Are You Who You Say You Are?
Children's sermon
The Giant Book Of Children's Sermons
Matthew To Revelation
Object: a driver's license, Social Security card, or an identification bracelet
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you know who you are? (let them answer) If I asked each of you that question, could you prove to me who you are? How can you prove that you are who you say you are? (let them answer) Do you have a piece of paper, or are you wearing something that proves that you are who you say you are? (let them answer)
If you asked me to prove to you that I am who I say I am, I might give you my driver's license or my Social Security card. (show them some of your identification) There are lots of times when I am asked to prove that I am who I say that I am. People in the banks and stores want to know that I am who I say I am before they will let me cash a check or charge something.
But I want you to know that I am not the only person who has to prove that I am who I say that I am. Did you know that Jesus had to prove to one of his disciples that he was Jesus? (let them answer) He did. But Jesus did not have a driver's license, and he did not have a Social Security card. If he had something like this, he might have used it, but I doubt that he did.
Let me tell you a story. You will remember that Jesus had been crucified on the cross, and that he had died. When he was crucified, the people drove nails through his hands and his feet into the cross of wood. As you can imagine, it not only hurt a lot, but it also left big holes where the nails went through his skin. It was after Jesus had died and was also resurrected that he had to prove himself.
Jesus had visited with all of the disciples except one called Thomas. He had told them how much he loved them and what he was going to do for them. They could hardly wait to tell Thomas about Jesus being with them. But Thomas could not believe that someone who had died could come back to life and visit again. So Thomas told the other disciples that unless he saw the places where the nails went through Jesus' hands and feet, he would not believe their story.
It was almost a week later when Thomas was with the other disciples that Jesus came again. Jesus knew that Thomas did not believe, so he showed Thomas the marks and scars in his hands and in his side. Then he asked Thomas if he believed.
Of couse Thomas did, and that is the day that Jesus proved who he was.
We can't see those nails, but we must believe what happened, just as Thomas and others like him did. That is why we call our kind of believing "faith." The next time that you see someone prove who he or she is with a driver's license, you can remember the day that Jesus proved who he was with the marks of the nails in his body.
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you know who you are? (let them answer) If I asked each of you that question, could you prove to me who you are? How can you prove that you are who you say you are? (let them answer) Do you have a piece of paper, or are you wearing something that proves that you are who you say you are? (let them answer)
If you asked me to prove to you that I am who I say I am, I might give you my driver's license or my Social Security card. (show them some of your identification) There are lots of times when I am asked to prove that I am who I say that I am. People in the banks and stores want to know that I am who I say I am before they will let me cash a check or charge something.
But I want you to know that I am not the only person who has to prove that I am who I say that I am. Did you know that Jesus had to prove to one of his disciples that he was Jesus? (let them answer) He did. But Jesus did not have a driver's license, and he did not have a Social Security card. If he had something like this, he might have used it, but I doubt that he did.
Let me tell you a story. You will remember that Jesus had been crucified on the cross, and that he had died. When he was crucified, the people drove nails through his hands and his feet into the cross of wood. As you can imagine, it not only hurt a lot, but it also left big holes where the nails went through his skin. It was after Jesus had died and was also resurrected that he had to prove himself.
Jesus had visited with all of the disciples except one called Thomas. He had told them how much he loved them and what he was going to do for them. They could hardly wait to tell Thomas about Jesus being with them. But Thomas could not believe that someone who had died could come back to life and visit again. So Thomas told the other disciples that unless he saw the places where the nails went through Jesus' hands and feet, he would not believe their story.
It was almost a week later when Thomas was with the other disciples that Jesus came again. Jesus knew that Thomas did not believe, so he showed Thomas the marks and scars in his hands and in his side. Then he asked Thomas if he believed.
Of couse Thomas did, and that is the day that Jesus proved who he was.
We can't see those nails, but we must believe what happened, just as Thomas and others like him did. That is why we call our kind of believing "faith." The next time that you see someone prove who he or she is with a driver's license, you can remember the day that Jesus proved who he was with the marks of the nails in his body.
