Humble Leaders

Peter demonstrates great humility when he speaks to the elders of the Church and refers to himself as a fellow elder (1 Peter 5:1).

After all, he had been the first to confess the Lord Jesus as the Messiah at Caesarea Philippi, the remains of the temple of Pan, the very gates of hell (Matthew 16:13-18).

That is why Peter was granted the privilege of being the first to preach on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:14).

And along with the Apostle John, of being the first to bring the Samaritans into the Church (Acts 8:14-17).

And it was Peter who baptized the first Gentiles, thereby admitting them into full membership in the Body of Christ (Acts 10:44-48).

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Rock, but Peter and the other apostles are the foundation rocks built on that Rock (Ephesians 2:19-22).

Peter had been full of pride (Matthew 22:33-34). But he learned great humility when Satan was granted permission to sift him as wheat (Luke 22:31).

That hard learned humility is one reason why he humbly accepted the rebuke of the new apostle, Paul (Galatians 2:11-14).

Because the Lord Jesus prayed for Peter, he did not lose his faith, even though he committed a great sin (Matthew 22:32). The result was that he would be mightily used by God to strengthen others (Matthew 22:33).

That is why he presses us to submit to others and to cast all our worries on the Lord (1 Peter 5:5-7), and why he warns the elders about the devil (1 Peter 5:8-9).

What worries are overwhelming you now?