LAZARUS

Series Objective: At the end of the series the kids will understand that the different Bible
stories make up one BIG story about the love of God (Point to Jesus) so that they can live a
life of faith and obedience.

Note to preacher: The series objective is just a guide for you. You do not need to mention it
when you preach. Also, please note that there will be one Power Truth and Power Verse for
the entire Superbook series, to make it easier for the kids to memorize and apply. As such,
these may not apply for this particular lesson but applies for the whole series.

PT: God's Word can help me live a life of faith and obedience.
PV: Psalm 119:11 CEV I treasure your word above all else; it keeps me from sinning
against you.

INTRODUCTION

We are actually on the 15th week of our series based on episodes of the Superbook
animated shows. It has been a grand adventure with Chris, Joy, and Gizmo, as they went
back in time to witness Bible stories as they happened. Today’s adventure is about the time
when Jesus’ dear friend Lazarus passed away. We’ll find out more later.

CONNECT

Materials: 2 rolls of gauze around 10 meters (or toilet paper, but it might be too long)

Before we start, let’s play a game. I need two representatives from the girls and two from
the boys. Here is one roll of gauze for each of you. We will play a wrapping game. One of
you will wrap a roll of gauze around your partner. The first duo to finish their gauze will win
500 KC Bucks each while the duo who didn’t finish will receive 200 each. But I will need all
the kids on their seats to cheer, you are part of the team! If your duo wins (e.g. girls), then
all the members of the cheering team will get 100 KC Bucks! At my signal, start wrapping.
Ready, get set, go!

Great game! That was a lot of fun! Both our models looked like mummies. Nowadays, people
are scared of mummies because some movies make them look that way. But they are not
scary at all. It is just the way some cultures in the past honor their dead loved ones. When
people die, the Bible says that we will face God. So there is no need to be afraid of mummies
coming to life. However, in our story today, a mummy did come back to life, but it was Jesus
our Lord who resurrected him. Let’s find out what happened in this video…

VIDEO
http://en.superbook.tv/video/jesus-calls-lazarus-out-his-grave

WORD

Let’s read about the story straight from the Bible.

John 11:1 NIV Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of
Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the
same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the
sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

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4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s
glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her
sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two
more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you
are going back?”
John 11:32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his
feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping,
he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
35 Jesus wept.
John 11:38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone
laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for
he has been there four days.”
40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead
man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Jesus is God and has power over death. But more than the actual resurrection of Lazarus,
there are other themes we can explore in our story today. Nowadays, kids like you hear a
lot about depression, mostly understood as being very sad. So today in this lesson, we will
learn what it is about God that encourages us.

1. God’s Word

John 11: 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is
for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

When Jesus got the message about Lazarus’ illness, He immediately sent back a message
reassuring Martha and Mary that their brother’s sickness will not end in death.

ILLUSTRATION: Ambulance

I have a question. What is the sound a Nintendo ambulance makes? (Allow kids to guess.)
The sound a Nintendo ambulance makes is, “Wii U Wii U Wii U”. Hahaha Did you get it?!!

Now back to our lesson… When there is an emergency and someone is badly hurt, people
immediately call an ambulance. An ambulance comes with a paramedic, someone like a
doctor, who will help. The ambulance will also bring the sick or hurt person to the hospital.

When you are sad or need help, call out to Jesus immediately. He loves you very much and
is more than willing to help and comfort you. You see, God wants to reassure us of His love

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and great purpose for us. Whatever difficult situation we are going through, God has an
encouraging word for that. We can find all His positive messages for us in the Bible. That’s
why reading our Bibles everyday is very important, because God likes talking to us. Our
Power Truth and Power Verse is a good reminder of the importance of God’s Word.

PT: God's Word can help me live a life of faith and obedience.
PV: Psalm 119:11 CEV I treasure your word above all else; it keeps me from sinning
against you.

2. God’s Nature

John 11:33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also
weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he
asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
35 Jesus wept.
Empathy – the ability to understand and share the feelings of another

Why did Jesus cry? He could have just shrugged off Martha and Mary’s sadness since He
was going to raise Lazarus from the dead anyway. But Jesus’ heart bled. Our God
empathizes with us. He was hurt because His friends were hurt.

ILLUSTRATION: Game

Materials: 2 pairs of either undersized or oversized footwear (shoes or slippers, whichever

Let’s play a short game. I need two players. (Pick ones who are athletic-looking and
comfortably dressed.) We will have a short race. The first one to reach the finish line wins
500 KC Bucks while the other player will get 200 KC Bucks. But there is a twist, you need
to wear these oversized/undersized shoes! Ready, get set, go!

Great game! It was hard to run because the shoes were not our size. Earlier, we learned
that the meaning of empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Simply put, empathy is walking in another person’s shoes; and it was hard, wasn’t it?

We go through difficult times in our lives. Our God not only knows about our sadness, He is
also sad with us. He empathizes with us. Even if He will be delivering you from your
problem anyway, God’s heart still breaks when yours does. When we know the kind of God
who loves us, we cannot help but be encouraged.

PRACTICE

True to His word, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. He did this so people will give glory
to God. Our problems in life are also meant to give glory to God. When He answers our
prayers and delivers us from our problems, we praise and glorify Him. But during times
when God’s answer is NO or NOT YET, we can still glorify Him because we know His plans
and purposes for our lives is greater than we can imagine.

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POINT TO JESUS

Jesus showed everyone that He has power over death when He brought Lazarus back to life.
He also showed it on the cross when it was He who decided when He was going to die (Luke
23:46). But unlike Lazarus who still eventually died maybe years after he was resurrected,
Jesus lives until now! That is because He is God. When we have faith in what Jesus did for
us on the cross, we attain right relationship with God.

HUDDLE TIME

1. What do you do when you are sad?

TEACHER’S DEVOTIONAL

Read John 11:1-44

The shortest verse in the Bible, “Jesus wept.”, is in right smack in the middle of our lesson
scripture for today, John 11:35. For such a short verse, it is filled with so much meaning
and emotion.

But why would Jesus cry? He could have just shrugged off Martha and Mary’s sadness since
He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead anyway. But Jesus’ heart bled. He was filled
with compassion for His friends. He was hurt because they were hurt.

We go through many difficulties and hurts in life, most of them of our own doing. Sure,
many are periods of pruning and discipline from God. But that does not mean that God is
impassive when we are going through all this. His heart bleeds when we are hurt. But God’s
love is not a pampering love but a perfecting love. His desire for us is to grow in our faith
and Christlikeness, not just to keep us happy.

Grab a partner and share one thing that is hurting you right now. Encourage and pray for
one another.