Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from 1 Pet 5.1 and following. Indeed, “Graze my lambs… be shepherd of my sheep,” the Lord told Peter (John 21:15-19). Far from availing himself of it to place himself above other Christians (a position attributed to him in Christendom), the apostle simply designates himself as an elder with the other elders and recommends to the latter not to dominate over the flock of the Good Shepherd, but to be its models. The sheep do not belong to them; they are responsible to the sovereign Berger. Nevertheless, it is appropriate for the young men to be subject to the elders, and to all to be clothed with humility, which could be translated as “put on the apron of service” (1 Pet 3:8-12). It is to the humble that grace is given by “the God of all grace.”
For the thought of suffering by doing good leads the apostle to address those among them who had the care to feed the flock. Peter was in special communion with them, whom the Lord Himself had designated for this office. In these assemblies of dispersion there were left of Judaism and having exchanged their names for those of Christians (1 Pet 4:16) of the elders. They were among the flock and the apostle was elder with them. He exhorts them to carry out their duties towards the flock that was with them. It does not say, “on which you are established.” What characterized Peter as ancient with them were two things: the first that he was “a witness to the sufferings of Christ,” the second, that he had “a share in the glory that was to be revealed.” This was not strictly what qualified him as an apostle. As such he had begun, along with all the apostles, at John’s baptism and had seen the Lord ascend to heaven (Acts 1:22). But what placed him at the head of the ancients was that he witnessed the sufferings of Christ and could embrace this whole subject, and that he could speak of future glory even before it was revealed. This thought agrees with the entire content of the epistle. Glory did not yet belong to them, it would not be revealed to them until later, so that they possessed nothing but suffering and hope.
Then the flock was with the elders, not them with the flock. This assigned them their place and relative importance, the herd being more important than the herd supervisors. But they, the elders, were not to watch by compulsion. The danger here was not what it became in the assemblies of nations: to give themselves a special place above the flock, a sad characteristic of every clergy, but to regard their task as imposed and not voluntary, and thus lose the benefit of free devotion to the Lord and his flock. Peter had learned this for himself when, humiliated and restored, he had received the care of the flock as a sign of special trust from the Lord who gave him to graze.
“Blaming upon Him all your concern-adding the apostle – for he cares for you.” This trust and abandonment to God does not dispense with vigilance. Satan, our ever-threatening enemy, watches for the slightest relaxation, and to resist him is still to suffer. Thus, for the Christian in his measure, but as for his divine Model, Scripture once again bears witness to the sufferings that for “a little time” are his part… and the glories that will follow (1 Pet 1:8-12).
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
Graze the herd:
- Shepherds to Feed the flock
Jer 3:15 I will give you shepherds according to my heart, and they will feed you with intelligence and wisdom. Ezekiel 34:23 I will establish upon them one pastor, who will make them graze, my servant David; he will make them graze, he will be their pastor. 2 Cor 2:16 to some, a smell of death, giving death; to others, a smell of life, giving life. -And who is sufficient for these things? – Hb 13:17 Obey your drivers and have deference for them, for they watch over your souls as if to account for them; so be it, so that they do it with joy, and not with groaning, which would be of no benefit to you. John 3:1 My brethren, let there not be among you a great number of people who begin to teach, for you know that we will be judged more severely.
- Good example
Jn 13:15 for I have given you an example, that you may do as I have done to you. 2 Thes 3:9 It is not that we do not have the right, but we wanted to give you in ourselves a model to imitate. 1 Tim 4:12 Let no one despise your youth; but be a model for the faithful, in word, in conduct, in charity, in faith, in purity. Tt 2:7 showing yourself in all respects a model of good works, and giving a pure, dignified teaching,
- Satanic invasion, Satan’s entry into the human body
-From Mary Magdalene Luke 8:2 The twelve were with him and some women who had been healed of evil spirits and diseases: Mary, said of Magdala, from whom seven demons had come out,
-From the man of Gadara Lk 8:30 Jesus asked him: What is your name? Legion, he replied. For several demons had entered into him.
-From him who is retrograde Lk 11:26 Then he leaves, and he takes seven other spirits more wicked than him; they enter the house, settle there, and the last condition of this man is worse than the first.
-From Judas Iscariot Lk 22:3 Now, Satan entered Judas, nicknamed Iscariot, who was one of the twelve.
-Of all those who let him in 1 Pet 5.8 Be sober, watch. Your adversary, the devil, prowls like a roaring lion, looking for who he will devour.
- People of God described as the chosen people
Mt 24:22:31 And if these days were not shortened, no one would be saved; but, because of the elect, these days will be shortened. 31 He will send his angels with the resounding trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Lk 18:7 And will God not do justice to His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night, and delay them? Rom 8:33 Who will accuse God’s chosen people? It is God who justifies! 1 Pet 1:2 and who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctification of the Spirit, that they may become obedient, and that they may participate in the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: may grace and peace be multiplied for you!
From all the above, we note that our beloved Savior dealt at the beginning of his career with the serpent, at the end, with the roaring lion who could neither seduce nor frighten him. What we have to do is: Resist him! Satan’s conqueror is with us; he fought for us; but our fight is based on his victory. Our faith assures us that this victory is already won and so we are more than conquerors in the One who loved us. “Knowing that the same sufferings are fulfilled in your brothers who are in the world.” We see here that the fight with the Adversary belongs to this group of so many sufferings that await the Christian in his pilgrimage. These sufferings “are fulfilled in our brothers and sisters who are in the world.” Peter imagines these Jewish Christians as being close to reaching the end of the race, while their brothers are not yet there, but are going through the fight and what belongs to it, while they are about to enter into rest. He followed them step by step until the final rest. We see that he considers these Christians as having to suffer only a little time. The God of grace has called them to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, but until then Peter does not suppose that resisting Satan can be anything other than suffering. Only, until they have attained this glory, the Lord will do many things for them: 1° He Himself will make them accomplished. Only He can do this work; God will make them Christ-like in every way. According to Paul, we are fulfilled in Him; according to Peter we will attain perfection at the end of the journey; it is before us as a goal to be achieved. 2° He will strengthen them, they will be able to stand firm. 3° He will strengthen them. Then it will no longer be a question of walking from force to force. The strength will be complete. 4 ° He will establish them on an unshakable foundation. They will finally have reached the One in whom there can be no insecurity, no change, no shaking of any kind, the Rock of the centuries, on which these poor pilgrims will henceforth be established for eternity. Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow “the practice of Christian virtues.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.