Rotation.org Writing Team

Jesus Raises Lazarus

Summaries of the Lessons in this Set

As always, Lesson Summaries and the Bible Background for Writing Team lesson sets are open to the public. The lesson plans themselves are only open to our amazing Supporting Members who make this website and ministry possible. Join today.

Scripture: 

John 11:1-44, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.

Key/Memory Verse:  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; and those who live and believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?”  --John 11:25,26 (Good News)

Bible Background and Lesson Objectives

Our Lazarus Bible Background focuses on what this story is about, and why it is one of the most important stories in the entire New Testament. The Background is rich with teachable content and insights to share with your students. This particular background also includes why we think the Good News translation is the one you should use to teach this particular story to children.

Lesson Plan Features

• Every lesson plan has adaptations for younger children and those short on time.
• Every lesson describes its techniques so that your teachers not only understands how  to do something, but why.
• Every lesson includes options and alternatives, and plenty of "what to say."

Summaries of the Lesson Plans in this Set

Art Workshop ~ Using some creative and precious materials students will create a cool reminder air-clay mosaic of the main moment in the story. In addition to lots of detail about the project, this lesson plan also includes a memorable opening activity that involves flour, and a clay reflection activity. Several great songs are also included (as links) that can provide good background music for the main art activity.

Bible Skills and Games Workshop ~ Every activity, including the scripture reading, has an element of "game" to it in this workshop to enhance attention and retention. In addition to breaking down the story's 44 verses into its key scenes and words, we've also included a "Resurrection Synonyms Race Game" designed to help your kids understand everything the word "resurrection" means to us as Christians (with a special eye to how we live now in the power of the resurrection).

Computer (or a presentation with a Computer) Workshop ~ For teaching with one computer or several, this lesson includes a special focus on memorizing John 11:25, 26, the "I am the resurrection and the life" passage. It includes a special opening featuring "lifesaver" candies that return with new insights during the closing reflection.

A Drama Workshop! --using either LEGOs or Storytable posable figures, or both!  In addition to lots of ideas about how students can retell Lazarus' story using various types of figures, props, and sets, this lesson includes a creative and playful "Breakthrough Resurrection Reflection" to help address the subject of the tomb Jesus rescues us  from.  This workshop is drama on a small scale about a hugely important subject.

A Resource for All:

Attached to the Drama Workshop is a condensed retelling of the Lazarus story you can print for use in any workshop. The condensed version preserves the basic outline, key dialog, and Jesus' all important actions found in John's 44 lengthy verses.  Created by our Writing Team for this set, we're making it available to all at this link.

Lazarus' Song Workshop ~ This super special "Music Workshop" lesson plan connects one of today's most popular and easy to sing contemporary Christian songs to what the story of Lazarus tells us about the good good father we worship and trust for our own resurrection. To help tell it, we also include a second version of the song video (posted on YouTube here) into which we've put scenes from the Lazarus story. This workshop can be taught by anyone who can hold a tune and press the "play" button. It comes with a special handout of the lyrics and a unique way of focusing students' attention on singing along with the lyrics. If you believe in the power of music to teach and form memories, this workshop is for you.

Lazarus' Video Workshop ~ We previewed over a dozen videos
for this lesson and settled on what we think is the best available today: Nest's Lazarus Lives! (We also tell you why we think it's the best.) In addition to a discussion guide, we also include an outline of the 30-minute video and suggestions of what to skip if you're running short on time or using it with younger kids. The lesson comes with a great teaching technique for priming your discussion before the video starts.