Thomas Believes
John 20:19-31 New Testament PrincipleFaith
Jesus rose from the dead and visited His disciples, but Thomas wasn't there. Thomas said, "Unless I see the nail marks, I will never believe." A week later Jesus came back and showed Thomas His hands. Thomas said, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus is truly alive, and we can believe in Him even though we haven't seen Him.
Jesus really rose from the dead. God gave us the true words of people who saw Him, so we can have faith in Jesus even though we haven't seen Him yet.
- CreationGod made it
- FallWe broke it
- RedemptionJesus fixes it (this lesson)
- RestorationJesus makes it new
Memory verse
“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:29 BSB
The Big Story · Redemption
Sin brought death into the world. Jesus died for our sin and rose again with a real body, and the scars in His hands are the proof that death has lost.
Teacher Guide
This version includes:
- Background and context for the passage
- Hidden in Plain Sight: the detail most people miss
- The Christ Connection: how this story points to Jesus
- A 45-minute class plan and prep checklist
- Object lesson: What's in the box?
- Ellie’s Lab (science experiment): Fingerprints
- A skit to act out the story
- Review game: Locked door
- Pronunciation help, tips for every age, song ideas and a note for parents
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Preschool (ages 3–5)
Jesus is alive! I believe!
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 4-minute Bible story written for this age
- 3 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Peekaboo, Jesus is alive!, Color Thomas
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, at church
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
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Free preview · Kindergarten – 2nd grade
Jesus rose from the dead and came to see His disciples, but Thomas missed it. Thomas said he wouldn't believe unless he saw the nail marks. A week later, Jesus came back and showed Thomas His hands. Thomas said, "My Lord and my God!" We can have faith in Jesus even though we haven't seen Him.
Start here
Ask, "Have you ever missed something exciting because you weren't there?" Let a few kids share. Say, "Today one of Jesus' friends missed the most exciting thing ever. What would he do?"
Bible story 6 min
Jesus died on the cross. Three days later, He rose from the dead! That night, His friends were in a room. The doors were locked. They were scared.
Then Jesus was standing right there with them! "Peace be with you," He said. He showed them His hands. They were so happy!
But Thomas wasn't there. His friends told him, "We saw Jesus!"
The rest of the story, discussion questions, songs, Live It and prayer are for members.
Try an activity
Act it out 10 min
You’ll need: A blanket
- Choose Jesus, Thomas, Peter and John. Everyone else is a disciple. Two kids hold the blanket as the locked door.
- Act out the skit.
- Switch so more kids get a turn.
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3rd – 4th grade
Thomas missed Jesus' first visit and said he would never believe unless he touched the nail marks. Eight days later, Jesus came back, repeated Thomas's own words and invited him to see. Thomas declared, "My Lord and my God!" Faith means trusting the risen Jesus, and Jesus blesses all who believe without seeing.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 8-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 5 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Thomas's words, Jesus' words, Locked door
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at school, at home, with friends
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
5th – 6th grade
Thomas, a brave but grieving disciple, refused to believe without physical evidence. Jesus met him personally, echoing his exact words and showing the scars that proved the crucified Jesus had risen. Thomas's confession, "My Lord and my God," is the high point of John's Gospel. Faith trusts the risen Jesus through eyewitness testimony, and Jesus blesses those who believe without seeing.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 10-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 6 discussion questions
- 2 activities: The evidence, My honest questions
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at school, online and on screens, with friends
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
More lessons on Faith
The same principle in other Bible stories.
Jesus the KingJesus Calls FishermenLuke 5:1-11After a night of catching nothing, Peter trusted Jesus' word and let down the nets, caught so many fish the nets began to break, and left everything to follow Jesus.New TestamentFaith
Rahab and the SpiesJoshua 2:1-24; Joshua 6:22-25; Hebrews 11:31Rahab lived in Jericho, a city that didn't follow God. But she heard what the LORD had done and believed He was the true God. She hid two of Israel's spies, and God saved her and her whole family. God welcomes anyone who trusts Him.Old TestamentFaith
The Twelve SpiesNumbers 13:1–14:38Moses sent twelve spies into the land God promised. They all saw the same good land and the same giants. Ten spies said, "We can't!" Joshua and Caleb said, "The LORD is with us!" The people listened to fear instead of God. Faith means trusting what God says more than what we see.Old TestamentFaith
Jesus Turns Water into WineJohn 2:1-11; Isaiah 25:6At a wedding in Cana, the wine ran out. Jesus turned six huge jars of water into the very best wine. It was His first sign, and it showed His glory, so His disciples believed in Him.New TestamentFaith
In the BeginningThe PassoverExodus 11:1-12:42God protected every home marked by the lamb's blood, and Jesus is our Passover Lamb whose death keeps us safe.Old TestamentFaith
Jesus the KingAn Angel Visits MaryLuke 1:26-38; Luke 1:5-20The angel Gabriel told Mary she would be the mother of Jesus, God's Son, and Mary trusted God's word, because nothing is impossible with God.New TestamentFaith