Lesson 28: Jesus Christ Raises Lazarus from the Dead

Lesson 28: Jesus Christ Raises Lazarus

from the Dead

Primary 7: New Testament, (1997), 95–97

James Tissot 

Purpose

To help each child understand that because Jesus Christ is the Son of God, he has power over death.

Preparation

1. 1. 
   Prayerfully study John 11:1–46. Then study the lesson and decide how you want to teach the children the scripture account. (See “Preparing Your Lessons,” p. vi, and “Teaching from the Scriptures,”p. vii.)

John 11 

1.  1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
    2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
    3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
    4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
    5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
    6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
    7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judæa again.
    8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
    9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
    10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
    11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awakehim out of sleep.
    12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
    13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
    14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
    15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
    16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
    17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
    18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteenfurlongs off:
    19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
    20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
    21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
    22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
    23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
    24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
    25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall helive:
    26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall neverdie. Believest thou this?
    27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
    28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
    29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.
    30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.
    31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.
    32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
    33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
    34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
    35 Jesus wept.
    36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
    37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?
    38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
    39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
    40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
    41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
    42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
    43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
    44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
    45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
    46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
2. 
   
3. 2. 
   Review Luke 7:11–17; 8:41–42, 49–56.
4. 3. 
   Select the discussion questions and enrichment activities that will involve the children and best help them achieve the purpose of the lesson.
5. 4. 
   Materials needed:
   1. a. 
      A Bible or a New Testament for each child.
   2. b. 
      A newly cut twig or leaf and a dead one (or a picture of each of these).
   3. c. 
      Pictures 7-27, Jesus Raising Lazarus from the Dead (Gospel Art Picture Kit 222; 62148), and 7-18, Jesus Blessing Jairus’s Daughter (Gospel Art Picture Kit 215; 62231).

Suggested Lesson Development

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Show the children the newly cut twig or leaf and the dead one. Ask the children to talk about the difference between the two.

• •
  Is there anything we can do to make a dead twig look like the newly cut twig?
• •
  Now that the newly cut twig has been cut off from the plant, what will happen to it?
• •
  Who has power to bring life back to something that is dead?

Explain that Jesus has power over death. He brought several people who had died back to life.

Scripture Account

Briefly review the accounts of Jesus raising the widow of Nain’s son (Luke 7:11–17) and Jairus’s daughter (Luke 8:41–42, 49–56). 

Then teach the children the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead as found in John 11:1–46. Show the pictures at appropriate times. (For suggested ways to teach the scripture account, see“Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii.) Explain that when Jesus raised people from the dead, he performed miracles that testified that he was the Son of God and had power over death. Explain to the children that because of a Jewish custom of neighbors and friends mourning with the family for several days after a death, many people were with Martha and Mary after Lazarus died and witnessed this great miracle that Jesus performed.

Discussion and Application Questions

Study the following questions and the scripture references as you prepare your lesson. Use the questions you feel will best help the children understand the scriptures and apply the principles in their lives. Reading the references with the children in class will help them gain insights into the scriptures.

• •
  When Jesus received word that Lazarus was ill, how long did Jesus wait before he departed for Bethany? (John 11:6.) How long had Lazarus’s body lain in the tomb when Jesus arrived? (John 11:17.) Why do you think Jesus waited so long to go? (So everyone would know without question that Lazarus was dead, and raising him would be a stronger witness to Jesus’ divine power and mission [John 11:4, 15].)
• •
  What did Martha and Mary say to Jesus when he arrived? (John 11:21–22, 32.) What did Martha think when Jesus told her that Lazarus would rise again? (John 11:23–24.) What was Martha’s testimony even before she saw her brother raised from the dead? (John 11:27.)
• •
  Why did Jesus pray to Heavenly Father before he raised Lazarus? (John 11:41–42.) What did Jesus want the people to understand? (That he had been sent by Heavenly Father.)
• •
  What did Jesus say to Lazarus? (John 11:43.) What happened? What was Lazarus clothed in? (John 11:44.)
• •
  How do you think Mary, Martha, and the other people felt as they witnessed this miracle? How do you think you might have felt if you had been there? What did the people do after seeing the miracle? (John 11:45–46.) How would seeing Lazarus coming out of the tomb have affected your belief in Jesus?
• •
  Why could Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead? How does it make you feel to know Jesus has the power to raise someone from the dead? How does this miracle help us know that Jesus is the Son of God? (John 11:4.)
• •
  What did Jesus do later that proved his power over death? (He was resurrected. Help the children understand that when Lazarus came back from the dead, he was still mortal and would die again. When people are resurrected, they will never die again. They will live forever.)
• •
  What did Jesus mean when he said he was “the resurrection and the life”? (John 11:25.) What does this mean to us?

Explain that Jesus not only has the power to bring someone back to mortal life, as he did Lazarus, he also has the more important power of raising everyone from the dead to immortality. Every person born on earth will be resurrected. Also, through his atonement Jesus has the power to give eternal life to those who obey and follow him. He is the source of resurrection and eternal life for each one of us.

Challenge

Challenge the children to tell the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead to someone else during the coming week.

Enrichment Activities

You may use one or more of the following activities any time during the lesson or as a review, summary, or challenge.

1. 1. 
   Ask children to pretend to be Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and the Jews who were present when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Ask another child to interview the people to find out what happened, what they witnessed, how they felt as they saw Lazarus come forth from the cave, and what they felt about Jesus.
2. 2. 
   Prepare slips of paper that refer to events, such as the following, when someone witnessed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Prepare another set of papers with scriptures that describe the event:
   Event: Jesus was born.
   Scripture: An angel said, “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
   Event: Jesus was baptized.
   Scripture: There was a voice from heaven saying, “Thou art my beloved Son”; the Spirit of God descended like a dove (Mark 1:9–11).
   Event: Jesus walked on the water.
   Scripture: Jesus’ disciples on the ship said, “Of a truth thou art the Son of God” (Matthew 14:25–27, 32–33).
   Event: Jesus healed a man born blind.
   Scripture: “And [the man] said, Lord, I believe [you are the Son of God]. And he worshipped him” (John 9:32, 35–38).
   Event: Peter testified of Christ.
   Scripture: When Jesus asked his disciples who they thought he was, Peter said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:13–16).
   Event: Joseph Smith received his first vision.
   Scripture: Heavenly Father said, “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith—History 1:17).
   Place the papers face down on the floor or table in random order. Have a child come up and turn two papers over and try to match the event with the appropriate scripture account. If the two papers do not go together, turn the papers back over and allow another child to take a turn. If all the papers are matched before each child has a turn, play the game again.
3. 3. 
   Help the children memorize John 11:25.

Conclusion

Testimony

Bear your testimony that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and has power over death. Express your love for the Savior and your gratitude to him for his atonement, which made it possible for us to be resurrected and gain eternal life.

Suggested Home Reading

Suggest that the children study John 11:39–46 at home as a review of this lesson.

Invite a child to give the closing prayer.