This Sunday school lesson focuses on the passage from John 11:1-45, in which Jesus brings Lazarus back to life. In this lesson, we will look at how Jesus shows us that He is clearly greater than death and gives mankind hope for eternity.
Bible Passage Background
John 11 tells the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. In verses 1-16, we see different people reacting differently to the news of Lazarus’s death. Martha believed that if Jesus had been there, he would have been able to save him; Mary believed that even now, Jesus could do something about it (verse 21-22).
When Jesus arrived in Bethany, he was moved by their grief and sorrow (verse 35). He asked them where they had laid Lazarus (verse 38), and when they showed him, he ordered the stone rolled away and called out loudly “Lazarus come forth!” (verses 39-43) Immediately after saying this, Lazarus came out alive! This miracle proves that nothing is impossible for God and that death has no power over Him.
Main Lesson Focus
The main point of this lesson is to show kids how great our God is – He can do anything! No matter how bleak and hopeless a situation may seem, He has ultimate authority over all things. We learn from this passage that if we trust in Him, He can do miraculous things in our lives as well—He can bring us back from spiritual death just as he did for Lazarus. It also teaches us about faith: just like Mary & Martha had faith that Jesus could still do something despite the long journey it took for Him to get to them and despite the fact that their brother was already dead—we must have faith too! No matter what situation we are in or what obstacles stand before us—we must believe and trust in God’s absolute power at work in our lives.
Application For Kids
As children go through this story together as a class, ask them questions such as: How did Martha feel? How did Mary feel? What did Jesus say when he saw them? How did their attitudes display faith? Then ask them how they can apply these attitudes of faith into their own lives today? Encourage them to pray whenever they face hard situations or doubts so they can believe like Mary & Martha had faith—trusting fully in God’s power at work within them!
Wow! What an amazing story! Lazarus was dead for four days, but Jesus raised him back to life! Let’s take a closer look at what we can learn from this passage:
- Jesus loves us. We see in verse 5 that Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. And we know that he loves us too! He cares about our problems, our joys, and our sorrows. We can trust him to be with us always.
- Jesus has power over death. Jesus knew that Lazarus was going to die, but he also knew that he had the power to bring him back to life. We can trust that Jesus has power over all things, including death.
- Jesus is the resurrection and the life. In verse 25, Jesus tells Martha that he is the resurrection and the life. This means that whoever believes in him will live forever, even after they die. We can trust that Jesus has prepared a place for us in heaven, and that we will one day be with him forever.
- Jesus wants us to believe in him. In verse 40, Jesus reminds us that if we believe in him, we will see the glory of God. This means that when we trust in Jesus, we will see his power and love working in our lives.
Now that we have learned more about this amazing story, let’s pray and thank Jesus for his love and power:
Dear Jesus, thank you for loving us and for having power over all things, including death. Help us to trust in you and to believe that you are the resurrection and the life. Amen.
As we close this lesson, let’s also think about some practical applications we can make from this story:
- Trust in Jesus during difficult times. When Martha and Mary’s brother Lazarus was sick, they reached out to Jesus for help. When we face difficult times in our own lives, we can also turn to Jesus and trust that he is with us.
- Believe in Jesus’ power. Just as Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, he has the power to work miracles in our own lives. We can believe that he can heal us, provide for us, and guide us through life.
- Share the good news of Jesus. When Lazarus was raised from the dead, many people came to believe in Jesus. We can also share the good news of Jesus with others so that they may come to know and believe in him too.
Thank you for joining us in this Sunday School Lesson. Let’s continue to learn more about Jesus and his love for us as we grow in our faith.
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