Sunday, November 30, 2025
Saturday, November 29, 2025
THE CAST OF CHRISTMAS: Joseph 11-30-25
THE CAST OF CHRISTMAS: Joseph 11-30-25
INTRODUCTION
Growing up in the church, Christmas was a very special time of the year.
Christmas programs - angels, shepherds, wisemen, sheep, the star, the manger, Mary and Joseph, Baby Jesus, dads and moms, grandparents
“It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.”
W.T. Ellis
Matthew 1:1-25 NIV
“This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud, Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”
Matthew 1:1-25 NIV
FAITHFULNESS - Faith as an action verb
I. WHAT JOSEPH DID
Dietriech Bonhoeffer was a pastor and theologian who spoke out against Hitler and the Nazis. As a result he was arrested, imprisoned and then executed just hours before the Allies liberated the concentration camp where he was held. While there, he wrote a series of meditations on Christmas. In one he wrote, "It is not a light thing to God that we celebrate Christmas and do not take it seriously."
Tim Smith, Sermon Central, January 6, 2013.
Matthew 1:18-25 NIV
“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”
Matthew 1:18-25 NIV
A. Faithful to the Law
B. Faithful to his promise
B. Faithful to the commands of the angel
It was the day after Christmas at a church in San Francisco. Pastor Mike was looking at the nativity scene outside when he noticed the baby Jesus was missing from the figures.
Immediately, Pastor Mike turned towards the church to call the police. But as he was about to do so, he saw little Jimmy with a red wagon, and in the wagon was the figure of the little infant, Jesus.
Pastor Mike walked up to Jimmy and said, "Well, Jimmy, where did you get the little infant?" Jimmy replied, "I got him from the church."
"And why did you take him?"
With a sheepish smile, Jimmy said, "Well, about a week before Christmas I prayed to little Lord Jesus. I told him if he would bring me a red wagon for Christmas, I would give him a ride around the block in it."
http://www.beliefnet.com
II. WHAT JOSEPH DID NOT
Matthew 1:24-25a NIV
“When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son.”
Matthew 1:24-25a NIV
David Stern comments, "The Hebrew/Aramaic word for betrothal is "kiddushin," which signifies "sanctification, separation," for example, the setting aside and separating of a particular woman for a particular man. According to Jewish teaching in the Mishna, adultery during the betrothal period is a more serious sin than adultery after marriage."
Jewish New Testament Commentary, p. 3.
A. Break his vow - engagement
B. Allow sex to become the goal
C. Live according to his desires
D. Interfere with God's plan
III. WHAT JOSEPH GAVE
Matthew 1:25b NIV
“And he gave him the name Jesus.”
Matthew 1:25b NIV
A. A good name - Jesus "God saves"
B. His life for this child
1. Claimed Jesus as his own
2. Loved Jesus and his mother, Mary
3. Jesus a great example
One person observed that the message of Christmas was not one of convenience but "cost":
* It cost Mary and Joseph the comforts of home to take a long journey to Bethlehem while she was "very" pregnant with her new child.
* It cost the shepherds their comfort by the campfire and the ease of their shepherd's life answering the call to the manger and then the conviction to tell others the good news.
* It cost the wise men a long journey and expensive gifts and changed lives.
ULTIMATELY
* It cost the early Apostles and the early church persecution and sometimes death.
* It cost missionaries of Christ untold suffering and loss to spread the Good News.
* It cost Christian martyrs of all ages their lives for the sake of Christ.
MORE THAN ALL THIS
* It cost God the Father His own Son--He sent His Son to the earth to save men.
* It cost Jesus a life of sacrifice and service--and a cruel and horrible death.
The Christmas message is ultimately one of cost... not convenience.
Jeff Strite, Sermon Central, December 4, 2011.
CONCLUSION
James 2:14-18 NIV
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.”
James 2:14-18 NIV
What do you need to do in light of your faith?
Not, what do you believe?
Not, what do you think?
Not, how do you feel?
What do you need to do in light of your faith?
Just do it!
“Joseph reminds us that the call of God isn’t always easy or conventional, but it is always right – and God will give us the courage to follow if we’re willing to obey.”
Brian Bill, Senior Pastor, Pontiac Bible Church, Pontiac, IL
INVITATION
It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. If you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now. If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.
Sunday, November 23, 2025
Saturday, November 22, 2025
GIVING THANKS (1 Chronicles 16:34-36 NIV) Give Thanks as our Anthem - November 23, 2025
GIVING THANKS (1 Chronicles 16:34-36 NIV) Give Thanks as our Anthem - November 23, 2025
INTRODUCTION
Giving thanks
Giving thanks in all circumstances
Giving thanks as you enter worship and continue in praise
Giving thanks in all you do and say
Giving thanks as your testimony
Giving thanks as you pray
This Thursday most of us will be able to thank God for a wonderful meal, but sometimes we find ourselves in a tough position.
I read the true story of GIs stationed on Leyte in the Philippines during WW II. Although the region was secure, sometimes the enemy tried to infiltrate their food storage area. One such adversary, dressed in GI clothing, had worked himself into the noontime chow line. But the camp cook spotted him, pulled a pistol from under the serving table and yelled for the MPs to come and arrest the man.
After it was all over, the soldiers asked the cook how he knew the man wasn’t one of them.
"I figured it wasn’t one of you guys, ’cause he was coming back for seconds."
Reader’s Digest 5/93, p.46.
1 Chronicles 16:7-36 NIV
“That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise to the Lord in this manner:
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.
Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, you his servants, the descendants of Israel, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob. He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth.
He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.”
When they were but few in number, few indeed, and strangers in it, they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. He allowed no one to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings: “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”
Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place.
Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!” Let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them! Let the trees of the forest sing, let them sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise.” Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.
Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.””
1 Chronicles 16:7-36 NIV
Lou Whitmire, a reporter in Mansfield, Ohio, asked the all important question "Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?" to students at Sherman Elementary school. Here are a few of the answers he got:
Jamie Copley, 7, said people celebrate Thanksgiving because it’s the season where everyone joins together.
Christina McGuire, 7, said, "It’s a good month."
Kamozye Bowles, 6, said people celebrate Thanksgiving because "it’s a happy day."
"My granny cooks and it’s good," she said.
Bradley Ernsberger, 6, said he celebrates Thanksgiving because he is thankful for a lot of things. "I’m thankful for my friends, my limo ride for selling the most candy, my Superman costume I got to wear at Halloween and my little pumpkin I got," he said.
Selina McGregor, 6, said she knows why people all get together to celebrate on Thanksgiving Day.
"It’s a wonderful year and a good time to share all that food," she said.
"I love pumpkin pie," she added.
Lou Whitmire, "Students have many takes on Turkey Day," News Journal. Citation: http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/news/stories/20031116/localnews/653881.html.
1 Chronicles 16:34-36 NIV
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise.” Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.
Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.””
1 Chronicles 16:34-36 NIV
I. GIVE THANKS!
William Reid recognized how far our thankfulness falls short. He wrote, "Forgive us, Lord, for shallow thankfulness, For dull content with warmth and sheltered care, For songs of praise for worldly wealthiness, While of your richer gifts we’re unaware"
Christians Worship, 482:1, "Forgive Us, Lord," ©1965. Renewal 1993 by the Hymn Society, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth TX 76129.
1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV
A. Give thanks to the Lord.
B. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good.
C. Give thanks to the Lord for his love endures forever.
II. CRY OUT!
You Know You Overdid Thanksgiving When . . .
Doctor tells you your weight would be perfect for a man 12 feet tall.
You are responsible for a slight but measurable shift in the earth’s axis
Paramedics bring in the Jaws of Life to pry you out of the EZ-Boy.
The "Gravy Boat" your wife set out was a real 12’ boat!
You receive a Sumo Wrestler application in your e-mail.
Friday you set off 3 earthquake seismographs on your morning jog.
Pricking your finger for cholesterol screening only yielded gravy.
A guest quotes a Biblical passage from "The Feeding of the 5000."
That rash on your stomach turns out to be steering wheel burn.
Representatives from the Butterball Hall of Fame called twice.
You consider gluttony your patriotic duty.
Your arms are too short to reach the keyboard & delete this.
Indiafunfactory.com
1 Chronicles 16:35 NIV
“Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise.””
1 Chronicles 16:35 NIV
A. Cry out to God.
B. “Save us God our Savior.”
C. “Gather us.”
D. “Deliver us from the nations.”
E. “Save us, gather us and deliver us . . . that we may give thanks to your holy name.”
F. “Save us, gather us and deliver us . . . that we may glory in your praise.”
III. GIVE PRAISE!
In Budapest, a man goes to the rabbi and complains, "Life is unbearable. There are nine of us living in one small apartment. What can I do?"
The rabbi answers, "Take your goat into the apartment with you." The man is totally upset when he hears this, but the rabbi insists. "Do as I say and come back in a week and thank me."
A week later the man comes back looking more distraught than before. "We cannot stand it," he tells the rabbi. "The goat is filthy. It is so nasty and smelly in our little apartment. We are all miserable!
The rabbi then tells him, "Now, go home and let the goat out. And come back in a week."
So, the man returns to the rabbi a week later, smiling and happy, saying, "Life is beautiful again. We enjoy every minute of life together now that there's no goat -- and only nine people in one apartment!"
George Mikes
1 Chronicles 16:36 NIV
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.””
1 Chronicles 16:36 NIV
A. Eternal praise
B. “Amen”
C. “Praise the Lord”
CONCLUSION
We have so many reasons to be thankful. It should not end with our Thanksgiving meal.
‘Twas the night of Thanksgiving, I just couldn’t sleep . . .
I tried counting backwards, I tried counting sheep.
The leftovers beckoned - the dark meat and white
But I fought the temptation with all of my might
Tossing and turning with anticipation
The thought of a snack became infatuation.
So, I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door
And gazed at the fridge, full of goodies galore.
I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes,
Pickles and carrots, beans and tomatoes.
I felt myself swelling so plump and so round,
’Til all of a sudden, I rose off the ground.
I crashed through the ceiling, floating into the sky
With a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie.
But, I managed to yell as I soared past the trees....
“Happy eating to all! Pass the cranberries, please!”
Bobby Scobey, Sermon Central, Oct 27, 2009.
Give thanks to the Lord! Cry out to God! Praise the Lord!
1 Chronicles 16:36b NIV
“Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.””
1 Chronicles 16:36b NIV
INVITATION
It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now. If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.
Sunday, November 16, 2025
Saturday, November 15, 2025
GIVING THANKS (Philippians 4:4-9 NIV) Give Thanks as You Pray - November 16, 2025
GIVING THANKS (Philippians 4:4-9 NIV) Give Thanks as You Pray - November 16, 2025
INTRODUCTION
Giving thanks
Giving thanks in all circumstances
Giving thanks as you enter worship and continue in praise
Giving thanks in all you do and say
Giving thanks as your testimony
Philippians 4:4-7 NIV
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:4-7 NIV
I. REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS!
Philippians 4:4 NIV
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
Philippians 4:4 NIV
Over a decade ago, Richard Stearns, the president of World Vision, visited a church in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, nearly a year after the devastating earthquake. The church's building consisted of a tent made from white tarps and duct tape, pitched in the midst of a sprawling camp for thousands of people still homeless from the earthquake.
In the front row of that church sat six amputees ranging in age from 6 to 60. They were clapping and smiling as they sang song after song and lifted their prayers to God. The worship was full of hope...[and] with thanksgiving to the Lord.
No one was singing louder or praying more fervently than Demosi Louphine, a 32-year-old unemployed single mother of two. During the earthquake, a collapsed building crushed her right arm and left leg. After four days both limbs had to be amputated, but she was leading the choir, standing on her prosthesis and lifting her one hand high in praise to God...
Following the service, Stearns met Demosi and her two daughters, ages eight and ten, who were living in a tent just five feet tall and perhaps eight feet wide. She had lost her job, her home, and two limbs, but she was deeply grateful because God spared her life on January 12th last year (2010)..."He brought me back like Lazarus, giving me the gift of life," says Demosi...[who] believes she survived the devastating quake for two reasons: to raise her girls and to serve her Lord for a few more years.
Richard Stearns comments: "It makes no sense to me as an 'entitled American' who grouses at the smallest inconveniences--a clogged drain or a slow wi-fi connection in my home. Yet here in this place, many people who had lost everything...expressed nothing but praise." Then he continues, "They have so much more to offer me than I to them. I feel pity and sadness for them, but it is they who might better pity me for the shallowness of my own walk with Christ."
Richard Stearns, Suffering and Rejoicing in a Haitian Tent Camp, www.Christianitytoday.com, 1-12-11.
A. ALWAYS!
B. Rejoice today
Psalm 118:24 NKJV
“This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Psalm 118:24 NKJV
C. Rejoice, do not despair
"I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle for me. Its a sort of splendid torch which Ive got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."
George Bernard Shaw
II. DO NOT BE ANXIOUS; BUT PRAY WITH THANKSGIVING
What's worse than being trapped behind prison bars? Trying to live while avoiding capture.
Sergei was a Latvian prison convict with ten months left to serve on his seven-year burglary sentence, when he decided to escape. But even after years of freedom, the escapee couldn't relax.
"Worry over being caught was proving too stressful." He worked several jobs and moved into an apartment with his girlfriend, but Sergei was constantly looking over his shoulder.
In a move that surprised prison officials, Sergei showed up at the minimum-security facility and turned himself in five years after he first escaped.
"Man Picks Jail Over Girlfriend," CBS.news.com (2-22-05); The Christian Science Monitor (3-14-05).
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
A. Don’t be anxious
The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith; and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.
George Muller
B. Present your requests to God
1. Prayer
2. Petition
3. Thanksgiving
C. The grace of peace
Peace is .... “a conception distinctly peculiar to Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatever sort that is.”
Feinberg, 1960.
III. OUR STATE OF MIND
Philippians 4:8-9 NIV
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:8-9 NIV
A. Thanksgiving is a state of mind.
B. Peace is a state of mind.
Lucinda Norman writes of her experience Christmas shopping at the mall. People had been pushing, elbowing and cutting in front of her all day. During a 10 minute extra 10% off special, one woman grabbed a lace table cloth from her hands, looked her in the eye and said, “Mine!” She yanked it back and won. By 4 pm her mood was belligerent. She met some friends at a mall restaurant and flagged down a server. She barked, “I need a hot tea now!” The waitress snapped back, “I’m not your server. Wait your turn.” Lucinda responded, “Lady, I’ve been waiting my turn all day. Bring me some tea!” But the waitress ignored her. A few moments later, a friend young man came to their tables and said, “I’m Rob, your waiter.” After he took their order, Lucinda watched Rob as he helped the rude waitress with her tray. He greeted the other customers and staff with a smile on his face. In the midst of all of the hurried customers and chaos of the season, he had a polite and unhurried atmosphere of calm. When he refilled her tea, Lucinda noticed a siver ring on his hand made of connected letters spelling Jesus. And then she writes, “From that moment, my attitude changed. This young man’s example had reminded me of the peace that Christ came to bring.” And for the rest of the day, Lucinda enjoyed shopping, opened doors for other and let others in front of her in the checkout line, all in an atmosphere of peace.
Tim Smith, Sermon Central, August 13, 2017.
C. Peace is a spiritual reality.
1. Think
2. Do
"Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin? The blood of Jesus whispers peace within."
Peace, Perfect Peace is a hymn whose lyrics were written in August 1875 by Edward H. Bickersteth at the bedside of a dying relative. He read it to his relative immediately after writing it.
Philippians 4:9b NIV
“And the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:9b NIV
I wish I knew who wrote: "Peace with God brings the peace of God. It is a peace that settles our nerves, fills our mind, floods our spirit and, in the midst of the uproar around us, gives us the assurance that everything is all right." I would thank them for reminding me of this deep truth.
CONCLUSION
Rejoice in the Lord always! Do not be anxious about anything, but pray. Thanksgiving and peace are states of mind. We can be grateful in any situation because of God. We can be at peace in any situation because of God.
INVITATION
It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now. If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.