Lazarus, come out!
Children's sermon
Object:
a doll that opens and closes its eyes
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you have dolls that
open and close their eyes? (Let them answer.) I brought this doll
(tell the children its name and who it belongs to) because it
will help me tell you about a man who died and was brought back
to life! This story is from the Bible. It is an amazing story
about how Jesus showed people that he was the Son of God. It is
about a man named Lazarus, who happened to be a very good friend
of Jesus.
As I tell you the story, let's imagine that the doll is Lazarus. (Hold the doll upright with its eyes open.) Lazarus lived in a village called Bethany. It was the same village where two other very good friends of Jesus lived. They were sisters named Mary and Martha. You've probably heard about Mary and Martha. Lazarus became very ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, telling him about the illness. Lazarus was so sick that he died. (Hold the doll in a horizontal position so its eyes are shut.) Lazarus was buried in a cave with a large stone in front of the entrance. After Lazarus had been in the tomb four days Jesus came to the village where Lazarus was buried. Mary and Martha met Jesus. They told him if Jesus had come earlier Lazarus wouldn't have died. Jesus told them that Lazarus will rise again. Jesus went to Lazarus' tomb. He was so sad that his friend died that Jesus cried. Then he told the men with him to move the stone from the tomb. (Look at the doll when saying the command.) Jesus cried in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" (Hold the doll upright so its eyes open.) Lazarus came out. He was wrapped in the cloth that he was buried in, but he was alive. Jesus brought Lazarus back to life! Everyone there was amazed. No one had ever done anything like this before!
Jesus did this so that people would believe that he was the Son of God. He told the people that all who believe him will never die. That's what makes us Christians. We believe Jesus is God's son. When Lazarus came back to life, many people realized who Jesus was. That's my story about the man who Jesus brought back to life. We know Jesus is God's son.
As I tell you the story, let's imagine that the doll is Lazarus. (Hold the doll upright with its eyes open.) Lazarus lived in a village called Bethany. It was the same village where two other very good friends of Jesus lived. They were sisters named Mary and Martha. You've probably heard about Mary and Martha. Lazarus became very ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, telling him about the illness. Lazarus was so sick that he died. (Hold the doll in a horizontal position so its eyes are shut.) Lazarus was buried in a cave with a large stone in front of the entrance. After Lazarus had been in the tomb four days Jesus came to the village where Lazarus was buried. Mary and Martha met Jesus. They told him if Jesus had come earlier Lazarus wouldn't have died. Jesus told them that Lazarus will rise again. Jesus went to Lazarus' tomb. He was so sad that his friend died that Jesus cried. Then he told the men with him to move the stone from the tomb. (Look at the doll when saying the command.) Jesus cried in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" (Hold the doll upright so its eyes open.) Lazarus came out. He was wrapped in the cloth that he was buried in, but he was alive. Jesus brought Lazarus back to life! Everyone there was amazed. No one had ever done anything like this before!
Jesus did this so that people would believe that he was the Son of God. He told the people that all who believe him will never die. That's what makes us Christians. We believe Jesus is God's son. When Lazarus came back to life, many people realized who Jesus was. That's my story about the man who Jesus brought back to life. We know Jesus is God's son.
