When I think of glory, all I can think about is the glory of God. It never crosses my mind that there would ever be any kind of glory given to us, but Peter tells us in I Peter chapter 5 that we will be able to partake of the glory revealed. We have been given such a great reward to be able to make it to Heaven, that I can’t fathom getting anything more. That is why I am convinced even more, that the only reason I will receive anything will be to cast them at Jesus’ feet. For that, I will be thrilled. I have nothing of any value to offer him of myself, but he gives me the opportunity to earn these crowns. Don’t mistake this for salvation, salvation is a gift, it can not be earned, but rewards can be earned. Crowns that will please him and thrill my soul.
This crown is reserved for those who are pastors, or those leading the church. They are shepherds. You cannot be a shepherd if you do not have sheep! So, it stands to reason that these men have others under them that they are responsible to help in many ways. Let’s look at some of the responsibilities of the shepherd.
I Peter 5:1 “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:”
A Shepherd has the need for a lot of patience. He must be spiritually mature enough to not “fly off the handle” when things do not go the way he planned. He must be willing to listen, even when it is painful to listen. Sheep in themselves are dumb animals therefore, they will need a lot of instruction. They will face many burdens and heartaches due to their lack of knowledge, and failure to follow what they have been told. This shepherd may or may not be old. The physical age is not as important as the spiritual age. A good shepherd is one who is a lover of those following the Lord.
A good shepherd also has the ability to exhort. This simply means he should be able to encourage his followers to stand firm in their faith. He needs to teach in such a way that they know the truths of the word. This will give them the confidence to push forward in their faith. He is to “feed” his flock as mentioned in verse 2. We are fed for nourishment and to satisfy us. I don’t always eat because I need nutrition, sometimes it is just the comforting thing to do. A good shepherd feeds the flock both kinds of food. The “meat” and the comfort food.
He is to feed the flock because he loves them and wants them to do well in their walk with the Lord. Though it is important that the sheep take care of the shepherd, verse 2 reminds us he does not take care of them for the money or the glory. He willingly acts as their shepherd.
I Peter 5:2 “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;”
We who are not pastors can be an undershepherd, if we will lead those whom God has placed in our sphere of influence. We do not have the same responsibilities as the Pastor, but we are to influence others and lead them in the right way. Being an under-shepherd, he has the opportunity of receiving the crown–the Crown of Glory that fadeth not away.
In verse 4 we see that one day the Great Shepherd will appear. The Lord Jesus is the chief Shepherd and all mature believers have the opportunity to discharge the duties of an under-shepherd. Verse 3 tells us to be an example to those whom we have the opportunity to teach and train. Be an example in our conduct and in our words. A good under-shepherd makes sure his words match his actions.
I Peter 5:3-4 “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
One day we will stand before Jesus and receive our just rewards for how we have lived our life. If it is according to the word it is important to the kingdom, and we will reap the benefits. If it isn’t we won’t. It’s that simple. He will not say well done to every Christian. Some have lived sloppy Christian lives. Some never push themselves to excel in their walk with the Lord. They are happy to get into Heaven by the “skin of their teeth,” as some say.
We need to push forward doing all we can for the cause of Christ because he did all he could for us.
John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
