When the Saints

 

Everyone knows Louis Armstrong, the famous jazz trumpeter and singer. He was known for such hits as Hello, Dolly! and What a Wonderful World. Did you know that he also made a spiritual song a jazz standard?

I am sure everyone here knows the words to Armstrong’s famous, “Oh, When the Saints Come Marching In.” So, in case you don’t know it, all the adults are going to join me in singing the first verse.

 

Oh when the saints go marching in

When the saints go marching in

Oh lord I want to be in that number

When the saints go marching in

 

Who are the saints that go marching in before us? Well, in my sermon, I will mention some of the ones we recognize. Some were even people Jesus sent to proclaim the Gospel. These men were Apostles.

Today, let’s give thanks for these apostles, as well as for the “apostles” in our own lives. Maybe your “apostles” are your parents who bring you to church. Maybe they include a friend who encourages you to learn more about the faith. They could be your pastor or the author of a book that helped you grow closer to Jesus.

Some saints may be remembered by history, but most won’t. And that’s okay. They—and you—are all important in God’s plan for building his kingdom.

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named: Bless all children, and give their fathers and mothers the spirit of wisdom and love, so that the homes in which they grow up may be to them an image of Your Kingdom, and the care of their parents a likeness of Your love. We pray in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.