Clothing Ourselves With Humility

and Resisting The Devil

1 Peter 5:5-14

Intro: As Peter draws his letter to a close, it is clear that he is still thinking about the suffering of these believers as he gives them some concluding exhortations. Notice Vs. 7 (casting all your anxiety on Him), Vs. 9 (knowing that the same experiences of suffering), Vs. 10 (After you have suffered for a little while), Vs.12 (stand firm in the true grace of God!). So, the theme of suffering is the backdrop against which we are going to place Peter’s 2 exhortations. He has an exhortation concerning humility in vs. 5-7, and an exhortation concerning the devil in vs. 8-9. It is these 2 themes that we are going to focus in on this morning.

But before we do that, let’s look briefly at how Peter signs off his letter in vs. 12-14.

12 – Silvanus: he was known as Silas in the book of Acts, and Silvanus in the epistles. In Acts 15:22 he is called a “leading man among the brethren.” In Acts 15:32 he is called a prophet. He accompanied Paul on his 2^nd missionary journey. 1 Peter was written in excellent Greek. How did Peter write it, being an uneducated fisherman. He dictated it to Silas, who wrote it down in polished Greek. Silas, also probably personally brought this letter to the readers, because he doesn’t send his greetings, like Mark does. Peter says that he wrote briefly, implying that he would like to discuss these things in greater detail, but because Silas is faithful, he has been entrusted with that matter when he arrives. We need more people like Silas! He was content to be #2, to serve in the background as long as God’s work was accomplished. It was enough for him to be Paul’s assistant, even if Paul overshadowed him. It was enough to be Peter’s penman, even if it meant only a bare mention of his name at the end of the letter. It is a wonderful thing to go down in history as a faithful helper on whom both Peter and Paul depended. Many who can’t be Peter or Paul, can still help them do their work.

13 – Who is “she who is in Babylon”? Some have thought it refers to Peter’s wife, but it is more probable that it has reference to the Church, the Bride of Christ. Some have thought that Babylon refers to the literal city located in Middle East, however we have no evidence that Peter ever ministered there. A better interpretation would identify Babylon with Rome. In times of persecution, believers often wrote or spoke in cryptic, coded messages, so it wouldn’t endanger believers from whom or to whom they wrote. Babylon was identified with Rome in the most ancient Jewish and Christian literature. The godlessness, lust and luxury of ancient Babylon was reincarnated in Rome. Tradition locates Peter in Rome toward the end of his life. If this is the case, the church in Rome is affectionately sending greetings to the church in Asia Minor. She is “chosen together with you”, just as Peter has already taught them (1:1-2).

My son, Mark: Mark was Peter’s son in a spiritual sense. All 3 terms are used in a spiritual sense (she, Babylon, son). Mark traveled with Peter and assisted him. Mark’s Gospel is really a compilation of Peter’s preaching. Early on, Mark joined Paul and Barnabus on their 1^st missionary journey, but deserted them and went home. However, now we find him serving the Lord alongside Peter. That’s good news!

Now that we have seen how Peter winds up his letter, let’s go back and look at 2 concluding exhortations given against the backdrop of suffering: humble yourselves and resist the devil.

Humble Yourselves

1) Younger Men Toward Their Elders:

• Why does Peter say “likewise”? (Because the Elders were to subject themselves to the needs and good of the rest of the church by diligently watching over them)
• How were the younger men to manifest their humility? (by subjecting themselves to their elders – that is by respecting and following the wisdom of those more mature than themselves)
• Do you think “elders” in vs.5 carries the same meaning as in vs.1? Compare 1 Tim.5:1,17.
• What important truth do you learn from Leviticus 19:32?
• How might we teach our children to respect other adults? (Address them as ‘Sir’ or “Ma’am’, or Mr. and Mrs. Don’t allow them to rush into line in front of adults. Show by our own example respect for elderly.

2) All of You Toward One Another:

• What is the responsibility of all believers toward all other believers? Are church leaders included here?
• According to Phil.2:3, what does humility look like? How will it look in a church?
• What is the reason Peter urges all to humility? (Because God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble).
• Would you rather God be opposed to you, or give grace to you?!

3) All of You Toward God:

• Read 5:6-7. What does “humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God” have to do with? (Notice that it is connected to casting our anxieties on Him. Remember that these believers were suffering and thus, had worries and anxieties. Peter is calling them to submit and resign themselves to God’s sovereign providence in their lives, while casting all their cares on Him, knowing that He loves them and cares for them.)
• What would be the opposite of “humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God”? (Refusing to submit ourselves to His sovereign Providence. Complaining to Him, arguing with Him, and accusing Him of being unloving or uncaring.)
• Has there ever been a time in your life when you blamed God, rather than humbled yourself under His mighty hand?
• “Yes, my Father, the times of my darling wife are in Thy hands. Thou wilt do the very best thing for her, and for me, whether life or death. If it may be, raise up yet again my precious wife - Thou are able to do it, though she is so ill; but howsoever Thou dealest with me, only help me to continue to be perfectly satisfied with Thy holy will.”
  George Mueller - in regards to his critically ill wife

“I bow; I am satisfied with the will of my Heavenly Father. I seek by perfect submission to His holy will to glorify Him, I kiss continually the hand that has afflicted me... Without an effort my inmost soul habitually joys in the joy of that loved departed one. Her happiness gives joy to me. My dear daughter and I would not have her back, were it possible to produce it by the turn of a hand. God Himself has done it; we are satisfied with Him.” George Mueller – after the death of his wife.

• What should we do in our sufferings rather than complain or blame God?

Resist The Devil

1) Who Is He?

• Vs.8 mentions the devil. What are some other Biblical titles and metaphors for him? (Satan, Accuser of the brethren, Tempter, Destroyer, angel of light, serpent, dragon, god of this world, ruler of this world, prince of the power of the air, evil one, enemy).
• Is the devil a real spirit being, as real as God, or a fictitious legend? Why do you think so?
• What does Peter call the devil in vs.8? (adversary). What is an adversary? (a person that opposes or attacks). Our real enemy is not our spouse, children, boss, police or President.
• What does “devil” mean? (slanderer, accuser). Rev.12:10 calls him the accuser of the brethren accusing them day and night.

2) What Is He Doing?

• What does the expression “roaring lion” teach you about the devil? (great strength, rage, cruelty, and fierceness. A roaring lion is a hungry lion)
• What does the expression “prowling about” teach you about him? (His restless activity to seek to destroy souls. Also, that he is stalking us secretly. Like a lion on the lookout for a deer or zebra. He seeks to get as close as he can without them knowing it. “The devil’s boots don’t creak!” He works so subtly we usually don’t even know he’s around until we are caught in his snare.)

3) How Can He Be Defeated?

• Notice what Peter does not tell us to do. We are not told to cast him out of us (those who teach believers can be demon-possessed). We are not told to rebuke him, or bind him. These are all common practices taught in the Charismatic wing of the Church, but neither Peter nor Paul tell us to do them!
• In Frank Peretti’s fictional novels “This Present Darkness” and “Out of the Darkness” he often speaks of demons of lust, greed, envy, rage, suicide, etc. Does the Bible identify these things as demons or deeds of the flesh? What would identifying our sins with these demons lead us to do? (Blame demons for sins we need to take responsibility for!)
• What is the 1^st thing Peter tells us to do? (Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.) Remember he is like a lion and you are the prey, and he’s stalking you! Be aware that he is out to get you! When you are on Internet, go into a convenience store with porn magazines, when a pretty girl flirts with you, when you are around drugs and alcohol, when your serving God changes from being about Him to being about you.
• What is the next thing Peter tells us to do? (Resist him!) Notice that is always what the apostles tell us to do. Eph.6:13; James 4:7.
• How do we resist the devil? (By being firm in our faith. “Resist” implies that someone is attacking you. When the devil attacks raise up the shield of faith.
• What should our faith be in? (God and His Word, His promises, His attributes, His love, His integrity, His goodness. We refuse to allow the Devil to convince us that God is evil, unloving or unjust to allow our suffering)

Application: I believe this passage has special relevance to many of us this morning. The devil has brought much suffering to Paul and Tara through the death of Paul’s daughter, Monica. The devil is doing everything he can to bring Karen down by attacking her family. All of us must determine we will not murmur against God, but instead cast all our cares on Him, never doubting that He loves us and cares for us. At the same time, we must be on the lookout for the Devil, and resist him by having a firm and sure faith in God and His Word, so that the devil can’t touch us! If you are suffering, humble yourself under God’s hand, and resist the Devil!

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