1 Peter – A Biblical Foundation for the Church Today Episode 4 – “The Church, called to reveal Christ "

Peter speaks to believers living under pressure. His message to the ekklesia is both simple and powerful: the Church reveals Christ most clearly when it responds to suffering with humility, endurance, and love.

Transcript

Welcome back to A Biblical Foundation for the Church Today.

I’m Pastor Chris Lovell, and in this series we’re exploring the Epistle of 1 Peter — discovering what it reveals about the Church, the ekklesia, and how its truth shapes our life and mission today.

So far, we’ve seen that the Church is built on revelation, called to holiness, and formed as a spiritual house made up of living stones.

In today’s episode, we turn to 1 Peter chapters 3 and 4, where Peter speaks to believers living under pressure. His message to the ekklesia is both simple and powerful: the Church reveals Christ most clearly when it responds to suffering with humility, endurance, and love.

“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.”

Peter is writing to a scattered Church, misunderstood and maligned by the society around them. Yet rather than telling them to fight back, he calls them to love back.

The ekklesia — God’s called-out people — are meant to stand out, not through power or protest, but through grace, humility, and blessing.

In a world that prizes dominance and retaliation, the Church is called to reveal the way of the Cross — the way of mercy, forgiveness, and peace.

Peter begins by describing the internal posture of God’s people: “Be of one mind, have compassion, love as brothers.” These are not mere ideals — they reflect the very nature of Christ.

The Church today can embody this by pursuing unity in diversity — different people, backgrounds, and opinions, yet one heart and purpose.

We do this through listening, forgiving, praying together, and choosing empathy over offence.

When believers love deeply, the community becomes strong enough to withstand whatever pressure comes from the outside.

Peter continues in 1 Peter 3:14–15:

“Even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”

Here Peter connects suffering and witness.

When believers endure hardship with humility, they demonstrate a hope that the world cannot explain.

When we respond to injustice with patience, to hostility with kindness, our lives become living testimonies of the gospel.

The ekklesia doesn’t collapse under pressure — it shines through it.

Our calm confidence in Christ becomes our message. We “sanctify the Lord in our hearts” by keeping Him at the center — His peace instead of fear, His truth instead of compromise.

In today’s Church, this means showing grace in disagreement, forgiveness in offence, and joy in adversity. In a noisy, anxious world, the quiet strength of godly endurance speaks volumes.

In 1 Peter 4:12–13, Peter writes:

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you… but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings.”

Suffering is not evidence of God’s absence — it’s often proof of His refining work.

The early Church didn’t pray to escape hardship but to remain faithful in it. Their faith under fire revealed the glory of God.

For us, this means viewing trials not as setbacks but as opportunities for Christ to be glorified in us and through us.

We can pray, “Lord, let this moment reveal You,” rather than, “Lord, take this away.”

When we endure well, we share in His suffering and one day will share in His glory.

Peter’s teaching about submission — to authorities, to masters, and within relationships — can sound uncomfortable to modern ears. But his point isn’t about control; it’s about Christlike humility.

Submission in the Kingdom is not passive weakness, it is meekness, that is strength under control. Jesus modelled this perfectly. When insulted, He didn’t retaliate. When accused, He didn’t defend Himself.

Instead, He entrusted Himself to the Father who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23).

That same spirit should mark the ekklesia. We don’t need to grasp for control or position, because our confidence is in God’s sovereignty.

Our authority flows from serving, not dominating — from humility, not hierarchy.

Peter’s call to submission is often misunderstood as endorsing rigid authority structures, but nothing could be further from his intent.

In fact, the New Testament model of leadership completely contrasts with the world’s model of hierarchy and control.

Jesus said in Matthew 20:25–26:

“The rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them… yet it shall not be so among you.”

In the world, leadership often operates through power, titles, and enforced conformity. But in the Kingdom, leadership is expressed through love, service, and example. We need to always remind ourselves that the ekklesia is not a corporation — it’s a family.

It doesn’t thrive on command and control, but on mutual submission under the lordship of Christ.

The early apostles never ruled as religious executives; they led as shepherds and fellow servants. Peter himself later writes in 1 Peter 5:1–3:

“To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder… be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them — not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”

Hierarchical systems breed fear, dependency, and spiritual immaturity. But servant-hearted leadership releases growth, freedom, and maturity in the Body.

When leaders dominate rather than serve, the Church becomes institutional instead of incarnational — a structure instead of a Spirit-filled community.

True spiritual authority is not imposed — it’s earned through love and humility.

Servant leaders empower others, not control them. They see potential in people and draw it out. They create space for diversity and allow the Holy Spirit to move freely through every member of the Body.

When the Church lives this way, leadership becomes life-giving. The flock feels safe, seen, and valued.

And the world looks on and sees something radically different — a people led not by ego, but by example; not by hierarchy, but by humility.

That’s the model Peter gives us. The ekklesia flourishes when it’s shepherded by those who lead like Jesus — with towel and basin, not scepter and throne.

Peter concludes in 1 Peter 4:19:

“Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”

This is the posture of faith: Keep doing good.

When we’re hurt, misunderstood, or opposed — we still love, serve, and trust God with the results.

When the Church suffers well, it becomes a living sermon.

The world might not understand our theology, but it can’t ignore our peace.

It may not agree with our message, but it will notice our mercy.

When the ekklesia endures with grace, it demonstrates that the life of Christ is alive within it.

Peter’s message to the early believers still speaks powerfully to us today.

The Church is never more like Christ than when it loves under pressure and leads with humility.

Our calling is not to dominate, but to demonstrate — to show the world what true leadership looks like: the leadership of Jesus, who came not to be served, but to serve.

When the ekklesia chooses love over power, humility over hierarchy, and faithfulness over fear, it becomes a living revelation of the Kingdom of God.

In our next and final episode, we’ll turn to 1 Peter 5:1–11, where Peter gives a direct message to leaders and shepherds — reminding us that Christ Himself is the Chief Shepherd, and that the health of the Church depends on the humility of its leaders.

Thanks for joining me today on A Biblical Foundation for the Church Today.

Until next time, keep your heart steadfast, your hands open, and your leadership marked by love.