Shalom, everyone. Will you please open your Bible to the fifth chapter today, 1st Peter, chapter 5. We are moving along in our study of the book of Peter, and we have arrived, by the grace of God, to the last chapter of the first letter that Shimon Petrus wrote to the Jewish believers who were scattered abroad in those areas that was written to us in chapter 1 and verse 1 throughout Pontius, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. And in this chapter, we have an additional encouragement and instruction as the believers were heading on. They needed much grace from the Lord in order to move on, to go forward towards the day of glory.

So, here, the Apostle Peter now addressing specifically the elders, the older brethren in 1st Peter, chapter 5, and then also the rest of the younger one. So, let's read this fifth chapter. "The elders which are among you, I exhort, who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Messiah, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. So, feed the flock of God, which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy looker, but of a ready mind, neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being an example to the flock. And when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility; for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your cares upon him; for he careth for you." "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour." "Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Messiah Yeshua, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, established, strengthen, settle you." "To whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever.

Amen." "By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand." "The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you, and so doth Marcus my son." "Greet ye one another with a kiss of love. Peace be with you all that are in Messiah Yeshua. Amen." "And that's how the apostle Shimon Petros have concluded this epistle. If you notice, he used these two expressions that are found at the last verses, where he used the word grace in Hebrew, chesed.

And at the end he used the word peace means shalom, grace and peace, chesed and shalom, as we would say this in the Hebrew language." "Now brothers and sisters, the fifth chapter is a very encouraging chapter, because what we learn here, that through the life of every child of God, there is grace available, chesed available, because we are heading to the time when we are going to see our Lord Yeshua the Messiah in glory." "When Yeshua is going to appear, we are going to be with him, and we are going to enjoy him throughout eternity." "You notice that he used this word glory more than once in this last chapter of the first letter, in

the fifth chapter." "But I would like now to go systematically and talk about this chapter verse by verse, and I want you to notice that this chapter is really divided into three points." "What the apostle does here, Shimon Petros, in conclusion to this beautiful epistle, beautiful letter, which he was speaking so much about sufferings, the sufferings of the Messiah, the sufferings of the believer." "The believer is identified with the Lord Jesus the Messiah, who once suffered when he was here on earth, he is no longer suffering, he is in glory." "But every believer in Yeshua the Messiah experiences trials, sufferings, persecutions here in this world, in some countries more than others." "But everything that we

go through here in this world makes us identify with the Messiah who have gone before us, and have experienced sufferings in accordance with the promises of the Hebrew prophets already long time ago." "So, chapter 5 is divided into three sections.

Verses 1-4, Peter gives a word to the elders." "In verses 5-9, Peter shows us that God prepares his people for glory, through suffering, through persecution here in this world." "And finally, verses 10-14, God is a God of grace that will lead us ultimately to glory." "So, let's go over those three sections of 1 Peter chapter 5." "The first four verses, he gives us a word for the elders." "Now, I want you to notice, brothers and sisters, how beautiful Shimon Pet was here speaking to these older believers who were part of the Jewish believing community who were scattered around the world." "He is speaking to them just the same like he is speaking to the older

believers in this present day time for you and for I in this local place or any local church in the world today." "And he began, look how beautiful in verse 1, Peter exhorts the elders as an elder." "It says here, to the elders." "The Greek word here is presbyteries." "In other words, what we would call Presbyterian." "A person who is an older person." "In Hebrew we call the word zaken." "He says, the elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of the Messiah and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed." "Now you notice, he doesn't say to them, I am the first

Pope." "You notice that he doesn't say this in this passage." "He is speaking to elders and again the Greek word for elders simply means individuals who are older and experienced among the people of God." "And he's speaking to the local believers in those areas of the scattered believers." "And he's saying to them, listen, you have elders among you." "Older individuals who had experience in their lives as they walk with the Lord." "The elders which are among you I exhort." "He's exhorting the older brethren." "And again, you notice that the elders are not people who have been appointed as elders, but recognized as elders." "What does that mean?" "They are those older brothers whom God had

allowed them to experience in their lives some lessons." "And they are being recognized by the rest of the assembly as people that they can go to for counsel and advice and example." "And he's saying to them, listen elders, which are among you." "He says I exhort and you have to realize I am also an elder." "He doesn't say I am an apostle here." "He doesn't say I am the first Pope as some take Shimon Petrus to be the first Pope." "You notice there is no title here." "There is no position in that sense." "It's simply an elder who is speaking to other elders." "And he is exhorting them in view of their responsibility to be

an example to the believers that they are leading." "Or they take responsibility." "Again to say that in Hebrew we call an elder Zaken." "When a person becomes of old, of age, he becomes in Hebrew we call him Zaken." "Actually an old man in Hebrew is Zaken." "When we say to a feminine, to a woman, an old woman, we say Zkenah." "It's the same root word." "But it also applies for the spiritual life of the believer." "There always ought to be elders in the local assembly." "They do not necessarily need to be voted for." "They do not necessarily need to go to school to be an elder." "They do not necessarily need to be promoting themselves."

"But their life." "Their submissiveness to the Lord." "Their example in their lives." "The brothers and sisters will recognize them as elders." "And this is very precious that we see here in this text of the word of God." "And he is speaking to those elders, and now he is saying to them in this same verse," "I am also an elder, but I am also a witness." "Peter, what did you witness?" "He was a witness of two things." "Number one, of the sufferings of the Messiah." "And the second thing, he was a witness of the glory that shall be revealed." "Immediately when you think about it, the question is being asked," "How Peter was a witness of

the sufferings of the Messiah?" "And where was he a witness of the glory that should follow?" "He is many times, beloved brothers and sisters, pointing out to these two aspects of the person and the work of the Messiah." "Please turn back to chapter 1 for a moment." "1 Peter 1." "And in verse 11, he was talking about the Hebrew writers, the prophets of all." "Look at this." "We read of them." "They were searching." "1 Peter 1:11." "What manner of time the Spirit of the Messiah which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand of the sufferings of the Messiah and the glory that should follow." "Notice in 1 Peter 4:13." "Rejoice inasmuch that ye

are partakers of the Messiah's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." "The sufferings of the Messiah and the glory that should follow." "Well, Peter is speaking of the two aspects of the coming of the Messiah." "He came once to suffer." "Isaiah 53." "He's going to come the second time in glory and in power." "Isaiah chapter 53 as well speaks about the coming of the Messiah in glory in the coming days." "And so you can see here, he says, I am an elder just like you and I witness of the suffering of the Messiah and also a partaker of the glory that should follow." "Two times it

reminds me about Shimon Petrus, if you remember in Matthew chapter 26, when our Lord took Simon Peter, Shimon Petrus and James and John, he took them to the garden of Gethsemane." "Gatshmanim." "And you remember what happened there?" "He says, my soul is exceedingly sorrowed even unto death." "And you remember, he was saying, he was praying beside them." "They heard him pray." "He was anticipating the coming judgment because of the sin question from God." "And he says, Father, if it is possible, take this cup away from me." "Peter had listened to the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, when he was in the garden of Geth Shimonim, Gethsemane.

"And there he sweat as a great drops of blood falling onto the ground." "Peter had seen that and experienced to see the Messiah in all the sorrow that he had been anticipating there when he was on the cross." "The suffering." "It was in Matthew chapter 26 where Yeshua said in verse 38," "My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death." "And he said to them, tarry ye here and watch with me." "So he was a witness." "He had experienced in his life to see the Messiah." "He's anticipating the judgment when he was in the garden of Gethsemane." "The judgment that will fall upon him by the hand of a righteous and a holy God." "But you

notice he also said in verse 1," "And a partaker of the glory that should follow." "Now what was the glory that was going to follow?" "You remember again brothers and sisters, Peter is only drawing upon the experience that he had when he walked with the Lord." "And he's looking back and he remembered the time in Matthew chapter 17 when Yeshua the Messiah transfigured before him." "And before again James and John." "He transfigured, he changed before them." "And you remember his raiment as it says in Matthew chapter 17, his clothes was white." "His appearance was white and pure." "It says here," "And he was transfigured before them and his face did shine as the sun." "And

his raiment was white as the light." "And you remember Peter watched it." "This special event." "In which the Messiah transfigured before all of them there." "Those three disciples." "And you remember he wanted to build a booth." "One for him." "One for Moses who appeared as well." "And one for Eliyahu." "And why did he want to build a sukkah, a booth for all three of them?" "Because in this mountain of transfiguration." "When Yeshua had transfigured before those disciples." "There was an antitype of the coming kingdom." "The coming glory where the Messiah will reign and rule in this world." "So Peter had been a witness." "Number one of the sufferings of the Messiah." "Number two of the

glory that should be revealed in the coming day." "So he's writing to those elders and he says," "Listen, I am a one that was a witness of the suffering of the Messiah." "I was the one who was a witness of the glory that should follow," "that should be revealed." "And now he's exhorting them." "And look how beautiful." "In verses two and verse three." "He's exhorting them to feed the flock that belongs to God." "Notice." "Feed the flock of God which is among you." "Taking oversight thereof not by constraint, but willingly." "Not for filthy looker, but of a ready mind." "And then he said," "Neither has been lords of a God's heritage, but being an example

to the flock." "You know, brothers and sisters," "Peter wanted the older brothers." "Of course, the older sisters as well in their spheres." "But the older brothers and sisters are to be an example to the younger one." "How thankful are we," "and I'm sure you can say this as well in your life," "for those older believers that have gone before us." "Who have been an example to the flock." "And you notice what he's telling them?" "In verse two he says," "Feed the flock which belongs to God." "You know, God is very much demanding from the older brothers whom he had raised to walk with him." "He demands from his own people who lead and take responsibility

of leadership and eldership," "to feed the people of God." "Now, what a shame it is when we would have someone who would rise up and have an opportunity to share the word," "and instead of feeding spiritual food from the word of God," "from the Tanakh and Brit HaChadasha," "from the word of God," "giving them that which is not sound and not found in the scripture." "God will hold accountable those who had the responsibility," "and have the open door, if you will, to teach simply the word of God," "and instead of teaching the word of God," "teaching things that are not found in the scripture," "like false doctrine," "like that which is not honoring unto the

Lord." "To the elders here," "who were among these earlier Hebrew believers," "he is telling to them," "Listen, you are responsible to feed God's flock." "Notice, he doesn't say the flock which belongs to you." "You know, sometimes we use this expression," "these are my flock." "These are my group." "This is my church." "God forbid that we will have our own church." "Because if we have our own church," "we're going to end up to see how our own church is not at all in that which God wants from us." "God does not have his church and the other person's church." "All the flock belong to God, belong to Yeshua." "And therefore, because they belong to Yeshua," "because

they belong to God," "there is the responsibility to feed them." "Just the same like parents." "You know, when we have a little baby," "and a baby needs to be fed," "and food that it is important to grow," "the sincere milk of the word." "We talked about it earlier." "We are to give food that will be edifying for the people of God," "to grow spiritually," "to mature," "to develop." "And there is the responsibility of feeding the flock of God." "Now, notice it says," "feed the flock of God," "this is again verse 2," "which are among you." "Now, Paul used almost the same expression." "In Acts chapter 20, Paul was calling the elders of Ephesus," "the Ephesian

elders," "and he said to them in Acts chapter 20 and verse 28," "he said to them almost the same words," "Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock," "over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers," "to feed the church or the assembly of God," "which he had purchased with his own blood." "You see?" "Paul said feed the flock or the church of God." "Peter said feed the flock and the church or the assembly," "are the same company of redeemed people whom God had saved." "It is the flock of God," "it is the assembly, the church of God," "and the leaders, the elders are to feed them." "Not necessarily feeding them by standing

in the front and preaching," "that may be one way," "but we can feed the flock by personal conversation," "by telephone calls," "by visits," "by mingling with each other," "to speak the word of God." "You know, brothers and sisters," "when the older brothers talk to us and speak with us," "and then they go away," "if they have done their job right," "we feel encouraged." "We feel built up." "We see, boy, that was the word that I needed from the Lord for the moment." "And that is the responsibility of the elders." "Don't for a moment think and wait for us to start to appoint people to become elders." "No, they are elders by recognition." "They are elders

by realizing as their example in their lives," "and they become an example to us in a practical way." "So, feed the flock of God," "and then," "notice he gives them three things in which they are to be careful," "how they feed and they lead the flock of God." "How do they take oversight?" "Verset 2, taking oversight thereof," "notice three times," "he says not to do it in one way and to do it in another way." "Notice, number 1, verse 2b," "not by constraint." "Not by force." "We cannot feed the flock of God and take leadership by force." "Not at all." "Otherwise, it is not leadership at all." "Leadership or taking oversight is never to be

done by force." "The opposite is to be done willingly." "If God has given us a gift," "and if God has raised us and have done much in our life," "and taught us many lessons," "we are to be an example by willing to take the lead without force," "but totally as a servant of the Lord, willingly." "It's a shame when we need to take oversight by force." "Oh, I'm that leader." "I'm the one who is going to grab my position." "That's not service." "That's not ministry." "Peter telling him," "Listen, you don't do it by force." "You do it willingly as unto the Lord." "Secondly, in verse 2, he continues," "and he says," "and also, not for

filthy looker, but of a ready mind." "In other words, don't do it for money's sake," "for gain's sake." "Yes, those who serve the people of God are to be ministered by the gospel." "We know it from 1 Corinthians 9." "We know it from the Old Testament from the Tanakh." "You shall not muzzle the ox when he tread the field." "Don't close his mouth, but provide, take care of those who serve." "But you don't do it for gain." "You do it as it says here in verse 2, as a ready mind." "To do it simply by saying," "Lord, you will provide." "You will take care of a servant, of a person who is an elder in

spiritual responsibility." "But you don't do it merely for gain." "Because otherwise, you become a highling." "And a highling is only doing things when he's being paid." "Otherwise, listen, I don't preach the word." "I don't teach the word if I don't get paid." "That's not right." "Yes, again, we are to take care of the servants of God." "They are to receive double honor." "They are to be taken care of." "But they themselves have to be careful, those elders, not to do it merely for gain." "But to do it, as it says here, of a ready mind." "To be a ready servant, to serve as the Lord lead." "Thirdly, in verse 3, he's saying," "And neither, again,

not as being lords over God's heritage." "Not to be the one like a boss." "I'm the pastor." "I'm the leader." "I'm in charge." "And not to be lording everything over God's heritage." "But being an example to the flock." "See what Shimon Petos is saying?" "Be an example." "And you know, the greatest example that we have is with our blessed Lord Yeshua." "What an example we have in Him." "You know, He did not come to this world except to minister to the people of God." "He gave His life as a sheep that went to the slaughter." "He was a servant." "He was that Hebrew servant who served." "He was willing." "Remember Exodus chapter 21?" "I love

my master." "I love my wife." "I love my children." "I will not go out free." "What a servant." "What a supreme servant we have in our blessed Lord Yeshua the Messiah." "And here Shimon Petos is giving this example." "And you know what?" "Do you remember when Shimon Petos in John chapter 21?" "After the Lord rose from among the dead." "You remember on the Sea of Galilee in the Galil." "He called the disciples who were at the water there." "And He called them and they saw that it was the Lord." "And Peter was asked by the Lord three times." "The Lord challenged Peter." "And He asked him," "Simon Peter, do you love me?" "Do you remember

John 21 verse 15?" "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?" "He said unto him," "Yes, Lord, you know that I love thee." "He says unto him," "Feed my lambs." "He says unto him again the second time," "Simon, Shimon bar Yonah, lovest thou me?" "He says unto him," "Yes, Adon." "Yes, Lord." "Thou knowest that I love thee." "And He said unto him," "Feed my sheep." "And He says unto him," "The third time," "to Shimon," "He says," "Peter, Simon, son of Jonah," "Simon bar Yonah," "lovest thou me?" "Do you really," "really," "fileo?" "Do you really love me?" "Do you really like me a lot?" "And Shimon." "And Shimon, Peter was grieved," "because he

said unto him," "The third time lovest thou me." "And he said unto him," "Lord, thou knowest all things." "Thou knowest that I love thee." "Yeshua said unto him," "Feed my sheep." "You see, that's what Shimon is saying here." "Peter said here to those disciples," "to those people," "to those brethren." "He's saying to them," "because he heard it from the Master." "Do you really love me?" "Feed the people of God." "Do you really want to serve me?" "Feed the people of God." "Do you really, really love me?" "Feed God's people." "Feed the lamb," "the little lamb," "the big sheep." "Feed the people of God," "if you love Yeshua the Messiah." "So now," "He's saying in verse

4," "Since you are exhorted to feed the flock of God," "recognize that one day," "the Messiah," "who is the shepherd," "the chief shepherd," "he's going to return." "Do you know that?" "He's going to come back," "it says in verse 4," "when the chief shepherd shall appear," "ye shall receive a crown of glory," "that fadeth not away." "Peter is saying to these elders," "to these zekenim," "to these Presbyterians," "if you will, Presbyteros," "when the Messiah Yeshua will come," "and you notice he call him," "he is the chief shepherd." "There are many, many shepherds," "but he is the chief shepherd." "When he is going to appear," "you shall receive a crown of glory," "as it says here

in verse 4," "that fadeth not away." "You see, in the world in which we live in today," "people are looking for rewards." "But the rewards that we receive here in this world," "ultimately are going to fade away." "But here is a promise to leaders," "to elders," "to people who are taking leadership among the people of God," "he says," "when the chief shepherd shall appear," "you shall receive a crown of glory." "Can you imagine, brothers and sisters," "when the Lord Jesus," "when Yeshua is going to come?" "And we're going to have to stand before him," "those of us who also have responsibility," "who teach the word of God," "what a blessing that will be when the

Lord will say," "well done," "good and faithful servant," "when the Lord can say," "you have shared the word faithfully," "you have been true to the word of God," "and you know, in our life we fail," "elders fail," "just the same like younger ones," "we fail," "but the approval of the Lord," "and to know that we have pleased him," "to know that when we preach the scripture," "we are sought with all the failure that we have," "because we don't know everything," "but we are sought to feed God's people," "with the word of God," "not to play games," "not to give all kind of human ideas," "but to be true and simple in the word of God,"

"you know, that's what feeds the flock of God," "there are so many problems among the people of God," "and the people of God are like sheep," "that are scattered," "they don't have a place to rest," "and we know that from experience," "people are not steady in their lives," "sometimes it soothes them," "the next day it doesn't," "one day they are close to the Lord," "the next day they are not," "we are all like that," "and that's why it's so important," "just to give the word of God," "just to feed the people of God," "and the Shepherd," "the Shepherd of Israel," "Psalm 80 and verse 1," "the very same Shepherd," "who shepherded our own nation Israel

historically," "and the very same Shepherd," "who will restore Israel in the future day," "that we read in Isaiah chapter 40," "is the very same Yeshua," "who fed in his life the people of God," "and now he's called the Chief Shepherd." "You know in the Bible," "Yeshua is a time called the Good Shepherd." "Another time he's called the Chief Shepherd," "and there's a time that he's also called," "in Scripture the Great Shepherd." "In John chapter 10 and verse 14," "Yeshua is called the Good Shepherd," "who laid down his life." "In Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 20," "he's called the Great Shepherd." "There are many, many good shepherds and many shepherds," "but he's the greatest of them

all." "And here he's called the Chief Shepherd." "Every one of these has to do with another aspect of the ministry of the Lord." "As a Good Shepherd," "he died for our sins." "As the Great Shepherd," "He is now in the presence of God.

"He is now ministering to God's people from the presence of God." "And as the Chief Shepherd," "He is mentioned here in verse 4, "he is going to return." "And he's going to reward faithfulness." "In the life of every believer," "he is going to reward it." "And I tell you, "this crown here," "that we are talking about here," "it's called the crown of glory." "In our Bible class," "we were talking about five crowns," "that are mentioned in the Brit HaChadasha." "Five crowns are mentioned in the Bible." "with what we call the incorruptible crown," "1 Corinthians 9:25." "We have the crown of rejoicing," "in 1 Thessalonians 2:19." "We have the crown of righteousness," "in 2 Timothy 4:8."

"We have the crown of life," "is found in James 1:12." "And we have, as it says here," "the crown of glory," "in 1 Peter 5:4." "And we pointed out," "that all these crowns are rewards," "that the people of God receive here on earth," "which we are going to use in coming kingdom," "when the Messiah will rule and reign over this world." "Those crowns are going to be rewards," "that we're going to use," "but even those crowns," "according as we studied Revelation 4," "we are going to cast these crowns before the feet of our Lord," "and we're going to tell him," "we are not worthy." "Everything that we have done is because of you." "Thou art

worthy." "We're going to say to him in the coming day," "when we're going to cast those crowns before the feet of our Lord Jesus," "the Messiah." Revelation 4:10.

So, brothers and sisters, this is very encouraging to the elders, to the older brothers that are overseeing the people of God. whatever responsibility that we have. Let's do it. Let's feed God's people. The people of God are hungry. The people of God are thirsty. And the only way to help God's people is ministering to them God's Word. And the central figure of God's Word is none else but Yeshua the Messiah. You tell somebody about Yeshua, you would meet the need of his or her soul. So, here are those things. Now, notice, in the next verses 5 to 9, now, Peter is telling to them that God is really preparing his own people for glory.

You know, God is preparing us for heaven. And what he is really saying here, that one day we are going to go to glory. We are going to go to heaven. We are going to be with him. And here is the time for us to learn some lessons. Lessons that sometimes, unfortunately, are very hard for us. But there are some things that are important in order for us to be prepared for glory. And notice in those verses 5 to 9, he gives us a few things that are very important. And God allows us to experience things in our lives. First of all, he says in verse 5 and 6, the importance of submissiveness and humility.

It says in verse 5, Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility. With humility. Why, Peter? For God resists the proud. And he gives grace unto the humble. Humble yourself, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. The first two points that he mentioned in verses 5 and 6, as God is preparing his people for glory, he is telling us the importance of submissiveness and humility. Now you know very well that these are the two areas that we have a big problem with them. I am the captain of my ship.

I am the pilot of my plane. I am going to do things my way. You remember that song that one sung? I did it my way, right? But you did it your way. In the things of the Lord, you think we can do it our ways? We always have to do those things God's ways. It's always the right way. Because, as it says here, God resists the proud. He resists pride. Do you know, beloved brothers and sisters, that how sin came into this world is lack of submissiveness and pride. In Eve we see lack of submissiveness, and in Adam we see pride. In fact, go even before Adam and Eve and see how Satan have brought about sin into this world when he prided himself, as Isaiah chapter 14 says, when Lucifer says, I will be like the Most High.

I want to be God. I want to dethrone God and place myself instead of Him. That's how sin came into this world. And what about Adam and Eve? When Eve was beguiled by the serpent, by Satan, she should have said to the serpent, I have to ask my husband, Adam. But what she did, instead of being submissive to her husband, she ate. She disobeyed first. Though, in Adam's case, it was the actual sins entering because of Adam as the federal head of the human race. But with Adam, we see pride. Because really, Adam, he should have told her no. God said to me not to eat, and I'm not going to eat of this fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

But what he really did, basically, is this. He says, God, you gave me everything. North, south, east, west. But you didn't give me that tree, and I want it. And in pride, he took from that fruit and ate. And then sin came in. And that's what happened, beloved brothers and sisters. This importance of submissiveness. So he's saying, young girl, submit yourself to the elder. Don't try to get your own way. Be submissive. If there is a godly counsel, godly leadership, he says, not taking oversight by constraint and so on. Not for filthy looker, but not lording over. If you see that there is a good and godly example, be submissive.

Secondly, you notice that in the same verses 5 and 6, he says, all of you be subject one to another. Not only that the younger to be submissive to the elder, but we are to submit to each other, to recognize each other, to give room for each other in submissiveness. And then, notice he said, be all of you close with humility. Why? Because God resists the proud. God does resist pride. Pride is how sin enter into this world. And God is resisting pride again and again. And that's why he says in verse 6, Humber yourself therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.

It was Yaakov, this is James, who wrote to the early Jewish believers also. In chapter 4, he wrote himself there in verse 10, Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up. Humility, it is essential because God resists pride, but he gives grace to the humble. That is what we have in verses 5 and 6. And we can see it as an example in Yeshua the Messiah in Luke chapter 2 and verse 51. He submitted himself, he made himself subject unto his own parents. What an example we see in Yeshua the Messiah. So, submissiveness, humility, verses 5 and 6. He continues, he is telling them now, pray and cast all your cares upon the Lord.

Now, I know you and I can say honestly that we cast some of our cares upon the Lord and we keep a lot of it for ourselves. But he wants us to cast all our cares upon the Lord because the Lord cares for you. Peter was drawing this up from chapter 55 of the book of Psalms and verse 22 where we read, "Cast thy burdens upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." It was the psalmist David who said this many, many years ago before Shimon Petros was writing to those early believers. He's saying, cast your cares upon him because he cares for you.

You know, brothers and sisters, God does care for you and me. He knows our needs. He knows every issue. You have a problem with a job? Share it with the Lord. You have a problem with a family? And we do. Share it with Yeshua. Cast all your cares, all our issues, all our problems with him. Any issue that we have in our lives, we are exhorted to cast this before the Lord because he does care for the people of God. But don't ever go for a moment, as a believer especially, and say, God doesn't care. He doesn't know my need. He doesn't know. You know that the verses we often read in Romans 8:28, "For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to God's purpose." God has a purpose in every issue of our life.

We don't understand why, but he does have a purpose. That's what the Bible teaches us. Even though in practice, we don't realize that, but we are to get the help from the Lord. And not only that we are to be submissive, to be humble, but also to pray, to cast your cares upon the Lord. This is in prayer. Let him know your issues, your problems. Share with him everything. And he cares. If nobody else is caring, there is one that loves us and cares for us, and he knows every situation in the life of the believer. Notice next, in verse 8, he continues and he says, "Be sober and vigilant, watchful." Why we are to be sober?

Sober is the opposite. You remember we said already before, from chapter 4 and verse 7, where he told them, "But the end of all things is at hand; be therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." Why? Sober means that we are to be the opposite of drunk. We have to have our mind fixed on the Lord, we have to be balanced, if you will. We have to be straightforward, be sober, be watchful. Why? Because your adversary, the devil, is a roaring lion walking about seeking whom he may devour. We have three enemies, but here is an enemy that is really desiring the destruction of the spiritual life of every believer.

And that is none else but the devil himself. Now the devil, in the scripture, he looks upon him basically in two different ways. A time, 2 Corinthians chapter 11, he appears as an angel of light. He appears very shining, very nice, very tricky. You know, he's kind of walking about and kind of tricking us into all sorts of things and many times he is very successful. But when he doesn't work the tricky way, he began to act as a roaring lion. Here we see him, he's walking about, because the devil is a roaring lion walking about, seeking whom he may devour. You know, brothers and sisters, the devil can never take you and I out of the hands of Yeshua the Messiah.

Once we are saved, once we belong to the Lord, we have been purchased by the blood of Yeshua the Messiah. We are eternally his, but because we are here, we haven't gone yet to heaven, into the presence of the Lord. Because we are still here and now, the devil is constantly shooting darts at us, seeking to cause us to have less progress in our spiritual life. Less growth and maturity and development, to be less used by the Lord here in this world. So what does he do? He tricks us. He causes us to kind of wander. He's doing all kind of things to pull us like a magnet and to take us away from walking with the Lord.

And if it doesn't work, he began to deal like a roaring lion. He's roaring and he's coming around and he's causing havoc. You know, he inflicts all kind of things. You know, think of Job, for example, a child of God. He belonged to God, but the Lord allowed Satan to inflict Job, Iov, in Hebrew. He allowed Iov to be inflicted by the Satan. And how did he inflict him? Did he take away Job's relationship with God? Not at all. But it sure showed us what the devil is able to do. And that's what he does, brothers and sisters. And that's why we are exhorted to be very vigilant and very watchful because the devil seeks to do all these things to the people of God.

Paul said in Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 10, he said, Finally, my brother, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole army of God that ye may be able, what? To withstand against the wiles of the devil. He's a very tricky creature, wildly seeking God's people to inflict upon them all sorts of things. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against the spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the whole army of God that ye may be able to stand in an evil day and having done all to stand.

If we are going to stand and we are going to walk for the Lord here in this world and to win victory after victory, we have, as it says in verse 8, to be sober and to be vigilant because this devil is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Now, notice what he says in verse 9, he tells us the importance of resistance. He says, Resist the devil whom resist steadfastly in the faith, knowing that the same affliction are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. In other words, resistance. Don't flee from the devil. You know, humanly speaking, we might say, you know, flee from the devil, but you never find one time in the Bible that the believers are called to flee from the devil.

The believers are called to flee from the lusts. The believers are called to flee fornication. But the believers always are called to resist in the power of Yeshua the Messiah, the devil. As we put the armor of God upon us and we are to resist the devil. Why? Because he is seeking to devour but to do it in the faith, knowing that the same affliction I accomplish upon your brethren which are elsewhere in the world. This is not physical resistance, but resisting by faith. As we submit to Yeshua, as we walk with him, we are enabled by him, the power of the Spirit of God to resist the devil.

And he says, you know this, brothers and sisters, resist the devil steadfastly. Continue on because he is attacking. He is attacking again. And he is constantly attacking the people of God. He doesn't stop. In James we read in chapter 4 and verse 7, submit yourself therefore unto God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Not you will flee from him. You don't give the devil your back. You resist him. And with the help of the Lord, through faith in the Messiah, the army of God, faithfulness to the Lord, the devil is unable to hurt the people of God. Yes, he will seek to inflict all sorts of things upon the people of God, but the people of God, by the grace of God, are going to be able.

By the way, he is called in Revelation chapter 12, the devil. You notice that in verse 9, he says that the gray dragon was cast out. That old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceives the whole world, was cast out into this earth and his angels were cast out with him. This is in the middle of the tribulation when he is going to be cast down. We are going to be in heaven with the Lord. In the middle of the tribulation, he will be cast down this devil who is going to cause all sorts of havoc here in this world. He is called the dragon because he is vicious.

He is called the serpent because he is a liar. He is called the devil because he is the accuser. And he is called Satan because he is the adversary. He is against the people of God. And he is going to do so specifically to the Hebrew people of the tribulation period where he is called the accuser of the brethren in Revelation chapter 12 and verse 10. And now he is accusing. He is causing all sorts of things to you and I today at the church age as well. So, verses 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, we are talking about submissiveness, humility, prayer, casting our cares before the Lord, to be sober, to be watchful, and to resist the devil who is sick to destroy the testimony of God's people here in this world.

Now, finally, beloved brothers and sisters, Shimon Petrus concluding the first letter, the first epistle in the last verses 10 to 14. And notice he speaks about the God of all grace. You know, we sometimes say the grace of God, but here we find out the opposite, the God of grace. Not only the grace of God that we receive, but he is the God of all grace, of all chesed. He says in verse 10, God through Yeshua the Messiah will establish the believer as the believers are going through suffering. Verse 10, but the God of all grace, all chesed, who has called us unto his eternal glory by the Messiah Yeshua, by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect and established and strengthened and set you.

Here he is saying, beloved brothers and sisters, that the God of all grace, through Yeshua the Messiah, as we go through suffering, he is able to lead us to this eternal glory by allowing us to be mature. Notice the word perfect in verse 10, it's really mature. And then establish you and then strengthen you and ultimately will settle you. So nice to see the four points that he mentioned here. Perfect does not mean that we will never sin. It simply means that we will be mature. And as we grow with the Lord, we walk with the Lord, we are becoming more mature. Mature means the person that sought to follow through, submissive, humility, prayer, sober, resistance, all these things makes a person mature.

Then he continues, establish, you know, establish means that we are established in what we know, we don't need someone to give us all sorts of opinions. We know the truth, we know the truth. It's found in the scripture. We don't need to be deviating every time. Oh, yes, this way and that way. You know, maturity and establishment coming as we walk with the Lord and we become more firm. In verse 10 at the end, strengthen the strength that come. As Paul says, when I'm weak, then I'm strong. The strength that come from the Messiah and ultimately settled. Not one day here, the next. Settle a believer as he grows and mature through the grace of God, who is the God of all grace.

And he is enabling us to become those four things. Perfect, established, strengthened and settled. And then he says in verse 11, as he concludes to him, be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. You know, all the glory will be given to Yeshua. He's going to receive all the glory that he deserves. He is the son of God, the son of man who has suffered once and will come to reign in the coming day. You know, everyone will have to acknowledge him in the coming day. And he is going to receive glory and dominion. You know, dominion has to do with his reign. You know, to have dominion.

When Adam, in the beginning, Adam was like a king here on earth. And he received dominion. He said, have dominion over them. You rule over this world as a king. But Adam failed. And you and I fail with him. But he's one that is coming. And his name is Yeshua, Jesus. Who is going to receive all the dominion. And all the rule that is coming that he deserves to receive in the coming day. And Peter continues here in these next verses. In verse 12, he tells us that this letter that he wrote to these Hebrew believers who were scattered. This letter was sent by a man by the name of Silvanus.

This man, Silvanus, is known also as Silas. Silas. Remember, Paul and Silas did a lot of ministry together. And apparently, notice verse 12. By Silvanus, a faithful brother. And to you, as I suppose I have written, briefly exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand. You see, this man, by the name of Silas, or Silvanus, he's mentioned quite a few places in the Bible. He's mentioned in Acts 15:22-40. He's mentioned in Acts 16:19-34. He's mentioned in 2 Corinthians 1:19, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, and 2 Thessalonians 1:1. This man, by the name of Silas, he was one time in jail with Paul. And when they were in jail, they were singing and praising God.

And now you remember how in a miraculous way the doors were opened. And the jailer wanted to kill himself. This is in Acts 16. And Paul said, "We are here. Don't go. Don't kill yourself." And he asked him, "What must I do in order to be saved?" You remember this jailer? And so we find here that this man was a faithful brother. He was a servant of the Lord. And Peter gave him that letter that he will hand it out to the brethren who were scattered abroad. But he's a faithful brother. He says, "I suppose I have written." And he says, "Briefly." Now, you might say, "Briefly." Those five chapters, there's a lot of meat in these five chapters.

But he's exalting them. And he's testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand. The opposite here, here we see the grace of God. And in verse 10, we saw the God of grace. God is the God who is giving grace. And you and I are the recipients of the grace of God. So whatever Peter wrote to these believers, it was really that which they needed to be exhorted. And he testified to them of the grace that God had provided. In verse 13, as we are moving on to the end of this epistle, he's saying to the scattered Hebrew brethren, "The assembly that is in Babylon, elected together with you, salute you, and so does Marcus, my son." In verse 13, we see that Shimon Petros, he was in Babylon.

Some people take this to mean really the city of Rome. But others, including myself, believe that this is speaking of the literal city of Babylon, where the Jewish community have been very large. In fact, the Babylonian Talmud was prepared there in Babylon. And he, as an apostle to the circumcision, he was among his own Jewish brethren in this Babylon. The Babylon area from which he wrote this letter to the scattered Hebrew Christians abroad. And so he says the assembly, which is in Babylon. Apparently there was a local believers there, a group of believers there. They, together with you, are elected. They are elected together with you.

They salute you. They say Shalom to you. And also, so does Marcus, my son. This Marcus is the one who wrote the Gospel of Mark. And he called him my son. Apparently he may have been the one that had led Marcus to come to know the Messiahship of Yeshua. To accept him as the promised Messiah. Very beautiful. And he's closing this letter. And I'm going to close this meeting as well. In verse 14, he says, "Greet each other with a kiss of love." This is a beautiful expression. This shows the affection. You know, in general, really, the Jewish people, the Israelis, are very much known by affection.

Oftentimes you'll find that, not only in Israel, but elsewhere, but in the Middle East, it's a custom that when we greet each other, oftentimes we will kiss each other. Here it speaks of affection. And Paul, in the same way, the Apostle Paul also, in four of his epistles, have encouraged the believers to give each other what you call a holy kiss. In the epistles that Paul wrote, he called it a holy kiss. Romans 16:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20, 2 Corinthians 13:12, and 1 Thessalonians 5:26, he calls it "kiss each other with a holy kiss." It's a kiss that has to do with affection. It speaks of loving the people of God. The affection that ought to exist among the people of God.

And he says, "Greet ye one another with a kiss of love." It's a real sincere affection and love for the brethren because they are part of this family of God, of the redeemed company which Yeshua, the Messiah, had saved. And he concludes this epistle by saying these words, "Shalom be with you all that are in the Messiah Yeshua. Amen." That's how he concluded this epistle by wishing them the peace, the shalom. You know, when we in Israel or elsewhere among the Jewish people, when we greet each other, we say shalom. We say shalom when we come, we say shalom when we go. We wish that shalom, that peace will exist among each other.

We don't always have peace, but this is the peace of God. It's not peace with God. They have already had peace with God positionally. This is the peace that he wishes among the people of God to exist on a day-by-day basis. So, brothers and sisters, here he concluded this epistle with the wish for shalom. I just want to conclude with just a remark or two. The first epistle of Peter, we see again and again the thought of sufferings. As long as you and I are going to be here in this world, we are going in some way, some small measure, to experience suffering. And this is part of being affiliated with Yeshua, the Messiah.

He was rejected, we will be rejected. He was despised, we will be despised. But there is a hope for the believer. There is coming a day when we are no longer going to be rejected, no longer suffering here in this world. This is the day of this eternal glory that is mentioned in verse 10 of chapter 5. There is a day coming, brothers and sisters, where we will no longer go through persecution, misunderstanding, suffering, rejection, no longer. Because we are going to be with Yeshua the Messiah who is already at the right hand of the Father. He is in glory. He is waiting for the day to take his own people home to be with him and to come with us, the church, the body of Messiah, to rule over the world and to rule over the whole universe.

Israel, the nation restored to the Messiah. And that will be a glorious day that is awaiting the people of God. And Peter wrote to those believers who were going through sufferings as they had an example in the sufferings of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah. May the Lord encourage us all to continue on and to grow spiritually as we follow the Lord and wait for his return.