And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.The verse acknowledges shepherds or pastors. Look who is writing this letter–it’s Peter.John 21:15-16
15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”
“Feed My lambs,” He told him.
16 A second time He asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”
“Shepherd My sheep,” He told him.
The reward that Peter refers to in 1 Peter 5:4 can only be received when Jesus returns. It is a reassurance that He will be here and that we will labor for Him until that time. We do not labor in vain–we labor for His glory and for His praise.
Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will reward each according to what he has done.
Jesus asks you to trust in Him until He returns. Your labor will be rewarded.
John 14:1-3
1 “Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.
If the work is done without the joy of Christ as a goal, then the work is futile. Stand firm and stay the course with focus on The Lord. Sometimes, all you can do is trust in The Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Ephesians 6:8
…knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord.
Romans 2:10
…but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.
The word “glory” in Greek (1 Peter 5:4) also stands for honor and respect. The crown of glory is won by doing something important or of value. They are achievements in life that deserve recognition. These achievements receive honor because they honor the work of Jesus Christ.
We do not seek after our own honor or respect.
Proverbs 25:27
It is not good to eat too much honey
or to seek glory after glory.
A Christian’s life is to live in every way for His glory.
1 Corinthians 10:31
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory.
God is the one who gives honor and respect.
Job 19:9, 40:9-10
9 He has stripped me of my honor
and removed the crown from my head.
9 Do you have an arm like God’s?
Can you thunder with a voice like His?
10 Adorn yourself with majesty and splendor,
and clothe yourself with honor and glory.
God does not share His glory with anyone (For example, He created heaven and earth on His own and not with anyone else). He will, however, give us honor and respect for our deeds in service for Him.
Exodus 33:17-23
17 The Lord answered Moses, “I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name.”
18 Then Moses said, “Please, let me see Your glory.”
19 He said, “I will cause all My goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name Yahweh before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” 20 But He answered, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.” 21 The Lord said, “Here is a place near Me. You are to stand on the rock, 22 and when My glory passes by, I will put you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take My hand away, and you will see My back, but My face will not be seen.”
Isaiah 48:11
I will act for My own sake, indeed, My own,
for how can I be defiled?
I will not give My glory to another.
Jesus Christ will honor us for the way we serve Him. It is exciting to see when God is working and recognize that He is often working through us.
Acts 16:22-29
22 Then the mob joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates stripped off their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods. 23 After they had inflicted many blows on them, they threw them in jail, ordering the jailer to keep them securely guarded. 24 Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison open, he drew his sword and was going to kill himself, since he thought the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Don’t harm yourself, because all of us are here!”
29 Then the jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
The word glory carries with it the meaning of dignity, elegance, gracefulness and one of good taste. it also provides for the ability to place restraints on oneself when it is needed.
Your life brings forth three elements:
1. Genuine faith
2. Faith that brings praise to The Lord
3. Faith in action that reveals glory and honor for the work of Jesus
In all of this, there must be evidence of a desire to follow a calling to serve Him, the Chief Shepherd.
1 Peter 1:7
…so that the genuineness of your faith—more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 5:1-7
1 Therefore, as a fellow elder and witness to the sufferings of the Messiah and also a participant in the glory about to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you: 2 Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but freely, according to God’s will; not for the money but eagerly; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
5 In the same way, you younger men, be subject to the elders. And all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because
God resists the proud
but gives grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.
This glory will not fade away. It will not diminish.
2 Corinthians 3:7-11
7 Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stones, came with glory, so that the Israelites were not able to look directly at Moses’ face because of the glory from his face—a fading glory— 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness overflows with even more glory. 10 In fact, what had been glorious is not glorious now by comparison because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was fading away was glorious, what endures will be even more glorious.
Ecclesiastes 1:11
There is no remembrance of those who came before;
and of those who will come after
there will also be no remembrance
by those who follow them.
James 1:11
For the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will wither away while pursuing his activities.
Father, we want to praise You and thank You for your loving kindness to us. Help us to grow in our desire to live for you in obedience and faithfulness to be a witness and a servant for You that brings honor and glory to Your Name. Thank you for all that you have done through us that we receive honor and respect because of your wonderful work through us, and that You are glorified because of it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Akron Alliance Fellowship 