I’ve served my God and Savior for over 20 years. I’ve lead his people as an Elder/Pastor for 5 years. In my personal Bible reading today, God sent a reminder of the calling he gave me so many years ago. This passage can feed all Christ-followers but if you are an Elder, Pastor, or Bishop (all the same in the Greek), I’m thinking this will feed your soul.
1 Peter 5: 1-11
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. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1 comment:
I understand your post but wanted to make the point for clarification that in the Greek there are different words that are translated pastor, elder, and bishop. However, I believe they all speak of the same office in the church, albeit different functions or aspects of that office. One is the word for shepherd usually called "pastor", one the word closely translated as presbytery or "elder", and the other closely tranliterated episcopal or "bishop." But nonetheless they are different Greek words. thanks for your blog posts.
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