Can You Believe It?

Before class, fill a small, clear bowl with water. Tear or cut a small piece of paper towel about the size of a small Post-It Note. 

Have you ever had to see something with your own eyes before you were willing to believe it? Suppose your mom came in and told you there was a puppy waiting for you at home. You might have a hard time believing it was true until you actually got home and saw the puppy with your own eyes, right? The same is true for many of us. We often have to see something to believe it. 

Let’s try something together. (Hold up the paperclip.) If I put this paperclip in water, do you think it will sink or float? (Pause for responses.) Let’s see. (Drop the paperclip in the clear bowl of water. It should sink.)

Now, what if I told you that I could make this paperclip float? Would you believe me? Or would it feel so impossible you would have to see it to believe it? (Pause for responses.)

Let’s try it now. (Put a small paper towel about the size of a Post-It Note  on the surface of the water and then carefully place the paper clip on the piece of paper towel. When the paper towel becomes saturated, it will sink, leaving the paper clip floating on the surface of the water.) Wow! That's amazing! The paper clip is floating! I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes.

Our Bible lesson today is about believing what we cannot see. 

On the evening of the first Sunday after Jesus was crucified, His disciples were together in a locked room. They were afraid that those who had crucified Jesus would also want to put them to death. Suddenly, Jesus appeared in the locked room with the disciples. It was hard for the disciples to believe, but they saw Him with their eyes. Jesus showed them the wounds in His hands and His side, so they knew it was Him.

One of the disciples, whose name was Thomas, was not with the others when Jesus appeared to them. When they told Thomas they had seen Jesus, he did not believe them. He had seen Jesus crucified and buried; how could He be alive? Thomas said, "Unless I see the wound in His side and put my finger in the holes where the nails were in His hands, I will not believe it!"

A week later, the disciples were in the locked room again and this time Thomas was with them. Again, Jesus came and stood among the disciples. Jesus said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe."

Thomas fell on his knees and answered Jesus, "My Lord and my God!"

Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

You and I have never seen Jesus with our own eyes. The question is, will we be a doubter like Thomas? Or will we be blessed because we believe, even though we have not seen?

Dear Father, help us to believe in our heart those truths we find in Your Holy Word, even though we have not seen them with our eyes. Amen.