Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead 

Storytelling Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Studets make a stick puppet with a happy and sad face. Then, as story unfolds students show via their sick puppet what emotion is being felt.

Scripture:

John 11:1-44; particularly 17-44
To see the “aftermath” of Lazarus’ resurrection, read 11:45-12:11

Memory Verse:

John 11:25, “Jesus said, ‘I am the and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even if they die”

Objectives:

• Students will be able to identify Mary, Martha, and Lazarus as personal friends of Jesus.
• Students will learn that different emotions are OK at the time of a death or funeral.
• Students will learn that Jesus has the power to bring life out of death.

Leader Preparation:

• Gather the materials.
• Read the scripture ahead of time.

Materials: 

• This script (or your notes or memory!)
• Sheet of paper for each student with 2 circles (4 inch diameter?) on it
• Markers or crayons
• Scissors
• Glue sticks
• Tongue depressors or other flat sticks (one/student)

Presentation

Opening-Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Opening Prayer: 

Say, “Today we’re going to learn about something sad that happened to one of Jesus’ friends, and what Jesus did about it. First, though, let’s begin with prayer. Dear Jesus, we thank you for this day and the chance to learn more about you. As we learn about how you helped one of your friends, help us to know that you help us, too, in amazing ways. And all of God’s children said…AMEN.

Introducing the Story: 

Ask the children, “Have any of you had someone from your family die? How many of you have been to a funeral? (Allow children to respond and share a brief story if they wish). Usually we feel pretty sad when someone dies, don’t we? At the same time, though, sometimes people visit and laugh and smile even at a funeral. Can anybody think of why people might be happy sometimes at a funeral? (This might be a tough question for kids. Help them think about these ideas: people know their loved one is with Jesus; if the person had been very sick, they might be happy that their suffering is over; funerals are times we see family members and friends that maybe haven’t been seen for a long time; and it is a time to share happy memories of the person who died).

In the story that I will be sharing today, some of the emotions go back and forth, between happy and sad. Before we start, then, I have a little art project I’d like us to work on. We’re going to make stick puppets with happy and sad faces. Then, as I tell the story, you can help me think about which face the people might have had at that part of the story!

Dig-Main Content and Reflection:

Face Puppets:

Pass out to each student a sheet with the circles on it for face shapes. Have them use markers/crayons to create a happy, smiley face. Use markers/crayons to make the other one be a sad face, perhaps with tears. When they are done, have them cut out the faces. One should be glued to a tongue depressor with the stick against most of the length of the back of the circle, for support. The other face should then be covered with glue on the back and pasted to the back of the other face, over the stick. (The result will be a two-faced puppet—happy on one side, sad on the other.) When everyone is finished, have the group gather around you for the story.)

Telling the Story: 

Once upon a time, there were two sisters and one brother named Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Even though they were grown-up age, they still lived with each other in a little house in a small town called Bethany. Bethany was just about two miles from the big city of Jerusalem. One day they got a chance to meet Jesus, and they became very good friends. Jesus traveled a lot, but whenever he came to Jerusalem, he made a point of going also to Bethany to visit his friends—Mary, and Martha, and Lazarus. Some times they would have supper together, and they spent a lot of time visiting with each other. What were the names of Jesus’ friends? (Mary, Martha, and Lazarus). How do you think their faces looked when they were visiting together as friends? (smile face). 

One day, though, Lazarus became sick. As the day went on he felt worse and worse. Mary and Martha didn’t know what to do for him. In those days they didn’t really have hospitals to take him to, or an ambulance to call. They were worried about their brother, though. They had never seen him so sick. How do you think their faces looked when they worried about Lazarus? (sad face). 

Suddenly, Mary had an idea. She said to her sister, “Martha, we have seen Jesus heal a lot of people from many, many diseases and disabilities. I am sure that Jesus could heal Lazarus! Let’s send someone to tell Jesus that Lazarus is sick, and ask him to come right away!” How do you think Martha looked when she thought about sending someone for Jesus? (happy face). 

Martha said, “That’s a great idea, Mary! I’ll go ask Nathan, next door, if he would go and deliver a message to Jesus. I think he might know where Jesus is right now.” Nathan did know where to find Jesus. The very next day he arrived where Jesus was and told him, “Jesus, your good friend Lazarus is very sick. His sisters asked me to tell you, so that you could come and heal him.” How do you think Jesus felt when he heard that his friend was sick? (sad face) 

Jesus told Nathan that he would come as soon as he could, and assured him that Lazarus’ illness would bring glory to God, and to the Son of God.
As much as Jesus was concerned about Lazarus, he also knew that what he was doing when Nathan came was important. So, he didn’t leave right away. In fact, he stayed there two more days, telling people about God’s love, and healing people in that town. How do you think the people in that town felt, knowing that Jesus loved them so much that he would stay there to talk to them and heal them? (happy face). 

Finally, one morning Jesus said to his disciples, “It’s time for us to go to Bethany and see Mary, and Martha, and Lazarus.” Thomas said to him, “Maybe you shouldn’t Jesus! You have a lot of enemies in Jerusalem. If you go to Bethany, you’ll be close to them, and maybe they will hurt you.” Jesus said, “I’m not afraid of them! There are twelve hours of daylight in a day. I will walk in God’s light and not hide from anyone. I must go to Bethany. Lazarus is dead. For your sake, I am glad I was not there. You will believe when you see what I do. Let us now go to him.” Thomas was very upset, but he said to the other disciples, “We might have to die with Jesus, but if he wants to go to Bethany, let’s go with him.” How do you think the disciples felt when they heard that Lazarus was dead, and Jesus wanted to go to an area that might be dangerous? (sad face). 

When they got to Bethany, they found out that Jesus had been right. Lazarus was dead. In fact, he had died four days earlier, and his body had been put in a tomb. A tomb is like a cave where bodies are placed for burial in areas where you can’t dig a grave into the ground. There were a lot of people at Mary and Martha’s house. A lot of friends had come to cry with them. People were in and out of the house, and it seemed like everyone was still crying very loudly. Lazarus had been quite a young man, and everyone was surprised and sad at how quickly he died. What face did people have at Mary and Martha’s house? (sad face). 

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she ran out of the house to see her friend. She was happy to see him (happy face) but also kind of angry at him (sad face). She said, “Jesus, if you had come sooner, my brother would not have died! But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask him for.”

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise to life.” Martha replied, “Yes, I know that he will have a new life at the end of the world.” Jesus, though, said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” Martha said, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” How do you think Martha’s face looked now, after this promise of Jesus’? (happy face). 

Martha ran and told her sister, Mary, that Jesus had come. Mary came out of the house and went to Jesus. She sobbed, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died!” Jesus was very sad to see her and all the others being so sad. (sad face). He asked Mary, “Where have you buried him?” Mary took him to the family’s tomb. Jesus himself cried, when he saw the burial place of his friend, Lazarus.

Jesus told someone to move away the big stone that was covering the entrance to the tomb. Martha said, “I don’t think you want to do that, Jesus! He’s been dead four days. By now his body is probably starting to rot. It will smell really bad.” Jesus said, “Do what I tell you, and believe in me, and you will see God’s glory.”

Some men worked together to move the big stone. Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed, “I thank you, Father, that you listen to me. I know that you always listen to me, but I say this for the sake of the people here, so that they will believe that you sent me.” Then, Jesus shouted out in a loud voice, “LAZARUS, COME OUT!”

Immediately, Lazarus came walking out of the tomb—alive again! He was still wrapped up in the cloths that they had buried him in. They would wrap bands of cloth around the body, and put some special sweet-smelling substances in the cloth to try to cover up the smell of the dead body. He didn’t need that anymore though, did he? Jesus told Martha, “Help him out of that stuff, and let him go!” Now how do you think people’s faces looked? (Wave the happy faces wildly!)

Conclusion: 

Jesus’ disciples were right about one thing. Going back to Bethany was dangerous for Jesus. Pretty soon Jesus’ enemies had him arrested, and you know what happened, don’t you? They put Jesus to death on the cross for our sins. All of his followers were very sad about that (sad face). But three days later, on Easter morning, God raised Jesus from the dead. Just like Lazarus, Jesus came walking out of the tomb! (happy face). God showed that he is stronger than death. Do you remember Jesus’ promise in our memory verse this month? Let’s try to say it together, “Jesus said, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even if they die.” This promises us that anyone who believes in Jesus will have new life beyond death. It doesn’t mean that we’ll get to walk around on earth more like Lazarus did, but that God will give us a new life in heaven.


Review Questions:

1. What were the names of Jesus’ friends in this story? (Mary, Martha, and Lazarus)

2. What did Jesus promise to Mary and Martha? (Lazarus would live again)

3. When you take your face puppet home, your parents will probably ask about it. What will you tell them? Why were people sad in this story? (Lazarus was sick, and then he died) Why were people happy in this story? (Being with good friends, and especially they were happy when Jesus raised Lazarus!)

Journal Question: 

Draw a picture or write in your book about how Lazarus would have felt when he got the gift of new life from Jesus.

Closing: 
Dear Jesus, we thank you that you are the resurrection and the life. We are very glad that you are stronger than death. Help us to trust you, even when we are sad, knowing that you are always with us. Let all of God’s children say….AMEN.

A lesson written by Pastor Ted from: Augustana Lutheran Church 
Saint James, Minnesota

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.

The Raising of Lazarus

Newsroom Workshop: 

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Create (and watch) a mock TV newscast where the students interview the participants in the story of Lazarus. [Note: This workshop was visited by 3rd grade and up.]

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture for this lesson.
• Read and reflect on the overview material provided for this lesson.
• Gather the materials.

Supplies List:

• Bibles; One purple Adventure Bible with tabs (Law, History, etc.)
• Bible tab writing kit: tabs, fine-line Sharpie pen
• Copies of interview sheets (at least 3 copies for each class) 
• Pencils or pens
• Costumes
• Videotaping equipment: digital camera or video recorder, tripod, extension cord, TV
• Props: Microphone, Scene clapper, news desk with a sign: “WFUMC” 

Before Start of Class:

• Practice telling the story using the paraphrase. 
• Decide what parts of the room to use for the various scenes. (May not want to shoot scenes with hallway windows in background; would be distracting if people walk by.)
• Set up the video camera on the tripod. Review how the camera works.
• Prepare the interview sheets by filling in these character names at the top: Martha, Mary, One of Jesus’ disciples. [If you will have a large group of students, add Lazarus. One group even added Jesus as a character to interview.]

Presentation

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction:
Greet your students warmly, welcoming them to the WFUMC Newsroom. Introduce yourself and any other adults. Pass around a basket to collect any offering.
[Note: The Shepherd will quietly take attendance, etc. while you are starting your lesson.]

Say: Let’s begin with prayer.
Ask for any prayer requests. Ask if anyone would like to lead the group in prayer. Use the Lord’s Prayer as the ending. A suggestion: Dear God, Help us to understand your son Jesus. You sent him to live on earth where he had feelings just like we do. Yet he also had your power – he raised Lazarus from the dead. Help us understand this story for our own lives. Join me as we pray as Jesus taught us to pray (End with the Lord’s Prayer) Amen.

Say: This is the newsroom of WFUMC. Today we’ll be videotaping a news broadcast on the story of Lazarus. We want to get to the bottom of the story – I have heard that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead – we just want to find out what’s going on, because it’s our job to report the news. Like all newscasts, ours will need reporters and people being interviewed. We’ll get it all ready, practice, and videotape it, and hopefully we’ll have time to watch our news show. Let’s first review our story.

Dig- Main Content and Reflection:
Distribute Bibles.

Ask: Where in the Bible would we find a story about Jesus? (in the New Testament)
What are the first four books of the New Testament? (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
What do we call those first four books? 

Say: We call the first four books of the New Testament, the Gospels. If you have your own Bible today, be sure you receive a tab for the gospel section of your Bible. [Show the classroom Bible with tabs. Have the Shepherd do tabs using the kit provided, for students who bring their Bibles. Use the classroom Bible with tabs as an example.] 

Have everyone find John, chapter 11, verse 1. 
[Remind them of the quick way to find the New Testament: Opening the Bible in middle lands you usually in Psalms. Taking just the back half and finding middle of that, gets you to beginning of NT.]

Ask: What does the heading say at the top of this section of the Bible? (the death of Lazarus)
Say: The heading gives us a clue as to what our story is about. Keep your Bibles open but listen as I read you this story. 

Hold a copy of the story in an open Bible while you read the story.
[Note: After the first week of the Rotation the students will become more familiar with the story. Have them locate the scripture in their Bibles. Then ask them to tell you the story. Fill in any missing details by using their Bibles. Don’t read the paraphrase unless it is necessary.]

Say: We are going to explore this story. The way we are going to do this is to break into groups. Each group will have a handout to help them prepare a part of the news show.

Separate into groups – Prepare the News:
Ask the Shepherd to help you break the students into groups – preferably groups with 2 or 3 in each. If you have a large number of students place them in the “Disciple” group and have 2 students be interviewed as disciples. Even if students don’t want to have an on-camera part, assign them to a group to help do “research”. Once the kids are in groups, give each group a different “Interview Sheet.” Pass out pencils or pens.

You and the shepherd may need to help the students as they do their research and develop their interviews. Encourage them to look at the story in their Bibles to determine the questions to ask.

Hints of questions for each character:
Martha: Why did you feel that if Jesus had been there your brother Lazarus would not have died? Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26) What did Jesus mean by this? Why did you not want the rock moved from in front of the tomb?

Mary: How did you react when Jesus didn’t come right away? How did you feel when you first saw Jesus? How did you feel when Jesus started crying with you? How did you feel when Lazarus came out of the tomb? 

Disciple: Why do you suppose that Jesus didn’t go right away to Lazarus? Did it make you nervous going back to Judea, knowing that Jesus had his life threatened? What did you think when Jesus said Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.” (John 11:14-15) How did you feel when you heard people in the crowd saying, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” (John 11:37)

Watch the clock; give a five-minute and a two-minute warning. [Start taping by 10:12]

Videotape the News, then View the News:
When the time is up, gather everyone together. 
Ask someone to be the announcer and give them the announcer script (see attached).

Instruct the students on how the news should flow: starting with the opening announcer, who will pass off to a reporter. Tell the reporters that they will need to pass off to other reporters.

Videotape the news. 

When done, hook the digital camera to the TV and enjoy!

Closing:
Say: Jesus came to release us from our tombs of sin. Jesus sets us free and unbinds us. He releases us to new life in God just as Lazarus was set free from his grave clothes. All who believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, receive through him the gift of eternal life.

Attachment: Opening announcers part
News Anchor reads: 

We interrupt today's special six-hour presentation on “Great Moments in Methodist History” to bring you this special news bulletin. We have just heard rumors that a man in Bethany has been raised from the dead! For more on this breaking story, we go live to our ace reporter in the field.

Attachment: Interview Sheets


Your character is: _________________________

Lazarus has been raised from the dead! Your job is to interview your character to find out more about what happened from their point of view.

Consider:
 The role of your character in the story.
 How this character might have felt.


Three questions we want to ask & how we will answer these questions:

A lesson written by Carol Hulbert for First United Methodist Church
Ann Arbor, MI 

Copyright 2006 First United Methodist Church, Ann Arbor, MI. 
Permission to copy materials granted for non-commercial use provided credit is given and all cited references remain with this material

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.

Luanne and I wrote this really cool LEGO and/or STORY TABLE lesson plan for the Writing Team's "Jesus Raises Lazarus" lesson set.

If you're a supporting member, go straight to the lesson plan.

If you're a visitor or registered member, see the lesson summary page.

A Puppet or Drama Lesson with a Script

about the Resurrection of Lazarus

written by Amy Crane

Story: John 11:1-44
Memory Verse: John 11:25

The children will use puppets to act out a scripted story of Jesus raising Lazarus and will reflect on the meaning of the story and the life we have through Jesus.

Materials list

Chalkboard, whiteboard, or newsprint
Cloth to wrap around Lazarus puppet
Copy machine
Markers for board or paper
Paper, 8 ½” x 11” white
Pencils or pens
Props: cave and rock
Puppet stage
Puppets, one for each character in Bible story
Script for puppet show (at end of lesson)

Advance Preparation Requirements

• Make or obtain the puppets. Any sort of puppets can play the parts in the Bible story, but One Way Street - Creative Ministry resources has some nice Bible characters:
  

  Moderator Notes: In April 2022, Kristofer Sommerfeld Productions acquired a majority of the assets formerly belonging to the company Creative Ministry Solutions (was cwww creative min . com), previously One Way Street, INC.

  new site is https://oneway2.com/ when posting this update the site was not yet up and running.

• Create the props, a cave and a rock. This can be as simple as a box and a crumbled up brown grocery bag, or build something more elaborate out of papier-mâche and paint it.
• Find or build a puppet stage or cover a movable board or a table with cloth.
• Print the memory verse on a chalkboard, whiteboard, or large piece of paper.
• Duplicate a copy of the script for each participant.
• For more information on puppetry techniques, see "Bringing the Bible to Life Using Puppets."

LESSON PLAN

Introduction:

Introduce yourself, any other leaders, and the children and explain how today's lesson will unfold.

Note: Because the puppet script tells the story and this is a long scripture passage, briefly summarize the story of Lazarus in your own words. Ask the children to help you.

The script below is your scripture "reading" for the day. For the memory work and sign language reflection you may want everyone to turn to John 11 and look up the verses.

Tell the class that they will have the opportunity to present the Bible story in the form of a puppet show. Display or distribute the puppets. Demonstrate puppet techniques and proper puppet handling.

Engage the puppeteers in warm-up exercises: have the puppets cry, hug, roll the stone. Ask the students to suggest other movements and emotions that would be appropriate for this story.

Assign parts and act out the story using the script provided at the end of the lesson.

Discuss other things that can be added to the drama, and if time permits, reassign parts and do it again.

Discuss:

1. What was the reason Jesus gave for not rushing to heal his friend?
2. What was the reason Jesus gave for wanting to resurrect Lazarus?
3. How would you have felt it you were there watching Lazarus come out?
4. How would you have felt if you were Lazarus!  and it was YOU being resurrected?
5. Knowing Jesus promises you the gift of resurrection, how does that make you feel? How does such a gift potentially change someone's life and faith in God?

Memory work:

Practice saying the verse in unison either reading John 11:25 or echoing the teacher phrase by phrase; repeating motions that you are comfortable with will help the students remember the words. For example:

From John, chapter 11, verse 25 [hold hands like an open book]

Jesus said to her, [American Sign Language sign for Jesus--point to "nail holes" in your hands]
"I am the resurrection [point up]

and the life. [point to heart]

Those who believe in me, [point to head]

even though they die, [tilt head and rest on hands as if sleeping]

will live.” [point to heart]

Ask for a volunteer to say it alone (prompt with motions if he or she gets stuck).

Encourage all to repeat the verse a few more times during the class, and congratulate all on a job well done.

Close with prayer asking Jesus to help us believe in him and live with gratitude.

PUPPET SCRIPT

The Death and Resurrection of Lazarus

Scripture: John 11:1-44 (adapted from Today’s English Version)

Characters:
Narrator
Mary
Martha
Jesus
Lazarus
Friend 1
Friend 2
Disciple 1 (Thomas)
Disciple 2

Narrator: A certain man named Lazarus, who lived in Bethany with his sisters Mary and Martha, was very ill.

Mary: We must send a message to Jesus.

Martha: He will want to know his dear friend Lazarus is sick. Friend, come here!

Friend 1: Yes Martha?

Martha: Please go to Jesus and tell him that his good friend Lazarus is sick.

Friend 1: Certainly. Right away. (Travels across stage)
Jesus, Jesus!

Jesus: Yes, friend?

Friend 1: Lord, Mary and Martha sent me to you. Your dear friend Lazarus is sick.

Jesus: Thank you for letting me know. The result of this sickness will not be the death of Lazarus. This has happened to bring glory to God. The Son of God will receive glory through this illness.

Narrator: Jesus loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus. But after he received the news that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days. Then he called his disciples together.

Jesus: Let us go back to Judea, to Bethany.

Disciple 1: Teacher, just a short time ago the people in Judea wanted to stone you. To kill you!

Disciple 2: Bethany is in Judea! And now you are planning to go back?

Jesus: A day has twelve hours, doesn’t it? So whoever walks in the daytime, does not trip, for he sees the light of this world. But if he walks during the dark of night he trips because he has no light.

Disciple 2: Huh?

Jesus: It is safe for me to return to Judea at this time. Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I will go and wake him up.

Disciple 1: Why do you need to go?

Disciple 2: If he is asleep, Lord, he will get well.

Jesus: Not that kind of sleep. Lazarus is dead, but for your sake I am glad that I was not with him, so that you will believe. Let us go to him.

Disciple 1: Let us all go along with the Teacher, so that we may die with him!

Narrator: Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many friends had come to see Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother’s death. When Jesus arrived in Bethany, he found that Lazarus had died and been buried four days earlier.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at the house.

Martha: If you had been here, Lord, my brother would not have died! But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.

Jesus: Your brother will rise to life.

Martha: I know. He will rise to life on the last day, as will all of us.

Jesus: I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live. And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?

Martha: Yes, Lord! I do believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.

Jesus: Where is Mary?

Martha: She waits at home. I will hurry back to tell her that you are here.

Narrator: Martha went back home and called her sister Mary privately.

Martha: The Teacher is here. He is asking for you.

Narrator: When Mary heard this, she got up and hurried out to meet him. The friends who were in the house comforting Mary followed her. They thought she was going to the grave to cry. As soon as Mary saw Jesus, she fell at his feet.

Mary: Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died!

Narrator: Jesus saw her crying. He saw how the friends with her were crying also. His heart was touched and he was deeply moved.

Jesus: Where have they buried him?

Friend 2: Come and see Lord. We will take you to the tomb.

Narrator: Jesus wept.

Friend 2: See how much he loved him.

Friend 1: He gave sight to the blind man, didn’t he? Could he not have kept Lazarus from dying?

Jesus: Take that stone away!

Martha: There will be a bad smell, Lord. He has been buried four days!

Jesus: Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believed?

Narrator: They took the stone away. Jesus looked up.

Jesus: I thank you, Father, that you listen to me. I know that you always listen to me, but I say this for the sake of the people here, so that they will believe that you sent me.
Lazarus! Come out!

Narrator: Lazarus came out. He was wrapped in grave cloths.

Jesus: Untie him. Let him go.

Narrator: Many of the friends who had come to visit Mary and Martha saw what Jesus did, and they believed in him.