, whoa, it becomes a habit. Yeah, And worry becomes a habit, so does trust in God becomes a habit. That's good. Yeah, Hey, that's that's the truth of the day, right there, is that worry becomes a habit, and so does trust in God. So then that's why you need to know the promise is a God, because you already know what you're worrying about. That's why it's so easy to worry. And you know how you feel about it. That's why it's so easy to worry. But you need to know the promises of God, and then you can begin pivoting your habits. You begin to change your habits by choosing to claim the promises of God when your instincts tell you to worry. Right, So that's it. Anyways, this seems to be this promise, humble yourselves under the mighty power of God. Right, stay alert. He's got all these things. Give all your worries to God. These all seem to be in the context of church relationships, pastors, leaders, and he says, hey, don't lord it over them. And in the same way, you that are younger, So not the elders of the church, except the authority all of you, all of you now, So he pivots from the elders, don't lord it over them to the younger ones, follow the leaders, to all of you. Dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another. This is the key central idea This is all in relation to ship to each other, because God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. And then he says, so, humble yourselves under the mighty power God. At the right time, he'll lift you up in honor. So if you're feeling frustrated, if you're feeling like you're not getting the right opportunities yet, if you're struggling with your leader, or if you're a leader and you're struggling with your followers, listen, you give it to God. Right, God's going to lift you up. You feel like people aren't giving you respect, God's going to lift you up at the right time. You feel like you're not getting opportunities. God's going to lift you up at the right time. Then, in that context, give all your worries and cares to God. Fre He cares about you, so you can give any He says all. So that means every worry. But the context of the passage seems to be as you relate to one another, right, which is where most of our anxiety comes from. So we have sometimes money anxiety. People, we have money anxieties. That's one, but almost all the rest of our anxieties are marriage, kids, neighbors, coworkers. Right, it's people. I'd say ninety percent of our stresses come from people. I was thinking of John what's his name. He used to work at Willow or Burke, John Rothberg, and he said he has that book that says everybody's normal until you get to know them. And in the book he says he says, the world will be great if everybody was just like me. Yeah, it'd be perfect. So it does seem to be. It's in that context of humble yourself in relationship to each other, which is Peter says in three sentences what Paul takes whole chapters to talk about, you know, treat the other person like yourself, build the other one up. It's not always about you, right, And Peter is just so to the point. He's got two short little books. But you got to go almost word for word and sentence by sentence with Peter, and he says about as much just he's a fisherman, he's not a you know. Paul was a lawyer. He was a member of the Sanhedrin. He was a deeply educated guy. He felt very comfortable going to the Areopagus and Athens and debating with the other philosophers. This is a place where like Socrates or Plato or Aristotle would want to go argue. And Paul was perfectly comfortable sitting around debating big thoughts, having big thoughts and talking about him. And Peter's a professional fisherman who owned a bunch of boats and had a bunch of men working for him. He's just no nonsense, go to the point. So when you read Peter, he says in a few sentences what Paul would say in whole chapters. And so that's why. Peter's blue collar, Paul's white. Collar, and Peter's waited more to the point. He's just more blunt. Yeah, right, So I don't need to tell you twice because I already told you once, which I love about it. So when you read Peter, every sentence asked why did you write that one? Why did you write that one? Because he's trying to pack a punch in every sentence, and then almost all of his sentences are always connected to one of the other sentences somewhere. And so that's what you're seeing here is most of your stress comes from people. While you're relating to one another. He says, you have to be humble, and he says, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. That's a quote, so it's in James. James also quotes that same exact verse, and I just looked it up while you were talking. Oh yeah, it's in Proverbs, chapter three, verse thirty four. So I knew it was in Proverbs. I just couldn't remember where I found it in the In the side notes here, it says the Lord mocks the mockers, but is gracious to the humble. Wow. So not only opposes God, God makes a mockery of the proud, yeah, right, when you're God will shame the proud, yeah, but he gives grace to the humble. And so he says, man, you got to humble yourselves. And it's in that context, and he says, cast all your cares on me, because it's hard to be humble. Cast everything on me, and I'll I'm tremendous. Yeah, one of the best I've ever known. I'm extraordinarily humble. Yeah. You know, I used to think it was only me, and now I'm starting to realize you've got some of it in you. That's pretty great, that humility. You mean that's so funny. That's great. Well, it looks like our time on this topic and so and on this passage rather, so let's go ahead and wrap up, and hopefully you'll tune in tomorrow on Friday. I wonder what the segment is tomorrow. I don't know, but stay tuned, same Bat time. That's the next sentence, same bat channel. That's right, we'll see tomorrow on the Baba guys,