Why Bother with Gospel Ministry
In 1 Peter 5:1-10 Peter warns us of four things that can distract us from a life devoted to serving God.
Greed (v2)
There are shameful forms of gain in gospel ministry and shameful desires that drive us away from it. In Paul’s day, some entered full-time, paid gospel ministry for the money they could get. Today that is rather a forlorn hope! However an inordinate desire for gain can distract us. It’s very easy to become caught up with the love of money. We apply for a promotion that we know will compromise our life as Christians, or we take out a crippling mortgage which obliges us to earn the highest salary possible. We must make decisions for the gospel in the sort of house we buy, the jobs we do. We must be eager, not for ‘shameful gain’ (v2, ESV) but for gospel gain.
Pride (vv3, 5)
This is a temptation for the proud leader who loves their position in the church (v3) and in the young person who is not yet a leader, but is sure he ought to be (v5). There is a certain breed of person who is tempted to be a church leader because it gives them a place where they can boss people around. When we are young it can be very flattering to our pride to be told that we’ve got gifts or skills, which we should use. But actually such pride leads us away from real gospel ministry because Jesus was absolutely clear gospel ministry is shameful. The cross is a mark of shame. If pride rules us, we will always duck those difficult things, we will not accept the shame, the ridicule, the mocking that comes from saying, ‘I’m a vicar or a missionary or I work full-time for a church’. Gospel ministry is imitating Christ who humbly accepted shame.
Anxiety (v7)
Gospel ministry is anxiety-inducing at times. For instance, we must have the confidence not to idolise our work as the workplace will again and again call us to do. We have to say, ‘no, I will do my work responsibly, but I must find time for other activities which are associated with what I believe’. A friend of mine was a finance director of a top company. He was also a housegroup leader. He always refused to allow the board to meet on a Thursday night because he said, ‘I have a Bible study group to go home to’. You don’t increase your security in a company like that by being awkward about the little Bible study you go to. It takes courage to ‘Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.’(v7)
The Devil himself (v8)
The Devil has tactics like a lion. Lions roar and the devil loves to shout, intimidate and say, ‘you can’t devote your life to gospel ministry, can you? I’m so powerful, I’m so strong, you’re so weak’. But lions also prowl around. Similarly, the devil quietly does his most destructive work, sometimes just by bringing comfort into our lives and whispering into our ears, ‘you could never give this up, could you?’, or ‘this must be your god, you must put this satisfaction you’ve found above all other things’. We are neutered or gagged. We are not radically on fire for gospel ministry. The devil is a foe and we need to ‘be self-controlled’ when he roars and refuse to be intimidated, and ‘alert’ when he is prowling so that we spot the Devil’s wiles.
Throughout this passage, however, Peter repeatedly reminds us of one thing which will keep us persevering in gospel ministry. It is the eager anticipation of the honour and glory that God will bestow upon us.
That’s why it’s so wonderful to be gospel ministers: ‘when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away’, (v4). It is worth being eager to serve and not obsessed by those shameful gains because we have a gain which is far greater: eternal glory! ‘Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time’ (v6). We may be lifted up and given a degree of glory in this world, though there is no guarantee of that in Christian service. Yet we will be lifted up high and eternally if we follow Christ and humbly put him first in our life. The meek do inherit the earth. ‘The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ… will himself restore you, make you strong, firm and steadfast.’ (v10). Those who use their gifts and skills for Christ will hear him say ‘well done, good and faithful servant’. That is what keeps us going.
Peter Comont is pastor of Magdalen Road Evangelical Church, Oxford. This is an edited version of a talk he gave at a 9:38 lunch held in Oxford.