#1Peter #Series #chapter #five #bibleteaching #shepherding #submission #history #christianity #christian #God #doctrine #ChartridgeMissionChurch #chesham #ColmFagan #OxfordBaptistChapel #thefriendliestfellowship #LearningTheBibleTogether
Colm Fagan from Oxford Baptist Chapel brings his youthful energy to expound the verses of 1 Peter 5. Colm focuses on its central themes of shepherding, submission and the God of all grace. As Colm brings our wonderful series on 1 Peter to a close, let's learn the Bible together!
Colm Fagan YouTube Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeLtfVhcCUFtJ-SHO_U48BSwXi1HQLDzE
Chartridge Mission Church, a beacon of faith, was founded in 1844 and remains in the village of Chartridge, just outside Chesham, in the picturesque Chiltern Hills of Buckinghamshire, England, UK.
We are a warm and welcoming fellowship and would be delighted to have you visit us in person. Join us for our Sunday service at 6 pm, followed by refreshments.
Our Church is fully accessible, with wheelchair ramps and an accessible toilet, ensuring everyone can participate in our services.
Chartridge Mission Church, Chapel Lane, Chartridge, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, HP5 2TH
The village Church with an international audience.
Support our work at Chartridge Mission Church:
Donations via Stewardship.org.uk:
https://www.stewardship.org.uk/partners/20005300
Cheques can be made payable to Chartridge Mission Church and sent to the above address for the attention of Pastor Barry Kempson.
Recorded on Sunday, 30th November 2025.
Join us for our Sunday service at 6 pm.
www.Chartridge.UK
The Friendliest Fellowship.
Colm Fagan from Oxford Baptist Chapel brings his youthful energy to expound the verses of 1 Peter 5. Colm focuses on its central themes of shepherding, submission and the God of all grace. As Colm brings our wonderful series on 1 Peter to a close, let's learn the Bible together!
Colm Fagan YouTube Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeLtfVhcCUFtJ-SHO_U48BSwXi1HQLDzE
Chartridge Mission Church, a beacon of faith, was founded in 1844 and remains in the village of Chartridge, just outside Chesham, in the picturesque Chiltern Hills of Buckinghamshire, England, UK.
We are a warm and welcoming fellowship and would be delighted to have you visit us in person. Join us for our Sunday service at 6 pm, followed by refreshments.
Our Church is fully accessible, with wheelchair ramps and an accessible toilet, ensuring everyone can participate in our services.
Chartridge Mission Church, Chapel Lane, Chartridge, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, HP5 2TH
The village Church with an international audience.
Support our work at Chartridge Mission Church:
Donations via Stewardship.org.uk:
https://www.stewardship.org.uk/partners/20005300
Cheques can be made payable to Chartridge Mission Church and sent to the above address for the attention of Pastor Barry Kempson.
Recorded on Sunday, 30th November 2025.
Join us for our Sunday service at 6 pm.
www.Chartridge.UK
The Friendliest Fellowship.
Category
📚
LearningTranscript
00:00Christ is coming, over the world victorious, power and glory, unto the Lord belong.
00:13Praise Him, praise Him, tell of His excellent greatness.
00:19Praise Him, praise Him, ever a joyful song.
00:26Amen. Wonderful, wonderful.
00:31Let me read Psalm 48.
00:33Psalm, you know, they'd be put into song, but an encouraging one.
00:39Just a picture, you know, heartfelt throng of people with their eyes upon the Lord.
00:45And then they'd sing, great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness.
00:56Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great king.
01:05God is known in her palaces for a refuge.
01:09For lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.
01:13They saw it, and so they marveled.
01:15They were troubled and hasted away.
01:18Fear took hold upon them there, and pain as of a woman in travail.
01:22Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.
01:27As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God.
01:33God will establish it forever.
01:36Selah.
01:36We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.
01:44According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth.
01:50Thy right hand is full of righteousness.
01:53Let Mount Zion rejoice.
01:55Let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.
01:59Walk about Zion, and go round about her.
02:02Tell the towers thereof.
02:04Mark ye well her bulwarks.
02:06Consider her palaces, that ye may tell it to the generation following.
02:12For this God is our God, forever and ever.
02:17He will be our guide even unto death.
02:20And I'm sure that can encourage all of us in some way.
02:23So may God be praised.
02:25May God be praised.
02:26I believe, are we looking at the book of Proverbs tonight, Andy?
02:31No?
02:321 Peter chapter 5 will do then, shall it?
02:34Yeah?
02:35Everyone turn to 1 Peter chapter 5, please.
02:38And we'll read this together.
02:39Wonderful passage of scripture.
02:41And the chapter starts reading as,
02:44The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings
02:52of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.
02:58Feed the flock of God, which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint,
03:06but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, neither as being lords over God's
03:14heritage, but being in samples to the flock.
03:18And when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
03:27Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder.
03:32Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility, for God resisteth the proud,
03:40and giveth grace to the humble.
03:42Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time,
03:50casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.
03:54Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about,
04:03seeking whom he may devour.
04:05Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished,
04:12in your brethren, that are in the world.
04:15But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory, by Christ Jesus,
04:22after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.
04:30To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.
04:33Amen.
04:34By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you.
04:37As I suppose I have written briefly, exhorting and testifying, that this is the true grace of God, wherein ye stand.
04:44The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you, and so doth Marcus, my son.
04:52Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity.
04:55Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus.
04:59Amen.
04:59I love the book of 1 Peter, and it's a very encouraging book, especially after it comes next after the book of James,
05:09which tends to be a very scathing book at times, almost a book of rebuke, that you could categorise it more so as.
05:191 Peter is very encouraging, but it starts off, and it's almost as he signs off this first letter,
05:26with chapter 5, how he ends it.
05:29You could categorise it in a few different ways.
05:31We're going to go through the whole thing, but he starts off this chapter by exhortation,
05:37and that means to give a warning, to alert the shepherds, or the elders that he speaks of, who are among these people.
05:46So, read in verse 1 with me.
05:48The elders which are among you, I exhort.
05:51So, he says, listen very carefully, this is a warning, not just words of building up, but also to warn, to exhort.
05:59Who am also an elder.
06:01So, if we categorise what an elder is first, that might help us.
06:06An elder is someone who has been given a position of overseeing the flock.
06:11There are also synonyms that are found in the Bible, like bishop and pastor, shepherd as well, elder.
06:18If you'll go to 1 Timothy chapter 3 very quickly, just a few books back in the left of the New Testament, 1 Timothy 3.
06:27You see this in the Old Testament as well.
06:29The children of Israel, when they wandered in the wilderness, they established elders from each tribe,
06:35and then some of the qualifications, I'd say the most important qualification is Moses' people that are known among you.
06:41That means that you're accountable to them, and they're accountable to you.
06:45You know these people, you know, you can confide in them, they will help you and bless you.
06:49And I think that's very, very important.
06:51We go back to 1 Timothy chapter 3, if you're there.
06:54This is a true saying.
06:56If a man desire the office of a bishop, a bishop, again, is just another word for a shepherd.
07:03In, it says the office of a shepherd here.
07:06In the Old Testament, it uses the term bishopric, which means the office of a shepherd, the role, as it were.
07:11And it's not just as in the pastors in the fields, it's talking about shepherding people spiritually.
07:17He desireth a good work, if he desires that office.
07:20A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach.
07:32So, yeah, he's listing off certain qualifications or qualities or attributes that they should have, or should be growing in, at least.
07:42Not given to wine.
07:44No striker.
07:46Not greedy of filthy lucre.
07:47We'll see that back in 1 Peter chapter 5 about filthy lucre.
07:50Isn't that such a terrible, terrible thing?
07:52Supposedly, a shepherd who shepherds a flock of people, but they'd be greedy of filthy lucre.
08:00That means they're greedy.
08:02They seek gain.
08:03Fleece in the flock is the term that we'd use, isn't it?
08:06Okay.
08:06And no doubt we have plenty of examples like that in the world.
08:10I wouldn't say just in the world, but also in so-called churches.
08:13We have plenty of terrible examples.
08:15I know people, they think of bishops, shepherds, they think of so-called men of God, and they think of that.
08:22You know, people that are rinsing people, they're lying in their own pockets with other people's.
08:27So, that's one of the things that they shouldn't be greedy of filthy lucre.
08:31But patient.
08:34Not a brawler.
08:36I mean, someone who's not always ready to be rolling around.
08:39Someone who's not always likely to resort to fighting all the time.
08:46That's why it says not striker as well.
08:48Not covetous.
08:50Not covetous.
08:51Again, I'd remind you that in the New Testament, the Bible likens covetous to idolatry.
08:57Think of idolatry.
08:58How grave a sin that is.
09:00And not only that, idolatry is something we wouldn't think of, but it actually blinds people, doesn't it?
09:07Think of people that worship idols.
09:08How blind they are.
09:10So, not covetous.
09:12One that ruleth well his own house.
09:16Having his children in subjection with all gravity.
09:18That means he's in a place of leadership.
09:20That means the ones who he is shepherding are not out of control.
09:25He has them in their right place.
09:27And what a wonderful image we have of a father, a man of the home, a man amongst his family.
09:34I mean, what a wonderful place to start as a shepherd.
09:37You know, I was speaking at a Christian union event I was invited to at university about three weeks ago now.
09:45And then some of the young men were talking about wanting to be ministers.
09:48And I said, well, that's great because the Bible says if a man desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good thing.
09:54But why would you want to be a minister?
09:56Me and Tony actually had a quick, brief word about this.
09:58It was actually prompted by Tony.
10:00I didn't put the words in his mouth.
10:01And he said something similar.
10:02And it's to preach the word of God and to feed the flock or to be the leader in the home, as it were, is first of all, you lead by example.
10:12You have such responsibility.
10:15It's not you have the number one spot.
10:16No, no, no.
10:17First and foremost, you're at the back of the queue because you're putting those people's needs first.
10:22And then if you was to see someone that rules well his own house, as it were, someone who leads his home as he should, well, surely you'd think, well, I'm sure he'd know who his children are.
10:36I'm sure he'd know their names.
10:38I'm sure he'd know their traits.
10:39He'd know their behaviours.
10:41And then me and a parent were talking today.
10:43It's just we have we have children.
10:44All of your children are all different.
10:46They might be very, very similar.
10:47You might even have twins, but they're all very different and unique in certain ways.
10:51And, you know, a lady earlier was saying to me, he's mischievous.
10:56He gives me a bit of trouble that the others don't.
10:58But she's like this.
10:59And, you know, and I think as parents, we need wisdom to be able to harness the gifts that God has given him and the attributes and the personalities that people have, not to quench them and not to kind of break them down and remould them as if we're a cookie cutter kind of ministry that we make Christians all alike.
11:17It's not like that, is it?
11:18We're individuals.
11:19And God has given us different traits, different gifts, as it were.
11:23But we also have different vices that are unique to us.
11:25So you should know your children.
11:29And obviously, those of you who are parents would know that.
11:32But if you don't know your children, you're not going to be a good shepherd to them, are you?
11:37And this doesn't just speak for a man in the home or, you know, someone who is an elder or a minister or a shepherd or an overseer.
11:42But the things that we are responsible for as people, the things that you're responsible for, we ought to be good stewards, especially when we're dealing with people, especially when we're dealing with souls.
11:53It's very, very important.
11:54Now, we get back to that job or an office as a minister, as a bishop.
12:01Look, then if he has these qualifications, he's married, he has his children and they're in subjection.
12:08He's leading in the home.
12:09He's not a novice.
12:11It continues on.
12:12If a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?
12:17That's a rhetorical question.
12:18If a man can't rule well his own house, he will not be able to take care of the church of God.
12:24Now, just think these children who love you and, you know, you've probably had situations like that when your children were young.
12:32It's a lot of time that children want to please their parents, don't they?
12:35But typically a flock doesn't always have that same view, especially when you're dealing with adults.
12:42But it's different in a way, but you won't be able to do that if you can't take care of your own house.
12:49And in verse six, it says, not a novice.
12:51That means not someone who's fresh, not someone who's new, not someone who's not.
12:56They're not experienced and they haven't been immersed in the word of God because lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
13:07That's why we should not quench anyone who wants to be a shepherd, but we should lead them and guide them and say, well, learn, learn, learn.
13:18I mean, what kind of surgeon would you want to operate on you if you needed an operation?
13:25A novice or someone says, let me, I just want to be in control of the knife.
13:29Would you want someone like that to be in control of them?
13:32Not quite, would you?
13:33You'd like someone who's, they're not seeking glory, they just want the job to be done correctly.
13:39How about a lawyer or solicitor?
13:41Anyone like that?
13:42Would you like a novice?
13:43Would you like someone inexperienced to do that?
13:45Or someone with the wrong motive or intentions?
13:48Of course you wouldn't.
13:49Even more so, someone who could be like a spiritual surgeon or even someone who could spiritually adhere to God's laws and teach and help the flock.
14:01Even more so.
14:02Moreover, he must have a good report of them which are without.
14:06That means the unbelievers.
14:08So not having a bad testimony.
14:11Now, the Bible does say people will lie about you, they'll mock you, of course.
14:16But woe when all men speak well of you.
14:19It also says that.
14:21Because that will, of course, be a bad trait.
14:24Lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
14:27Now, the devil is looking to trip us up as believers.
14:30We'll go back to that in 1 Peter chapter 5.
14:32He is continuously, continuously, without rest, looking to cause us to stumble.
14:39And if he causes us to stumble, he'll cause us to doubt.
14:41He'll cause us to look inwards, to be self-condemning, to think, I failed God.
14:45And he can get more of a grip, more leverage against us.
14:48Likewise, must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre.
14:58Can you see that coming up over and over again?
15:01Same thing, right?
15:02So, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
15:08And let these also first be proved.
15:11Then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
15:15So, I believe the proving is very important.
15:18Very, very important.
15:20Go back to 1 Peter chapter 5, please.
15:22That's just a bit of context on who elders would be.
15:27The Bible uses the word elders.
15:29It also uses a term only found once in the Bible.
15:31It's called presbytery.
15:32It just means the elders or the shepherds, the overseers that are amongst you.
15:37So, Peter gives these people a very, very great and clear exhortation.
15:44A warning, even.
15:46He says this.
15:48Who am also an elder.
15:50So, hang on.
15:51Peter, the author of this letter, was an elder.
15:54That means, conclude it, he would have had a wife and children.
15:58And we also read of Peter's wife in the gospel.
16:00She lay sick and he got the Lord Jesus to come and he healed her, that she would rise again.
16:04And she ministered to Jesus after.
16:06So, we knew that Peter was married.
16:07We don't hear anything else about his family life or private life.
16:12And he also says this.
16:14And a witness of the sufferings of Christ.
16:16Now, Peter actually witnessed the sufferings of Christ.
16:21With his own eyes.
16:23And also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.
16:27I believe, in a sense, we all are partakers of the glory that shall be revealed.
16:32But also, Peter makes reference to this in his second epistle.
16:36He actually saw Christ the Lord transcending the physical and seeing him in his spiritual glory.
16:46We call it the Mount of Transfiguration, don't we?
16:48In Matthew 17, that's found.
16:50So, he even sees that.
16:51Is Peter alluding to that?
16:52Some people say yes.
16:54I think we all are partakers of the glory that shall be revealed in a sense.
16:58But Peter's making it specific about himself here.
17:02He walked with the Saviour.
17:03He walked with Emmanuel, God, with us.
17:06Can you picture that?
17:07And he experienced things.
17:09And not only did he experience these, but he walked on water.
17:13And also this.
17:14When he fell, the Lord pulled him back out.
17:19Now, I think that's an experience most of us miss, isn't it?
17:21Yes, Peter walked on the water and then he took his eyes off Christ.
17:24Well, there you go.
17:25He also had an experience the others didn't experience as well.
17:28Is the Lord pulled him back up.
17:30What an experience that is in itself.
17:33So, this is what Peter's saying.
17:35He's just affirming that he is a man just like them.
17:38He is an elder.
17:39He is an overseer.
17:40He feeds the flock.
17:42He does the role of a shepherd.
17:44And then he says this to them.
17:45Feed the flock of God.
17:47Now, how do you feed the flock of God?
17:49I don't want to kind of till ground that's already been ploughed.
17:53But it's very important to just clarify things.
17:56And how do we feed the flock of God?
17:59We think, well, what does sheep eat?
18:01You know?
18:01Well, what does a Christian feast on?
18:04The Word of God.
18:06This is our bread.
18:08This is our spiritual meat.
18:11Yes, we start with milk.
18:12But for a short time, a baby has milk.
18:15Then they move on to solids.
18:17This is our spiritual meat.
18:19This is how we are fed.
18:20And ministers, if they neglect to preach the Word of God and to feed the flock of God,
18:26we'll end up with a malnourished church.
18:29We'll end up with unskilled Christians in the Word of God,
18:33which is not profitable for the kingdom nor this world, is it?
18:36So, it's an exhortation.
18:39Feed the flock of God, which is among you.
18:43I don't believe that ministers or elders or shepherds should be distant from their flock at all.
18:50That they should be in this country and then we're having video calls.
18:53And I heard of one that he would go around and then they'd listen to his audio tapes.
18:58They'd all meet together and then they'd just listen to the preacher's audio tapes
19:01while he was in Indonesia for six months.
19:03And I thought, where's the accountability that the shepherd has to his flock?
19:08And the flock has to the shepherd.
19:09You know, if we're talking just one shepherd, that is.
19:12And then we look at this and you think, you can see the difficulties that might come,
19:18but also the vulnerability.
19:19I'm sure you can see that.
19:21Feed the flock of God, which is among you.
19:24Taking the oversight thereof.
19:28Again, the oversight, that's the role.
19:30It's even the title, overseer, oversight.
19:33Not by constraint.
19:34That means not by making people, you know, be a certain way.
19:38Right, make sure you're all sat down and make sure you do this, do this, do this.
19:41No, no, no, no, no.
19:42It's to minister.
19:44It's to serve the people and direct them to Christ.
19:48That's what you should be doing.
19:49And we could elaborate on that much, much further, but it's feed the flock, taking the oversight
19:53thereof.
19:54How?
19:54Not by constraint.
19:56If you constrain someone, it's sort of like you've restrained them.
20:01Not by that.
20:02We don't do it that way.
20:03We don't kind of strong arm people to serve or strong arm people to follow the Lord, but
20:08willingly.
20:10Not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.
20:14You know, I love this.
20:14This is one of the most wonderful things I read in the Old Testament when I was a new
20:20believer.
20:20I read through Genesis all the way, finished Chronicles.
20:24Just before Job, I got to Ezra and I had no idea what this book was about.
20:28I didn't know Ezra was a person when I got to Ezra.
20:31I'm a new believer and I read, I read and I get through.
20:34You don't read about Ezra for the first seven chapters.
20:37And I was reading it and then Ezra comes.
20:40You read it.
20:41I'm like, oh, right.
20:42Okay.
20:42And I'm piecing things together as a new, I knew no Bible, no scripture, no Christian
20:47upbringing whatsoever.
20:48I was 21 when I got saved.
20:49I got to Ezra, I'm seven chapters in and it says, Ezra was a ready scribe.
20:55And it was like, bang.
20:56And the Lord used him.
20:57And then he's turning his people around, bringing them back to the Lord.
21:00Yes.
21:00They, they, they got back to the promised land.
21:03They got back to Jerusalem.
21:04They're rebuilding.
21:05But what is God's desire?
21:07That they would have dwelt in Jerusalem, in godless Jerusalem without him.
21:13Was that God's desire?
21:14No.
21:15What was the desire of God?
21:16That they would leave the bondage of Egypt to go into the promised land?
21:21No, no, no.
21:22It doesn't stop there.
21:22I think we do God a great disservice because he said, I brought you out on eagle's wings
21:26unto myself.
21:29That's God's desire that I would be your God and you would be my people, that we would
21:34have a tabernacle with our God, that we would dwell with him forever and ever and ever, starting
21:38now, not when we die.
21:40Now we would be with him.
21:41That is God's desire.
21:43And then I read Ezra and he brings the people back to God.
21:48I thought, how wonderful was that?
21:50Because he was of a ready mind.
21:52It says he was a priest.
21:53He was a ready scribe.
21:55In a day where people were neglecting the reading, if they neglect the reading of the
22:01word of God.
22:02And by the way, these people, if you would have looked at their practices, it's not recorded
22:06in the scriptures.
22:07You look at their practices, how they would record the word of God and how they would
22:10memorize it, how they would share it, at what ages they would teach it.
22:14I mean, it was a way of life, but they neglect the reading and the following of it.
22:18And we get the gist.
22:19I mean, we meet many Christians like that today or so-called.
22:22But also, like, they would neglect the copying of the word of God as well.
22:27Because there's not a great demand in scribal work, is there, if no one wants to read it
22:31or no one wants to distribute it.
22:33But if you think, he was of a ready mind, and it reminds me of Ezra when I read this,
22:38but of a ready mind.
22:39He was a ready scribe.
22:41Neither as being lords over God's heritage.
22:45Now, picture this, if I could make my voice heard across the world to every minister and
22:51pastor and shepherd, you know, may it be so, God willing, but if shepherds would look at
22:58the flock of God as God's heritage, as something precious to God that belonged to God, I believe
23:06we would see ministers minister very differently.
23:09Would you agree?
23:11So, neither as being lords over God's flock.
23:15You know what a lord is, don't you?
23:16A lord's an owner.
23:18A lord is someone who has servants.
23:20A lord is someone who has people answer to him.
23:22Now, the Bible says that a shepherd should rule well his own house.
23:26If he can't rule well his own house, how should he take care of the church of God?
23:29It also says about ruling the house of God.
23:31So, what does that mean?
23:32It means directing and overseeing, leading, not being a lord.
23:38The church doesn't serve the minister.
23:40I mean, we see this throughout many, many centuries in history, especially in Europe, even in the
23:46country in which we live, is that you had this large divide of clergy and layman, which God
23:52never designed.
23:54That the people serve the church and the church do what they do as they feel led.
23:58No, no, no, no, no, no.
23:59No, we are a body.
24:01The Bible says that it's a brotherhood, that we are brethren, and there is one head.
24:09So, don't be lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
24:16Leaders, a good leader, leads by example.
24:18If you look at leaders in the Old Testament, think of Moses.
24:22It says, I know it's the words of Moses that speak of Moses, that he was the meekest man
24:27on the face of the earth, but the Bible still says it, that he was the meekest man upon the
24:32face of the earth.
24:33Meekness is a wonderful quality.
24:36It doesn't mean void of skill or strength.
24:38It doesn't mean weakness.
24:39Meekness means you have the abilities, you're capable, you have the strength or the skill,
24:46but it's under control and it's used correctly and properly.
24:49That's how we should be as Christians, not out of control.
24:54That's weakness.
24:55But you look at Moses and then he led by example, and then you look at a great leader of Joshua
25:00as well.
25:02But also Joshua, before he led, he served Moses.
25:05Before Elisha done many, many wonderful works for God, it says that he poured water over the
25:11hands of Elijah.
25:12Peter, someone who would carry, you know, a leather skin bottle of water and pour that
25:19over the hands of a prophet.
25:20That doesn't sound like a very inspiring, strengthening, empowering position in life,
25:25does it?
25:25You know, he's like, I'm going to be a great prophet one day.
25:28And he's pouring water over a prophet's hand.
25:30No, he knew that even, even doing that, he's doing service to the Lord.
25:36Even if we give a cup of water to a little child in the name of Jesus, he shall not lose
25:43his reward.
25:44Why?
25:44Because he does it on behalf of his saviour.
25:46That's why.
25:47And that's how we should be.
25:49In verse four, it says this, and when the chief shepherd shall appear, that's referring to
25:55our Lord Jesus, of course.
25:58So if these elders, just bearing in mind, if you're an elder, like this includes you as
26:02law, but imagine the exhortation to these elders that Peter writes in that day, in the
26:08first century.
26:08Think of the warning.
26:10And he says, all of these things, feed the flock of God.
26:13Don't be like this.
26:15Make sure you qualify and you take things seriously.
26:18And this is your role.
26:19Don't neglect it.
26:20And he says, and then when the chief shepherd appears, when our great shepherd appears,
26:26should we not all keep that in mind as Christians, that the Lord is coming for us again?
26:31God, even more so, even how much more sobering should that be for a shepherd who is under the
26:40chief shepherd, take their role seriously.
26:43And when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth
26:48not away.
26:49What a wonderful thing.
26:51Now, whatever we do for the Lord, he shall reward us.
26:55And that is not our ultimate motive, is it?
26:57To do something for reward.
26:58No.
26:59But the Lord is just and he is good.
27:03And whatever we do for him shall be of eternal worth.
27:07And not only that, he recognises it.
27:09Even the smallest of things, the Lord recognises it and uses it.
27:13What a wonderful thing.
27:15Small, insignificant me, who can only be one place at one time in the world.
27:20And I have this voice that could come and go.
27:23You know, it could be gone tomorrow.
27:24I might not be able to ever speak again in my life, but just poor me, I could do something
27:30that could please him.
27:32Something so small when it could put a smile on my saviour's face.
27:34What a wonderful thought.
27:35When the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
27:44Likewise, ye younger, this includes everyone in the body, I believe.
27:49Ye younger believers, submit yourselves unto the elder.
27:54Yea, all of you be subject one to another.
27:58To be subject means to be under something.
28:02Mostly under that you are helping and you're in a position propping something up.
28:06Have that image in your head.
28:07But yes, we should submit to the elders.
28:11Why?
28:11Because go to Hebrews chapter 13, please.
28:14Just for context.
28:17Hebrews chapter 13, please.
28:18There's a few verses in Hebrews 13 that mention about this.
28:26We'll look in verse 7, please.
28:28That's off the scripture in 1 Peter.
28:30That submit younger, submit to the elder.
28:34But he also says, be subject one another, one to another.
28:37Almost like, you know, like the picture of a marriage.
28:39Go to Ephesians 5 and 6.
28:41It gives you the picture of a marriage that wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as unto the Lord.
28:48Scriptures say that.
28:49But he also says, submit you one to another.
28:52It's supposed to be a harmonic relationship that would work.
28:57Yes, the wives submit and the husbands love their wives as Christ loved the church.
29:01And then you see here that the elders and the youngers, as in the body, they submit one to another.
29:09And it's harmonious.
29:11It works.
29:12Verse 7 of Hebrews 13 says, remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God.
29:20That's the people that have rule over you.
29:21Those who have spoken to you the word of God.
29:23Those who have fed the flock.
29:24Whose faith, follow.
29:29Whose faith, follow.
29:31That doesn't mean, oh, that person has that religion.
29:34That person's a Presbyterian.
29:35That person's this.
29:36Be that.
29:36No, no, no, no.
29:37It's talking about your faith.
29:39Your faith or the faith is something that is exercised.
29:43It's not just a belief system we have.
29:46We do believe the Bible.
29:47We do believe the doctrines found in here.
29:49Yes, but we walk by faith.
29:52We walk with God by faith.
29:55And our works declare it and show it and glorify him.
29:59So that's why the people who are ministering and speaking the word of God, they should be able to set an example that others could follow.
30:08Considering the end of their conversation.
30:11And look at verse 17.
30:12So it says, remember them.
30:14And in verse 17, it says, obey them which have the rule over you and submit yourselves.
30:18That's what 1 Peter says.
30:19But 1 Peter gives us a little bit more context as we submit one to another.
30:24And submit yourselves for they watch for yourselves.
30:27I have no problem submitting to overseers who feed me the word of God.
30:33I have no problem submitting to godly men who walk the walk, as it were, who trust the Lord and set a godly example.
30:41I have no problem submitting to people like that.
30:43I really don't.
30:44And we are rebellious people because we don't like to submit to anyone, do we?
30:47And I'm the same.
30:48I'm made of the same flesh as you.
30:50But when the scriptures say, obey them and submit yourselves, that watch for your souls.
30:57When I think if there's people that consider my soul and pray for me and watch for me and look out for me and will put me in the right direction when I'm going off.
31:07Praise the Lord.
31:08We should submit, shouldn't we?
31:10Again, I'm not saying this is a clergy laity thing.
31:12I don't believe that.
31:13I don't believe it's biblical, but I'm saying that people, they have been given authority by God to steer the flock in the right direction.
31:21And that is toward God himself.
31:24As they that must give account, these shepherds that must give account to the great shepherd, that they may do it with joy and not with grief.
31:35Now, I think it's very, very hard job.
31:38Very, very unrewarding at times even to minister to people because you're not appreciated.
31:46You don't see.
31:47And by the way, it's like anything in life.
31:4990% of the work is usually unseen.
31:53I was doing a job.
31:54I was fitting air conditioning in this new bakery in Windsor.
31:59And believe me, because it's in Windsor, it had to be a certain way.
32:03And I'm doing it and I'm doing it.
32:05I think 99% of all the hard work and everything that I did is completely unseen.
32:10Only I know it exists and what went into that project.
32:13Only I know.
32:13It's like that.
32:14If you meet an electrician or whatever the case, 90% of the work that they do is unseen.
32:19It's only about 10%.
32:20You might see the sockets and the lights and you know everything's working.
32:23All the drilling, all the everything, all the prep work, all the wiring and running this
32:27and all the hard work up and down through the lofts.
32:31No one sees that.
32:33Not the end product, do they?
32:34It's the same with ministers.
32:37Think of their studying time.
32:38Think of them examining themselves and praying for the flock and praying for the lost.
32:4590% of what they do or should be doing is private.
32:49Is unseen, of course, isn't it?
32:51Just like any other job that you could liken it to.
32:54So just think of these people that they may do it with joy.
32:57So if we encourage people, it's a shame when pulpits get emptied when they could be filled
33:06through discouragement.
33:08If they're driven out by the flock, that's not a good way either.
33:12I mean, you've got extremes on both sides, but if they could do it with joy, if they could
33:16give account with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable unto you.
33:22So think of that.
33:23Yes, I, you know, I have no problem serving behind, under, whatever the case, under people
33:29that watch for our souls, that minister, that feed, that work on behalf of the saviour in
33:35a godly way.
33:35If they do it properly, of course, of course.
33:38We see many bad examples.
33:39But the ones who do it right, we should get behind them, pray for them and encourage them
33:44because that's our job to submit to one another, right?
33:46As we are in Hebrews 13, look at verse 20.
33:51I love this.
33:52Now the God of peace that brought to gain from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd
33:58of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant.
34:04That's the great shepherd, as it says here, the Lord Jesus.
34:07Just for context, if you were making notes or going back to 1 Peter chapter 5 in Hebrews
34:1213, 20, the great shepherd is the Lord Jesus that rose again from the dead.
34:16Go back to 1 Peter chapter 5 with me.
34:20So that's the context of, you know, the elders, the exhortation that Peter gives them and then
34:26the youngest, you know, the rest of the body, how we should harmonize one with another.
34:32And in verse 5 comes, for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.
34:39I'm sure we all know this verse and the next verse in verse 6.
34:41Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time.
34:46I love this because if you look here, God resists the proud.
34:53God resists.
34:54He didn't say he resists the lost.
34:56He didn't say he resists the ungodly.
35:00Who is Peter speaking to here?
35:02Christians.
35:03So Christians, God resists the proud.
35:07I said it to myself as well.
35:09And pride is shown in many ways.
35:11But also just this is you don't feel your need for God.
35:16So God will resist you.
35:19Because you think, no, I can do that on my own.
35:21No, I'll do it my way.
35:22No, no, I know what to do.
35:24No, I don't need that.
35:25No, it's okay.
35:27That's pride.
35:28That's pride.
35:29In a very subtle way, of course.
35:31But God resists the proud and giveth grace to the humble.
35:37I need as much grace as heaven can conjure up.
35:40Believe me.
35:41And I'm sure you're the same.
35:43I do not need to be resisted by God through pride.
35:47So humble yourselves before being humbled.
35:51And believe me, I have a mirror, a metaphorical mirror right in front of me.
35:56I'm speaking to me as well.
35:58Humble yourselves, therefore.
36:00This will help us under the mighty hand of God.
36:04Do you believe that God, that his mighty hand over us can help us?
36:10Do you believe that God's hand is mighty?
36:13Or do you think, yes, I believe God that can do all things apart from when God's mighty hand comes over me and my life and my household.
36:20It can't do much there.
36:22Is that what we believe?
36:24Sometimes we act like it.
36:27God is mighty.
36:30Without faith, it is impossible to please him.
36:32So humble yourselves and trust God that his mighty hand can, yes, lift you up and exalt you in due time.
36:42I love that because in God's timing, whatever he sees our destiny to be, whatever he sees our route to be, our testimony in life or death, may it come to pass in his timing.
36:55Because the Lord Jesus, it says, in the fullness of time was born of a woman under the law.
37:01He lived.
37:02That wondrous, perfect life and tasted death for every man.
37:07And in Philippians chapter two, it says that God has given him the name above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow and every tongue should confess that he is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
37:16But before that, in Philippians two, it says he humbled himself.
37:21He became a man, the prince of heaven, the king of life.
37:27God himself became a man.
37:28How humbling is that?
37:29And then furthermore, as a man, he humbled himself even to the death of the cross.
37:35Now, what a picture for us, our saviour.
37:39He humbled himself greatly and God exalted him in due time.
37:43And he has the name above every name, the highest exaltation anyone could ever have.
37:49The Lord Jesus, that every knee should bow to him.
37:53But first, he humbled himself.
37:56What an example to us.
37:58May we humble ourselves.
38:00What's more useful?
38:01A donkey that's stiff-necked and digs its heels in the ground and you've got to pull it and pull it.
38:07And it grumbles when more weight's put on it.
38:10And it kicks the bucket of water over when you need it.
38:12And you think, this is for you.
38:13This is for your benefit.
38:15Or one that just, it obeys its master.
38:18It goes through.
38:19That donkey makes more frustration for the master and for itself in the long run, doesn't it?
38:25So may we not be stiff-necked.
38:27May we not be like that and kick against the goads.
38:30May we be humble.
38:31I love that.
38:32And I did skip over it.
38:34Apologies.
38:34But I love the term that he uses in verse 5.
38:37Be clothed with humility.
38:40Be clothed with humility.
38:43Think of that.
38:44All of us, we got clothed this morning.
38:46And just think of like, some of us made a lot of effort because today we were going to church and we clothed ourselves.
38:52We put some sort of thought or effort in.
38:55Day after day as Christians, we should always be mindful to clothe ourselves in humility.
39:00Every day.
39:01Just like you put on clothes every day or you change clothes, you get home from work.
39:05May that be a reminder to you.
39:07Have I been clothed with humility today?
39:10Have I clothed myself like that?
39:13When we should.
39:14Because God's hand is mighty and because he'll exalt us in due time, it says here, the context, verse 7.
39:22Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.
39:28Now, many songs and hymns have been written about this.
39:31Many devotions have been written just from this verse.
39:35And no doubt they've done a wonderful, wonderful job and encouraged many people.
39:39Casting all your care upon him because he cares for you.
39:44Why does God love us?
39:48Is it because of us?
39:50Or is it because he's loving?
39:54Why should we acknowledge God?
39:57Is it because he needs it?
39:58No.
40:00Because he's worthy.
40:02Why should we cast our care upon him?
40:05Because he cares.
40:06He cares more than you and I do.
40:08He cares more than we think he cares.
40:10Now, when I'm in a sticky spot, I look for a close friend, someone who I trust greatly and can confide in.
40:18Even if I think, I don't think they're going to be able to help.
40:21But if I can just tell them, it's a blessing to me and a benefit.
40:25I'm sure you've had that experience at some point, right?
40:27Why do we neglect it?
40:32Taking it to the Lord in prayer.
40:33Why do we do that?
40:35Sometimes the devil will put it in our minds and think, he doesn't care.
40:39That is menial.
40:40Nope.
40:40God does not care.
40:42Here's how the devil's caused me to stumble.
40:44Maybe you're the same.
40:45I'm going to just be honest now.
40:48I can't take that to the Lord because it's not spiritual.
40:51Finances, health.
40:52I don't think God will really care about that.
40:54Sometimes we think like that, don't we?
40:56But listen, the hairs of your head are numbered.
40:59If a sparrow falls to the ground, God knows it.
41:02Do you not think God cares about our needs?
41:05Do you not think God cares about us as people while we're here on this earth?
41:10Lord, help us to provide so that we can do this.
41:14No, God, that's not on God's radar.
41:17He won't acknowledge that, so I better not pray it.
41:19That's how we think.
41:20Seriously, that's how we think.
41:22It shouldn't be the case.
41:23It's cast all your care upon him.
41:28Do it.
41:29You cast all your care upon him because he cares for you.
41:33I love that word.
41:34He careth for you.
41:35That means he continuously cares for us.
41:39And tomorrow and forever will cares for us.
41:41We have a bit of a change of gear here when we get to verse 8.
41:47He says, be sober.
41:50Be vigilant.
41:51That means be serious.
41:52It's almost like he's speaking like you get the image of children and the shepherds and then you get the image of how he directs those who need to be humble and those who do humble themselves and those who have those cares.
42:06He says, it's almost like he changes gear here like he's speaking to an army of troops.
42:11Be sober.
42:13Be vigilant.
42:16Why?
42:16Because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about.
42:24Listen, if I had a great enemy and he personally had it in for me, I'd kind of want to know his movements.
42:31I'd kind of want to know if he gets close to me, if he catches up with me, what is he likely to do?
42:36Is he wily?
42:37Is he tricky?
42:39Extremely.
42:39It says, our adversary, the one who fights against us day and night, the devil.
42:48He's also called Satan.
42:49He's also called the tempter.
42:51He's also called the accuser of the brethren.
42:53He's also called the devil, the serpent, many other names known as Lucifer.
42:59Him.
43:00He is the one that walks about.
43:03It also tells us how and what he is.
43:07He gives us a description as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
43:14Now, the devil's tricky.
43:15He's not just wily.
43:17He's also a bold liar.
43:20There's only three times in the scriptures that Satan is actually recorded speaking.
43:26One of them's in the Garden of Eden.
43:28You know the account.
43:29The other one's the interaction with the Lord Jesus.
43:31And the other one is when he speaks to God in the book of Job.
43:35That's the only times we see the devil speak.
43:36Those three times.
43:38You can, when you're home and you're Bible reading or you get a spare moment, look at each of those accounts.
43:46I've done it.
43:47And just verse after verse, you see his strategy, as it were.
43:53What he does is he asks a question.
43:55He asks Eve a question.
43:57Hey, did God say that you could not do this, this, this?
44:01And he kind of twists it.
44:02And then he says to the Lord Jesus, if you're the son of God, you'd be able to turn these stones to bread.
44:09And he asks a loaded question every time.
44:13And he says to God, he says, ah, you know, if this, this, this, you've put a hedge about him.
44:19So, of course, you know, you won't let me do anything to Job.
44:21He's not.
44:22Every time he asks a loaded question and then it's followed by a lie.
44:26Very subtle, very subtle, then strikes.
44:29And then he tells a lie.
44:30Then he tells a lie.
44:31And then just as he approaches Eve very subtly and then lies, says to the Lord Jesus very subtly, and then he lies.
44:38And then the same when he's speaking to God in the book of Job, he says, ah, well, if you did this, he'd curse you to your face.
44:46That was a lie.
44:47Of course, we know that the devil can't tempt God, but each time he's very tricky.
44:53And here's like the half truth to it.
44:55Every time when he speaks to God in the book of Job, he says, I've just been walking to and fro in the earth.
45:00But how has he been walking to and fro in the earth?
45:03One Peter tells us, as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
45:09Now, I've heard people elaborate on this text and one way or another way.
45:13And I heard one man say the reason why he's walking about as a roaring lion is because God's pulled out all his teeth.
45:19So we can't do any damage.
45:20I think there's some truth to that.
45:22But the warning is here for us to be sober and vigilant.
45:26Now, in the book of Jude, it says that Michael dares not bring a railing accusation against the devil.
45:34He just said, the Lord rebuke you.
45:36Michael, the angel, didn't dare like to fight or, you know, get in a word battle with the devil in the interaction that he has.
45:43It's just briefly recorded in the book of Jude.
45:45No, he just says, the Lord deal with you and the Lord rebuke you.
45:47That's why I don't think it's biblical to see these people thinking that they're, you know, accusing and they're going to fight the devil and they're going to, you know, have a spiritual arm wrestle with him and things like that.
45:59And what does the Bible tell us here?
46:01To be sober, to be vigilant.
46:04Now, that tells me that we should have some awareness and that we shouldn't be flippant in dealing with this adversary.
46:10Wouldn't you agree?
46:11This is how we deal with him.
46:14Whom resist steadfast in the faith.
46:18Now, if you think something that's resistant, imagine someone that's like someone's trying to open the door and you want to keep someone out of that door.
46:26What you do, you put resistance against that door and then you know what will happen is they'll leave.
46:31You stop them coming in because we are no match for him.
46:34But he says, resist him steadfast in the faith.
46:37Just for the sake of time, we won't be able to elaborate and go through everything.
46:40But in Ephesians chapter 6, it tells us what our spiritual armor is.
46:46The shield of faith.
46:47Just think of that.
46:49And by the way, the shield that is being spoken about in Ephesians chapter 6, it's not quite like a shield, like a circular shield that you might think.
46:57That's what the Bible would call a buckler.
46:59Does that make sense?
47:00One that's easy to be portable and mobile when someone's fighting.
47:05Think of a Roman shield.
47:07It's more like the size of a door.
47:08Does that make sense?
47:10And then when the clash comes or when the fiery darts come, they resist it with that shield.
47:15Now think about that.
47:17Also, we have the sword of the spirit, the word of God, but not only that, the breastplate of righteousness, the girdle of truth.
47:26We keep it all together by truth and the helmet of the hope of salvation.
47:30We have these things.
47:31That's how we can resist him.
47:33Resist him steadfast in the faith.
47:36Not through worldly wisdom.
47:38Not through, oh, you know, I'm just going to do it.
47:40Word of faith.
47:41What I say, he has to obey.
47:43Hey, the Bible never, ever says anything like that.
47:45Not concerning this.
47:48Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
47:54Nothing is new to us or in the past or in the future because believers all over the world receive the same instruction as we have received.
48:04And the same outcomes will happen because God is working.
48:08And if we resist him steadfast in the faith, he will flee.
48:13Look at verse 10.
48:15I always remember this verse because there was a man, he was going through some hard times.
48:22He was very troubled at our church.
48:24And a few years ago, I think it was in 2021, roughly end of 2021.
48:28He was going through a really, really rough time.
48:29And I'd read 1 Peter chapter 5 and I shared this with him.
48:33And the reason why I shared it with him is because it says about being perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.
48:39I said, listen, after the hard times that you go through, God will do this.
48:43He'll strengthen you, settle you, establish you, make you perfect.
48:48That didn't actually speak to him.
48:49You know what really spoke to him?
48:51The first part of the verse.
48:53But the God of all grace.
48:55That's what spoke to him.
48:56I was sharing this verse with him.
48:57I thought, I think this is the perfect verse for you.
49:00I read it just last night.
49:01I believe that God had just brought this to my mind to share with you now.
49:04And it wasn't what I thought was a blessing to him.
49:07It was the beginning of the verse.
49:09Just picture this.
49:10Don't isolate it.
49:11I'm not saying that.
49:12But just think of this.
49:14The God of all grace.
49:17And that's what blessed the brother's heart very much.
49:20Just knowing that.
49:20Hang on.
49:22What did you say?
49:22The God of all grace.
49:24Him.
49:28This God of all grace.
49:30Who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus.
49:35Him.
49:36Now we have that picture of God.
49:38Yes, he loves us.
49:39Yes.
49:39He cares for us greatly, doesn't he?
49:41The God of all grace.
49:44Is there any gift in anything gracious that God would not do for his people?
49:52The God of all grace.
49:54It says here, after that you have suffered a while.
49:57I don't like to be that person who's negative, but I think suffering is part and parcel with the Christian life.
50:07It's part and parcel of being an alien, a pilgrim in this world, because you don't belong here.
50:13And not only that, the God of this world is trying to drive us out.
50:16But after that we have suffered a while, our suffering is not in vain.
50:24Our suffering is not purposeless.
50:28And our suffering is not comfortless either.
50:30Thank God that he's always with us.
50:34But he also says this, after that we have suffered a while.
50:37By the way, God does not put us through things that we are unable to bear.
50:41He gives us strength for each day.
50:46He says that.
50:47He's the God of all grace.
50:48And what Paul says is his grace is sufficient for me.
50:52That God will not let me be tempted beyond what I'm able to cope with.
50:57After we've suffered, whatever it might be, heartache and rejection and betrayal.
51:04All of these things that we would go through.
51:06Not just physical things, but also those things that strike us internally.
51:12We go through these things.
51:14And he says this, after that, he'll make you perfect.
51:19He'll round us.
51:20He'll sharpen us.
51:23I don't like the sufferings that we have to go through.
51:25I don't like seeing other Christians go through suffering.
51:28But I know that this God of all grace uses it for good.
51:32He'll make us perfect.
51:34He'll establish.
51:36That means just think of a table.
51:38Think of a table with two legs next to a table with four legs.
51:42One is stable.
51:43One's not.
51:46He'll establish us.
51:48Strengthen us.
51:50And look at this one.
51:51I normally used to read over this.
51:54And he'll settle you.
51:57He'll settle you.
51:58Just think of something that's rattled, discouraged, frightened.
52:04You know, think of anyone on pets or you have dogs or a pet that's been startled and frightened and you're the one that can settle it.
52:12How much more can God settle us?
52:15To him be glory and dominion.
52:20May he rule and be Lord and head forever and ever.
52:25Amen.
52:26And then Peter signs it off by this.
52:29It says,
52:29By Silvanus.
52:30He was a companion of Peter.
52:33I believe that Peter writes it.
52:37It's either some say that he audibly dictated it to Silvanus to write.
52:42Or Peter wrote it and Silvanus delivered it.
52:45Whether it was one copy or another or multiple ones.
52:49But he says,
52:50By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you.
52:54I love hearing about these Christians that are just mentioned briefly in passing.
52:59Especially at the end of them.
53:00Because sometimes we say,
53:01Yeah, nearly done my chapter of Bible reading here.
53:04Oh, yeah, Silvanus.
53:05No, but just think.
53:06Just think.
53:07The only thing we hear about Silvanus here is he was a faithful brother unto you.
53:13If the only thing you could be to Christians that you don't really know.
53:17Think of the body of Christ in the world.
53:20Christ's people.
53:21If you could just be a faithful brother.
53:23How wonderful that would be.
53:27Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you.
53:28As I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting.
53:33We mentioned that earlier.
53:34He has written.
53:34Peter's written briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.
53:42I love that.
53:42And that kind of encapsulates chapter five.
53:45You've heard my exhortations in this brief letter that I've written.
53:49And the grace of God wherein ye stand.
53:50Learn how gracious God is and how gracious he has been to you.
53:56Now, some of us look back in history and think, wow, how gracious God has been to those saints in the past.
54:03No, no, no.
54:04He's not more gracious to them as he is to us now.
54:07No.
54:08He's a God of all grace.
54:09And it's the same grace in which we stand today.
54:12The same grace that John Newton experienced and wrote of is the same grace that you and I stand in today.
54:18And it's God's amazing, everlasting, present grace that we experience.
54:24Praise the Lord.
54:26The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you, and so doth Marcus, my son.
54:36You know, he's also referred to as Mark.
54:39Lucas is also referred to as Luke.
54:40You can, you know, Marcus was Barnabas's nephew and then he accompanies Peter.
54:47Many people say because Marcus was a close companion to Peter and then he's there as Peter writes and dictates the two epistles that he does,
54:58that that's where a lot of the gospel of Mark would have come from.
55:03God only knows is what I say, because God inspired that.
55:07However, it was, there is truth to that, of course, but I don't think that the word of God can just be categorized with little snippets from the first century history.
55:16But is that Marcus was with him.
55:18We know he was definitely a companion of Peter.
55:20And this is one of the verses that say it.
55:22I love this.
55:23Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity.
55:27Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus.
55:31Amen.
55:31That means greet each other with a kiss of charity.
55:34That's saying about being affectionate.
55:37You know, greet each other with a holy kiss.
55:40You know, it's not talking about what other people might think it's talking about.
55:44It's not talking about anything sensual or lustful, of course, but something that's holy or a kiss of charity.
55:50Charity is being sacrificial and loving.
55:53So a kiss is like something that's close and affectionate, isn't it?
55:57And that's how we should be to one another.
55:58We should be affectionate and loving to one another.
56:01Don't greet each other and say, oh, yeah, this person's here again.
56:05Hey, did Christ die for that individual?
56:09Is it one of Christ's sheep?
56:11What you've done to the least of my brethren, you've done unto me.
56:14That's how we should see each other and treat each other.
56:17A kiss of charity.
56:18Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus.
56:22Amen.
56:22Praise Him, praise Him, Jesus, our blessed Redeemer.
56:29Sing, O earth, His wonderful love proclaim.
56:33Hail Him, hail Him, highest archangels in glory.
56:40Strength and honor give to His holy name.
56:47Praise Him, praise Him, praise Him, tell of His excellent greatness.
57:06Praise Him, praise Him, ever in joyful song.
57:12Praise Him, praise Him, praise Him, Jesus, our blessed Redeemer.
57:19For our sins He suffered and bled and died.
57:26He, our rock, our hope of eternal salvation.
57:32Hail, hail Him, hail Him, Jesus the crucified.
57:39Sound His praises, Jesus who bore our sorrows.
57:46Love unbounded, wonderful, deep and strong.
57:51Praise Him, praise Him, praise Him, tell of His excellent greatness.
57:59Praise Him, praise Him, ever in joyful song.
58:05Praise Him, praise Him, Jesus, our blessed Redeemer.
58:12Heavenly portals, love with those and as rain.
58:18Praise Him, praise Him, praise Him, ever in joyful song.
58:48Tell of His excellent greatness.
58:50Praise Him, praise Him, praise Him, ever in joyful song.
58:59Amen.
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