Are You Ready To Be Counted?

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.


Could all of the kids please come up here?


Are you ready to be counted?


Do any of you know what a census is?


Why did I ask you about a census?


Why did we come to church tonight? What is special about tonight?

We are all here tonight because we believe that there was something special about a baby who was born more than two thousand years ago. We are here because we believe that boy has something to offer to us in our lives today. That boy who lived so long ago can still change our lives for the better.


Do you ever insist that God give you something?

Do you pray and expect that your prayer will come true?


Good. That little baby was just one of the people talked about in the Bible who told us to do that. God wants us to ask for things. God wants to give us things.


Does God insist that we do anything?

(Love God, love ourselves, love each other … love)


What happens when we don’t do what God asks of us?

(God forgives us)

What happens when God doesn’t do what we ask?

?


Are there other things that God asks us to do, not what we must do but some things that would be a good idea?


- Taking care of the poor and the sick
- Helping each other
- … (lots more)


Why do we go to church?

- Worship God
- Pray
- Learn
- Community


God asks us to go to Church. In church, we learn about what God wants us to do. In church, we gather so that we can do God’s work together. In one way, church is kind of like that census: we are counted by God and by each other as helpers who are trying to make the world a better place.

Are you ready to be counted?