Matthew 28:16 - 20

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”


MESSAGE

Greet the children.

Are any of you 4 years old? How about 5 years old? [ask some of the children, how old they are.] Is God with you now? Will God be with you when you have a birthday and are another year older? [If someone says that he/she will be 5 or 6 soon, ask them if they think God will be with them then.] What about when you grow up? When you're 20? 30? Are you sure, what about when you're 60? 100?

You're telling me that God is with us at any age. What about in different places. Is God with us here at church? Yes, that's right. What about at school? Can you think of other places where God is with you? [playground, park, etc.]

So, God is with us no matter how old we are or where we are. What about when we're happy (like when we have a birthday)? or sad? or mad? (are you sure, God's with us even when we're mad???)

Sounds like you are telling me that God is with us all the time. And, you know, you're right about that. He's with us all the time because he loves us all the time (no matter where we are, how old we are, or how we're feeling.) And you know what he wants us to do? He wants us to be nice to each other and to love one another--that way we can show others that God loves them too.

Let's say a prayer about that. Repeat after me. Dear God, thank you for being with us in everything we do and in every place we go no matter how old we are. Help us to love and to be nice to others so that we can show your love to the world. Amen.