1 Peter, 5:1-4

May the Lord be magnified here as we look into 1 Peter chapter 5. We're heading toward the end of this book of 1 Peter and now entering into the first four verses of chapter 5. And let's look at those together. Therefore I exhort the elders among you as fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed. Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God, and not for assorted gain, but with eagerness, nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Well, if you have your Bibles there and you look at chapter 4, in the last verses there of chapter 4, let me read that to you.

Chapter 4 and verse 19, Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. Therefore, therefore. This, therefore, is commonly taken to indicate a connection with the concluding words of 1 Peter 4.19, doing what is right. And this doing right has to do with carrying out a ministry in the midst of suffering. So then he says, I exhort. And this word means to call for earnestly. Most church elders need encouragement and exhortation, as we all do. The leaders in these Asia Minor churches and fellowships of believers needed encouragement. And they were under this terrible time of suffering that they were about to go through, and so Peter is encouraging them, wanting to encourage them, and to call for them earnestly. and to encourage them.

And exhortation, we see in Hebrews 3.13, is something that we all need. The writer of Hebrews says, But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called today, so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

I like Malachi 3.16, it says, They that fear the Lord spake often one to another. And the Lord heard it, he hearkened, and it was written in a book of remembrance for him, for those who thought on his name. So it's good to encourage one another. Encourage others daily.

Elders here is the word that he uses. It means a senior. The word elder refers to the maturity of the leader. And then as we look at the word overseer in scripture, or bishop, it refers to the responsibility of the leader. And so Peter in these verses that we're going to be looking at this morning is speaking of how leaders are to operate in the church.

When we look at Acts 20.17 and 28, Paul charges the elders of Ephesus with these words. The verse says this, From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church, Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with his own blood.

1 Timothy 5.17 Paul speaks of elders.

The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. There are some wonderful things we can read about elders.

I wish I had known some of these things in my youth. I was ignorant, and one of my first places where I ministered and helped, and I think I told you of this woman who came to me with her son who had been the elder there, the head elder or the pastor, had been acting in the wrong way toward her son, in a way that was really was defrauding that young boy, and he was just a teenager. And in my ignorance, you know, Scripture said, receive not an accusation against an elder. I should have not in any way received that without having her go to him personally and talk to him. And I made the mistake of going to another elder in another church. And it turned around, I think I told you, it turned around that it was like I was the bad guy.

But I learned that verse, I learned about it in the hard way though, that you're not to receive an accusation against an elder. And it turned out that this particular person who was the offending elder evidently did admit his guilt and he did leave that particular church or fellowship and went somewhere else. But sometimes we have to learn to apply the scriptures the hard way. We learn the scriptures the hard way.

Best to just get into them and know what it says. Richardson's commentary says this, a great many Christians do not acknowledge the idea that anyone is over them and the Lord. They do not accept spiritual authority. They are spiritual anarchists. That is why some Christians need ammunition or admonishing.

The writer for Hebrews says this in Hebrews 13, 7 and 17 and 24. Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you and consider the result of their conduct. Imitate their faith. Obey your leaders and submit to them. For they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy, not with grief, for this would be unprofitable to you.

And then he says, Greet all the leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy, greet you. So, now the words Peter uses here, he uses the word among you. This is a significant little phrase. The Lord never leaves the body of believers without leadership. The spiritual health of a local gathering of believers depends on the authority of elders in that local church. This also places elders among the church body and not aloof. It's amazing how it seems to be just stuck in people's minds that anyone who ministers the word or is in front, they're kind of like, you know, in a higher position.

I did that little help. I was really the one who shared the message at a funeral last week. Well, people call me Reverend. And it was just like, you know, some guy, I didn't have a robe on or anything, but they, you know, it's just like, you know, you've got some position. And of course, the funeral director had written my name down as Reverend. I like to give, the Lord is holy and reverend, that's his name. But we're not aloof, those who minister in the front, who have the opportunity to teach or to share, not any higher than anybody else.

I just remember I used to do visitation at hospitals. There's a place there called for the clergy to park, you know. Special place. You know, we don't need special parking. Anyone who ministers the word just, you know, we might need to walk for their exercise, that's for sure. At least I do.

Some think that the congregation can exercise a corporate leadership. These want a democratic type set up for the body of believers. And this is not really what the scripture teaches. It's not God's way of leading His church. Then Peter goes on to say, as your fellow elder. Peter viewed himself as a fellow elder. He establishes his authority as a leader. He does not usurp authority as the ultimate leader, as the Catholic Church claims. I also learned, I think it was last week, that the Mormon Church believes this, that Peter, he's the head of the church.

We had two Mormon young girls come to our home last week. visiting door-to-door and dressed very nice, very attractive young ladies. And they both, in their opening statements, made it clear to me that they were 21 years old. And I said, well, that's good, I'm 69. I think they wanted me to know they weren't just kids, you know.

But they really spoke on the authority for the authority of the church. We were talking and I gave them Paul's word that says, now Paul said, if any man preaches any other gospel, let him be accursed. Now, what is Paul's gospel? Oh, well, you know, it's the gospel of Jesus Christ. They didn't really have an answer. So I said, you know, you're really under that curse. You don't know what Paul taught, you know, about what the gospel is. Well, who is Paul?

They said, well, he's, you know, Peter is the head of the church. Oh, is he? He's the head of the church. No, Jesus Christ is the head of the church. Well, they err not knowing the Scripture, you know. It clearly says in Ephesians 1.22 that Jesus is the head of the church in other passages.

Paul said this, it's an interesting thing, in 2 Corinthians 11.5, he said, I was not a wit behind the very chiefest of apostles. If that's so, then he is a head of a church also, according to their teaching, as well as Peter, because he wasn't behind any of the apostles. That's a great verse, isn't it?

2 Corinthians 11.5. If the church has a human head, think of it this way, how can it be Christ's church, or Jesus' church, if we have a human head? Because Christ is the head. Well, anyhow, that was an interesting experience I had last week with those young ladies. We were heading somewhere, so I didn't have time to go any further with them. Peter says... Yeah, it didn't seem to bother them.

1 Peter 1.1, Peter says, an apostle of Jesus Christ. He doesn't set himself up in some high position. As an apostle, he did have authority above an elder in that he, as an apostle, had the right to write scripture.

Peter says this now, and continues on in 1 Peter chapter 5, and witness of the sufferings of Christ. He was a witness of the sufferings of Christ. And we know witness means to testify of what one has seen. And Peter was an eyewitness to the sufferings of Christ. We know he was there at Gethsemane. He saw Jesus bound and led away for judgment, and he followed Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. He was there.

And this is an interesting verse in Luke 23, 49. I don't have it in your notes. Luke 23, 49 says, And all his acquaintances And all his acquaintances and the women that followed him from Galilee stood afar off." So I think it's very possible that he was there afar off with those women. Because it says, and all his acquaintances. So, possible that he was there.

He says he was a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And then it goes on, he says here, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed. This refers to the unveiling of Christ's glory at His return to the earth. 1 Peter 1, 10 and 11 says, As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow." Sometimes we think, well, you know, maybe because he saw what happened at the transfiguration of Christ, that maybe that was what he's talking about here. But no, he's talking about the time when Christ comes with His glory, in glory, the second coming. Peter's experience in seeing this transfiguration is not really, I don't think, what he has in mind here.

Shepherd is what he calls them. Shepherd, he tells them to shepherd the flock of God. And the shepherd has several tasks. To protect, to lead, and feed the sheep. And it really takes a shepherd's heart to be able to do a shepherd's work. Of course, the King James says to feed, it doesn't say shepherd, it says feed the flock of God.

It's interesting, the spiritual person wants to feed on the Word of God. The carnal person neglects the Word of God. And the non-Christian, the natural man, rejects the Word of God. And so it's wonderful the Lord gives us that hunger to feed on the Word and we want to go where we can get fed.

That's what I like about it here at Holly Hills. I think that we get right into the Word and we feed on it and the person of Christ. The Word was found and I did eat them. They were to me the joy and rejoicing in my heart. It's wonderful, isn't it, to be fed.

Yes, Tom? Yeah, the question is, in seeing the resurrection of Christ, did Peter, was he referring to that when he was talking about this business of Yeah, what we were just talking about there, what the phrase was now that we were looking at, when he talks about being partaker of the Lord's glory and being able to see that, well that could be, you know. Certainly, but we all have that Holy Spirit within us to give us that hope, and to be a partaker in that regard. Very good, thanks Tom.

Okay, so we're looking at this idea here of the flock of God among you, and Acts 20, 28 says, Be on guard for yourselves and for the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with his own blood.

So, this is the Lord's flock. It belongs to the Lord. He is the one that the flock belongs to. The under-shepherd is to see that the responsibility is to feed those, and they don't belong to him, they belong to the Lord. And we're just under-shepherds, those who minister. Okay, then he goes on to say, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily.

Reminds me of the story of the woman who was trying to get her husband out of the bed one Sunday morning. Oh, you've got to get up. You've got to get up. Come on, get up. It was getting late, and oh, he didn't want to get up. Well, get up. No, you've just got to get going. Honey, she says to him, but you're the one that's supposed to preach today. He didn't want to get up. This guy was under compulsion. So the elder should not be in the position of being an unwilling worker, doing an annoying task because he feels that he cannot escape it. Such a feeling might come from a false sense of unworthiness or reluctance for responsibility or a desire to do no more than what was morally required in the office.

So there is a good kind of compulsion like that which Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 9.16. He says this, For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of. For I am under compulsion, for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.

Paul had a personal love for the Lord and for the Lord's people that prompted him to serve willingly. And then he speaks here of according to the will of God. According to the will of God. I don't know if you've noticed in reading the book of 1 Peter, but four times, I count four times he speaks of the will of God.

In 1 Peter 2.15, 3.17, 4.2, and 4.19. Of course here, in 5 and what are we in verse 2? So he is, so that would be 5 times actually. So look at John 21 15 here in your notes and through 17. The Lord says this, For when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of John, Do you love me more than these? Now, the King James says Jonah, I think, son of Jonah.

And then Peter said to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. And he said to him, Tend my lambs. Then he said to him again the second time, Simon, the son of John, do you love me? And he said, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, Shepherd my sheep. And he said to him a third time, Simon, son of John, Do you love me? And Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, do you love me? And he said to him, Lord, you know all things.

You know that I love you. And Jesus said to him, tend my sheep. So it certainly is God's will for sheep to be tended and for them to be fed, taken care of, and so he's given this job to undershepherds. And Peter, he was speaking to directly here, but this is also, I think, for all undershepherds. And then Peter goes on and says here, and not for sordid gain. Speaks of filthy, foul, dirty, covetous gain.

And this phrase, or this term, sordid gain, is only in 1 Peter 5.2 in the scriptures, indicating that the manner in which an elder or local congregation should behave, in other words, not using this position for personal gain, This does not refer exclusively to material gains, such as the demand of a salary, which gives the impression that an elder serves primarily for his desire for selfish purposes rather than his desire to be of service. It may also refer to gaining popularity by adulterating the gospel to attract more people to the congregation. and showing special favors and considerations to the rich and the influential in order to gain personal advantage and profit. Someone has said, you know, watch out for ministries that cater to the rich.

Yes, Tom? Yes, I'm not your stepping stone. Yeah, that's good. 1 Timothy 3.3 says this, and not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle. Pugnacious means belligerent or combative. Not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. And then Peter goes on to say, but with eagerness. This is an interesting word. It speaks of readiness, willingness.

Titus 2.14 says, Who gave himself, speaking of the Lord, for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for himself a people for his own possession, for purpose, for zealous, for good deeds. for the purpose of being zealous for good deeds.

You know, as we have opportunity, we're supposed to do good to every man. And so sometimes, you know, you can let an opportunity pass. Have you ever had an opportunity that you missed and you wish you had taken that opportunity? So as we have those opportunities, we need to take advantage of them to do good, good deeds.

Then he goes on here to say, nor yet as lording it over. And this word in the Greek, speaking of lording, I'm sorry I don't pronounce these Greek words very well, that's why I kind of skip over them. Anybody wants to pronounce them for me? You want to try that one, Vern?

Oh, wonderful. I couldn't have done any better. He wrote me an email this week in Spanish, and I still don't know what all he said to me. Vern wrote that email to me. I tell you, it speaks in tongues. I don't know. Okay. Watch out for his emails. Well, it speaks of lording, to lord against, to control. In other words, to control or subjugate or to force to submit.

So in Luke 22, 24 through 27, our Lord speaks of true greatness. I love what he says here. And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was to be regarded the greatest, speaking of the disciples. And he said to them, the kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called benefactors.

But it is not this way with you. But the one who is the greatest among you must be like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as one who serves." And he, being the greatest, was one who was there serving in that position.

And what a wonderful example that is to us. But we have a contrast with this person, Diotrepes. He's an example of one who did lord it over others. 3 John 9 and 10. John says, I wrote something to the church, but Diotrepes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what I say. For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds, which he does. unjustly accusing us of wicked words, and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church." You find this, and some of you I'm sure can give examples of what you've seen in other fellowships of those who want to just have the dominant position.

Then Peter goes on to say, those allotted to your charge. He speaks of those who are allotted to your charge. This speaks of the portion or share of those the under-shepherd is to care for. Here we see a reference to various congregations of believers. And then he goes on to say, but proving to be examples to the flock. The word but here shows the contrast now as to what the two shepherds' relationship is to the flock. Instead of being superior, a superior lord, they are to be examples that the flock can follow. And then he speaks of the flock here.

These remind us of the spiritual unity of all of God's people. I have a hymnal at home called the Little Flock. I love the hymns, and there are so many of them that have the deep words of our position in them. And that thought of the little flock, that we're just the Lord's little flock, but yet we're His. That's the main thing. Even though we may be few, we are His.

Now, he goes on to say here, and when the chief shepherd appears, I love that term for the Lord, don't you? The Chief Shepherd. There are three aspects of the Lord as Shepherd found in Scripture. First, He's the Good Shepherd. He died for us. We see that in Psalm 22. He's the Great Shepherd. He cares for us. We see that in Psalm 23. He's the Chief Shepherd. He's coming again to reward, Psalm 24.

As a Good Shepherd, He laid down His life for His sheep. We see that in John 10, 11. I am the Good Shepherd, and the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. In His resurrected life, and in His present ministry in heaven, He is working out His own divine purpose. And He is the Great Shepherd of the sheep. Hebrews 13, 20 and 21.

Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the Great Shepherd of the sheep, Through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.

Amen. Isn't it good to know that He works in us to will and do His good pleasure, to motivate us to do those good works which He has foreknowledge or wants us to do, has foreplanned for us to do? And so we say, Lord, today, what is it you want me to do today? What can I do? And it's required of stewards that a man be found faithful. And so we're faithful in that which we can do, whether it be a lease thing or something even more, we do that.

When Christ returns, he will be seen as the chief shepherd. He will end the work of his under shepherds with his flock and reward them. 1 Peter 5 verse for today, and when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. You will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Men have crowns that fade. Do we have a picture of these crowns These crowns were made out of various things. I think some were made out of parsley. I don't know what that type of thing there is. This is gold. Are those golden leaves? Yes. I'm colorblind, so I can't tell. They look gold, do they? Well, what about there? They look green to me. So I thought it was just regolese, but I think they did use some things that were, but this does tarnish at least. Is there another name for this particular crown?

Stephanos. Stephanos, okay. The crown the Lord is going to give us is unfading, fadeless. This word crown, stefonos, is from an apparently primary stefo, which means to twine or to read a chaplet as a badge of royalty, a prize in public games, or a symbol of honor. Victor's crown, like in an athletic competition. Men have given crowns at these Olympics for years and years.

I don't know how far back that goes. Does anybody know? The Olympics is quite a long... You're saying that Homer wrote the Iliad and all that about the same? And that same century was when the Olympics started, and that same century is when Isaiah began to write. About the same time as Isaiah. Yeah. Interesting. Yeah.

So, man, you know, it's amazing the disciplines that people go through with to earn these crowns that do fade away and don't last, but just for this life. And I think of the same as positions that people try to get, these actors and actresses who try to get recognition through their acting and arts. Various things that people do that are just art lasting. You can see from the life of some of these real famous people how getting all that attention never did really satisfy them. We can name names, but you know what I'm talking about.

These are things that just do not satisfy these earthly positions and, you know, recognitions. But the Lord's recognitions are going, His honor will be that which will be lasting, unfading. And, of course, you know there are five crowns in Scripture.

And here in 1 Peter 5.4, he's speaking of the crown of glory. And this is known as the elder's crown, faithfulness in serving the flock of God, feeding, nurturing the flock of God. And then the crown incorruptible, faithfulness in self-control in the race for Christ's approval, known as the victor's crown.

The crown of righteousness, 2 Timothy 4.8, faithfulness in testimony, looking for Christ appearing. called the raptured lover's crown.

I love that verse. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord will give, you know, not to me only, Paul said, but to all those who love his appearing. That loving his appearing helps us to stay, it's a motivating thing for staying pure for this day, you know, staying right with God. It's interesting, if we confess our sins, He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from what? All unrighteousness. So I take it that once we confess our sins, the unrighteousness is gone, we have His righteousness, and we're walking in a state of righteousness, a position in righteousness, and then in the condition of righteousness, they're looking for His appearing.

The crown of life he speaks of in James 1.12 and also Revelation 2.8-11.

And James 1.12 speaks of faithfulness under trials and testings, and in Revelation faithfulness unto death, the martyr's crown.

And then the crown of rejoicing, this in 1 Thessalonians 2.19-20 and Philippians 4.1 speaks of faithfulness and soul winning, church founder's crown. the crown of rejoicing for faithfulness.

Notice all of these are faithfulness. It's required of stewards that a man be found what? Faithful. Faithful in that which is least. Whatever we can do. And sometimes we feel like we can't do very much, but it's just being faithful in that which is least. I think of the widow's mite. She was faithful with that little that she had.

And as we think of these rewards, and Bernadette and I have talked about this, that probably the Lord is going to give rewards that we can't even think of or don't know. And some of the things that remind me of this are like John 12, 26. This is not in your notes, but the Lord says, If any man serves Me, the Father will honor him. Now, how does he honor him? Well, he could do it here on this earth and does, I'm sure, in some cases, but perhaps there's an honor that we don't know of.

1 Corinthians 3.18, the man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose and each will be rewarded according to his own labors.

So, then 1 Corinthians 3.14, if what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 1 Corinthians 4-5, when the Lord comes, he will disclose the motives of men's hearts, and each man's praise will come to him from God. That's something to think that God himself will give praise concerning a man's works.

And it's the motives. What do you think the motive is? What do you think he's looking for in motives? What do you think the Lord's looking for? Yes, to glorify Him. And what other aspects of that? How can you develop that a little bit? Any other motives you can think of? What about growing in the image of God? Growing in the image of Christ, yes. That's a good motive to be doing that. Yes. So maybe we could say it this way, as we are in fellowship with Him, what have we done on this earth in fellowship with Him where He's able to work through us? In other words, it's what He does through us.

My mother had on the wall when I was a child, only one life will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last. And I'd like to redo that if I could and say it this way. Only one life will soon be passed. Only what's done in Christ will last. As we're walking in Him. That's when we're going to bear fruit.

Because we can't do it of ourselves, right? The Lord says without me you can do nothing. I mean, when we focus on ourselves, You know, depression. Go nuts. But as we abide in Christ, and know that we are new creatures in Christ, and say, Lord, you know, I don't feel like doing anything today.

I don't feel like going out and maybe visiting so-and-so who's sick. But as we say, Lord, I don't feel like it, but you work in me and give me that love for that person to be able to visit them. I remember a mother saying to me one time as her daughter got up in teenage years, she says, you know, I really don't like my daughter. But I do love her. In Christ, I love her. You know, so there's a lot of things we can't do of ourselves. But when we look to Him, Lord, You give me the grace to love my family.

You know, those who are walking wayward or those who are walking concerning the things of the world. So motivate me, Lord, with Your motivations to do those things today that I should be doing. I like 1 Peter 4, 8 that we've already looked at. As every man has received the gift, Even so, minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." So we all have a gift. Some of you may feel like, well, I don't know what my gift is.

Well, as we stay in the Scriptures, as we stay in fellowship with Him, He shows us what we can do each day. And then we begin to see, and others will tell us sometimes and speak of the encouragement that we are to them, and yet not us, but Christ working through us. So we minister as we have opportunity.

Anything that you have to add to this? Earlier on, when we were first starting, we were talking about this being in the context of suffering, and that's kind of the theme here. As you were saying, one of the things that came to mind is we have numerous records during this time into the next couple of centuries where believers in some of the accounts come from the very audience where he wrote, where elders who were over a particular local flock volunteer, they would find that one of the people in their flock was being persecuted.

And they volunteered, they went to the people who were doing the persecuting and they'd say, persecute me instead of them. Isn't that something? And that's when I saw, you know, being examples to the flock. That's good. You go up to the leadership and they have several records of that type of thing happening. where the elders would step forward and say, persecute me instead of them. I'm the one who should have this. That's really the love of Christ through a person to do that. That's good.

Any other thoughts about this passage that we've been in today? Yes, Doug. It's interesting that the flock is called sheep. Sheep, we live on the western slope, and there's flocks over there. A sheep needs a shepherd. They get in all kinds of problems if they don't have a shepherd. Sheep are dumb. Are you talking about us Christians? They perceived they were ignorant and unlearned men, but they'd been with the Lord, right? Great followers. I know one day... Shaper followers, okay.

And a flock of sheep was coming by. And the first couple, there was a sign there with a shadow across the road. First couple of sheep jumped over the shadow. And every sheep jumped over the shadow. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Yeah, the blind leading the blind, right?

That's good. Any other thoughts on this passage? It's rich. It's amazing how much we can get out of these. What is that, sweetheart? It's wonderful to know that the Lord has given us a gift. As every man has received the gift, even so minister the same one to another. So you have a gift if you're in Christ. And you need to realize you're important.

You're part of the body. We're a part of the body. And the Lord has placed us right here, dear Holly Hills, in this position, in this city, in this area, to encourage and exhort and to be able to do what He has planned for us. So Lord, what is it today? And you show us. It's good to know.

We're all His sheep and we're valuable. We're valuable to Him. Isn't it wonderful to know that He's praying for us? He ever lives to make intercession for us. And He cares for us. And He's given us under-shepherds like Brother Vern and others to minister to us and attend to us and get us on the right track.

I always like to run the lesson by Vern so he can... I say, you take this lesson and sanctify it. And he's good at doing that. If the elders are to be examples to the flock, then that means that this isn't to be set aside as though that's only for the elders. If the elders are to be examples, that means it has application to every believer. That's good. That's good.

So we all, you know, I think of Cornelius Stanford. You know, even after Miles Stanford passed away, Cornelia, in the fellowship we were in with her down in Colorado Springs, on Sundays, she would have her purse filled with either tracks, booklets, books, tapes, passing them out.

She wouldn't like she was passing them out like this, you know, to everybody, but she had certain people in mind that she thought could use this one particular thing, and she'd have their name on it. This is for you. And then later on, she'd come over and give it to somebody else. Just constantly, that was her way until her vision got so bad that they took away her driver's license and she more and more has had to stay at home. But she is one that has, to me, an example of one who learned to pass on the word and pass on truths to help people grow. And so we all can, through seeing the example of elders, can learn to do the same, to help and feed the flock. Any other thoughts? Well, goodness, we've got time to have some coffee, maybe.

Whose birthday is it? Is it your birthday? Let's sing Happy Birthday. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, God bless you. Happy birthday to you. She's already blessed. We can't sing that anymore, alright? Let's thank the Lord. Father, thank You so much for Your Word, and thank You that You can use even weak presentations to, as long as your word is shared, we know that you'll be magnified, glorified, and that your work will not return to you void. So we look to you, Lord, to work in the lives of each one, that we might have the right motives, your motives, your empowerment, each day, this day, and until you come. We just praise you and thank you for this time. In the precious name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.