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Children’s Sermon

John 20:19-31

Why Doubting Thomas Doubted

April 7, 2024

Second Sunday of Easter

Lectionary Year B

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ASK (a.k.a The On-Ramp)

Good morning!
I have a question for you: Have you ever missed out on something? (if there are answers skip next line)
[if no one gives any answers, say...] For instance, maybe there was a birthday party you couldn't go to or a soccer game that you couldn't play in because you were out of town?
You know, that question reminds me of something I would miss quite a lot when I was your age (and actually still do).
I'd be with a bunch of people, but I'd be thinking about something while everyone else would be talking.
And then…EVERYONE would laugh.
But because I wasn't paying attention, I wouldn't know why everyone was laughing.
So I'd ask someone, "What happened? Why's everyone laughing?"
But they would be laughing too much to tell me.
And then I'd feel upset because they wouldn't tell me what was so funny.
But really, it was my fault for not paying attention in the first place, wasn't it?

TELL (a.k.a. The Freeway)

In today's scripture story, we hear that pretty much the same thing happened to the disciple, Thomas.
Jesus had told the disciples to stay together after he was crucified. So that’s what most of the disciples did.
But Thomas did not do listen. He didn't stay together with the other disciples.
And because Thomas was not there with the other disciples, Thomas missed out.
He missed seeing Resurrected Jesus.
Then, when he found out what he missed, he got upset and told the other disciples, "I don't believe you! I don’t believe that you saw Resurrected Jesus!"
Thomas in that moment was a lot like I was when I was younger -- he was upset with everyone else even though it was his own fault for not paying attention.

SHARE the Good News (a.k.a. The Destination)

But guess what? Thomas learned from his mistake.
After his mistake, he decided to pay better attention to what Jesus told him to do.
Thomas re-joined the disciples.
And, because he re-joined the disciples, we hear that Thomas then had a second chance and saw Resurrected Jesus!
Pretty cool, right? And the same thing that was true for Thomas is also true for us.
We too are invited to follow Jesus, together.
We too are invited to learn what Jesus taught, together.
We too are invited to pray like Jesus prayed, together.
And, should we forget or let our attention wander, we are given second chances to rejoin and try again.
When we do these things, together, we learn about and better understand who Jesus is.
Or to say it another way, when we gather together to learn about Jesus and do what Jesus teaches, we then get second chances to see Resurrected Jesus, just like Thomas did.
And that’s the Good News for today. Let’s pray.

CLOSING Prayer

This is a repeat-after-me prayer.

Dear God,

Thank you for each other…

…and for how we can help each other…

…better see and know…

…Jesus and you.

Thank you and Amen

Originally posted April 3, 2015

Updated on March 9, 2024

Written and edited by Nathanael Vissia

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