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Forged – Week 5: A Shepherd’s Heart

Forged – Week 5: A Shepherd’s Heart

A Shepherd’s Heart

Review
Becoming Holy – humility in justification and sanctification
Sanctification leads to love which requires humility
Humility where – towards the government –in marriage, in work,
In the church –a holy nation a royal priesthood
Discipleship means learning to understand Gods design for every sphere of our lives
Design/Order and attitude
Discipleship dies when we are too proud to learn and obey

Remember – 1 Peter 2:13 (NIV) — 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority,

The church
1 Peter 2:9-10 (NIV) — But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.— 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 5:1–10 (NKJV) — 1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. 5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

Peter writes about the organized church here—leadership is a part of the design
• 3 Words same office –role –responsibility
• Plural Elders –

1 Timothy 3:1–2 (ESV) — 1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
Titus 1:7 (NIV) — 7 Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.

How did an Elder become an Elder?
Appointed by Godly established leaders
As identified by characteristics
As Identified by the Holy Spirits leading
Titus 1:5 (NIV) — 5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.
Titus 1:6–9 (NIV) — 6 An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7 Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8 Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

Notice what leadership looks like –the positions name gives us a hint
Head – Elder – older spiritually Presbuteros
Heart –Shepherd – cares for the sheep – protects the sheep Poimnion
Hands – skills – Overseer (office) Episkopeo

A. God oppeses pride –resists it –why—it kills discipleship and maturity
B. Humbly remembering the sheep belong to the chief shepherd
C. Jesus as our example Vs 3
D. The motive – not for gain – sincerely –Because of what God has done for us
E. Vs 3–We set the example that proceeds from the family of God to the people of God
F. Under your care
G. Servant leadership –not lording –

Acts 20:28–30 (NIV) — 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.

The role of believers in the church
1 Peter 2:13 (NIV) — 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority,
Hebrews 13:17 (NIV) — 17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

This new form of leadership transforms the community in every sphere
• Jesus as our example of leadership and submission
• Human examples–Humble leadership and humble followership in every sphere

He closes with the warning about the spiritual battle (just like Paul did in Ephesians 6:10)
• Trials – pressure from the world to conform to its terminology

For discussion with your small group, family and friends.
Passages: 1 Peter 5
Ice Breaker: What is your favorite thing or memory about being a part of a church body?

Sermon Reflection – What challenged you from the sermon?
Questions to discuss:

  1. Read 1 Peter 5:1-4. What can you discover from this passage about Christianly leadership and responsibility?
  2. Where and with whom have you been given the responsibility and privilege to ‘care for a flock’? (Flocks don’t look the same, but we have people we are in relationship with, responsible to and for.) A) What are qualities of a good shepherd?
  3. Read 1 Peter 5:5 How would you describe your responsiveness to the authority God has placed in the church? A) How can you grow in this relationship?
  4. What things are you consciously doing to grow in being humble towards others you are in relationship with?
  5. Read 1 Peter 5:6-11. There are several directive statements in these passages; which statements stand out to you? A) Share what causes it to stand out to you.
  6. God gives leadership in the church and gives us one another to stand firm as his people – royal priests, a holy nation – showing God’s goodness to others around us, living his way even in the midst of suffering. This is a quick summary of 1 Peter. What have you gleaned from this series? A) How will that impact your thinking and choices even this summer? B) What is one thing you want to meditate on and apply to your life from 1 Peter?

Next week: We begin a new series – Delivered! This is a series through the book of Exodus. Passages for next week: Exodus 1-3