Playing Second Fiddle – 1 Peter 5:5-7

In our hymnbook, there are four rows of notes for each song. Only the top note is the melody. The other notes are harmony to make it sound nice.

An person once asked the famous orchestra conductor Leonard Bernstein what was the most difficult instrument to play. He responded with quick wit: “Second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists, but to find one who plays second violin with as much enthusiasm or second french horn or second flute, now that’s a problem. And yet if no one plays second, we have no harmony.” (Use teens to illustrate).

Are you willing to play “second fiddle” for the Lord?

Transition

After addressing the pastors (first fiddle), Peter now turns his focus to everyone else and gives us three commands (as second fiddles) that every Christian needs to obey.

The first command is to

Submit Yourselves to Elders

Let’s examine the word “submit”.
1. The word means to be arranged under another. It then means to let others lead you or let others go first.
2. The passive voice means you must allow yourself to be arranged under another. Do not fight submission.
God commands subjection to elders
1. “Younger” often referred to those younger in age. Young people need to show respect to those who are older and take their rightful place under their leadership. However, since he just spoke to the pastors, younger appears to refer to church members who are not pastors.
2. God is commanding church members to arrange themselves under their pastors voluntarily. Follow his leadership. Support him. Pray that he will feed adequately, lead willingly, work readily, and be a godly example (v.2-3).
3. Submitting to your pastor does not mean that he is a better Christian than you are. It simply means that you are willing to accept his God-ordained position of leadership and to work cheerfully under him (as 2nd fiddle).
  The second command is to

Submit Yourselves to One Another

Yes, Christians are to submit to each other.
1. We must be willing to put others first. We must respect each other. We must not be proud, selfish, and bossy.
2. Be cooperative, yielding, supportive, helping, sharing, willing to follow others, and willing to serve others. Refusing to be submissive can be disastrous.
  In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia. Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below. News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident. It wasn’t a technology problem like radar malfunction—or even thick fog. The cause was human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ship’s presence nearby. Both could have steered clear, but according to news reports, neither captain wanted to give way to the other. Each was too proud to yield first. By the time they came to their senses, it was too late. Closer Walk, December, 1991
Christians are to be clothed with humility.
1. “Be clothed” speaks of the tying on of a slave’s apron. Being a slave was the lowest position in life. Wearing such an apron was a very lowly symbol. This encourages voluntary humility among Christians. It speaks of a willingness to do the lowest tasks. This is what Jesus did in John 13:4-5. “He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.”
2. Humility is having a modest opinion of yourself and seeing yourself from God’s viewpoint.
  1. Humility is not putting yourself down, but not thinking too highly. (Romans 12:3) “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Humble people have a balanced self-esteem. They don’t think they are great. Nor do they think they are the scum of the earth. They recognize their abilities and use them without seeking glory.
    When our flesh starts to feel proud, it helps to remind ourselves of where we would be and what we would be if Christ had not saved us.
  2. Humility is willingly doing lowly tasks cheerfully and with a godly attitude. Follow Christ’s example. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil 2:5-8)
  3. Humility is cheerfully following another’s leadership when you may be able to do a better job yourself or you may have more experience.
3. Humility is necessary because God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.
  1. The word “resists” depicts an army lined up against an enemy. No person in their right mind wants God to fight against them. Pride is one of our worst enemies. Pride’s Siamese twin is selfishness.
  2. On the other hand, God gives grace or divine help to the humble, lowly, those who are close to the ground, of low degree. God is not belittling us. He simply wants us to quash pride and accept ourselves as He sees us.
    Someone has said, “Humility is the strange thing one loses the moment he thinks he has it.”
    The third command about humility is to

Humble Yourselves under God’s Mighty Hand

Humility is a form of subjection
1. Therefore – because God does resist the proud and give grace to the humble – humble yourself. God is the only mighty One. In John 15:5 Jesus said, I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. As Christians, we must abide in Christ if we are going to bring for fruit.
2. In due time, He promises to exalt all who humble themselves. To exalt means to life up, or to raise to the top. It may not be in this life, but He will exalt them.
3. We must work to please the Lord not to promote self. If you ever become good at something and men rave over your abilities, always genuinely strive to give God the glory. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)
Cast your cares upon God
1. Peter probably got this from Psalm 55:22. “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
2. One reason we fear humbling ourselves before others is that they may take advantage of us. It is true that others may step on you if you are humble. This is a fact of life.
3. When this happens, cast ALL such care on the Lord. Care refers to any concern or worry. We can do this because God cares about us. The word “careth” does not mean that God worries about us. It is a different word that means to take care of. God will take care of His humble children if they get stepped on.

Conclusion

At the opening of the message, I asked if you were willing to play “second fiddle” for the Lord. Now that you have heard the message, I hope you can honestly say “Yes!”

God wants each of us to submit to leaders, to each other, and primarily to Him. Allowing another person to lead you (especially when you are more qualified or older) takes humility. God wants each of us to tie on the slave apron of humility. Are you willing to do it?

If pride has a foothold in your life, now is the time to kick it out. No matter how talented or high class you may be, God deserves all of the credit. Give him the glory so He will not have to resist you.

If you are humble and get stepped on, cast your care on the Lord.

Song: More Like the Master – 325
—
Playing Second Fiddle
11 October 2015 AM – 1 Peter 5:5-7 – 1Pe15 – Scott Childs