Large baggie of water
Food coloring
White sheet of paper
Before hand put absorbent polymer balls into baggie with enough water to cover them so appears to only have water in the bag.
Start by asking children what is in the bag. (they will answer water)
Ask them what they would think if you told them you had a bag of balls? (listen to responses)
Set aside bag and read John 20: 24-29
Point out that Jesus wanted Thomas to believe because of what Jesus had told him when He was with Thomas, plus the testimony of his friends who wouldn’t make this up.
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Ask, “Have any of you ever felt or seen God?” (will answer No)
It takes faith to believe in God.
Are there any other things you believe in that you can’t see? (air, gravity….)
Continue: We cannot see air, but we can sometimes feel it and can see the results of it moving things around us.
It takes faith to believe in God, yet, at times we can feel Him. Have any of you ever prayed when you were afraid and then felt peace? That was God letting you feel that He is with you. We can also see God in His creation, knowing He spoke all the details into being. And we can strengthen our faith by listening to the testimony of people we know wouldn’t lie to us. Back to our first verse John 20:29b “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” We are those who believe in Jesus even though we haven’t seen Him face to face and Jesus says we are blessed.
Hebrews 6:18a “God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,”
Continue: So if God can not lie and faith is being certain of what we do not see, what would you say if God told you this was a bag of balls? (most will give positive response and believe)
Ask: So would you have faith in this bag? No. The water? No. The balls? No. In What? God.
Because God cannot lie we can believe everything He tells us in His word even if it doesn’t look like it is true. We can put our faith in God and know He is Truth.
Declare that, this is a bag of balls. Would it be easier to believe if you could feel the balls? Allow children to squeeze and feel the balls in the water. Would it be even better if you could see the balls? Add food coloring to water and lay bag down on white paper, balls will be visible.
Wrap up: Now like Thomas you have felt and seen so you believe. At times God will allow us to see and feel His moving around us, yet much of the time believing God and His Word takes faith. And faith requires believing what God tells us, not just what we see, because we know He cannot lie.