Bible Passage: John 11 (Jesus Raises...

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© 2011David C. Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved. 3.12 date:____/____/____ Jesus Has Power over Death Schedule Anticipate 5–10 minutes Celebrate & Respond Large Group 35–55 minutes Respond & Bless Small Group 20–25 minutes Bible Passage: John 11 (Jesus Raises Lazarus) Environment: LOVE AND RESPECT Without love, our faith becomes futile. Children need to experience love and respect in order to receive and give God’s grace. Innate in this environment is the value that children are respected because they embody the image of God. We must speak to them not at them, and we must commit to an environment where love and acceptance are never withheld due to one’s behavior. REMEMBER VERSE For I am convinced that neither death nor life, … neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38–39

Transcript of Bible Passage: John 11 (Jesus Raises...

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© 2011David C. Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.

3.12date:____/____/____

Jesus Has Power over Death

ScheduleAnticipate

5–10 minutes

Celebrate & RespondLarge Group

35–55 minutes

Respond & BlessSmall Group

20–25 minutes

Bible Passage: John 11(Jesus Raises Lazarus)

Environment: LOVE AND RESPECTWithout love, our faith becomes futile. Children need to experience love and respect in order to receive and give God’s grace. Innate in this environment is the value that children are respected because they embody the image of God. We must speak to them not at them, and we must commit to an environment where love and acceptance are never withheld due to one’s behavior.

REMEMBER VERSEFor I am convinced that neither death nor life, … neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God

that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38–39

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Tori FunkhouserTruStory Team

InspireI once heard a podcast entitled “Unconditional Love.” The podcast began with the voice of a man describing who Martin Luther King Jr. was to his three-year-old daughter. The father told her that Martin Luther King Jr. was a good man who had fought to free people from suffering—but that one day someone killed him because he did not like what Dr. King was saying and doing.

A few weeks later, the man was driving down the road with his daughter when she spied a cross on the roof of a church. “What’s that, Daddy?” she asked. The man told his daughter that the cross represented Jesus Christ. He told her who Jesus is and how He loved everyone on earth and came to save them.

“Did they kill Him, too?” she asked.

I have thought about this story many times since I heard it. The innocence of this child’s question highlights the incredibleness of what Jesus did on the cross. Her logic of connecting the two events points to what Christ came to save us from—human blindness to what is good and human refusal to accept God.

But unlike Martin Luther King Jr., Christ defeated death. He rose again to save us from the death of our sin. In fact, Christ defeated the very sin that killed Him. Though many people have refused to accept Him, we know that Christ has power over death in an all-consuming way. In fact, Philippians 2:10–11 says, “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Christ has power over death—all for the sake of His love for us and for the glory of the Father.

N O T E S :

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EquipWhen 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.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ‘Where have you laid him?’ he asked. ‘Come and see, Lord,’ they replied. Jesus wept. (John 11:32–35)

This is the moment directly before Jesus raised Lazarus from death. This passage is extremely moving. In verse 33, the words “deeply moved” come from the Greek word embrimaomai. This word is used to describe the snorting of animals, and used to describe a deep anger in people. So when Jesus saw them weeping He was very angry and frustrated.

Why would Jesus be angry and frustrated at this moment? Some say He was angry at their lack of faith. But others suggest that Jesus was angry at death itself—the great enemy that people were never supposed to deal with. His anger could have been linked to the terror and grief that death inflicted upon the people He loved.

After this, Jesus showed another strong emotion: sadness. When the mourners told Jesus to “come and see” where Lazarus had been laid, “Jesus wept.” In the original language, the mourners were wailing, klaio. In contrast, Jesus did not wail like one with no hope; instead, He wept, dakryo. He shed tears of sadness—of empathy—for those He loved. Those who saw Him weep said, “See how he loved him! … Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” (John 11:36–37). When Jesus heard this, He was once again “deeply moved”—embrimaomai. Full of this emotion—like a wrestler entering a match—Jesus walked to Lazarus’s tomb, thanked God, and said in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” (v. 43).

In this passage, we see Jesus as both the One who has power over death and the Man who loves us. We see Jesus use His power to glorify God and to prove to us that He is the One who can save us from the enemy of death. Even more, this miracle prepared the way for Jesus’ own death and resurrection. Because many believed in Him after this miracle, the high priest worried that there would be an uprising. Concerned for the safety of himself and the Jewish people, the high priest decided that Jesus must die. But, he did not know Jesus would rise again.

Further ResourcesFor more information on how Jesus raised Lazarus visit: http://www.biblegateway.com/resourcescommentaries/IVP-NT/JohnJesus-Raises-Lazarus.

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SupportTherefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:14–16)

In John 11, we see a clear picture of how Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses. He feels anger on our behalf, and He feels sadness along with us. Through His empathy, Jesus offers us a picture of what it means to love and respect others. Though He is God, and we are merely human, He loved and respected us enough to come and be one of us—to feel our pain, to be tempted, and to take away the bondage of sin and death.

Take a walk or find a quiet place and think about Jesus as the One who not only saves us from death, but also empathizes with our weaknesses. Boldly ask Him to fill you up with the knowledge of His love and empathy for you.

Then, through the knowledge that only His Spirit can provide, lead the kids into an experience with God, whose great love is consistently amazing. Pray they feel the depth of Jesus’ love and respect for them, too.

TruStory Team

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Lesson Overview

Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare (Master Supply List under Resource Tab)

Anticipate//Small Group Check-In

5–10 min.

Encourages interaction among kids, leaders, and parents; engages the kids in curiosity and anticipation of the lesson; and creates an inviting atmosphere.

Mummy Clothes• toilet paper (1 large roll per child)• masking tape

Celebrate//Large Group

20–35 min.

Establishes community and tells stories both personal and biblical in a fun and engaging way.

Traditions • mementos for your church Traditions (rocks,

marbles, gum balls, etc.) • Remember Verse cards, slides, and animation

(see Resource Folder)Connect • Connect Activity slide (see Resource Folder) The Big God Story • Bible • Timeline slide and animation; images of a

grave, and a mummy; sound effect: audio clip of John 11:43 (see Resource Folder)

Respond//Large Group

15–20min.

Creates space for children to respond to the Holy Spirit in worship and community as a large group.

Following Jesus• butcher paper, foam board, or poster board• markers• verse slide: Mark 8:34–35 (see Resource Folder)

Respond//Small Group

15–20min.

Discusses Truth, reflects on the lesson, engages in relationships, and creates a project or a piece of art individually or together.

Reflect: Jesus Has Power over Death• questionsCreate: New Life Mural• poster board or canvas (1 per table)• markers

Bless//Small Group

5 min. Sends the kids out with a sense of peace and blessing so they can be a blessing to their families and others.

• Bible (for the blessing)• HomeFront Weekly (1 per child, see Resource

Folder)

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ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

Anticipate// 5–10 min.

An energizing time for parents and kids to start engaging with the material that will be presented in the lesson.

It is intentionally designed to spark curiosity and cultivate a sense of awe and wonder about God.

Encourage parents to participate in this time with their kids.

Small Group Leaders

SMALL GROuPS E C T I O N

Mummy ClothesLead the kids in a fun Anticipate where they use toilet paper to wrap themselves up like Lazarus.

SUPPLIES• toilet paper (1 large roll per child)• masking tape

SET UP Set out toilet paper and tape for the kids to use.

ENGAGE Jesus has power over death. When He told Lazarus to come out of the tomb, Lazarus got up and walked out with his grave clothes still wrapped around him like a mummy! Then Jesus said to those watching, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go” (John 11:44).

Encourage the kids to use the toilet paper to wrap themselves, a friend, or their Small Group Leader like mummies.

Partner Church Comments “This is one of the best Anticipates ever! The kids loved it. We used about 60 rolls of toilet paper, but it was an experience they will not soon forget. After playing with the toilet paper, we had a big game: they had 10 seconds to pick it all up and put it in the trash. It worked out well.” First Baptist Church Loganville

“We had the kids wrap their leader like a mummy; it was a blast! This also saved us financially because we only needed 30 rolls of toilet paper instead of 300.” Elmbrook Church

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Celebrate//20–35 min. Host/Storyteller

LARGE GROuPS E C T I O N

ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

Welcome and TraditionsAfter everyone is gathered together as a large group, open with Traditions. During Traditions, you are helping the kids work toward a common goal and giving them mementos to celebrate things like memorizing the Remember Verse, inviting a friend, or bringing their Bibles.

Mementos can be anything, such as rocks, marbles, gum balls, or connecting blocks. Use a clear plastic or glass container to fill so the kids can watch their progress. Or have them contribute to the building of a structure with connecting blocks. If you have multiple services, use separate containers or building stations for each one. Once the kids have been awarded their mementos, direct them to put the mementos into the container or to add them to the building effort. When the common-goal tradition is complete, have a celebration!

If there is time, take it a step further and choose one or two child volunteers each week to give praise reports, testimonies, or tell about funny and intriguing events. Sing familiar worship songs with corresponding motions. Encourage kids to think of their own motions to personalize the songs for your church community.

ConnectConnect is a time to laugh, play, and enjoy each other’s company. Engaging questions, energizing games, and creative activities encourage the community to get to know each other. Invite kids to participate in the following activity. See the Resource Folder for Connect Activity slide.

ActivityShake someone’s hand while acting like a mummy.

REMEMBER VERSEThis is a good time to introduce or remind kids of the Remember Verse. Also look in the Resource Folder for Remember Verse cards, slides, and animation.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, …neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38–39

Kids get to be a part of the faith community of God’s family.

They participate in traditions and share them with newcomers, connect through fun and interaction, and experience The Big God Story through storytelling.

Prayer of ReleaseAt the end of Connect, pray a Prayer of Release. This is a time for kids and leaders to pause, be still, and ask God to quiet their hearts and minds. If you would like, encourage kids to hold their hands out in front of them in a spirit of releasing their worries and distractions in order to better receive what the Holy Spirit might have for them. Encourage kids to quiet their voices and take a seat. Then ask them to pray with you.

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ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

N O T E S : The Big God StoryStoryteller

During The Big God Story, the kids will hear about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Though it can be delivered verbatim, read it before the lesson, so you can personally interact with the material. Share stories from your life, and speak with your own style by varying your intonation and gestures.

Jesus Has Power over DeathSUPPLIES• Bible • Timeline slide and animation; images of a grave, and a mummy; sound effect: audio clip

of John 11:43 (see Resource Folder)

SET UPCue images and audio.

Last week, we heard about how Jesus restored a blind man’s sight. We also heard how Jesus restored his soul by leading him to belief in God. This week we are going to hear about an even more miraculous healing of a man named Lazarus, who had been sick for a long time. Lazarus and Jesus were good friends. Jesus loved Lazarus and his two sisters, Martha and Mary, very much, but He was with His disciples in another city when He heard Lazarus had died.

After Jesus heard that Lazarus had died, He went to the house where Lazarus had lived with his sisters. When He arrived, Martha ran to Him and said, “Lord … if you had been here, my brother would not have died’” (John 11:21). How would you feel? Pretty sad, right? Martha was probably really hurt that Jesus did not come in time

TipBefore sharing this account of Jesus raising Lazarus, point out that what they are about to hear is true and is recorded in the Bible. Open your Bible to the passage and leave it open and visible throughout The Big God Story. Establish a consistent place to keep this Bible every week.

Invite kids to open their Bibles and follow along in John 11 as you storytell. Encourage adult volunteers to keep an eye out for kids who need help finding the Scripture passage, and allow enough time for each child to locate the passage. You may even want to project the reference on a screen or write it in large print on a poster or whiteboard.

Visual AidsYou will find JPEGs and PowerPoint slides of various visual aids in the Resource Folder for every lesson of TruStory. Though we often refer to projector screens, do not feel limited by this. Please use these files in whichever format works best for your church, whether you use computer media, an overhead projector, or poster board.

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ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

N O T E S : to heal her brother. But God had a different plan. God used Lazarus’ death to prove that He has power over death. In fact, Jesus had already told His disciples before Lazarus died that “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it” (John 11:4). So Jesus reassured Martha that her brother would “rise again” (v. 23).

Martha did not completely understand what Jesus meant. By this time, her brother had already been dead for four days. So … what happens to a body after it dies? (Encourage the kids to respond.) It starts to decay, right? Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies” (v. 25). Martha did not think Jesus meant He would really, physically, raise Lazarus from the dead. She might have thought Jesus meant Lazarus would have eternal life because he believed in and was now with God. But Jesus was trying to tell her that He was God, the One who has power over death.

Martha’s sister, Mary, was weeping—crying very hard—and other people were with her and weeping too. Jesus did something really amazing: He cried with them! One of the shortest verses in the Bible is two words: “Jesus wept” (v. 35). Then Jesus walked with the mourners to Lazarus’s tomb, a cave with a stone across the entrance. (Show image of the grave.) Jesus then ordered them to remove the stone from the front of the cave. What do you think they said? (Encourage the kids to respond.) “‘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.’” But Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (v. 39–40).

So while they went to take away the stone, Jesus looked up to heaven and thanked His Father for the healing that was about to take place. He did this so that everyone else would know He came from God. Then He said in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” (v. 43). (Play audio clip: John 11:43.) When He said this, the most amazing thing happened, “The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face” (v. 44). Wow! He must have looked like a mummy all wrapped up in those grave clothes! (Show image of a mummy.) Everyone there was absolutely amazed. Jesus not only raised Lazarus from the dead, but restored his body, too! We know God has power over death, and we know He chooses to use that power in our lives because He loves us.

The Big God Story

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ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

This is a time for kids to worship through silence, prayer, singing, giving, sharing, thanksgiving, and many other ways.

Make plans for your worship time but prepare yourself and your team to hold them loosely if the Holy Spirit leads the group in a different direction.

Respond// 15–20 min. Host/Worship Leader

LARGE GROuPS E C T I O N

Following Jesus SUPPLIES• butcher paper, foam board, or poster board • markers• verse slide: Mark 8:34–35 (see Resource Folder)

SET UPWrite “I Will Follow Jesus” at the top of the butcher paper or poster board and tape it to a wall. Set out markers nearby and cue the verse slide.

ENGAGEWe just heard one of the most amazing descriptions of who Jesus is. He is the One who has power over our greatest enemy: death. And death could not hold Jesus—He is our risen Lord!

(Show verse slide.) In the Bible, Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:34–35). Those are powerful words. Jesus is saying that believing in Him brings eternal life. When we decide to follow Jesus, we are following the One who loves us the most, and wants to give us His best for each of our lives.

Ask yourselves: Is Jesus someone I want to follow? Do I want to live the life He calls me to? After the kids have a moment to think and pray, invite them to raise their hands or stand up if they want to follow Jesus. Once they have had a chance to respond, encourage them to write their names on the butcher paper or poster board (have leaders help younger kids write their names).

Pray for them in their desire to follow Jesus—the One who loves them more than anyone else. Note: Some kids may not know Jesus yet. Encourage these kids to pray with a leader if they are choosing to follow Jesus for the first time.

N O T E S :

IT’S OKAY IF …Help kids understand that God speaks to us in many ways—mostly through His Word, prayer, and others. Encourage them to ask God for the ability to hear His voice, but also give them the freedom to know that it’s okay if they do not always experience Him in the ways that other people do.

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Reflect: Jesus Has Power over DeathWhen Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, He proved He was not only someone who could work miracles, but also that He was God—the One who has power over death. Because Jesus died and rose again, we are able to have an everlasting relationship with God.

Questions for Younger Kids• Why did Jesus cry when Lazarus died?• Why did Jesus bring Lazarus back to life?• Why is it important to know that Jesus has power over death?

Questions for Older Kids• Why did Jesus bring Lazarus back to life?• How would you have responded if you saw Lazarus raised from the dead?• Do you think seeing this would have changed your life? Why or why not?• How does Jesus’ power over death affect our lives?

Create: New Life MuralSUPPLIES• poster board or canvas (1 per table)• markers

SET UPPlace one poster board or canvas on each table. Put out the markers for the kids to use.

ENGAGEToday, we learned about how nothing can stop Jesus—not even death. He has power over everything, even death. Though sometimes things may feel hopeless, we can always trust in Jesus because we know He has power over it all.

Ask the kids to think of a current situation in which they need God’s love. It could be challenges with school, family, or other things in their lives that He can pour love into. After giving them a moment to consider this, encourage them to think of a picture or symbol that could represent the challenge. Have them draw their picture on the poster board or canvas.

When they are done, the murals will represent a tablet of prayer requests. Save these to be displayed during the next Remember & Celebrate weekend. Pray over the kids, asking God to pour His love into the difficult areas of their lives.

ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

A time to engage in relationship, reflect on the lesson with spiritual conversation, and/or create a meaningful project or piece of art.

Respond// 15–20 min. Small Group Leaders

SMALL GROuPS E C T I O N

N O T E S :

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ANTICIPATE | CELEBRATE | RESPOND | BLESS

Bless// 5 min. Small Group Leaders

SMALL GROuPS E C T I O N

As kids are blessed, tell them they have the opportunity to also be a blessing to others. Encourage them to freely give away the joy and love they have received from God.

Encourage the kids to hold their hands in front of them, palms up. This posture is meant to symbolize a willingness of heart to respond to God’s Holy Spirit and receive what God has for them. Invite them to remain in this posture as you bless them. Encourage parents to come early in order to read the blessing over their child.

Open a Bible and read Isaiah 25:8–9:He will swallow up death forever.

The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.

In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

I pray you will know God has power over death, and power over every situation in your life. I pray you will know His love and feel the comfort of His Holy Spirit in your struggles.

A blessing can be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words of encouragement or guidance.

A blessing can be offered in order to ask God’s Spirit to overflow from the child’s life to bless others or prayed over a child for the purpose of declaring God’s protection, joy, or wisdom.

HomeFront Weekly: Be sure to send home the HomeFront Weekly for next week’s lesson! This preteaching tool for parents encourages families to spend time in God’s Word together before children arrive at church.

HomeFront Monthly: Every four weeks we highlight one of the 10 environments. For each new environment, parents should receive HomeFront Monthly. This resource gives families ideas for how to create fun, spiritually forming times in their homes—setting aside a sacred space for family in the midst of their active, everyday lives!

Leader TipThe blessing can be done in many ways, but the more intentional you are about it, the more powerful it will be. Depending on whether parents are able to join in at this time, you may want them to put their hands on their child’s head or kneel and look him in the eye as they bless him. Leaders, be sure to model how you envision the blessing working in your church so your volunteers and parents become comfortable with it.