Believe
Children's sermon
Object:
a mallet, some antique nails
So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them,
"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of
the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." (v. 25)
Good morning, boys and girls. It was a funny but wonderful feeling. It was different than anything else that had ever happened to the disciples of Jesus. It was still Easter Day but it was evening and the disciples were hiding in the same room where they had shared the Passover with Jesus. They had talked about the empty tomb. They repeated the things that Peter and John had discovered when they ran to the place where Jesus had been buried. They could not forget Mary Magdalene's experiences where she actually saw Jesus and spoke with him. How was it possible? They saw him die on the cross. They watched the soldier spear his side. The word was out that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had buried him with their own hands in the tomb with the huge rock covering the entrance. They were back in the room knowing that it was only a few minutes or hours before the soldiers would come and arrest them. They locked the doors and shut all of the windows.
While they were talking in low voices they heard someone say, "Peace be with you." Someone was standing there and talking to them. It was Jesus. He showed them his hands and his side and repeated the words, "Peace be with you." The disciples jumped up and grabbed each other with tears of joy running down their faces. It really was Jesus!
Some of them walked over to Jesus and looked at the holes that were made when the soldiers hammered the nails into Jesus' hands and feet. (show them the mallet and the antique nails) They remembered how Mary and John told them about the nails on the hill when Jesus was crucified. It was awful. It was bad, the worst that they had ever heard of in all the years that they lived.
But Jesus was really back and no one was happier than each of the disciples. Thomas was not there and would not be there for several days. The disciples told him about how Jesus came right through the door without opening it and how he showed them the nails and the wound of the spear. But Thomas said he would not believe it until he could put his finger on the holes made by the nails and the spear.
A week later, when Thomas was with the other disciples, Jesus did it again. He just appeared and showed Thomas the holes. Thomas was flabbergasted but he believed. He really believed.
The next time you see some nails and a big hammer maybe you will think about the time Jesus showed up and gave everyone there a look at his hands, side, and feet. You, too, will be amazed. Amen.
Good morning, boys and girls. It was a funny but wonderful feeling. It was different than anything else that had ever happened to the disciples of Jesus. It was still Easter Day but it was evening and the disciples were hiding in the same room where they had shared the Passover with Jesus. They had talked about the empty tomb. They repeated the things that Peter and John had discovered when they ran to the place where Jesus had been buried. They could not forget Mary Magdalene's experiences where she actually saw Jesus and spoke with him. How was it possible? They saw him die on the cross. They watched the soldier spear his side. The word was out that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had buried him with their own hands in the tomb with the huge rock covering the entrance. They were back in the room knowing that it was only a few minutes or hours before the soldiers would come and arrest them. They locked the doors and shut all of the windows.
While they were talking in low voices they heard someone say, "Peace be with you." Someone was standing there and talking to them. It was Jesus. He showed them his hands and his side and repeated the words, "Peace be with you." The disciples jumped up and grabbed each other with tears of joy running down their faces. It really was Jesus!
Some of them walked over to Jesus and looked at the holes that were made when the soldiers hammered the nails into Jesus' hands and feet. (show them the mallet and the antique nails) They remembered how Mary and John told them about the nails on the hill when Jesus was crucified. It was awful. It was bad, the worst that they had ever heard of in all the years that they lived.
But Jesus was really back and no one was happier than each of the disciples. Thomas was not there and would not be there for several days. The disciples told him about how Jesus came right through the door without opening it and how he showed them the nails and the wound of the spear. But Thomas said he would not believe it until he could put his finger on the holes made by the nails and the spear.
A week later, when Thomas was with the other disciples, Jesus did it again. He just appeared and showed Thomas the holes. Thomas was flabbergasted but he believed. He really believed.
The next time you see some nails and a big hammer maybe you will think about the time Jesus showed up and gave everyone there a look at his hands, side, and feet. You, too, will be amazed. Amen.
