It's Okay to Doubt
Sunday, November 15th, 2020
Read
Read John 20:1-31 with your child(ren).
Watch
Watch one or both of the videos about doubting Thomas.
Discuss
Would you believe me if I told you that…
tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur?
there are square shaped watermelons in Japan because they stack on top of each other better?
it is impossible for almost everyone to lick their own elbow?
Well, all of these are true! Did you try to lick your elbow? Didn’t work, did it?! You can look up pictures on the internet of tigers’ skin and the square watermelons to see them for yourself.
Did you have a hard time believing those things? Why?
Questioning things like that or things that people tell you is called doubt and you just learned about one of the disciples who doubted that Jesus had risen from the dead.
What was the disciple’s name?
If you said, doubting Thomas, you were right!
Why didn’t Thomas believe that Jesus was alive?
What did Jesus do to help Thomas believe?
Jesus was patient with Thomas. He didn’t get angry with him for not believing. Instead, he came to him, let him see him and touch him. And then, he told Thomas something.
Read John 20:27. What did Jesus tell Thomas?
Jesus told Thomas to believe and he told him that those who believe in him without seeing him will be blessed or feel connected to him.
Sometimes, we may not be sure about God. We may not even believe that he can do certain things or answer our prayers, but he is patient with us.
Is it hard to believe in Jesus when you haven’t seen him?
Is there anything that is hard for you to believe that God can do?
When we have doubts, we can pray for God to help us. We can tell him the truth about how we feel. God wants us to talk to him about our doubts and our fears and he wants to help us believe!
Worship Together
Craft/Activities
Craft Ideas
Trace hands on paper
Cut hands out and leave a strip of paper at the bottom to keep the hands connected
Cut out hearts and glue them to palms of hands to represent the nail wounds in Jesus’ hands.
Write out John 20:29 on bottom strip of paper or just a simple text like, “Jesus, help me believe!”
Coloring Sheets
Doubting Thomas Coloring Page 1 - Download HERE
Doubting Thomas Coloring Page 2 - Download HERE
Additional Activities this Week
Outrageous Claims Game
Say statements and have them respond with either “I doubt it!” or “No doubt!” to encourage them to believe in who Jesus is and what he says is true. Have them come up with their own too. Examples below.
It’s raining lollipops outside! - I doubt it!
Jelly beans grow on trees in Europe! - I doubt it!
Jesus is alive! - No doubt!
God created EVERYTHING! - No doubt!
Dinner Table Discussion
Ask what questions they have about God or what they had a hard time believing about him this week. Share your own too. Follow up questions:
Did you pray about the question? Did you talk to God about it?
Did you feel like God was with you helping you to understand and believe?