Imagine arguing with someone who said, “I don’t really believe in gravity. It’s fine with me if you believe in gravity. It’s fine if you want to order your life around your notions of gravity, but what I just can’t stand is people imposing gravity on me.” Initially, we might think they weren’t playing with a full deck—imposing gravity? gravity just is—but we would be compelled to correct them (Prov. 26:4-5). How would we persuade this imaginary person to believe in gravity? We certainly wouldn’t argue from the subjective, that is, arguing why gravity is true for us and therefore may also be true for them. We would more likely focus on establishing the existence of gravity in a more objective, fundamental way. We might ask what they think is holding them to them to the ground.

Let’s hold that thought and return to it later.

In Acts 17, when Paul enters Athens he sees that the city is “full of idols” (16) so he begins to “reason” with the citizens (17) until he catches the attention of the local philosophers (18). They bring him to the Areopagus (19), a prominent outcropping across from the Parthenon that served as a place of public discourse and legal hearings. Two kinds of philosophers were present. The Epicureans attacked superstitious, irrational belief in the gods, expressed in idolatry, while the Stoics stressed the unity of mankind and our kinship with God, together with man’s moral duty. In a masterstroke, Paul manages to agree with aspects of both philosophies while demonstrating their insufficiencies. He expresses the gospel in terms his audience would understand while turning their ideas inside out.

Paul begins his message by referencing their altar to the “unknown god,” using it as a starting point to introduce them to the one true God (22-23). The altar was not a concession to the possibility that there might be one God but rather a display of their ignorance. Notice how Paul unfolds his message. He doesn’t say, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. Let me present an alternative way to think about the world…” Rather, he says, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you,” and proceeds to tell them about the reality of this God.

He makes three basic claims that have unavoidable consequences.

God is Lord of creation (24-25) — Since God is the Creator of all things, he doesn’t need humans to provide him with room and board in the form of temples and sacrifices. He “does not dwell in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything.” As created beings, it is we who are contingent and dependent upon him, not the other way around. He “gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.”

Humanity is God’s creation (26-27) — Paul underscores his first point by repeating that we are God’s creation and that we are all related through a common ancestor (“one man” = Adam). God exercises his rule by establishing certain limits over humanity throughout history so that we would “seek” him and find him, “yet he is actually not far from each one of us.” He describes humanity’s universal search for the divine while also implying that though God is near he remains out of their reach to those who try to find him on their own terms. God can be known and found relationally only when he reveals himself to us.

God and humanity are related (28-29) — He strengthens his argument by quoting their own poets, emphasizing two ideas: first, all people depend on God for their very existence (“in him we live and move and have our being”), and second, all people share a deep connection with God as his creatures (“for we are indeed his offspring”). Since we originate with God, it is foolish to think that he could ever be represented by idol statues of “gold or silver or stone” that we design in our minds and make with our hands.

Conclusion: call to repent (30-31) — In light of this reality, Paul concludes by urging the Athenians to abandon idolatry and worship this God: “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Let’s return to our imaginary gravity-denier. Such a person would be clearly out of touch with reality. Naturally, we would worry for such people because sooner or later, they will be forced to learn the reality of gravity the hard way. Sometimes, little boys think they can fly like Superman until gravity brings them down to earth—their parents hoping that the cost of such a lesson isn’t too damaging. Compassion would compel us to say to such people, “One day, you will come face to face with the reality of gravity so you need to recognize it now. If you don’t, you might fall and never recover.”

We need to think this way about God. The next time we speak to others about him, regardless of how it is received, we should never feel like we are imposing our beliefs upon them. Rather, we should think of it in terms of explaining reality, explaining what is. The way Paul preaches in Athens indicates he was not simply sharing his view with them. He was making bold assertions about the way the world is and ended by calling them to change their lives completely. Yet, he managed to do all this with tact and love.

People may not like the consequences of such a reality, namely, that we are answerable to this God in judgment (24:25), but that is beside the point. God is. And though God has allowed people to walk in ignorance in the past (“the times of ignorance God overlooked”), now that Jesus has come, “all people everywhere” (including God-deniers) must turn from falsehoods to reality. There’s urgency here because God has “fixed a day” when there will be no more second chances. Would that we shared Paul’s conviction!

Every time we take a breath or move our bodies, we are reminded that we live and exist only because of the reality of this wonderful, terrifying, patient, just, lovely God. His divine nature can be discerned by the beautiful, ordered world he created (Rom. 1:18-20; Psa. 19:1-6), but his mind and will for us is revealed through the gift of his word (1 Cor. 2:6-13). In that word we meet Jesus, God’s final Word, the definitive revelation of God, the “exact imprint of his nature” (Heb. 1:1-3; cf. Jn. 14:9), “the image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15). God sent his Son to this earth because he wants to be known and found by us. It is only in Jesus that we can “know” God (Jn. 1:18; 17:3) and find God (14:6; Acts 4:12). God has assured us that judgment will come “by raising him from the dead.” Jesus is now in heaven awaiting his return and awaiting the lost to face the reality of God and turn to him.

One of the more subtle but nonetheless powerfully convincing evidences of Jesus’ authority is his mastery over the unfolding of his ministry over time. Jesus was able to perfectly calculate and even create and sustain the mounting tension between himself and his opponents until he was ready to lay down his life (Jn. 10:17). Sometimes he forbids others to speak of his identity once revealed (Mk. 1:34; 3:11-12; Mt. 16:20). Other times he commands recipients of his mercy not to tell others about him (Mk. 1:43-44; 5:43; 7:36). Scholars refer to this as the “Messianic Secret.” Early on, Jesus had to keep a lid on his identity either because it was too soon to reveal it or because Jews expecting a militant Messiah would only misinterpret it. John highlights the timing of the ‘Messianic Agenda’ in his Gospel account through periodic references to the “hour” of Jesus. This “hour” is a reference to Christ’s crucifixion and the resurrection and ascension bound up with it (2:4; 7:30; 8:20; 12:23, 27; 13:1; 17:1), or the consequences that come from it (5:28-29).

His hour had not yet come — Early on, Jesus states that his “hour” had not yet come. When his mother prompted him to solve the embarrassing problem of having run out of wine at a wedding in Cana, Jesus responded with “My hour has not yet come.” Since it was too early to reveal his identity he turns the water into wine rather inconspicuously. John reports that this was the first of his signs that “manifested his glory” (Jn. 2:1-11). Jesus’ fame grew, especially after he miraculously fed five thousand by the Sea of Galilee. The crowds misinterpret the miracle and attempted to “take him by force to make him king” but Jesus somehow escaped them (6:15).

The second reference occurs during the Feast of Booths. Everyone expected him to attend because, by this time, he was widely known. However, public opinion on him was divided (7:10-13). Earlier, he had healed someone on the Sabbath (5:1-17) then claimed that God was his Father (5:18) which incensed the establishment and led to a long monologue in which Jesus made even more extraordinary claims about himself (5:19-47). During the Feast Jesus stood up to preach in the temple complex and amazed everyone with his knowledge (7:15). He then claimed to be sent by God and to possess special knowledge of him (7:28-29). “So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come” (7:30). How he escaped the crowds is not explained but the reason for it was clear: “his hour had not yet come.”

The third mention comes a chapter later, during the same Feast of Booths. In the temple treasury, by the light of the burning lamps, Jesus proclaimed “I am the Light of the world” (8:12). Again, they wanted to arrest him but they could not “because his hour had not yet come” (8:20). Jesus narrowly escaped an attempted stoning (8:59). The tension between himself and his opponents was beginning to mount. After his claim that he was “one with the Father” they picked up stones to stone him (10:31) and, after a brief exchange, they tried to arrest him, “but he escaped from their hands” (10:39).

His hour had finally arrived — As Passover approached and the time for his self-sacrifice arrived, Jesus shifted his language from “my hour has not yet come” to “the hour has come.” After the raising of Lazarus, the attempts on Jesus life changed from being spontaneous outbursts of rage to more strategic conspiracies (11:53). At this point, Jesus “could no longer walk openly among the Jews” (11:54) as they were actively trying to arrest him (11:57). Upon entering Jerusalem on a donkey, in direct fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy of the Messiah (12:12-19), some Greeks seek Jesus and he said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (12:23). He then spoke of his death and resurrection and resolutely claimed “For this purpose I have come to this hour” (12:27).

Just 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” (13:1). In a symbolic act of self-sacrificial love that forecasted his crucifixion, he washed the feet of his disciples. That night, during the Passover feast, Judas left to provide the Jews their golden opportunity against Jesus. With Judas gone, Jesus prepared his disciples for his departure and the coming Spirit (chs. 14-16). Then he prayed for them and himself: “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you.” (17:1)

What came next was the “hour” of Jesus—his betrayal and arrest in the Garden, his interrogation before Pilate and the Priest, his flogging and humiliation before the crowds, his rejection and, finally, his crucifixion (chs. 18-19). This was the hour for which he had come. Just before bowing his head and yielding up his spirit on the cross, he said, “It is finished” (19:30). He had accomplished the mission for which his Father had sent him. He had done it (cf. Psa. 22:31). The Scripture had finally been fulfilled: God’s plan to deal with sin (Isa. 53:6), to defeat evil (Col. 2:15), to unite humanity by fulfilling the Law of Moses (Eph. 2:14-16) and to destroy death itself (Heb. 2:14; 2 Tim. 1:10). All of this was accomplished through his death and then, three days later, it was affirmed and vindicated through his resurrection. Though it looked like the ultimate failure, a divine misstep, John speaks of the cross only in terms of achievement and fulfillment.

The consequences of his hour — Back in John 4:23, Jesus declared, “the the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” The arrival of Jesus meant that God could be worshiped anywhere by anyone. In Christ, it is no longer about ethnicity and location but about spirit and truth. In John 5:28-29, Jesus broadened the concept of the “hour” by speaking of the resurrection: “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” The “hour” is no longer qualified by “and is now here,” indicating that Jesus was speaking of the future general resurrection at the final judgment. Jesus can give spiritual life now and will be able to call forth the dead when that hour comes. We will all be held accountable to Jesus for the life we lived and how we responded to him.

Perhaps one or two of his narrow escapes could be chalked up to luck. Perhaps the fact that he died during Passover was a coincidence. But when we take all the verses together and see Jesus’ calm, self-conscious awareness of his “hour,” we are forced to draw the conclusion that he was following a divinely stipulated agenda. His crucifixion, along with his resurrection and ascension, was the “hour” of his glorification. Zooming out on his ministry shows that he was perfectly in control of the timeline of events leading up to his Passion. We can add this to the long list of credentials that substantiate the claims of Christ.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4-7

A few weeks ago, as part of our sermon series in Philippians, we covered the text above and noted that God does not want his people to go through life crippled by anxiety but to instead give their worries to him in prayer. In this passage Paul echoes Jesus’ famous teaching in the Sermon on the Mount where the Lord repeats the phrase “do not be anxious” three times (Mt. 6:25, 31, 34). Whereas prayer is the antidote for anxiety in the Philippians passage (and 1 Peter 5:7), faith is the antidote to anxiety in Matthew 6. There is, therefore, a correlation between our level of anxiety and our level of trust in God.

This is all true. However, I fear that due to a lack of thoroughness on my part I may have given you the wrong impression about anxiety. The word “anxiety” or “worry” (μεριμναο) is viewed negatively in the context of Philippians 4 and Matthew 6. But the word itself is neutral, neither good nor bad. In other places, it is translated as “concern” in a positive sense. The same Greek word (μεριμναο) is used by Paul of Timothy: “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.” (Phil. 2:20-22)

Here, Paul is clearly commending Timothy’s “concern.” So there is a difference between proper concern and improper concern in the Christian’s life. Let’s site a few more passages to see the difference more clearly.

Improper concern — With what ought Christians not to be concerned?

First, our trust in God should guard against anxiety about the unknown things of this life: “do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Mt. 6:34) Why worry about tomorrow when we don’t know what tomorrow will bring? What we are worried about may never happen. Our fears are often liars and we only multiply our trouble by worrying about the future. Better to use the resources God gives us today for the trouble we face today.

Second, our trust in God should guard against anxiety about the necessary things of this life: “do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Mt. 6:25) Jesus points to nature to teach us that God faithfully supplies the physical needs of his beloved creation (26, 28-31). Worry about the necessities of life is typical of people who do not know the care and love of our heavenly Father. (32)

Third, our trust in God should guard against anxiety about the routine things of this life: “But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’” (Lk. 10:41-42) While Martha busied herself making dinner, Mary set aside this routine concern in favor of hearing the Lord’s teaching. It is not that concerns of hospitality and service are wrong (Rom. 12:13; 1 Pet. 4:9), but rather that the word of the Lord should take precedence. In terms of worry or care, we must never let the “many” routine day-to-day tasks of this life crowd out the “one thing” that is “necessary”—the words of eternal life that will never be taken away from us.

Proper concern — With what ought Christians to be concerned? The following passages use the same word (μεριμναο) in a positive sense.

First, Christians ought to be concerned with the welfare of other Christians: “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 2:20) Timothy’s humility led him to put the interests of others (and Christ’s) ahead of his own. He was genuinely concerned about the spiritual health of other Christians. “Worrying” over other Christians will cause us to pray for them, serve them and help them grow in the Lord. This is proper concern.

Second, married Christians ought to be concerned with the welfare of their spouse: “I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided…” (1 Cor. 7:32-34a) In context, Paul advises single Christians in Corinth not to marry “in view of the present distress,” whatever that was (26). Perhaps they were suffering through some famine or persecution. The responsibilities of marriage would complicate and burden their lives unnecessarily during this time of “distress.” So Paul tells them the facts of marriage: if you get married, you have a responsibility to please your spouse. Your life will revolve around putting their needs ahead of your own and sacrificially caring for them (Eph. 5:22-33). Our takeaway is that those who are married ought to “worry” over pleasing their spouse. This is proper concern.

Third, Christians ought to be concerned with the welfare of the church: “But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Cor. 12:24-26) Paul likens the local church to a human body with diverse members. We must all “have the same care (μεριμναο) for one another.” We ought to “worry” over our brothers and sisters in Christ, showing mutual concern in the church. Paul felt the “daily pressure” of his “anxiety for all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:28). When we have this proper Christian concern for one another, we will go out of our way to treat each other honorably.

Not all worry is bad worry. Our faith in God’s love and provision relieves us of the stress of worrying about the unknowns and the necessities of life while, at the same time, compels us to worry over the well-being of others. In Christ, we can cast our cares upon the Lord in prayer. This will fill us with joy, peace and the strength to care for one another.

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.”

1 Peter 5:5

Last week’s article covered Peter’s words to elders in 1 Peter 5:1-4. In verse 5, Peter addresses the rest of the church. First, who are they? Peter identifies us as “you who are younger.” This is not a subset of Christians under a certain age. Rather, “you who are younger” are those who are not “elders,” another age-related term denoting their spiritual maturity, wisdom and experience. Peter is now addressing the flock, those who are not shepherds but the sheep, not leaders but the led.

Second, what are they to do? Peter gives a clear command: “be subject to the elders.” That is, recognize their position of authority in the church, listen to their wisdom and submit to their instruction. This is the order God wants to see in a local congregation. Just as the elders have a responsibility to lead the church, the church has a responsibility to follow the leadership of the elders. The only way we can do this properly is if we have the right attitude, which is what Peter addresses next.

Third, how are they to do it? Peter’s second command informs how we follow the first command: we submit to the elders by “cloth[ing] [ourselves]… with humility toward one another.” Submission requires humility. We need to humble ourselves enough to allow someone else to exercise authority over us. This is difficult when the people we are in subjection to are not perfect and we don’t always agree with them. If we think we are best equipped to lead (the attitude of pride), this discontent can easily lead to rebellion and the upheaval of God’s ordained order. Within the context of the local church, when the elders make a decision that we may not like or personally agree with, humility requires us to realize a few things:

1. Elders usually have more wisdom than we do — Pride assumes we know more. Humility assumes they known more. Elders usually have more information on a given issue or situation. Having more information on an issue gives them a better perspective to make the best decision. Therefore, when elders make a decision, our initial reaction should not be to question their authority or write it off. Rather, we should trust that they probably know more than we do and assume they have prayed, studied and thought soberly about the issue. God says age and experience count in life. Elders are in the position they are in because they have proven themselves to be mature Christians (Heb. 13:7). Prideful fools refuse to listen to advice while the humble are eager to listen to the advice (Prov. 1:7; 10:8; 12:15). Therefore, when the elders make a decision or come to us with a concern, we should listen to them and trust their judgment.
2. Elders always have our best interest at heart — Elders want Christians to succeed in their faith. The burden of their calling is our spiritual wellbeing (Heb. 13:17). How we respond to them can make their job easier or harder, the difference between joy and sorrow. Pride assumes the worst in them and questions their intentions. Humility takes the posture of goodwill and realizes they always act in our best interest even when they admonish and correct us (1 Thess. 5:12-13). Pride refuses to listen to rebuke, but humility shows deference to the wise by listening to their instruction (Prov. 15:5; 17:10).
3. Elders sometimes lose their way — Is it possible that an elder or an eldership may be in error and in need of correction? Sure, no one is above the law, especially those who are in positions of authority. However, as is always the case, bringing a charge against another is extremely serious. Therefore, if it must be done, it must be done properly. Paul gives stipulations for this in 1 Timothy 5:19-21. Multiple witnesses are needed to verify the charge to ensure that the charge is legitimate and that the error is egregious enough to be reprimanded. In contrast to a society that accuses and slanders with abandon the church is deeply concerned with both justice and mercy. So while we have instructions on how to deal with leaders who have abused their position, Paul’s emphasis is in forbidding us from making baseless accusations against those in positions of authority. Pride looks for flaws and is quick to rebuke, whereas humility shows the utmost caution and grace in situations like this.

So, Christians are to practice Christ-like submission to the elders with a heart of humility. But why are they to do it? Peter explains with a quotation: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Peter grounds his instruction to church in the justice of God. If any of us (elders included) exhibit an attitude of pride and selfishness, we line up against God and should expect judgment. Therefore, the rule for everyone is to be humble. We’re all serving the Lord as forgiven sinners. So let us show the same patience and grace for each other that God has shown to us in Christ Jesus.

When shepherds practice Christ-like leadership by serving sacrificially and leading by example, and when members practice Christ-like submission by humbly following their lead, God will not only be glorified but he will bless the church with growth. At Dulles, we thank God for our shepherds, Tip and Craig. There is no denying their spiritual maturity, wisdom and love for God and the church. Let each member consider how they can make their burden of leadership a joy and not a hardship. Let us also consider how we are growing to become leaders ourselves.

1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

1 Peter 5:1-4

How do we know what God wants a local church to look like? There is no church manual, per se, in the New Testament. Rather, the book of Acts records the spread of the gospel and the founding and development of local churches throughout the Roman Empire. We decipher God’s design by reading Acts and the Epistles written to such churches with an eye for certain characteristics. For example, Paul’s introduction to the Philippian church addresses “all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons” (Phil. 1:1). This text offers us insight into the makeup of a local church; it should consist of saints, overseers and deacons. We can cross-reference each one of these terms to learn more about them.

• “Saint” is a common term for God’s people, sanctified in Christ (1 Cor. 1:2). Far from being an exclusive term reserved only for some, “saint” applies to every person who is in Christ and set apart from the world for service unto God.
• “Overseer” is a term for the leaders of a local church who supervise its operation. Paul calls it an “office” within a church for which one must be qualified (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). The term is used synonymously with “elder,” a term descriptive not only of an overseer’s age but also of his wisdom and faith, and “shepherd” (from which the Latin ‘pastor’ is derived), one who guides, feeds and protects the flock of God’s people (Acts 20:17-35; 1 Pet. 5:1-5). Each one of these terms describes the same group of men but highlights a different aspect of their role as leaders.
• “Deacons,” when used in this context, are special servants within the church who minister to various needs (Acts 6:1-6). They too must be qualified (1 Tim. 3:8-13).

Taken together, these passages illustrate just how vital it is that every local church be organized with elders and deacons. Note that shortly after preaching the gospel to those in Galatia, Paul returned through the region and “appointed elders for them in every church” (Acts 14:23). Clearly God desires elders for “every church.”

Let’s consider the text of 1 Peter 5:1-5 to learn more about elders. Peter modestly addressed the elders as a “fellow elder” himself (1). Though he was an apostle, he also understood the work and challenges of being an elder from experience and could teach them sympathetically (Jn. 21:15-19). Also note that elders are to tend the flock “among” them (2). That is, elders are only to exercise authority over the church for which they were appointed to serve and not another—this nixes the practice of elders every overseeing multiple congregations at once. Whenever elders/overseers/shepherds are addressed in the New Testament, it is always in the plural, never the singular—this forbids there ever being a single leader or ‘head pastor’ of a congregation. And finally, in no way are elders to have any sense of possession over the church; the flock is not theirs but emphatically “the flock of God” (Acts 20:28).

Next, Peter tells them what they are to do (“shepherd the flock… exercise oversight”) and describes how they are to do it. He does this with both negative and positive language mainly focusing on their motives to warn them of the dangers of abusing their position. Jesus does much the same thing when he explains how leadership works in his kingdom—he focuses not on the exercise of their authority but the humility and restraint they are to show as leaders (Mt. 20:25-28). Elders are to lead:

• Not under compulsion, but willingly — There is a major difference between an elder who serves only because he has to (out of a sense of obligation or external pressure), and an elder who wants to because he understands how crucial the work is that he has been called to do. This doesn’t mean elders are always thrilled with the prospect of serving or that they ought to have some personal ambition to be a leader—this attitude would betray a real naiveté about the work. Rather, to be a Christ-like leader requires a sober willingness to do the work. No one should serve as an elder out of compulsion or be guilted into it against their will.
• Not for greedy gain, but eagerly — “Gain” probably refers to financial gain (1 Tim. 5:17-18). Elders can and should be financially supported by the church. Sometimes, out of necessity (as is the case at Dulles), elders serve without being paid. But Peter’s warning about “gain” extends beyond receiving money to include any selfish motive. Instead of serving only to promote himself or to profit in some way, he should serve “eagerly.” This is the opposite of self-promotion—he is to serve with the express intent of benefiting others. He is “eager” to jump in and help take care of others. He is “eager” to put the needs of the flock ahead of his own. This is the kind of Christ-like self-sacrifice that should motivate elders to lead.
• Not domineering, but as examples — This has to do with the style of leadership. Peter warns elders against abusing their position by leading in an overbearing, bossy way. Elders often face very difficult situations, obstinate attitudes, pushback or reluctance from members. The temptation is to respond to those challenges in a domineering way, to wield their authority and “lord it over them” (Mt. 20:25-28). Elders who resort to making threats to get members in line are “domineering.” Rather elders are to lead like shepherds, going on ahead of the flock. They must earn the respect of the flock before the flock will be willing to follow them.

Finally, Peter holds out the reward for elders who lead well: “when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” (4) This is not a physical crown but the glory of being approved by God (Mt. 25:1). Part of the glory and joy of an elder’s job well done will be seeing all the Christians they have helped over the years in heaven with them. Next time, we will look at how Peter addresses the flock in v.5.