Second
Sunday of Easter
Sunday,
March 30, 2008
John
20: 19-31
The Things We Can't See
Highlighted
Verses: John 20: 26-29
26A
week later his disciples
were again in the house, and
Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and
stood among
them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27Then
he said to Thomas, “Put
your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my
side.
Do not doubt but believe.” 28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my
God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Have you believed
because you have seen
me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
(Note: This week's sermon makes use of a
can of compressed air. Compressed air is sold at office and photo
supply stores for blowing dust off of computer and photo equipment.)
I bought something special at the
store. It's a can of air.
Air seems like kind of a funny
thing to buy, doesn't it? But
sometimes you need to make sure that certain things are very clean - like the parts inside
your computer. This can blows clean air to help move dust and dirt off
of things you don't want to touch with your fingers or scratch with a
cloth.
Watch, I'm going to let
some of the air out. (Release into an open
space, away from anyone or anything.)
Did you see it? Hmm. I
didn't either.
If we can't see the air, how do we
know its there? You don't think they sold me an empty can, do
you?!
Let's try again.
(Release air toward your own palm.)
Wait. Something
happened that time! I still couldn't see the air. But I
could feel it! It blew on my hand!
Who would like to feel
this for themselves? (Blast each child with a
quick burst onto his/her palm.)
Some things we just
can't see. But
we know they're there anyway. Like the air.
In this week's Gospel
story, Jesus comes back to visit his disciples
after his death. But when this happens, Thomas - one of the disciples -
isn't there. When the others tell him what happened, he doesn't believe
them. He wants to see Jesus with his very own eyes! Eventually Jesus
comes back again - and Thomas does believe. But Jesus reminds him of
something very important.
Sometimes we just have
to believe in things that we can't see. We have
a special name for that. We call it "faith."
God's love is sort of
like the air, isn't it? It fills us up - and even
though we can't see it - we can feel it in our hearts.
Will you pray with me?
Dear God,
Sometimes its hard to
believe in things that we can't see. But like the
air, we know that you surround us with your presence and your love.
Help us to live faithful lives, now and forever.
Amen
Copyright
2008 - The Children's
Sermon.Com