Doubting Thomas

DOUBTING THOMAS

Objectives:

  1. Children should recognize the name of Thomas as a disciple.
  2. Children should be able to tell the story of Thomas in their own words.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

  1. Open with prayer.
  2. Read the story of Thomas in the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 261-263, or the Children’s Bible, page 458, or Children’s Stories of the Bible page 244, or use the Arch book, “Doubting Thomas”.Who was Thomas? What happened to the other disciples? Was Thomas there? What did Thomas say? What did Jesus do? How did Thomas respond? Why is he known as “Doubting Thomas”?

 

  1. Feed the Elephant True/False Questions:

True                                                     False

            Thomas was a disciple.                                   Thomas was a thief.

            Thomas didn’t believe the other disciples.     Thomas saw Jesus before anyone.

            Jesus appeared also to Thomas.                      Thomas never saw Jesus.

            Thomas bowed and worshipped Jesus.           Thomas ran away from Jesus.

 

Add Doubting Thomas to your timeline:

  1. Talk a bit about doubt: Has someone ever told you something that was hard to believe? Listen to the children’s stories of things they would find hard to believe. If someone told you he saw a dead man walking around, would that be hard to believe? Did Thomas believe the other disciples? Would you? Talk a bit about the normal, expected way things usually are:  Can the children describe some things that we know should happen in a certain way or look a certain way? Maybe, things fall down, not up; we walk on our feet and not our heads; leaves are green and not purple. Life is full of normal, everyday things and it would be impossible to live life otherwise. Imagine a world where things fell up, down, or sideways at random, where …(go on with your children’s list). But, do things always have to be normal? Is God in charge? Can He change anything He wants when He needs to? So He can and did change death, and surprised poor Thomas.
  2. Begin your Paschal Season Story Bags. Bring a tote bag to class; label it Paschal Season Stories. Put in it an empty Easter egg for the Empty Tomb, along with a glove to remind children that Thomas said he must see Jesus’ hands and feet. Keep the bag in the classroom and each week until Pentecost have the children take turns removing an item from the bag. Can the class tell the story to the teacher?

6. Make a Nailed Cross: Take a wooden cross, found at any craft shop, one for each child. This can also be done with Styrofoam. Spray paint it ahead of time; or let the children paint it. We have lots of hammers and nails. Let them hammer nails in; suggest the hands and feet position, but likely you’ll find nails everywhere. Remind them that Jesus showed Thomas the prints of the nails.

No nails or children a bit to young for hammer and nails? Why not take a piece of construction paper. Have children trace their hands and cut out. Glue to the construction paper and color a red circle in each one on the palm. Add the exclamation of Thomas, "My Lord and my God". 

 

         7. Close with prayer.