Pride and Worry

1 Pe 5:5-7

5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

• At what point in life ...
  - do children begin to believe they are smarter than adults?
  - do younger adults begin to realize the wisdom of age and experience?
  - Is the generation gap a cultural thing or a human thing? Why do you think so?
  
• What does it mean to "clothe yourselves in humility toward one another"?
  
• What is implied by the command to clothe yourself?
  
• Why is humility an essential Christian quality for church life and growth?
  
• Why is God opposed to the proud?
  
• Is this opposition just toward pride against God?
  
• What are the dangers of pride?
  
• Is humility a prerequisite for receiving grace? Why?
  
• Why does God consider humility necessary before giving Him your worries?
  
• How much humility is required to let God handled your worries?
  
• How willing are you to suffer (physical or emotional) if God allows it?
  
• Why is humility necessary to trust God with your entire life?
  
• Why is this strong statement about pride and humility given after so many about suffering?
  
• In your daily life, are you more afraid of physical or emotional suffering?
  
• What fears keep you from doing all that you know you should for Christ?
  
• How does pride impact your fears?
  

Instructions to elders

1 Pe 5:1-4

5:1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, [1] not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; [2] not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Footnotes
[1] 5:2 Some manuscripts omit exercising oversight
[2] 5:2 Some manuscripts omit as God would have you

• What is your understanding of an elder's functions?
  
• What does it mean to shepherd?
  
• What does the phrase "the flock of God" say to you?
  
• How does an elder exercise oversight? What does it look like?
  
• Why might a man be compelled to exercise oversight involuntarily?
  
• Why is it God's will that oversight be performed voluntarily?
  
• How might an elder receive "sordid gain"?
  
• How is not getting money related to eagerness?
  
• How might an elder "lord it over" the flock?
  
• What does being an example accomplish among the flock?
  
• How effective will an elder be if the flock does not want to be overseen?
  
• What is your role in regard to your elders?
  
• Why did Peter wait until he had discussed suffering many times before talking to elders?

Guidelines for Christian life

1 Pe 3:8-12

8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For

“Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
11 let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

• What does it mean to have "unity of mind"? How often are you concerned about your mind being united with other Christians?
  
• What does it mean to have "sympathy"? How much sympathy do you have?
  
• What does it mean to have "brotherly love"? How much brotherly do you have?
  
• What does it mean to have a "tender heart"? How tender hearted are you?
  
• What does it mean to have a "humble mind"? How humble in mind are you?
  
• For what purpose were you called? What will you get?
• Why would God want you to not return evil and/or insult others?
  
• How often do you bless those who annoy or even persecute you?
  
• Which is more important to you: getting back at someone or having God on your side?
  
• What does knowing the face of the Lord is against evildoers help?
  
• How does your righteousness influence your prayers?

The Power of Prayer

James 5:13-20

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. [1] 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Footnotes
[1] 5:16 Or The effective prayer of a righteous person has great power

• In what situations does James recommend prayer?
  
• Why might you be reluctant to confess your sins to another person?
  
• How does it help when both parties confess their sins to each other?
  
• Which seems more powerful to you: prayer that stops rain for over 3 years or prayer that asks for forgiveness from God?
  
• Why might you be reluctant to try to turn a straying Christian back to the truth?
• What is the benefit of turning back a straying Christian?
  
• How does your relationship with other Christians determine how fully you will obey this passage?

Harold's Musings:
This passage says so much to me about the type of relationships that a Christian should have. The level of openness and interdependence is hard to grasp. Running throughout is the thread of prayer for one another. While I struggle with v. 15 and whether saving is eternal or physical and whether the lifting up is out of bed or into heaven, the point is clear: we need to be praying for each other and we need to share our needs with each other. The most difficult but perhaps the most important is the confessing sins to each other and the corresponding prayer. Some groups expect confession to be unidirectional, which is not what James says. We need to be open with each other, even to sharing our flaws. Tough stuff for poor old Harold.

Draw Near

James 4:4-10

4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

• How is God's grace connected to your humility?
• What is necessary to be close to God?
• Which of the actions listed are the hardest for you to do?
  
• What are the rewards for being close to God?

Harold's Musings:
No, I did not just copy yesterday's blog. I want to focus on the last four verses. I have heard for much of my life to resist Satan. That is definitely in this passage. What I have not heard so much is the requirement to submit to God as a key to resisting Satan. What I have perceived is that it is just between Satan and me, but as I read this, it starts with my humility before God. Our pride of life is a foothold for Satan. Our pride of life allows Satan to blind us to our sins and wrong attitudes. Our pride of life results in a lack of trust in God. Drawing near to God means to draw near on His terms, not walking up to Him with our heads held high. When you are being tempted today, ask God to show your prideful heart and then humble yourself. I'm not sure the arrogant fallen angel can deal with a truly humble heart. I think he will run.