Matthew 18:15-20

  ¹⁵ “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. ¹⁶ But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ ¹⁷ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.   ¹⁸ “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.   ¹⁹ “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Materials:  small dry erase board or chalkboard

(do not speak directions in parenthesis)

Good Morning!  How are you all today?  Did some of you start school this week?  Or, your brothers & sisters?  Well, since school has started, I thought we'd practice some counting and math.  Let's start with an easy one.  If you are the only person, all by yourself in your room, how many people are in your room?  That's right, one.  Let's write one on the board.  (then add a plus one next to it.)  (you can ask one of the kids how many people live in their house and use that too.) How about behind us here, how many people are up there:  there's Pastor Tom, and Pastor Keith, and our acolyte today--how many is that?  3--that's right, we'll put 3 on the board (then add a plus one next to it).  Okay, how many of us are up here for the children's message--let's count.  (count aloud).  There are 11 of us, so we'll write that on the board.  (then add plus one next to it.)  Now, let's look out there (at the congregation).  I see Mr. Bob & Ms. Dorothy.  How many people do you think there are?  (go with whatever the kid's guess).  100?  Okay, we'll say 100.  (write that down and then add plus one next to it.)  Well, you all did very well.  Let's look at our list here.  Wait a minute, I have put a 'plus one' next to all of these?  Why do you think I did that?  (let them guess).  Well, I did that to remind us that Jesus is always with us.  So, when you are by yourself in your room, that's 1 AND one more with Jesus.  (you can add the one to each item on the list as you go.)  And when we're all together like we are now, there is one more with us!   If we're alone in our room and feeling sad or scared, it is nice to know that Jesus is there to help us.  But, do you know it is also very important to know that Jesus is with us when we're in a group?  Sometimes, when we are with others, it is hard to get along with each other.  We can get mad, or our feelings get hurt, and then we may have a hard time showing love to each other.  Jesus reminds us that he is with us and he can help us show love to each other.  So this week, I want you to remember that no matter how many people you see at home, or at school, or in your room--there's always one more!
Let's say a prayer about that:  Dear Jesus, thank you for always being with us.  Help us to get along with each other and to show your love to everyone we are with.  Amen.