Order Of Worship
Pre Song
Sanctuary
Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving
Call to Worship & God's Greeting
BLESSed to be a BLESSing
Children's Message
“I Doubt It”
John 20:25
Our Morning Prayers
Offering - Special Offering - Doxology (stand up) - Deaconal Prayer
Sending and God's Parting Blessing
God's Parting Blessing:
God go before you to lead you, God go behind you to protect you,
God go beneath you to support you, God go beside you to befriend you.
Do not be afraid.
May the blessing of God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit be upon you
Do not be afraid. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Amen
Closing Song
There’s Nothing That Our God Can’t Do
Have a Great Week!
Sermon Outline
“Love vs. Doubt”
John 20:19-31
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." 24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." 26 A week later, his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." 28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." 30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Introduction
I. The Purpose of John’s Gospel (v. 31)
31But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
A. Doubting ___________________________
B. Faith Died
II. A Closer Look at Thomas
A. A sober faith
B. A “pitiful” person (1 Corinthians 15:14-19)
14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless, and so is your faith. 15More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact, the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ,
C. Seven days later … (v.27)
27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."
III. Application for Doubters (Philippians 4:6-7)
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Faith Lesson
BLESSed to be a BLESSing
Kid's Bulletin
"Doubting Thomas Believes"
John 20:19-31
Summary of this sermon...
Jesus has risen, believe it or not! Doubting Thomas needed to see to believe, but Jesus blesses those who believe without seeing. Through faith, we accept Jesus' resurrection, even if we haven't seen Him. Scripture: John 20:19-31
There is a very interesting book called "Believe It or Not" by Robert Ripley. Mr. Ripley enjoyed collecting strange and amazing bits of information which, although they seem unbelievable, were true. Let me read some examples of some of the amazing things you will find in his book.
A man by the name of James Cook once had a chicken that laid a perfectly square egg. Now, I’ve seen white eggs, brown eggs, even spotted eggs, but I have never seen a square egg. Have you? I think I'd have to see it to believe it!
Joann Barnes was a 15-year-old from California, and she once swung a lot of hula-hoops on her body at the same time! How many do you think she swung on her body? (Take guesses until kids say 68.) Can you believe that? I can't even keep one hula-hoop going. I think I would have to see that to believe it!
Here's one I'll bet you didn't know. How long do you think the world’s largest weenie was? (Take guesses until kids say 3,000 feet.) The world's largest weenie was over 3,000 feet long, weighed 885 pounds, and took 103 butchers to carry it! Now that's a lot of baloney! I would have to see that to believe it!
This book is filled with things that are very hard for me to believe. But do you know what? If it's true, it's true--whether I believe it or not!
In today’s Bible lesson we learn that on the Sunday that Jesus rose from the grave, He appeared to a group of His disciples. One of the disciples, whose name was Thomas, was not with them. When the disciples told Thomas that they had seen Jesus and that He was alive, Thomas said, "I won't believe it until I see it with my own eyes. I want to put my finger in the nail-prints in His hands—and place my hand where the spear was thrust into His side.
A week later, Thomas saw Jesus. Jesus invited Thomas to touch His hands where the nails had been. He told Thomas to put his hand in the wound in His side. Then Thomas believed! Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
A lot of people today won't believe that Jesus really rose from the grave because they haven't seen Him with their own two eyes. Do you know what? It is true whether they believe it or not! You and I have never seen Jesus, but we believe. We accept Him by faith. We don’t have to see it to believe it!
Dear Jesus, thank You that You help us accept by faith that You have risen from the grave and that You are alive. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
