Children's Sermon Theme: Believing that Jesus is Alive (rough draft for Friday! - Please excuse typos - in a rush today)  

 

Text: John 20:19-31 Jesus appears to Thomas

 

Object Lesson props: Small box with an interesting knickknacks inside

 

 

Speculate that you have a very interesting / surprising item inside the box. Allow some children to see inside the box in order to know if you are telling the truth. The other half of the children will have to believe based on their testimony. Relate this to the story of “doubting Thomas” and show how this relates to our believing in the resurrection of Jesus.

 

Full Children's sermon:

Good Morning Children. Last Sunday we celebrated the wonderful miracle of Jesus being raised from the dead and coming back to life. This morning I’d like to tell you the story one of the disciples named Thomas. Jesus appeared alive to the disciples but Thomas wasn’t there…(Tell the story or read Biblical text from John 20.) End with Jesus comment that those who haven’t actually seen the risen Jesus are nevertheless “blessed.”

Now children I want to show an example of these two different types of faith and belief.

If I told you that inside this box I had a, say…a valuable pearl necklace (or whatever object you pick –Make sure the tone of your voice casts some double in the children’s mind.) would you believe me? (Discuss what it would take for them to believe you). OK. Let’s have you, you, and you come over here and I’ll let you look inside. (Open up the box for them to see inside.) Are you believe now? Yes? Great. Now, I’ll ask you other children who haven’t seen again. Do you now believe me? (They probably will now. If not get the other witnesses to convince them that they actually saw what was in the box.)

 

--- Sit the children down and discuss the story of Thomas and the two types of believing. (1) Believing when you have SEEN (2) Believing when you have not seen – usually based on someone else’s testimony or witness.

 

Pray: God, we thank you that Jesus rose from the dead and is alive. Thank you that your apostle Thomas was able to see Jesus alive. We also thank you even though we did not see Jesus rise from the dead we can still believe and know that Jesus is alive.  

 

Copyright 2009 Andrew Hewlett Sundaychildrensfocus.com            

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