Peter tells his readers that although Jesus was rejected by many, he is now the foundation on which their faith is built. This is a privileged position because it makes Christians priests who have direct access to God. In the Old Testament, people could only have access to God through official priests.
Peter goes on to say Christians should obey those with authority over them. This would be very difficult in a time of suffering, especially if the suffering comes at the hands of those authorities.
Direct access to God is something many people take for granted. We can pray anytime we want but sometimes don’t take advantage of it. We can serve others in the name of Jesus rather than leave it exclusively in the hands of church leaders.