Scripture: for teacher background: Luke 10:38-42 and John 11
Making contact:
Discuss friends and how special they are.
Isn’t it lovely to
go to a friend’s house and be comfortable there?
If tired, to rest, if thirsty
to drink something, to chat, to play, to listen to music, to just be together
without needing to talk.
Jesus had friends like that. There were two sisters and a
brother – Mary, Martha and Lazarus. In His busy life, these friends were where
He could go sometimes and feel totally at home.
Exploration:
Jesus was visiting these friends once and Mary was listening
so intently to what Jesus was saying. Her sister Martha came and complained to
Jesus: “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by
myself? Tell her to help me!”
But Jesus said that Mary had chosen well and that
Martha was worried and upset about too many things.
It was also quite unusual because usually the men did not allow the women to join in their discussions and they were always just to make food and wait on them.
So Jesus was also showing that women could learn about Him too just as much as the men.
One day there was an urgent message for Jesus from His
friends Mary and Martha. Their brother was very sick and please could Jesus
come.
Jesus didn’t go straight away. He carried on doing His work
where He was.
A few days later Jesus said to His disciples “Lazarus is
sleeping, but I will go and wake him up.”
They said to sleep was a good thing
and he must be getting better. Jesus said “No, he is actually dead, but I am glad
because now you will believe. Come let us go.”
When they arrived they discovered he had been dead for 4
days.
Martha said to Jesus, “If you had been here, Lazarus would still be
alive.”
Jesus told her that Lazarus would rise. Martha agreed that on the last
day we would all rise.
Mary also came to Jesus and cried. Jesus cried too and
people said: “See how He loved him.”
They took Jesus to the tomb. It was a cave with a big stone.
Jesus said: “Take the stone away.” Martha protested that it would be a bad smell.
Jesus prayed and then called out “Come out Lazarus!”
Lazarus
appeared all wrapped up in cloth. Jesus told the people to unwrap him. He had raised Lazarus from the dead!!
Application
We don’t have to fear death and we don’t
have to be devastated when loved ones die. We are sad because we miss them, but
as friends of Jesus they will be with Him.
People who don’t like Jesus and don’t believe, unfortunately, will not
even want to go to heaven. Why would they want to if they don't like Jesus?
We must spend time with Jesus now, like Mary did, sitting at
His feet on prayer and reading His Word and learning about Him here at Sunday
school.
We mustn’t fret about too many other things. We must choose important
things.
Don’t be afraid to visit old people and sick people.
Tell
them about Jesus and pray with them.
They need to know He loves them and they
feel His love through your visit.
Enjoy your family members and friends and
spend time with them like Jesus did with Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
Consolidation
It also shows the tomb and Lazarus
coming out all wrapped up.
Memory Verse
“The greatest love a
person can have for his friends is to give his life for them”.
John 15:13
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