Blessed are those who believe without seeing me. That would be us, right? Give the children a piece of paper and marker or pencil to record the items that they SEE but without telling the other children what they have SEEN. Lesson focus: This lesson explores the story of Thomas, which features events that took place after Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to His disciples. It's a fundamental Christian belief that we should believe without seeing. He promised them peace and the forgiving power of the Spirit. WHAT YOU WILL DO: First, give each child a copy of the handout. With a toilet paper role, look through it with your right eye. In matters of science, we must begin by believing much which we do not understand, taking many positions on trust and accepting many things on the testimony of others. "Faith requires that we believe, despite not having any visual evidence.If seeing were believing, then faith would be irrelevant and unnecessary. We believe we have a heart, and it is the right size although we have never actually seen our heart. Ask God for help trusting in Him and seeking to follow Him always. Faith is the assurance of what we do not see but as were told in John 20:29, blessed are those who believe without seeing me! Jesus said that those who believe without sight are truly blessed, and that includes us today! Believing Without Seeing: The Problem of Eyewitness Misidentification. This time, Thomas was there to witness, and he had quite the meeting coming to him, Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Alternatively, have each student create her own small banner to display or take home. It sustains me still, one day at a time on mountaintops, in valleys, and everywhere in between. Gods word is so incredible. Whats the true story? We believe there are nice things inside wrapped presents, even though we cannot tell for sure until we open the box. Remind children to BELIEVE with all their heart and to trust God's Word! This time, though, you kind of have to wonder: if all of the other disciples insisted on the truth of seeing Jesus, wouldnt that be a clue to Thomas? But, glory to God for the eyes of faith and spiritual eyes we have as well! The following bible verses about believing without seeing are to encourage you during the times you waver. Copyright 2013 Daphne Delay. He got the proof he demanded, but Jesus said something significant and reassuring for us. Then Jesus told him, You believe because you have seen me. Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." The answer isnt on this earth. Its fair to point out that the other disciples did not believe the initial reports they heard either (Luke 24:9-11). 1 Timothy 1:17Close1 Timothy 1:17 Being vulnerable is an act of deep courage and unguarded love. RThomas. If you have not received God's gift of salvation, I invite you to repent of your sin and believe in Jesus today. So why are you asking me to show him to you? Cut a hole or 4 slits in the middle of the plate so the plastic cup can be pushed through the middle. Thomas would have none of it: I will not believe unless I see. This is a biblical kind of Thomistic faith. Hebrews 11:6 NLT. Jesus replied, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don't know who I am? Thomas refused to believe the testimony of ten competent witnesses who had seen Christ in the body with their own eyes. Faith that is based on the belief that He was, is and will be the Savior of the world. It isn't always touchy-feely love that proves God exists. endobj It is HIS divine will that young people come to faith in Jesus Christ and find salvation through the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit to bring them to faith. stream What follows is drawn from his comments on John 20:25 and 29, with minor stylistic modifications and some ellipses. Jesus is the Way and the Truth and the Life. (John 14:6, NIV) He was well acquainted with darkness, suffering, and pain during his time on earth. Jesus said, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Then they saw Him live and in person! Pin This. You can freely license our resources under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International. Lesson Opening: The story in this lesson involves doubt, belief, and sight. They don't have a solid handle on abstract concepts and need to see and experience to fully comprehend. 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld. -John 20:21-23, What a wonderful scene this must have been for the disciples! Seeing Is Believing - UPPER Elementary Lesson, Seeing Is Believing - LOWER Elementary Lesson, Worship videos, mini movies and countdowns, Lesson plan scheduling and management tool, Weekly lesson plans for preschool, upper and lower elementary, Church branded webpage to share all resources with parents and kids. All of this was very sad and very sinful. The guide cannot touch the blindfolded partner as they move along.To make it even more fun, you can have a group of people lead one person through an obstacle course! This would be Nice to hang outside your home or put on your window for display. Cancel anytime. Thomas had the opportunity of believing without seeing, but rejected it. Probability, in fact, is the only guide to most parts of our life. 4. In reflecting on these events that bookend this week, I want to showcase a commentator who is not as widely known or used as he deserves to be: the 19th-century English evangelical Anglican bishop, J. C. Ryle. We listen to the news on the radio or television and believe what they say is true. Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. (John 3:16) Believing is the first step to real salvation. In essence faith is believing without seeing. It has sustained me (for more years than I care to mention!) Where would you like to travel or would you like to travel to some other time? Notice how I titled today's devotion "Believing is Seeing," and not the other way around?If you think about it, we believe without seeing every day. 2023 Ministry-To-Children.com | Bible Lessons for Kids, Activities for Sunday School, Free Resources for Children's Ministry Leaders. Decorate with glitter, puff paint, ribbons and other fun craft pieces. How can you be convinced that something is true? That means no permission is needed as long as you credit this Ministry-To-Children.com in the final work. Shop our Sunday School Curriculum and Bible Lessons for Kids. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." We have been pronounced blessed and I know myself to be blessed. My pastor once gave his opinion that Ryles is the best commentary on John for the preachermeaning, the one that most fed the pastor first. Copyright 2023 Proverbs 31 Ministries. And remember without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please GOD ( heb 11:6). We started talking about where or when we would like to travel. 2 0 obj Every week, thousands of churches use our Bible lessons, craft ideas, printable resources, and coloring pages to teach kids the Christian faith. Jesus actually came to many people who were amazed to see Him again. You could also talk through the story and have students mime or act it out with puppets. (US!). The Bible says if I have not love (God's love in me) I am nothinga useless nobody (1 Corinthians 13:2Close1 Corinthians 13:2 (NKJV). AND THIS IS TRUE OF US ALSO. Wouldn't that be great? He is alive within our hearts. Tie around the child's neck and remind them to share today's story and "Believing". Your email address will not be published. (NKJV). Jesus was the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15CloseColossians 1:15 We believe that God is the loving Father of all kids. The greatest faith any of us could possess is the ability to believe without seeing. In every pair, one partner is blindfolded while the other is not.The one that is not blind must lead the blindfolded person through an obstacle course (natural or man-made). Have you read any of them? It starts with splitting pairs. Have the children read the questions next to the picture of the moon and give reasons why they believe. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. Object A dollar bill, two paper clips, "Linking Paper Clips" How-to Video Scripture John 20:19-31 Activities + Resources Download All Coloring Page Full Lower Elementary Lesson Plan Full Preschool Lesson Plan Elisha, the prophet, would intercept plans of attack against Israel and inform the king of Israel so they would be alert and protected. Dont be afraid! Elisha told him. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. (If children are too young, a picture on card stock of a nail could be hole punched and used for the necklace). He gave us the solution in advance! the reason that we must believe without seeing is that our physical faculties are much less reliable. 3. NowThomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin,[d]was not with them when Jesus came. the ultimate trust must be placed on the Promises of God, or the word of God. Target Audience: Kindergarten-6th grade (adaptable, but some concepts might be best for older students). John 20:29 (NIV). Want more resources? It's important for faith teachers to The preface to his Expository Thoughts on John lists over 80 commentaries on John that he usedfrom Patristics to Reformers to contemporaries, Protestant to Catholic, English to Scotch to German to Continental commentators. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.". This is such a powerful story of what is taking place beyond what we can see with our physical eyes and reminds us there is a spiritual world at great work surrounding us that we cannot see. People became acquainted with God by observing Jesus. Now Jesus did many other signsin the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;31but these are written so that you maybelieve that Jesus is the Christ,the Son of God, and that by believingyou may have lifein his name. Do the same for the presents and the heart. Remember that in my kingdom they are more blessed and honorable who believe on good testimony, without seeing, than those who insist on seeing first before they believe.. We have Gods Word, the Bible, to remind us of those precious truths. "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. Believing without seeing is what faith is all about. The rich man descends into hell and pleads with Father Abraham to let him go back and warn his brothers, so that they will not end up there, Faith that can withstand the pressure of difficulties in life.Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (NIV).We can't see God, but we can see His activity in our livesif we believe.We can't see God, but we can see His power working within usif we believe.If you ask me, we see what we want to see. Is prayer really this complicated? We can learn three lessons: A. Unbelief is not based on insufficient evidence. (Matthew 14:22-33) He trusted Jesus and stepped out of the boat, even though his eyes and head knowledge knew he would sink otherwise. The bible has much to say about believing without seeing. He wanted visual and tangible proof. Jesus rebuked the disciples for not believing the womens eyewitness testimony to Jesus resurrection (even though they hadnt seen him personally). B. Thomas saw and believed (26-29) 1. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. That doesn't change what I believe about Jesus though. If you follow me, you wont have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life. (John 8:12, NLT) This declaration is a promise straight from Jesus himself, forallwho follow him. Some people will believe nothing unless they can see it all and work it all out for themselves. I hope these powerful bible verses about believing without seeing have encouraged you in your faith walk. Seeing a miracle without believing results in further hardening of heart. No one has seen God at any time, but we can declare Him. 5. What if were in pitch-black darkness, in the storm, and cant evenseethe light? The Bible was written with the important purpose of describing to us the events that took place in the life of Jesus. Related: Getting To Know God Changes Everything, Related: Worthwhile Benefits of Putting God First. We are blessed. Here are some activities to get kids thinking (select the best ones for your audience and age group): Explain that the story to be explored today has to do with a time when Jesus appeared to His disciples after He rose from the dead. A book from the Magic Tree House Series (Children's books), Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, " 1 Peter 1:8Close1 Peter 1:8 Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! Each child can be given a large nail and plastic string to tie and hot glue the nail to the necklace string. But what about when wereinthe struggle? John 1:12 NLT, For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. She is the author of Facing the Mirror, Facing the Enemy, and Facing God. He refused to believe the testimony of ten true friends and brethren, who could have no object in deceiving him. Of course, we dont see Jesus in person, but we do know that He promised to be present with us through the Holy Spirit, so He is herewe just cant see Him with our eyes. Ask: Have you ever heard a story that was hard to believe? Then when he did see Jesus, he fell on his knees and said, "My Lord and my God." 1 0 obj Unlock everything with Sermons4Kids Basic for $199/year Click YES, UPGRADE NOW and unlock Sermons4Kids Basic for $199 today. Please use our childrens ministry curriculum and Sunday School material for any purpose that brings honor to Jesus. Imagine how sad and devastated they must have been, knowing that Jesus had died, and their hopes seemed lost. I praise God I believed Gods words of Jn 3:16 at age 6.. 1 John 4:12Close1 John 4:12 No one has ever seen God. We serve an invisible God at least in form. How do we hold onto hope? Used by permission. John 5:24, Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of Gods one and only Son. King James Bible (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) New King James Version 2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV, Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Children can color the paper plate and cut the bottom edge of the plate off so it is flat and even with the table. All Rights Reserved. Additionally, you might have older kids take turns reading, or you could read the passage and pause along the way for clarifying questions. Listen to what Jesus said to Thomas. Therefore, love may be required to speak truth. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. In other words, there is a blessedness for those who believe without having to see, without having to physically see him manifested; which will happen, but when we are already transformed. That believing without seeing faith has gotten me through clinical depression, anxiety, binge eating disorder, and post-abortion recovery. We use the word "seeing" when it's a gerund or verbal noun: Seeing the mistake, she corrected it immediately. Trust walks is a very simple and fun trust building game with blindfolds. This is where the rubber meets the road and where you lean on your eyes of faith in spite of your physical eyes. Privacy Policy. However, in this story, one of the disciples missed seeing Jesus at first, and had a hard time believing that He was truly alive. But consider this: Jesus was a man of flesh and blood. He presumes to prescribe certain conditions which must be fulfilled before he can credit the report of his brethren. You of little faith, he said, why did you doubt? (vs 31). Fort Worth, TX 76135, Copyright 2021 Celebrate Kids. For more advanced exploration, a new electronics science project guides students in creating a mesmerizing infinity mirror . 3 0 obj Unwilling to believe that DOWN 2. Copies of handout for each child [PDF] Click here. Maybe you have a chronic illness that prevents you from doing something, get an items you need for that activity as a conscious effort that you will be healthy again. Pray for Him to saturate your life so powerfully that you cannot doubt that He is at work. We can believe in Christ and have faith in His promises, based on the Bible. Your faith will result in vision.Dear Lord, impart in me an unshakable faith. It starts with splitting pairs. If youve been confused by todays young people, youre not alone. You are signing up to receive general newsletters from CBN. Then Jesus told him, "You believe because you have seen me. However, true love doesn't overlook sin. as a single adult choosing sexual integrity and a God-honoring, Jesus-following, counter-cultural lifestyle. You believe because you have seen me. Lets be honest. when you see something happening over and over: I think that explains why recently I've been seeing a chicken in our yard. %PDF-1.7 So, as you navigate your way through life, remember that there is something far greater waiting in the afterlife. Start by doing the hole in you hand optical illusion. Such belief is not foolish credulity or gullibility; God offers abundant evidence from multiple first-hand witnesses. Explain that Jesus comforted His friends, much in the same way He had before He died. Use these fun activities that go along with the lesson. Glue the eyes, lashes (cut from another color of paper and cut to look like lashes), eyebrows, etc on a piece of construction paper. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,*. And its amazing how the darkness starts getting lighter when we know were not alone. Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT, What do you mean, If I can? Jesus asked. See all articles by Jens Omdal Jens Omdal. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Thomas might have remembered that at this rate nothing could ever be proved by witnesses; and that he himself as a teacher could never expect men to believe him. Yes, the children magically travel to other places and times. This doesn't mean you'll never struggle with sin, it means you no longer love or pursue sin but instead, submit to Jesus as your Lord and King. Required fields are marked *. Let kids feel one object and guess what it is without looking. <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/Annots[ 9 0 R 15 0 R 25 0 R 26 0 R 27 0 R 28 0 R] /MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/StructParents 0>> Open it up with activities that invite students to think about trust and believing things without seeing them. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) The resurrected Savior speaks of us again when responding to his disciple Thomas, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. (John 20:29, NIV). Please feel free to fill out the Prayer Request form. It is a style of talking that shows a mind either proud, or foolish, or inconsistent. John 14:1-11. When they told Thomas that they had seen Jesus and that he was alive, Thomas refused to believe it. Would you believe it if. NIV Especiallywhen its hard. And Jesus rebukes Thomas (gently but firmly) for not believing the additional eyewitness testimony of all the disciples after they had subsequently seen Jesus. We serve an invisible Godat least in form. loves us anyway. The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. We believe there are rocks on the moon even though we have never been to the moon. Time and again he thwarted these planned attacks. They can make choices that surprise us. 1 Peter 1:8-9 tells us, You love him even though you have never seen him. Verse 15: When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside; there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. endobj Unlock everything with Sermons4Kids Basic for $199/year Click YES, UPGRADE NOW and unlock Sermons4Kids Basic for $199 today. Start with God! (vs 17). After an encounter with God at age 21, she discovered the truths of our righteousness in Christ which she now. He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Thomas might have felt a little sheepish when Jesus came directly to him like that. Out of the Story for Teachers This must be what it's like for unbelievers observing a Christian's life. Using my previous example of a Bluetooth phone device, would we assume people to be crazy if we couldn't "see" their device? Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. He was not dead, but risen and with them! A choice to believe this or that. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) The case of Thomas is not an uncommon one. Does it matter if you pray standing up, kneeling, or sitting in a chair eyes open or closed? My prayer is the same as Elishas: Lord, open our eyes and let us see, and in the meantime, give us faith to believe without seeing! Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. I must have love. as a single adult choosing sexual integrity and a God-honoring, Jesus-following, counter-cultural lifestyle. So why are you asking me to show him to you? Required fields are marked *. We will face ridicule for believing in the unseen.But that is where true faith comes in. So get real and get raw! Although we cannot see God, we believe He is real and that He loves us. (NKJV). , AMP). On a poster board or the chalkboard, the teacher can write B-E-L-I-E-V-E down the left side of the board and let children talk about words for each of the letters that would help them BELIEVE, or ideas of what JESUS has done to help us BELIEVE, etc. Now, I want to talk about the difference between this process of . God is a faithful promise keeper and can be trusted completely. Hebrews 11:1, I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. He that begins his studies by saying, I shall not believe anything which I do not see clearly demonstrated from the very first, will make very little progress. About Us They were hiding because they didnt want to be arrested and crucified as Christ had been. All Rights Reserved. Whether we see the fruits of that work or know of them, it should not determine how we live our day. God is not afraid of our feelings. Our hope isnt found in whats tangible or visible. People say seeing is believing, but I beg to differ. Blessed to Believe Sunday School Lesson on Doubting Thomas (John 20:19-31) Children are often trusting, but they sometimes have difficulty understanding what it means to believe things without seeing them. To feel this or that. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,* This is what makes Christianity amazing. To believe in Jesus means that you rely on Him. Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! The succession of these incidents, culminating with Thomas, conveys divine blessing on those who receive that divinely given testimony with a faith that honors Gods words (1 John 5:9-12). believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. But the Scriptures point to me! And everywhere Jesus went, He declared the Father the invisible God. How blessed are we to have the gift of vision and sight in our physical world! MP3 Accompaniment Track (right click to save to your computer), Share This ! program, theres no secret formula to follow, or magic pill to pop. Begin by believing, and then you will see.. But John (the author of this text) was an eyewitness to the life of Jesus, and gave us his accounts so that we could trust and believe that those things are really true. We listen to the gossip of others and believe their words to be fact.However, when it comes to believing that God is God, and that the Bible is holy and true, many people struggle.Why is it that we have a much harder time believing in a sovereign God, than we do a story on the news or from a friend? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Give children supplies to draw and cut out their own traced hands. Apart from You, I can do nothing. "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us." Open it up with activities that invite students to think about trust and believing things without seeing them. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.-John 20:26-29, Ask: Who are people that have not seen and still believed? Thats what their observable behavior is, you know. Jesus demonstrates this himself in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. Review our privacy policy. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us." If were in painful circumstances with no apparent way out or even if the darkness is rooted in our own mind, will, and emotions how do we hold onto hope if we cant see the light? Can you believe that? -John 20:19-20. It can be hard for us to trust and have faith when we dont get to see Jesus like the disciples did. Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT, I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. This story is potentially a good one to act out with kids in a mini-skit format, especially if you have a large group and want to assign each kid with a disciple to re-enact. You can use materials you have at home not necessarily a canvas or cloth. Copyright 2001 - 2023. Nevertheless, they exist in the Church, and always will exist; and the case of Thomas shows what trouble they bring on themselves. It is all the testimony we need (and all we will get) for arriving at the good and necessary inference that Jesus has risen and that he is our Lord and our God. Prayer's such an important part of a Christian's life. Look straight ahead with both eyes and youll see that a hole has formed in your hand! "Have you believed because you have seen me? Believe without sightHave students reach into bags blindfolded, and identify various items based only on touch, sound, or smell. In addition to her work as an Associate Writer and Speaker for Celebrate Kids, Lauren keynotes live and virtual events for women, youth and pro-life ministries throughout the US and beyond. See? In between, the other ten tried to persuade Thomas that Jesus really was alive and they really had seen and touched and talked with him. Glue onto a piece of construction paper and glue a black round circle in the middle of each hand as a "hole" that Jesus had placed in his hands and feet. Copyright Ministry-to-Children. John 5:37-38CloseJohn 5:37-38 What can we learn about God while watching TV gameshows? Sermon4Kids. John 6:47, But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. The idea is that we do not have to see things in order to know they exist, for better or for worse. In the daily business of life, we take many important steps on no other ground than the testimony of others. New Living Translation For we live by believing and not by seeing. The official definition of faith is a "firm belief in something of which there is no proof. The teacher can tell them to look for any item that has a ribbon on it so that children will know an item that is to be written down for this class project, such as a pencil, a stuffed toy, a cross, a Bible, a drinking cup, a flower, a picture, a toy, a bracelet, etc. Bible verses about believing without seeing We all have times in our lives when we struggle to believe in God. Love is the best way to declare and show the invisible God. His story teaches us to stay humble and seek God's wisdom in every decision, regardless of our IQ. Have you seen these books before? By believingwithoutseeing. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) Those are the three steps involved in taking a leap of faith, believing without seeing, active faith. The paradox for Christians is that faith ultimately relies on the unseen (see Hebrews 11:1). If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing. Tell them this is similar to our faith in God.
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