1 Peter 3:18–4:11 - The Disciple-Shaped Church

Date: May 31, 2026

Series: 1 Peter: Living Faithfully as God's People

Title: The Disciple-Shaped Church

Main Passage: 1 Peter 3:18–4:11 (NIV)

Support Texts: Romans 12:2, Matthew 28:19–20, Ephesians 4:11–16, Colossians 1:28–29, Hebrews 10:24–25

Speaker: Pastor Ian Ahlstrom

Introduction

I think we are at an important moment as a church. Not because something is wrong, but because I believe God is calling us deeper than where we have been.

And when I say deeper, I do not mean busier. I do not mean adding more things to the calendar or trying to make things simply look exciting. I mean becoming more faithful in the way we follow Jesus, understand His Word, and live in obedience to Him. Because spiritual growth does not happen accidentally.

Last week Peter said we must “turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” That kind of life does not happen by casually drifting through Christianity. Nobody becomes spiritually mature simply by sitting and attending. Discipleship requires surrender. It requires intentionality. It requires allowing Jesus Christ to shape the way we think, live, speak, love, and serve.

And honestly, I think one of the greatest dangers for the modern church is that it is possible to be around Christianity without truly being formed by Christ. We can attend church, hear sermons, sing worship songs, and still settle into a version of faith that stays comfortable rather than transformational.

Peter is writing to believers living in a culture pressing against their faith from every direction. And instead of telling them to blend into the world around them, Peter continually calls them to live differently because of who Jesus is and what He has done.

His point is simple. If Christ suffered, rose again, and reigns now, then His people cannot continue living as though the old life still owns them.

And I think that is where this passage begins confronting us as a church. Because this is not ultimately about programs or systems. It is about whether we are truly becoming disciples who are being shaped by Jesus Christ in every area of life.

Now beginning in verse 18, Peter shows us why that kind of life is possible in the first place. Not because Christians are trying harder to look spiritual, but because of Jesus Christ, what He has already done, and the authority He now reigns with.

Movement 1: Christ Has Already Won (1 Peter 3:18-22)

Look at verse 18. Peter writes, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”

That is the heart of the gospel. Christ suffered once. It was complete. It was finished. The righteous One died for the unrighteous so that sinful people could be brought back into relationship with a holy God.

And Peter begins here because everything about the Christian life starts with what Christ has already done. Discipleship is always a response to grace. We do not obey so God will love us. We obey because through Christ, we already belong to Him.

That is why Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” If we are not being intentionally formed by Christ, we will naturally drift toward the pattern of the world around us. Like Peter reminded us last week, we must “turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” We trust God to transform us, but we also listen when the Spirit convicts us and take the next faithful step in obedience.

And that matters because if there is no visible difference in our lives, then our witness becomes unclear.

Then in verses 19 through 22, Peter points back to Noah. While the world continued in disobedience, Noah kept obeying God. Peter is reminding these believers that following God faithfully has always meant living differently from the world around you.

Peter connects that picture to baptism. The water itself does not save us, but baptism points to the inward work God has done through Jesus Christ and our public identification with Him. Just as Noah trusted God and was brought safely through the flood, believers are saved through Christ and brought into new life through Him.

Then Peter brings everything back to Jesus. Verse 22 says Christ has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God “with angels, authorities and powers in submission to Him.”

Jesus is reigning now. Every authority is already under Him. Every power is already under Him. And if Jesus reigns, then discipleship means learning to live under His authority in every area of life.

It changes how we speak, what we pursue, how we handle sin, how we treat people, and what we prioritize. Because once we realize Christ truly reigns, we cannot keep living as though we belong to ourselves. We belong to Him.

Movement 2: Because Christ Suffered, We Leave the Old Life Behind (1 Peter 4:1-6)

Peter says in verse 1, ‘Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude.’

Peter is telling believers that following Jesus requires intentionality. You do not accidentally drift into faithfulness. Christ suffered and remained obedient to the Father, and now believers are called to prepare themselves with that same mindset.

Then Peter says something important at the end of verse 1. ‘Whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.’ Peter is not saying believers become perfect. He is saying something has changed in their relationship with sin. A disciple of Jesus can no longer comfortably live under the control of the old life. Because of Christ and their growing understanding of Him in their lives, they continually want to turn away from the sin in their life that they were bound too before.

Verse 2 says, and ‘As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.’

That is the shift discipleship produces. Life stops revolving around human desires and starts being shaped by the will of God.

Peter gets very direct in verses 3 and 4. He describes the old life, drunkenness, lust, reckless living, idolatry, all the patterns that once controlled people apart from Christ, and then he says the world is surprised when believers no longer join them in those things anymore.

In other words, following Jesus should eventually create a visible difference in someone’s life.

Not perfection overnight, but transformation over time.

The world should begin noticing that Christ is changing the way we live, the things we pursue, the way we speak, and the things we are willing to participate in.

Then in verse 5, Peter reminds believers that every person will ultimately give an account to God. Which means discipleship is not about fitting into culture or gaining the approval of the world around us. It is obedience when we understand that our lives belong to Christ.

And honestly, I think this is where the church has to be careful. We cannot say we want people to come to Christ while also refusing to let Christ transform us. The goal is not just attendance. The goal is people becoming disciples who are actually being shaped by Jesus. We need to live with an urgency to grow in discipleship and obedience.

Movement 3: Because the End Is Near, We Live with Urgency

Then Peter shifts again in verse 7 and says, The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.

Peter is not trying to create panic here. He is creating urgency. He is reminding believers that life is short, Christ is reigning now, and eternity is real. Because of that, believers cannot afford to drift spiritually through life distracted by everything else around them.

Peter says to be alert and sober-minded so that you may pray. In other words, a distracted, spiritually careless life will eventually weaken our prayer life too. But when someone begins living with the awareness that time matters and that Christ truly reigns, it changes the way they pray.

They stop treating prayer like an afterthought. They stop only praying when life seems to fall apart. They begin seeking God intentionally because they realize they need Him daily.

And I think this is an important reminder for the church right now. Passive Christianity cannot become normal for us. If we believe Jesus is Lord, if we believe people need the gospel, if we believe eternity is real, then we cannot just drift through church life without urgency, prayer, or intentional discipleship.

Peter is calling believers to wake up spiritually and live with purpose because Christ is reigning and time matters.

Movement 4: A Disciple-Shaped Church Loves Deeply

Then Peter moves into what this kind of life should begin producing inside the church. Verse 8 says, Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

So after talking about leaving the old life behind, living under the authority of Christ, and living with spiritual urgency, Peter now shows what discipleship should begin producing in the relationships within the church.

Real discipleship does not just change how we think about God. It changes how we treat people and how we are in the body of Christ.

And Peter says believers are to love each other deeply. Not superficially. Not only when everything feels easy or comfortable. This is the kind of love that forgives, bears with one another, stays committed, and helps build the body of Christ.

Because the reality is, churches are filled with imperfect people. If every person only fights for the version of church they personally prefer, the body will eventually fracture. But discipleship teaches us to ask a different question. Not, “What do I want church to look like?” but, “What is Christ shaping His church to become?”

That changes how we speak to one another. It changes how we handle disagreements. It changes how we welcome people. It changes how we serve and sacrifice for one another.

And honestly, I think this matters deeply for us as a church right now. If Antioch Wesleyan Church is going to become the church God is calling us to be, then love cannot just be something we say we value. It has to shape the culture of who we are and the way we live together as the body of Christ to show the world around us.

Movement 5: A Disciple-Shaped Church Opens Its Life to Others

Then Peter continues in verse 9 and says, Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

And I think this is important because a disciple-shaped church opens its life to others, and that includes our community.

Hospitality in Scripture is much deeper than simply inviting someone over for dinner once in a while. It is making room in your life for people. It is choosing to welcome, care for, and walk alongside others instead of staying closed off and isolated.

And Peter says something important: “without grumbling.” Why would Peter need to add that in? It’s because loving people can become inconvenient. People take time. People are messy. People interrupt our routines and comfort. But discipleship teaches us to stop treating people like interruptions and start seeing them as people Christ loves.

And honestly, a church cannot reach people while remaining relationally closed off. We cannot say we want people to know Jesus while keeping everyone at a distance from our actual lives.

At some point, discipleship has to move beyond sitting in rows on Sunday mornings. It has to move into relationships, conversations, serving, welcoming, encouraging, praying with people, and making room for others to belong and grow.

And I think this matters for us as a church because if we want Antioch Wesleyan Church to become the kind of church God is calling us to be, then we have to become the kind of people who intentionally make room for others. Not just inside a service, but within our lives.

Movement 6: A Disciple-Shaped Church Uses Gifts Faithfully

Then Peter brings this section to a very practical place in verses 10. He says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

That means every believer has received something from God. Not just pastors. Not just leaders. Not just the people who are already serving. Every believer has been given something that is meant to strengthen the body and serve others.

And Peter is clear that our gifts are not for personal attention or status. They are not given so we can build our own name or only serve when it feels convenient. They are given so God’s grace can move through His people for the good of others. So people can visibly see God through our lives.

And Peter gives two examples in verse 11. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. In other words, whatever God has given you, use it faithfully and dependently.

This is why serving cannot just be about filling volunteer spots. That is too small. Serving is part of discipleship because God forms us as we give ourselves for the sake of others.

And that is where this connects to where we are going as a church. We do not want people serving simply because there is a need on a schedule. We want people growing into mature disciples who know God’s Word, live it out, love others well, and use what God has given them to build up the body of Christ.

Because Peter says the goal is “so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”

That is what we strive for in everything we do. Not our comfort. Not our preferences. Not keeping things the same. God’s glory through a church that is being shaped by Jesus and serving faithfully in His strength. Be faithful and obedient and let God shape the church into what He feels we are called to be.

Vision Tie-In: The Church God Is Calling Us to Be

Because I do not believe God is calling AWC to simply become a busier church. I believe God is calling us to become a more faithful church. A church where people are deeply rooted in God’s Word, growing in obedience to Christ, and helping others take their next step in following Him.

That is why we are putting intentional focus on discipleship. Not to create more programs or keep people constantly busy, but because spiritual growth does not happen accidentally. Jesus did not call us to simply attend church. He called us to follow Him, be transformed by His Word, and make disciples.

That is the heart behind where we are going as a church. We want people to Serve, Learn, Grow, and Lead. We want people stepping into the life of the church, getting rooted in Scripture, growing through obedience and surrender to Christ, and eventually helping others follow Jesus too.

Because we do not want people to stay spiritually stagnant. We want to become a church where people are continually taking steps toward Christ and helping others do the same.

Ending

So this week, I want you to honestly ask God:

“Lord, what is my next faithful step in following You?”

For some, that means leaving behind an old pattern that Christ has been convicting you about.

For some, it means becoming more intentional in your walk with God instead of drifting spiritually.

For some, it means stepping into discipleship more seriously, getting rooted in God’s Word, serving others faithfully, or helping someone else follow Jesus.

Because Peter’s message throughout this section is clear. Christ suffered, rose again, and reigns now. And because He reigns, His people are called to live differently.

Peter was writing to believers living in a world that did not understand their faith, yet he continually calls them to remain faithful, obedient, loving, prayerful, and committed to one another anyway.

And honestly, I believe the church still needs that same reminder today.

If Jesus truly reigns, then we cannot keep treating Christianity like something casual or secondary in our lives. We are called to follow Him faithfully, allow Him to transform us, and live in a way that helps the world clearly see Christ through us.

Because Jesus is not only Savior. He is Lord. And discipleship is learning to live every part of our lives under His authority.