Bible Study 1Peter Chapter 5 Elders & Members Discussion

Additional notes from our discussion on Bible Study 1Peter Chapter 5 Elders & Members.

1.  The model roles for Elders as Leaders not only in Church but also in Corporations and Government. 
1. Main Job: Shepherd the People which we expanded to include the following:
1. lead - don't get lost
2. feed - teaching truth
3. protect them from attacks
4. find the lost
5. care for the sick
6. disciplining
7. provide the right environment
2. The Execution of the Job is 
1. Not as a burden, a compulsion, to get rid off.
2. But as a meaningful mission as God would have us.
3. Developing the People and not for Shameful Gains.
   Leadership and power enables one to use it for selfish gains, especially for money. We discussed that of the major sins like pride, lusts, laziness etc the one on Greed is most deceptive. Most people don't see themselves as having problem with it. 
4. Not domineering but setting the examples. Teaching without words by living rightly in their presence that they may follow; as Paul said, be imitators of me as I am of Christ. 
3. Expect a Reward - the Crown of Glory at Christ 2nd Coming.
   
2.  The Model Staff
1. Submit to the Leaders/Elders
2. Be Humble - submitting to one another, learning from one another, trusting God for promotion rather than fight of it in ungodly way.
3. Cast our cares and worries to Christ. That means we don't think about it any more. We continue to do our best and leave the result to God. We do something else, even taking a break, watch TV as we trust God to handle for us.
4. Be alert and watchful for the work of evil - the temptations, the persecutions force us to take things into our own hands rather than standing firm in our faith. 
5. We must resist the evils with faith and trust in God.
6. Our mindset on Time - it is a little while only and God will vindicate you - He will restore to past status, confirm your status, strengthening and establishing you --- i.e. promotion comes quickly from the Lord after the testing.
7. Living harmoniously with one another is the final call of Peter.
3.  Setting and Maintaining the Standards
1. We discussed whether members should also evaluate their leaders/elders according to the standards set in the Bible.
2. We think a member should give feedback to the leaders, following the recommendations in the Bible, of correcting those in the wrong. We have the example of Paul correcting Peter in Gal 2:11-14 Galatians 2 Validation of Paul's Gospel.
3. Even the Chinese Classics of the Bible of Filial Piety provides for children to correct their parents and the officers to correct their King. See Understanding the Bible of Filial Piety (Xiao Jing).
4. A healthy organization should have a system of enabling and collecting such corrective feedback and protecting such 'whistle blowers'.
5. It is better that the organization corrects itself internally before the external and government organizations come in to take actions.
6. Not standing against evil will result in the propagation of evil throughout as we have witnessed such happening in all the major area like business, arts, family, education, government etc. There is a call at present to take back the seven mountains of Arts & entertainment, Business, Church & Religions, Distribution Media, Education, Family and Government.

Bible Study John 21 Deja Vu - Re-commissioning of Peter

Apostle John, after concluding his book on 20:31 by giving the purpose of his writing, felt led to add another chapter to close the loose ends and to give a vision for the future. His extra chapter centered on Peter - the one who denied Jesus three times. He remembered the first calling of Peter by Jesus to be "Fisher of Man" Luke 5:1-10. It resembles this 3rd appearance of Jesus after His resurrection (21:14) and recorded this incident for us. Many commentators also think that this chapter provides the answers to how a church is meant to be.

Q1 Describe the events leading to breakfast with Jesus.

1. Location: the Sea of Tiberias or the Sea of Galilee. They went back to where Jesus started his ministry 3 years ago as instructed (Mat 28:7).
2. The People: 7 of them. Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, John, James, and 2 unnamed disciples (those On Road of Emmaus Luke 24:13-32?).
3. They were waiting for directions from Jesus. It was natural that they went back to their old vocation - fishing.
4. Peter took the lead and suggested going fishing. All followed him. They caught nothing that night. 21:3
5. Time: early morning. As the day was breaking 21:4.
6. Jesus appeared and called them to cast their net on the right side of the boat. They did not recognize Him yet.
7. They caught a lot of fish (153 big ones v11) and yet the net did not break.
8. It triggered John to recognize Jesus and told Peter.
9. Peter put on his outer garment, only to get wet later by diving into the sea and swam ashore to meet Jesus.
10. They found Jesus already prepared some breakfast for them. Where did Jesus get the charcoal, fish, and bread? Did Jesus create them as per the feeding of 5000 and 4000?
11. Jesus asked them to bring in the freshly caught fish. Jesus already had fish prepared and yet wanted us to participate in His work and enjoy the fruit together.

Q2 Compare this incidence with that of Luke 5:1-10?

1. Roughly the same people - Peter, John, James ...
2. Fished all night and nothing was caught.
3. At Jesus' instruction, they got a big catch.
4. Reluctance is followed in Luke by Peter and just obeyed in John.
5. Going to the deep in Luke and just near the shore (100 yards) in John. (The harvest is closer and ready!).
6. Breaking nets (because of old nets) and strong usable nets.
7. Moral: follow Jesus and give Him our best. (new usable net vs old torn nets. Quality not number is more important).

Q3  How did Jesus re-commission Peter? What was the mission for Peter? What can we learn?

1. When they had finished breakfast. Choose the right time when full attention can be given.
2. Peter denied Christ 3 times. Jesus gave the opportunity for Peter to confess his love for Christ 3 times. 
3. Jesus started with "agape-love" twice and then go down to "phileo-love" with Peter responding all times with "phileo-love".  Agape love is total love by will without conditions. Phileo love is affectionate love between brothers. Peter loved Jesus because of their relationship - my master, my brother, my friend. God loves us without condition. Even when we were yet sinners, the enemy of God, and rebellious toward God, Christ loves us to die for us. Christ's death for us makes the way for us to become His brothers and sisters, not before His death. We are to love people as Christ has agape-love us. Peter may not have fully grasped the meaning of Christ's commission then. Peter is to agape-love directly His sheep not indirectly because of the phileo-love Christ. But Peter eventually got it because he was martyred later.
4. Peter's Mission is - to feed, shepherd, and feed His sheep. Essentially, Christ commissioned Peter to start a church - a congregation of people and to lead and care for them. This leading and caring would cause Peter one day to give up his life. Peter was to fully commit his life to carrying out the mission.
5. Peter was not fully focused on his mission. He was curious about John's mission. So he asked Jesus what about John.
6. Jesus essentially told Peter to mind his own business. God's call for us is unique. We don't have to copy or compare with others. MYOB & JFOJ Mind Your Own Business and Just Focus on Jesus.

Q4 What are the lessons learned in this chapter?

1. Must have a vision or mission. 
1. Proverbs 29:18 Where there is NO VISION, the people perish.
2. We become what we focus on. Prov 23:7.
3. We must, therefore, find out about our unique calling and live it up.
2. Focus on Our Calling.
1. MYOB & JFOJ Mind Your Own Business and Just Focus on Jesus.
2. There is no need and no point to compare or to copy others' callings. We are God's masterpiece created in Christ Jesus for good work.
3. Give and Use Our Very Best to Fulfill Our Calling.
4. Leadership is about visioning and agape love for people. There needs to be love and there need also to be purpose and development for the people. Love without vision leads to death --- see point 1 again!

This is the end of our study of the Gospel of John. I will review it now and then and make changes to them. I prayed that by studying the Bible, you get to know Jesus deeper and live an abundant and God-glorifying life, influencing others to have Christ's kind of life as you.