Advice to the Young
1 Peter 5:5 – 9
Introduction
The first four verses of this chapter talks to the leadership of the local church Pastor, elder, bishop. On our text today, Peter is addressing his remarks to the congregation or the church members. Having dealt with the leadership, he now focus his attention to the “younger” which for me includes not only men but women also. I would assume that that if the younger people will submit to the leadership of the elders, respect their authority, the order of the organization within the church as well as its proper functioning will be done properly.
I. Submit yourselves unto the elder. (1 Peter 5:4a)
A. To submit means ; to subordinate; to obey:—be under obedience (obedient), put under, subdue unto, (be, make) subject (to, unto), be (put) in subjection (to, under), submit self unto.
B. The command here is for the young people to be subordinate to the leaders of the local church.
C. In earlier chapter, Peter already told us to submit to:
1. The Civil authorities or to the government (1 Pet. 2:13-14)
2. Servants must be subject to their masters ( 1 Pet. 2:18)
3. Wives must be subject to their husbands (1 Pet. 3:1)
D. This must be done for the church cannot function properly without authority.
Illustration:
It is said that Henry of Bavaria that at one time, becoming weary of the court life, he determined to enter a monastery. When he presented himself to Prior Richard, the faithful monk gave him that strict rules of the order. The king listened eagerly and enthusiastically expressed pleasure at the prospect of such complete consecration.
Then the prior insisted that obedience implicit and expressed was the first requisite to sainthood. The monarch promised to follow his will in every detail. “Then go back to your throne and do your duty in the station God assigned you”, was the prior’s word to him. The king took up his sceptre again and from then until he died, his people said of him, “King Henry has learned to govern by learning to obey”. (Encyclopaedia of 7700 Illustration by Paul Lee Tan).
II. Be clothed with humility ( 1 Pet. 5:5-6)
A. Webster defines it as:
1. In ethics, freedom from pride and arrogance; humbleness of mind; a modest estimate of one’s own worth.
2. In theology, humility consists in lowliness of mind; a deep sense of one’s own unworthiness in the sight of God, self-abasement, penitence for sin, and submission to the divine will.
B. Twice in these verses, Peter advices us to be humble. We are to be humble not only to God but also to people around us.
C. In humility, leaders exercise their God-given authority sacrificially laying down their life for the sheep.
D. In humility younger men submit to the leadership of the church.
E. Both the leaders and the young men submit themselves to God in humble dependence, and forward for their rewards at His coming.
F. Some Bible’s teachings about humility:
1. Humility is necessary to the service of God. (Mic. 6:8)
2. Christ is the best example of humility. (Mt. 11:29; Jn. 13:14-15)
3. The humble will be lifted up by God. (Jas. 4:10).
4. The humble will be the greatest in Christ’s kingdom. (Mt. 18:4; 20:26-28).
5. The humble will receive more grace. (Pr. 3:34; Jas. 4:6)
6. Humility leads to riches, honor, and life. (Pr. 22:4)
7. The Excellency of. (Pr. 16:19)
Illustration: Wrong Clothes
A young man who had been invited to a dinner given by the South African statesman John Cecil Rhodes arrived by train and had to go directly to Rhodes’s house in his travel-stained clothes. To the young guest’s horror, he found a room full of people in full evening dress. Soon Rhodes appeared, wearing an old suit. He had heard of the young man’s problem and wanted to spare him further embarrassment.
Rhodes literally clothed himself with humility, a clear picture of what the apostle Peter is speaking about in today’s text. Clothing ourselves with humility toward others puts us on their level, in their shoes, and keeps us from lording it over other Christians or flaunting our position. (Today in the Word, February 19, 1997, p. 26)
III. Casting your cares upon Him. (1 Pet 5:7)
A. To cast means to throw upon.
B. Thayer defines “cares” here as anxiety.
C. We are to “throw” our anxiety to the Lord.
D. In Ps. 55:22, we are commanded to “Cast our burden unto the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
Illustration: Focus of Anxiety
An average person’s anxiety is focused on :
40% — things that will never happen
30% — things about the past that can’t be changed
12% — things about criticism by others, mostly untrue
10% — about health, which gets worse with stress
8% — about real problems that will be faced
George Mueller said that “The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.”
IV. Conclusion:
Peter’s advice for young people is to submit to the elders, be humble, and to cast their burdens or anxiety to the Lord. Will you do the same? There is always a blessing for following God’s Word.
