Childrens Sermon Service

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (v. 25)

Hi, everyone! (Let them respond.) I have a story to tell you today. But first, who can remember and tell me what last Sunday was? (Let them respond.) Yes, it was Easter. And what do we remember happened on Easter morning? (Let them respond.) Yes, it was when some of Jesus’ friends went to the cemetery to visit his grave and they found out he wasn’t there anymore. He was risen from the grave. That was pretty special, wasn’t it? (Let them respond.)

Well, now I want to tell you a story about what happened next.

The story says that on the day after Easter, when a bunch of Jesus’ friends were all together talking about what had happened, guess who walked in the door and said “Hi!” to them? (Let them respond.) It was Jesus. I’ll bet that got everyone pretty excited, don’t you? (Let them respond.) After Jesus left them, they were all talking about what had happened when Tom came in. They called him Thomas, but we’ll just call him Tom. Anyway, they told Tom about Jesus coming to see them, but Tom just didn’t believe them. He said, “Unless I can see him for myself, and touch him for myself, I’m just not going to believe you.” They tried to convince him that Jesus was alive, but he just wouldn’t believe them until he saw Jesus for himself.

You know, I think I know how Tom was feeling. I have to admit that sometimes when I am having problems, or not feeling well, or I am feeling kind of afraid, I wonder if Jesus is really still here, too. Have you ever felt that way; that you wish you could see Jesus for yourself? (Let them respond.) Yes, I think we all feel that way sometimes.

Well, I have a surprise for you. (Hold up your ‘picture’ but don’t let them see it blank.) I have an actual photograph of Jesus right here. It’s not a drawing, or a painting, but something that will show you what Jesus looks like today, right now. Would you like to see it? (Let them respond.)

Okay, why don’t each one of you, one at a time, come up and I will let you see the picture for yourself. Come and see my picture of Jesus. (However works best for you, have each child come over and look at the picture. Hold it in a way that they cannot see it until they are there with you. Let them respond about it being blank, but don’t explain it until all of the children have seen it.)

Isn’t that cool? (Let them respond.) I heard some of you say it wasn’t a picture of Jesus, but it was just a blank piece of paper. Did you think that? (Let them respond.) Well, okay, I played a little trick on you. I did it because you don’t need me to show you a picture of Jesus. You already know what Jesus looks like today, because you have already met him face to face. (Let them respond.)

Can you remember a time when you were really afraid of something? Or maybe a time when you were really sick? Or maybe a time when you fell down or got really hurt? Can you remember a time like that? (Let them respond.) And, can you remember the person who came to help you when that happened? Maybe it was someone in your family, or maybe a neighbor, a nurse or doctor, or maybe it was someone you didn’t even know, but they came and took care of you to help you feel better? Can you remember a person like that? (Let them respond.) Can you remember what they looked like? Their face? (Let them respond.) Well, guess what, that was Jesus you saw.

Anytime someone stops to care for someone else, Jesus is with them. And when we look at that caring person, we see Jesus. Do you remember that person who took care of you? Do you remember their eyes, and how they looked at you? Do you remember how they talked to you, and tried to make you feel better? They were helping you like Jesus would help you, so they were being Jesus for you. If you can remember that person’s face, then you know what Jesus looks like.

In that story about Tom we were talking about, and Tom saying he would not believe unless he saw Jesus and actually got to touch him for himself? Well, the story says that a week later, Jesus came back and Tom got to see him, and then he believed. But Jesus said something really important. He said it was great that Tom believed in him now, but it was really more special when people could believe in Jesus without making him drop whatever he was doing to go prove to someone he was real.

Jesus said that if we want to follow him we need to stop and take care of those people around us who need help. When we do that, we are acting like Jesus would act — we are being Jesus. So, if you are ever afraid, or sick, or hurt, and you really want to know if God is around, look at the people who come to take care of you. They are doing what Jesus would do. They are being Jesus.

Let’s have our prayer and ask God to help us remember.

Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us. Please help us remember that you love all of the people you have created, and help us let the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.