Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Let’s say good morning to our friend Sammy and see if she is there. Ready? One, two, three…Good morning, Sammy!

Sammy: Good morning boys and girls! Pastor, I have a question for you.

Pastor: I am ready for your question, Sammy.

Sammy: What are taxes?

Pastor: Well, paying taxes means that adults give part of the money we earn to the government.

Sammy: You give money to the government?

Pastor: Yes. When adults go to work, they earn money, and part of the money they earn goes to the government. Most of us don’t even see the money that goes to the government. They take it from our paychecks.

Sammy: They steal your money?!

Pastor: No, it’s not stealing our money. We are required to give some of our money in taxes.

Sammy: But what does the government do with the money?

Pastor: Well, some of the money is used for building roads, improving schools, and helping people in need.

Sammy: We help people in need at church.

Pastor: Yes we do. One of the things we do as a church is we give money as an offering to the church and to God. 

Sammy: Hang on. Adults give money to taxes and to the church? Do they have any money left?

Pastor: Yes they do. The church uses the money from gifts to serve and love God and the people in our community of faith. Boys and girls, what are some of the things we do as a church to help people?

[Allow time for responses]

Sammy: These are all great ministries and events in our church.

Pastor: Yes they are. We have to remember that even our time is a gift. When Jesus talks about giving to God what belongs to him, he doesn’t just mean our money. He wants us to give him our time. When we help with ministries at church, or we sing in the children’s choir, or we read our Bibles, we are giving God our time.

Sammy: I like that we can give God our time–I don’t have much money at all.

Pastor: That’s okay, Sammy. You know what? Let’s all give God our time right now. Boys and girls, will you please pray with me? Dear Jesus, thank you for our country. Thank you for our church. Help us to give our time and our gifts. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

“At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38).

We look around and wonder what this all means.  Many times the answer is right before us.  Will we receive the answer God gives or look somewhere else for the answer we want?  The redemption of the world was laid upon Christ.  He who took away the sin of the world stands before each one of us.  He invites us to have an intimate and personal relationship with Him.

Lord God, Creator of all things, You have set before us the opportunity to be in relationship with You.  You have given us the words of eternal life.  You are the Word made flesh.  You have set before us the way of life.  Help all who are truly seeking to understand the utter simplicity of the message You have given us.  Like Anna, help us to thank You for the circumstances in which we find ourselves.

Lord Jesus, Your given name tells us all that we need to know.  You are the Savior.  You are God in the flesh who has come to redeem us.  As You walk with me, open my heart more and more to understand that I have always been walking with You beside me.  Lead me into life as You intend for it to be lived that I might abide in You each moment of every day that You give me.  Amen.