March 1, 2009 Message

1 Peter 3:13-22; Mark 1:9-15
“Do Good”

1. The Road by Bob Schadle
The road ahead gets easy at first
It gets harder as we go on,
It started out down hill all the way,
Now all the easy is gone.

As we grow older we find that out,
That things aren’t the same as before,
But we have to believe there’s a good road ahead,
And its just behind the door.

The door to heaven is what I mean,
It’s there for us all the time.
All we have to do is open it up
And share his blood and wine.

Be thankful that there’s a door to go in,
That will forgive us all our sins.
That door is Jesus Christ our Lord
And he wants us all to come in.

There are many curves on that road ahead
And some are hard to make
Let Jesus help you on this road
And his blessing you will take.

Yes, there’s a road all laid out for us
It’s up to us which one we take
It can be easy or it can be hard
The decision is ours to make,

Yes the decision is ours to make.


It’s true, isn’t it – the road we’re on can become more difficult than when we started out. Things are often easier at first, and then they get harder as we go along. That can be especially true of the things that matter to us – things like school, our jobs, and relationships, and marriage, and being a parent and being a son or daughter. Things do get harder as we go along, even following Christ and doing all the things that requires.

It must have been easy for Peter, James and John to go off to become “fishers of men,” because they didn’t seem to hesitate when Jesus said, “Come, follow me.” After all, they left their boats and families behind without even a word to follow the stranger from Nazareth. Maybe they heard something in his voice or saw something in his eyes that made them go, so easily. And last week, on the mountain with Jesus – when Moses and Elijah showed up – all they had to do was to open their eyes, although I suppose looking at the dazzling, bright light of Jesus might have strained the eyes a bit – it was relatively an easy thing, what they were doing. Compared with what they would face later, it was all pretty easy, wouldn’t you say? But as time went by, there were definitely some up hill climbs for those who first followed Jesus – when things definitely became harder. And that’s how it is with us as well.

Peter knew all this first hand, because after Jesus death and resurrection, as he and the other disciples, alone with Paul, went all over the place spreading the good news of Jesus Christ – they were persecuted. It wasn’t so easy any more. And that what he relates in 1 Peter 3. Peter knew that suffering for doing right is something we may all have to experience. Don’t be surprised if it happens. It’s part of life. But Peter also says something else. He says in verses 13-14, don’t be afraid of suffering when doing good: “13Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, 15but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord.” What you do should always glorify the Lord. We are blessed in doing good, even if it does bring about suffering for us. And what if we should suffer? John Wesley assures us there is no harm in that!

It can be easy or it can be hard, but our decision must always be –always - to do good!

And yet, although that may be our decision, we can’t count on our always doing good. For we often fall short and fail to do what we know we should. But we can count on Jesus the Christ to save us and to look out for us – even in our suffering. All we have to do is call on him, the “Keeper of the Key.”

2. The Keeper of the Key by Bob Schadle
He’s the keeper of the key to heaven,
He’s the one who lets us in,
He’s the one we can count on,
To forgive us all our sins.

I’m glad he is my Savior
And that he looks out for me,
He’s the one we can count on,
He’s the keeper of the key.

I know each time I call for him
That he is always there,
He is there for all of us
Because you know he cares.

You can see the way he cares for you,
The things he does for thee
So give yourself to Jesus,
He’s the keeper of the key

No one can let you in but him,
He’s the one who has the key
All you have to do is believe in him
He’s there for you and me.

Maybe he’ll open the door for us,
Maybe he’ll let us in
But there’s a first step we have to take,
It’s there and always has been.

He’s the keeper of the key.

Jesus does care for you, for all of us and for all God’s creation. Isn’t that why we are all here today – because we know he does care for us? He has been there for you all along hasn’t he, in the rough times, the times you have struggled, when it was all up hill, when the sky was falling in? He was there lifting you up all the time -giving you just enough strength when all your strength was gone? When no one loved you, he did? When you suffered most, he was there giving hope even when things seemed hopeless. You’ve known his love, even in the midst of the hatred of this world. God in Jesus Christ is there for all of us, offering the blessing of God’s peace if only we would open our hearts to God’s love.

In Mark 1:14, Jesus says, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” The time and place to believe is here and now. Lent is about a change of location for all of us. There is an old story about the man who sent a floral arrangement to celebrate the launch of a good friend's new business. When the man got to the grand opening celebration, he was shocked to find his flower basket with a card that read, "Rest in Peace." Rather upset, he called the flower shop to complain about the mix-up. The florist said, "Hey, don't be upset - somewhere in town today, somebody was buried under a sign that said, 'Good luck in your new location.'"

That new, most important location to which Lent brings us… is the forgiveness and mercy of God. It is not good luck that God gives us; it is grace and peace. It is not freedom form suffering that we find here, but freedom from the spiritual bonds that destroy us. Here, in this place, we are reminded of God's unconditional love; and it is here in this new location we find forgiveness and a peaceful place to rest.

So believe the good news of Jesus Christ now! He’s here! Feel his presence? Go ahead, open your hearts and let God come in!

3. Open Your Heart by Bob Schadle
Here we are again,
Sharing our hopes with him,
Seeing friends and neighbors across the way.
I know he’s always here,
The reason is all so clear,
His love for us is with us now every day.

So open your hearts to him,
And he will always come in,
To give us his blessing and peace that we need so every day.

Forgiveness is what he brings,
That’s why the angels sing
He gives us hope to get us through the trying days.
So pray to our God above,
And give him all of your love,
So every night and day, give him all your praise.

I feel his presence here,
That’s why there is nothing to fear,
So fill your hearts with love for our Savior above.

So open your hearts to him,
And he will always come in,
To give us his blessing and peace that we need so every day.