Children's Sermon: Jesus Raised Lazarus from the Dead (John 11:1-45) (2024)

This Children’s Sermon will teach kids about Jesus raising Lazarus from the Dead. It’s based on John 11:1-45. The Bible object lesson teaches about that JESUS is the Resurrection and the Life. Download the teachers notes, watch our Children’s Message example, and gather your supplies. Then you’re ready to share this message in your church next Sunday!

See Also

“He Knows Your Name” Children’s Sermon from John 1:43-51 - Ministry-To-ChildrenWho's Your Good Shepherd? Children's Sermon from John 10:11-18 - Ministry-To-ChildrenChildren's Sermon: The Woman at the Well (John 4) Living Water Object LessonA Children's Sermon on John 11:1-45 - The Raising of Lazarus - Gary Neal Hansen -

“Jesus Raises Lazarus”

Children’s Sermon Object from John 11:1-45

Children’s Message: New LifeWill Come!
Jesus Works Things Out, EvenWhen it’s Tough

Main Objective: The Lazarus story seems likean amazing success story. Jesus took someone who was dead, and brought him backto life! What could be more impressive than that, right? But what we sometimesforget in visiting this tale is how devastating things seemed prior to themiraculous resurrection. It looked like Jesus had failed. Lazarus was dead! YetJesus promised that all things would work out to glorify God, and so they did.The message for kids, then, is more than just an exciting death-to-life story.Sometimes things are challenging and uncertain. We may not like the answers Godgives, but we can know that He is still in control, loves us, and will workthings out for our good.

Law/Gospel Theme: Jesussort of foreshadows the miracle of the Resurrection in this story. He bringsLazarus to life, after he has died and been laid in the tomb. His ways arehigher and greater than ours. As Lazarus came to life, so all will one dayreturn and be with Christ. What ablessing that message is! It may not be within our timetable, but it will bringglory to God.

Optional Materials / Object Lesson Props: Baked treat (or picture of one); optional ingredients or cooking tools/materials.

Bible Passage: John11:1-45

More Sunday School ideas onJesus Raising Lazarus back to life

• Bible Lesson: The Resurrection of Lazarus for Kids
• Crafts on Jesus Raising Lazarus
• Sunday School Lesson (John 11:38-44) Lazarus is Raised by Jesus
• Jesus Raises Lazarus Lesson (Mission Bible Class)
• Jesus and Lazarus Science Lesson (Future Flying Saucers)

Message Note: Aswith most messages, the details of how you choose to communicate this areadaptable and should cater to timing as well as to your audience and studentneeds. Use your judgment and ideas to best serve students. You can use thismessage at home with one or two kids, or share it with a group!

Children’sSermon: Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead (John 11:1-45)

Optional: bring along some cooking supplies for this one! Open up the idea of going through challenges…

Hello, children of God! How are you?

Have you ever experienced something that wasdifficult? Maybe something bad happened at school, or someone said somethingmean, or perhaps you got sick or hurt in some way. It can be hard, and we mightpray for it to get better, but seem to hear nothing from God. We don’t alwaysknow what He’s up to…

(Pull out a piece of cookie or cake dough/batter) Object Lesson

Do you know what this is? It kind of looks likea funny blob, doesn’t it? Well, actually, this is the product of puttingtogether several other ingredients, like eggs, oil, sugar, and flour (hold ingredients up, if using).And after I mix it together, I’ll put this blob into a super hot oven…then,when I take it out of the oven (hold up baked cookie),I’ll have one of these! You might recognize this a little bit more, right? It’sa cookie!

Now, let’s pretend this cookie could talk, andhad feelings…do you think it would want to go into that hot oven, if I gave ita choice? Probably not. That doesn’t sound too pleasant, does it? But only bygoing into the oven does it turn into something better than just a blob ofdough. Going through hard things completes the cookie. Believe it or not,sometimes this happens to us. We might not like hard things, and we don’tunderstand why they happen to us. But God is always working in our lives, evenwhen we don’t understand how. Sometimes we don’t know what is coming up ahead.Sometimes we pray for things, and don’t think God is answering. But He has Hisown plans, and they are usually better than our plans!

In the Bible, there’s a neat story about a mannamed Lazarus. He was a friend of Jesus, and he had two sisters who were alsofriends with Jesus. Well, Lazarus got very sick. His sisters asked Jesus tocome and see him, thinking surely this miracle-worker could heal their brotherand make him better. But that didn’t happen. By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarushad died. His sisters were very sad, and Jesus was sad, too. He had lovedLazarus. There was a lot of confusion. Surely Jesus could have healed Hisfriend…why didn’t He? Well, Jesus said that it was going to work out for theglory of God. He asked to go see the tomb where Lazarus was buried. When He gotthere, He asked for the big stone in front of the tomb to be rolled away. Somepeople thought this would be a bad idea, because the body would be prettystinky. But they did it. Jesus called to Lazarus to come out of the tomb…and hedid! He came out, still in his burial clothes, but alive!

So even though Jesus did not do what might havebeen expected at first, He did bring healing to Lazarus, and it was an amazingmiracle. It wasn’t what Lazarus preferred, probably, or his sisters. But it didbring glory to God. And a little while later, someone else faced death andburial in a tomb…Jesus Himself prayed that, if it was possible, He wouldn’thave to die on the cross. It was not something He wanted to do. But because ofenduring the cross, we have salvation and the chance to live after death!

Sometimes life is tough. Sometimes we wishthings could happen differently, or we pray that things could be different. Ourjob is to trust God. God has promised that all things will work out for good,if we love Him and live by Him. This doesn’t mean things will be easy. It doesmean that one day, all will be made new and right again. Our lives may or maynot improve on Earth, but when we are God’s children, we can be certain He willtake care of us. We can be assured of His love and power. He has already proventhat through Jesus! Shall we thank God for those promises, and ask for His helpto remember them?

Children’s PrayerMoment

(Have kids repeat each line)
Dear God,
Thank you for your promises
We know that your words are true
Even though we don’t always understand your ways
You tell us things will work for good
Thank you for your faithfulness
Thank you for your love
We love you, God!
In Jesus name, Amen!

John 11:38-44(NIV) JesusRaises Lazarus From the Dead

³⁸Jesus, once more deeply moved,came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.³⁹“Take away the stone,”he said.

“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.”

⁴⁰Then Jesus said,“Did I not tell you that if you believe,you will see the glory of God?”

⁴¹So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked upand said,“Father,I thank you that you have heard me.⁴²I 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.”

⁴³When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice,“Lazarus, come out!”⁴⁴The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen,and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them,“Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

John 11:38-44