Happy Mother’s Day everyone. Over the past few days I was meditating on the role of Mothers in the Bible and had began to think about an outline for a Mother’s Day message around the book of Ruth. There are so many great points and parallels we can draw from this book of the Bible around what it means to be a mother, the challenges mothers face everyday. What to do when your life plans fall apart as a mother……
But this morning as I was waking up the Lord put a totally different scripture in my heart. It came out of nowhere and at first it thought this is not a mother’s day message but then I realized that this scripture sums up what most mother’s say to their children everyday….
Turn with me in you bibles to the book of 1st Peter Chapter 5:8
1st Peter Chapter 5:8
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
**In the Amplified Version of the Bible**
8 Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.
**Now I do not know about you but this sounds like the words of a mother to me:
Often times when I am preparing the message I will look at different translations to broaden my understanding of the passage. I found this translation this morning called the Message Bible and I want you to hear this from that translation down to verse 11
1st Peter Chapter 5:8-11
He Gets the Last Word
8-11 Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does
I believe the Lord is speaking to us this morning from this passage of scripture and I want to back up and read the full context of Peter’s letter and see what the Lord is telling us:
1 Peter 5:1-11
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:
***Peter begins speaking to the elders or leaders of the Church.
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;
**Peter says do not be in church leadership because you are being forced to or for the filthy lucre which means money** People who serve in church leadership should feel called to the ministry and willingly doing it because they love to serve.**
3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.
***Peter tells church leadership to lead by example and not by micromanagement**
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
***Serving in church leadership is rewarding along the way but the ultimate reward is when Christ Jesus returns and you receive a crown of glory for service to the body of Christ. A crown that does not fade away.**
5 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.
***In verse #5 Peter tell us that in the Body of Christ we are to serve from a position of humility and submit ourselves to elder leadership and to one to another. I believe this would be considered in modern times Peer Accountability.
Peer Accountability: Peers address performance gaps and behaviors, building trust and reducing reliance on leadership.
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
****The first point of the message today: God is calling church leaders to serve with humility, accountability, willingly for eternal reward and not earthly treasure.
My friends the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life is to serve as a pastor here at Joy Fellowship and to minister to everyone the Lord brings through the doors every day.
At the beginning of chapter 5 Peter was speaking to elders in the church. These are anyone in church leadership or just someone who has grown and matured in the Lord regardless of age.
Life expectancy in the first-century Mediterranean world was low, generally estimated around 30–35 years old.
Key Data on Lifespan During Jesus' Time:
- Childhood Mortality: Roughly 30%–50% of children died before the age of 10, drastically lowering the average lifespan.
- Adulthood Expectancy: A person who reached 5 years old could expect to live to be approximately 56 years old.
***As we move into verse 7 of Chapter 5 I believe that Peter expands the message and is now sharing to a broader audience of believers
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
***I want you to see the powerful imagery of this term to Casting all your care upon him. This Greek word for Casting is only found 2 times in the bible:
And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast G1977 their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.
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Casting G1977 all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
***Someone needs to see this this morning. When you cast all your care upon him you release it and you do not hold on to it. In the picture of Jesus coming in to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday the garments that people have “cast on the donkey and colt” they did not stand by and hold onto them. They placed the garments and then they let Jesus have them to use. They released them.
**But lets talk about what Peter is saying that we are to “Cast” on the Lord. Peter says we are to “Cast” all our “Care” on Jesus because He Careth for you.
This word Care is a very powerful word. This word is so deep and personal to each and everyone of us. You see when we say we want to feel loved most of the time what we are saying is we want someone to care about us. When you provide care as a caregiver to someone who is sick or struggling it is hard work. Care that grows out of a desire to fix what is broken, or ease the pain of a person who is suffering can tax the caregiver into a place of self-depredation. We see this word used in several of the Gospels by people around Jesus and also Jesus himself when he described the “Cares of this world”
Martha is so busy trying to serve that she accuses Jesus of not caring…
But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost G3199 thou not care G3199 that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
Jesus speaks of people who are not called to ministry (example a shepherd) but rather just doing it for money and not caring for the sheep.
The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth G3199 not for the sheep.
Jesus speaks about those who hear the word in the parable of the sower and the seed.
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care G3308 of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Jesus speaks to his disciples about his second coming and the end of the world. As he is speaking about the signs that will be seen before his 2nd coming he warns them about being distracted by the “Cares of this life”:
Luke 21:29-36
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
****The first point of the message today: God is calling church leaders to serve with humility, accountability, willingly for eternal reward and not earthly treasure.
***The 2nd point of the Message today: God is calling you to release all the care that is consuming you on him and let him care for you.
Mark 4:36-41
36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
***Back to 1st Peter 5:8
1 Peter 5:8-11
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
***Lets talk about being sober:
1 Thessalonians 5
King James Version
1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
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But watch G3525 thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
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Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, G3525 and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
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But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch G3525 unto prayer.
***Point #3 of the message today: God is calling his people to be sober, watchful, alert, to be calm and collected in spirit.
1 Peter 5:8-11
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
***Let’s talk about the adversary for a minute: If you are a child of God then you have an adversary. You have an enemy. He is called many things in the bible but most often referred to as Satan or the Devil.
***Point #4 of the Message today. Satan is the enemy do not get distracted by everything else going on around you.
Ephesians 6:10-18
King James Version
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Finishing up:
1 Peter 5:9-11
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
*** In Closing:
Revelation 12
King James Version
12 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
***In a mother’s voice***
“Baby, listen to me for a minute. Keep your head on straight and don’t drift through life half asleep. There are real dangers out there, and the enemy would love nothing more than to catch you when you’re tired, discouraged, or not paying attention. So stay grounded. Stay wise. Hold tight to what you know is true.
And remember — you are not the only person going through hard things. There are people all over the world fighting battles, dealing with pressure, pain, fear, and disappointment just like you are. That doesn’t mean God has forgotten you.
So don’t let go of your faith when life gets heavy. This hard season is not going to last forever. God still has beautiful plans for your life — bigger and better than you can even see right now. One day you’re going to look back and realize He was building you up, making you stronger, wiser, and more confident through all of this.
God will have the final say over your life — not fear, not failure, not the people against you. Him. And trust me… His ending is always better.