Mummy game
Divide kids into 2-3 groups. Choose one kid from each group. Get parents/kids to help wrap up the kid with toilet paper (like Lazarus). Most creative one wins. Then get kids to remove the “grave clothes”.
Wink, Wink, Resurrection
Similar to wink murder. Kids sit in a circle. Choose someone to be the “resurrector” and a detective to guess. The resurrector has to discreetly wink at one of the other kids. But this time if someone is winked at, they must jump up and shout “I’m alive”, instead of dying. The detective is allowed three guesses to work out who the resurrector is before everyone is “alive”.
2. LESSON: I AM the Resurrection & the Life (John 11)
What happened there? What did the messenger tell Jesus?His friend Lazarus was very sick.
Did Jesus rush immediately to his side?No. He stayed 2 more days.
Why? Why didn’t He stop Lazarus from dying? (get kids to think)Because there was a bigger plan — Jesus wanted to demonstrate some greater miracle of God to prove that He had victory not only over sickness, but over death
When Jesus reached Bethany, what was the first thing Martha and Mary (Lazarus’ sister) said to Him?“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
How long had Lazarus been dead?4 days. Ewww … stinko!
What did Jesus ask the people to do at the grave?Move away the stone.
How did Jesus pray? Did He beg God, “Please, please do something!!!!”?No. Jesus said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”Note: Jesus called God “Father”.
What happened when Jesus said, “Lazarus, come out!”Lazarus came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Isn’t Jesus wonderful? Even when no one around believed that He could do it, when people doubted and complained, He still did a great miracle and raised Lazarus — who had been dead 4 days — from the dead! He resurrected Lazarus!
Jesus IS the Resurrection and the Life!
JESUS CAME TO GIVE US THE “JESUS LIFE”
What did Jesus say to Martha? <get kids to read>“I AM the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)
What is resurrection? Resurrection means being brought back to life.
Jesus said those who believed in Him will live, even though they die. Then He says if they believe in Him, they will never die! What do you think Jesus meant by that?
Jesus didn’t just mean that when we die, we will go to heaven. He didn’t mean we will never die physically — all of us will die one day; even Lazarus died physically later.
Jesus wanted to tell Martha something very important and wonderful. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, He wanted to prove something even more awesome and miraculous — that He can give life to those who are spiritually dead!
Flashback: Garden of EdenGod told Adam that if he ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil, he will surely die. When Adam disobeyed God, he died spiritually. And because of that, we ALL were dead spiritually. We were all like Lazarus … dead!
Jesus came to die on the cross, taking all the punishments for our sin. Three days later, He rose again. By His death and resurrection, Jesus defeated sin AND death!
More importantly, Jesus’ death and resurrection brought us back to life from spiritual death. Jesus put His life into us — the Jesus Life. This is an everlasting life that will never die.
When we believe in Jesus, we have His Jesus Life in us today! And even when we sin, even when we sometimes do things our way, even when our physical body dies, we will always have this Jesus Life in us forever!
Do you want to believe in Jesus today?
3. Suggested Activities
Memory verse activity/game:John 11:25-26Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
