1 Peter 5:1-4 - “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”

This passage provides guidelines for pastors and ministers.

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1 Kings 12:12-15 – Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, “Come back to me in three days.” The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier.  My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the Lord, to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.

Rehoboam made an egotistical decision that ended the unity of the Israelite nation for hundreds of years.  As a result, God’s chosen nation splintered into a northern kingdom called “Samaria” or “Israel,” and a southern kingdom called “Judah,” which actually included the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Levi, and Simeon.  The Lord foretold this catastrophe, however, years before through a prophet.  It was a punishment for the disobedience of the leaders and the people during the later years of Solomon’s reign.

“Three days later” is a common occurrence in Scripture.  Prophetically, it points to God’s eternal time, moments in God’s Project of Salvation.

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John 13:5-10 – After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.  He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean.”

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Esther 6:6-10 – When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?” Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?”

So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head.”

We see here a picture of the mentality of many religious leaders – self-promotion and seeking glory, and being oblivious to the Lord’s purposes.  Men seek to be elevated or have control over others.  The Lord carries out his project without glorifying man or yielding control to any human being.

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Esther 3:2-5 – “All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor. Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, ‘Why do you disobey the king’s command?’ Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew. When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged.”

Esther is the only book in the Bible that never mentions God. God is certainly part of the story – the main characters fast and pray, and the answers to their prayers are miraculous. Esther and her relative Mordecai were deeply spiritual, and the Persian royalty at this time were zealous Zoroastrians, who believed in one true God (similar to the Jews) rather than pagan idols. Yet the Bible manages to recount the entire story without mentioning God by name even once.  One reason for this unusual omission is that most of the story focuses on one particular character’s perspective – that of Haman, a court official.

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1 Corinthians 13:4-5 – “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”

Love is not proud. In some ways, this subject is difficult to teach because the New Testament warns against pride in so many different contexts. Jesus forbid pride toward other church leaders or members: “Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave…” (Matthew 24:25-27).

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1 Corinthians 13:5 – “Love is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”

Love is not self-seeking. More than any other aspect of love listed in 1 Corinthians 13, selflessness distinguishes this kind of love (“agape”) from all other sentiments that we call “love.” Infatuation or romantic love is inherently self-seeking; it is no different than “desire.” Friendship or familial love are good and may be sacrificial at times, but these relationships serve our own self-interest so much that even wicked, completely selfish people have friends and families (see Matthew 5:46-48). Love for our own nation, people, or tribe  is also self-interested. Nationalism merely prefers those who share our self-interests to those who do not.  Apart  from Christ’s love, all other forms of human affection, appreciation, and allegiance are arguably self-interested or self-seeking.

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“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 2:5, KJV)

Our attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.  We should adjust our mentality and thinking to align with that of Christ Jesus.  This passage is not talking about copying some of the actions of Jesus, like religious people do when they mimic a few outward deeds that Jesus did.  The point here is an inward change that will affect all our behavior. We need to adopt the same attitude or way of thinking that Jesus had. Paul then delineates exactly what he means by the “mind” or “attitude” of Christ Jesus. 

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Genesis 42:10 - “No, my lord,” they answered.  “Your servants have come to buy food.  We are all the sons of one man.  Your servants are honest men, not spies.” 

Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt to buy food during the famine.  They claim to be honest, righteous men, despite their long history of committing murders, immorality, deception, and acts of cruelty.  They show the position of sinners when they come before Christ trying to justify themselves, not recognizing their own sin and need for salvation.  Joseph’s brothers were indebted to him, but they want others to treat them as honorable men – just as unbelievers want God to treat them. 

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Genesis 45:22 – “To each of them he gave new clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes.”

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