Lions and Legionnaires - 1 Peter 5:8-11 - October 3, 2021

 1 Peter 5:8-11 Lions and Legionnaires

Good morning! Well, it’s October, I think we can officially say that summer is over. The scenery certainly changes in October around here, the tourists are scarce, the leaves change, and every other front yard turns into a cemetery.

October brings Halloween, a very tricky season to be sure. It’s tricky because the church has had a great deal of difficulty in dealing with it over the years. Look at our history, the church has shunned it, banning trick-or-treating or any other participation in Halloween festivities, the church has ignored it, just shrugging our shoulders and turning off our porch lights so no kids will bother us for candy, the church has tried to replace it, with harvest parties and more holy activities, we all know that they’re Halloween parties we just can’t call them that.

This year, I encourage you to redeem the day, hand out candy in the Name of Jesus, good candy, love your neighbors and their kids, be welcoming and generous.

But also don’t be fooled by mischaracterizations of our very real enemy, the devil.

Halloween is the season of glorifying evil. Every channel on TV shows horror movies, every storefront feature all things scary. There’s a lot more going on than just kids getting candy, our enemy is at work.

Our passage for this morning focuses on our very real enemy and his designs and will be very helpful for us as the Lord’s church, not just on Halloween but all the time. 

1 Peter 5:8-11, page 1017 in the pew Bibles.

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 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. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Let’s pray.

There are three parties mentioned here in these four verses, who are they? The devil, the church, the Father.

The devil, the Father, and the church; the devil and the Father both want things for the church, and they could not be more different.

Peter calls the devil, “your adversary,” this is the same word as the Hebrew word, “satan,” it means a legal opponent, one who speaks against another, one who is actively and consistently hostile towards someone, our enemy.

Even the word devil means slanderer. The Bible calls him the accuser of the brethren, a murderer, and the father of lies. 

He is no one that our unwitting neighbors would invite in for candy they knew who he really was and what he really wants to do to them.

And what is it that our enemy wants to do to them, to all of us, especially God’s church? He wants to destroy us. 

The devil’s goal for the world is to turn everyone away from the Lord Jesus, to deny Him. It’s not just to get people to sin, though he is very good at that, even though we seem to be experts at it without his help, his goal is to turn people away from Jesus, away from the Father and destroy them.

Peter says that our adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

I hate this picture because I love lions, but as Abraham Calov wrote, “The Lion of the tribe of Judah is mightier by far than the lion of hell.”

The lion of hell seeks our destruction, to devour us one by one until there is no one left to turn to Jesus. But the Lion of the tribe of Judah has designs for us as well and He is mightier by far!

Peter says that though the devil wants to destroy us, but God wants to restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish us in His eternal glory in Christ.

These four terms are all part of the same picture.

To restore means to make completely sufficient, to perfect, to be ready in every sense.

To confirm means to make more able, to impart spiritual might as opposed to weakness.

To strengthen means to make more firm, stronger.

To establish means to fasten to the ground, built up on a firm foundation.

I can’t help but imagine the picture of a Roman legion, warriors ready for battle, able, strong, fastened to the ground and immovable.

This is what God wants His church to be by His grace. So what does Peter say here that we, Christ’s church, need to do in order to be that, to get there, what do we need to do to resist the devil so that he will flee from us like it says in James 4:7?

The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Peter gives us four tactics of Legionairres: to be sober-minded, to be watchful, to stand firm, and to stand together.

Peter just instructed the church to cast our anxieties on the Lord because He cares for us. It’s been said that anxiety will intoxicate the soul therefore we must be sober. We need to be serious and aware of the reality of the fight we are in, as Lange wrote, “we are the church militant, not yet the church triumphant.” That day is coming when the Lord Jesus return for His church but until them we are in a fight, don’t be fooled, it’s a war for souls.

Not only are we to be sober-minded and aware of the fight we’re in but we must also be watchful, vigilant, and aware of the tactics of our enemy.

Pretending that the devil doesn’t exist is one of his greatest tactics, we cannot ignore the reality that our enemy is out there seeking people to devour and destroy.

I’m not suggesting that we live in fear as if the devil is going to jump out from behind every bush but we must be aware of his tactics. He is the accuser of the brethren according to Revelation 12:10, he is a murderer and the father of lies according to John 8:44, everything he does is get people to believe lies that push us away from faith in Jesus and push us toward our own pride.

Pride says that we are either extraordinary sinners or uncommon saints, either beyond the reach of God’s grace or beyond the need of it. Believing either of these lies makes you lunch for lions. But these are the lies we are fed all the time.

I was in Home Depot this week and the cashier was telling me that their store has been the frequent target of counterfeiters. The best training to spot counterfeit bills is not to study the counterfeit bills but to study the genuine bills until the flaws in the fakes become obvious. 

The same is true for the church, we must study the truth of God’s Word so that the lies of the enemy become obvious.

Knowing God’s Word helps us with our third tactic against the enemy, to stand firm in our faith.

Verse nine says to resist the devil, firm in your faith.

Johann Gerhard wrote, “Victory over Satan lies in faith, because faith unites us to Christ the Victor. By faith the devil is driven to flight as the lion is by fire.”

“Faith,” to have faith or being a person of faith has become very nebulous in our day, there are lots of “spiritual people” around. But this loose mysticism is miles away from what Peter meant by “standing firm in your faith.”

Faith is not nebulous or mystical or spooky, it is concrete. It is absolute trust in Jesus.

It is trusting that He is the one and only, eternally existent Son of God, sent to earth by the Father and anointed by the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil. He was crucified but God raised Him from the dead on the third day and He appeared to chosen witnesses who ate and drank with Him after he had risen from the dead. He commanded them to preach to the people and to testify that he is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His Name.

That was Peter’s profession to Cornelius in Acts 10. That is the faith that we stand firm in.

But Legionnaires never stood alone. We are to be sober-minded, and watchful, standing firm in our faith, and standing together.

9 Resist [the devil], firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

I’m sure Peter hadn’t seen a lot of PBS specials on lions, he didn’t have National Geographic, but this is how lions hunt, by separating the weak from the rest of the herd.

Believing that we are alone, that no one could understand our suffering, or even worse, that we are ok alone, and that we don’t need anyone else to stand with us, is to believe a great lie from the enemy.

If you are watching this video, or listening to this podcast, because you are sick or are unable to attend services, or just live far away, this next statement is NOT for you.

But if you are watching this video, or livestream, or are listening to this podcast because you think that you do not need to go to church, that you do not need the church, or that church only exists for sermons and services, you have been deceived by the enemy and he is ready to devour you.

The church is not just a building, the church is not just services and sermons, the church is people, fellow believers, fellow legionnaires that need to stand together in order to stand against the enemy.

This will sound familiar, it’s read at every wedding, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12:

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Of course we all know that the third cord is Christ Himself, braided together with His church.

The devil wants to devour and destroy us but the Father wants to restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish us. To Him be the might and power forever and ever.

Amen.

The Humblest - 1 Peter 5:5-7 - September 26, 2021

 

1 Peter 5:5-7 The Humblest

Good morning and welcome to another episode of do as I say not as I do, where you can learn, like I have, how to be the humblest. No really, I’m not conceited, though I have every right to be…

We are returning in our work in 1 Peter to chapter 5 verses 5-7, page 1016 where the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Peter instructs the church in the area of humility.

I’ve heard it said that humility is not a destination but rather a pursuit, the pursuit of humility. It’s a subject of much instruction in Scripture and one with great examples recorded in Scripture, mostly because it is so important for us as individual disciples and united together as a group, and also because we are so bad at it.

You may remember from last time we were talking about the responsibilities the elders, to watch after and shepherd the flock of God and now Peter turns his attention to all the members of the flock again.

5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Let’s pray.

Peter begins with a “likewise,” because just as the elders were to look after the church with pure motives, not because they were forced to, or were after money or power, but willingly, eagerly being examples to the flock, likewise, willingly, eagerly, the younger should be subject to the elders.

Now the scholars are divided on who the youngers and the elders are here. 

Some say the youngers are the younger ministers or the deacons in the church and they should be in submission to the elders/overseers/pastors in the churches.

Some scholars say that Peter simply meant what the translators wrote here, that the younger people should be in submission to the older people.

Some scholars say that it is a mixture of the two, that Peter meant that the younger men, because the Greek word used is masculine, should be in submission to the elders in office and generally in years their elders.

Peter has already instructed for wives to submit to their husbands, children to their parents, and slaves to their masters. It stands to reason then that here he is instructing the flock to submit to their shepherds.

John Calvin wrote that, “Nothing is more repugnant to the mind of man than to be subject.”

He is entirely correct. He is correct because submission to anyone requires our least favorite of all the Christian graces: humility.

JP Lange wrote, “This subordination, which is insisted upon as a principal point in the order of the Christian commonwealth, must be founded on Humble submission to God.”

Peter says in verse 5, Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

There are some very important words there in that verse: to clothe yourselves, and, all of you.

Peter has already described, as I said before, the relationships of humility between husbands and wives, children and parents, slaves and masters, and now he describes the relationship of humility, all to all.

Humility is all of our responsibility.

Matthew Henry wrote, “Humility is the great preserver of peace and order in all Christian churches, consequently, pride is the great disturber of them, and the cause of most dissensions and breaches in the church.”

The important phrase there is: clothe yourselves. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward on another…

The Greek word that is translated into English, “clothe yourselves,” literally means to tie around yourselves with a strong knot.

This Greek word was used to describe the apron worn by servants, tied around their waists. It also reminds me of our ultimate example of humility: the Lord Jesus Christ.

Turn with me to John chapter 13.

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Jesus clothed Himself in humility, He tied it around His waist like that towel, and told His disciples that they ought never to think that they were better than Him and He willingly humbled Himself to serve them and so they, and we, ought to do the same.

Humility puts us in the proper position to receive God’s grace. Pride seeks to raise us up where we do not belong, but humility bows our knee before the Father. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. All who elevate themselves will have God as their enemy.

As verse six says, Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you.

The scholars speak of the image of the two hands of God, one hand raised, holding a hammer, ready to beat down the proud, and the other hand under the humble, ready to lift them up at the proper time.

God’s promise to exalt the humble at the proper time means that He will lift the humble up from the dust, to advance to honor from disgrace, to joy from grief. This is God’s promise to the truly humble!

However, it is not God’s promise to the falsely humble.

The falsely humble person dresses up their pride in shabby clothes. The falsely humble person talks about their humility, keeps that plaque that says, “the humblest,” and is not conceited, though they have every right to be. 

False humility makes sure everybody knows just how humble they are, but God is not fooled by this charade.

True humility, according to Calvin, is defined as the person being emptied of every confidence in their own power, wisdom, and righteousness, and seeks every good from God alone. Since there is no coming to God except in this way, who, having lost his own glory, ought not willingly humble himself?

Verse 7 is the great demonstration of this concept of humility and submission to the Father, that we have no confidence in our own power, wisdom, and righteousness, but are wholly dependent on Him for grace.

…casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

How is casting, literally throwing all our anxieties, cares, worries, troubles, on our Heavenly Father an act of submission and humility? Because it is the opposite action and attitude of thinking that we can control everything, and our need for control is a function of pride.

By casting all of our cares on Him we are releasing control to the Father, not that we were ever really in control in the first place.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus said that we must turn and become like children in Matthew 18?

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

What advantage to children have over adults?

Kids trust their parents, they have confident reliance on their parents’ goodness, they run to them when they’re hurting, they don’t wonder about their worthiness of their father’s love, or question the reality of it, they simply accept it.

I think, for me, the last phrase of verse 7 may be the most powerful. “Casting all your anxieties on Him, BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU.” 

I think sometimes, not to plunge too much into psychology, but sometimes I think, or act, or feel, as if I know that God loves me, after all, the evidence is overwhelming, but the thought that He cares for me, cares about me, has me at His heart… it’s mind blowing and wonderful and I need to be reminded maybe you do too…

Psalm 37

1Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! 2 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! 8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. 9 For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. 10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. 11 But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace. 12 The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, 13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming. 14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright; 15 their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. 16 Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. 18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever; 19 they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance. 20 But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away. 21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives; 22 for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off. 23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; 24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand. 25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. 26 He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing. 27 Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. 28 For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever. 30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip. 32 The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death. 33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial. 34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off. 35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree. 36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found. 37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. 38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. 40 The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

Amen.