Emmanuel Lutheran Church

1 Peter 5:1–5 (NKJV)

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.”

The command to “love your neighbor” is to be carried out in every vocation. In today’s lesson, the first application of this command is made to presbyters (that is, “elders”), which is just another word in the New Testament for pastors (that is, “shepherds”), whom Peter also addresses as “bishops” (that is, “overseers”). Yes, all pastors are bishops, overseers, charged by the Good Shepherd to love their flocks by shepherding them well, tending to them with care and compassion, preaching and teaching what their sheep need to hear and learn. They are to do it willingly and eagerly. They are not to rule their sheep as lords but are to be examples to them of genuine love and humble service.

Peter then moves on to the young and teaches them what love looks like for them. It looks like submitting to their “elders,” which includes both pastors and older people in general. The world and the flesh teach young people to do the opposite, to look down on their elders and to exalt themselves, as if they were wiser and more capable than anyone who ever came before, as if their elders were of little value to society. But Peter warns that those who exalt themselves in their own minds will be humbled by God.

Indeed, God is looking for humility as one of the chief traits in all His children. He calls on all of us to submit to one another and to be “clothed with humility.” That involves listening. It involves gentleness. It means considering the needs of others ahead of our own needs and actively looking out for their wellbeing. When Christians live like this, it is truly a “good and pleasant” thing (cf. Ps. 133).

Let us pray: Our Father in heaven, we thank You for sending Your Son, our Good Shepherd, to save us from our sins and to set for us the perfect example of humble service. Grant us Your Holy Spirit, that we may imitate Jesus at all times, in whose name we pray. Amen.

1 Peter 3:15–22 (NKJV)

¹⁵ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; ¹⁶ having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. ¹⁷ For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. ¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, ¹⁹ by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. ²¹ There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

In today’s lesson, Peter highlights one of the best ways for Christians to love our neighbors: By explaining to them, when they ask, the reason for our hope. And if they’re asking, that implies that we’re giving them a reason to ask.

We do our neighbor a great service when we simply “wear our hope on our sleeve,” when we make it evident by our attitude, words, and behavior that we Christians are different, that we have a sure hope that triumphs over every adversity, a joy that remains even in the midst of hardship and sorrow. If we live like this in the world, people are bound to ask why. When they do, let us be prepared to give a “defense” or an explanation.

Peter gives his own explanation in today’s lesson. Why do we remain faithful to Christ, even when it causes us suffering? Why do we hope, even when we suffer? Because Christ suffered, “the Just for the unjust,” to bring us to God. He willingly suffered and died. But He was also raised from the dead. He even descended into hell to proclaim His victory to the souls of the disobedient, some of whom had been suffering there for over 3,000 years, since the days of Noah. Nothing that we suffer here on earth can compare with what those unbelievers suffer in hell.

But Christ has saved us from sin, death, and hell. Not only did He suffer for our sins, but He washed us in Holy Baptism, which connects us with His death and resurrection. In fact, Peter says that “Baptism saves you,” not as a one-time event, but as a continual reality. Just as the waters of the flood kept lifting up Noah and his family in the ark for the whole duration of the flood, keeping them safe from drowning with the unbelieving world, so Baptism keeps lifting us up from eternal condemnation as we constantly appeal to God for a good conscience for the sake of Christ Jesus, our Lord. This is the reason for our hope!

Let us pray: Father in heaven, we thank you for the blessed hope we have in Christ. Give us opportunities to explain it to others and grant us wisdom and a mouth to speak. Amen.

1 Peter 3:1–7 (NKJV)

¹ Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, ² when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. ³ Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—⁴ rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. ⁵ For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, ⁶ as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror. ⁷ Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

The focus of this week has been God’s commandment to love our neighbor, to put that second great commandment into practice, and that we do it genuinely and sincerely, not with hypocrisy. Today’s lesson focuses on the home, in the context of husband and wife as neighbor to one another.

In the context of marriage, the Lord would have Christian wives submitting to their husbands in love, as the Church submits to Christ. Even if their husband is not a believer, God would have wives loving their husbands through “chaste conduct” and “fear,” that is, respect, which, in turn, may influence their husband toward the faith. God would have women pursue the “incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.” This, in God’s estimation, is what love looks like on the part of a wife, and it is “very precious in the sight of God.” That’s not the message that women hear from the world or that rises up from our sinful flesh. But then, the world and our flesh have never been friendly to Christians. As we heard earlier this week from James, “Whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).

For their part, believing husbands are not to be gruff or uncaring toward their wives, but considerate. They are to cherish and honor them as their equals when it comes to our status before God, as coheirs of eternal life. Part of that honor includes recognizing with thanksgiving that God intentionally designed women as the “weaker vessel,” that is, softer in demeanor, less forceful, less physically strong, so that they might complement their husbands. This “weakness” is not a flaw but part of God’s good design. If we succeed at ignoring the world’s wisdom and if we live together in love, according to God’s design, then husbands and wives will be great sources of comfort, strength, and support for one another.

Let us pray: Lord, in this world that has grown to despise marriage, help us all to lead a pure and chaste life in word and deed, and strengthen husbands and wives to love and honor each other. Amen.

James 5:12–20 (NKJV)

¹² But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment. ¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. ¹⁷ Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. ¹⁸ And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. ¹⁹ Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, ²⁰ let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

James closes his epistle by encouraging the scattered Jewish Christians to pray, an encouragement which is just as fitting for us today.

If you are suffering, pray! “Lord, have mercy!” That mercy may come in many forms. It may come in the form of relief, but it also may come in the form of peace, or perseverance, or the learning of a needed lesson. It may even come in the form of death as the Lord finally delivers us from all evil of body and soul and brings us safely into His heavenly kingdom.

If you are cheerful, sing psalms, that is, songs of praise! And to whom are songs of praise sung but to the Lord? Another form of prayer.

If you are sick, James says, call for the elders (that is, pastors) of the church that they may pray for you. The healing James promises is the miraculous healing that was common in the apostolic era as the Holy Spirit manifested His gifts to confirm the apostles’ testimony. While physical healing is no longer promised, the healing of the forgiveness of sins is. Indeed, James assures us that the prayers of the righteous are always powerful and effective. God takes them very seriously and will surely hear and help, either in a miraculous way, as He did for the prophet Elijah, or in an “ordinary way.” That is, He may “simply” order the events of this universe so that all things must work together for good to those who love Him. In either case, you can be sure that God will take your prayers into account.

Finally, James gives us a powerful encouragement to love our brother who has “wandered from the truth.” If we succeed in turning him back to the truth, we will have been God’s instruments in saving his soul from death. What stronger incentive could there be to approach an erring brother in love and to do all we can to bring him back into the way of life?

Let us pray: Our Father in heaven, hear our prayers in times of suffering and in times of joy. In all things, may Your will be done; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.