Open the Word

Adult & All Age

Open the Word: Christ has power over death

Ideas for sermon preparation

There is a drama in the course of Lent. Last week we saw how Jesus had power to heal blindness, physical and spiritual. This week we anticipate what is to come in two weeks’ time by seeing how Jesus has power over death. We look both backwards — to Jesus’ healing ministry among people — and forwards — to his own resurrection, which opens up life in eternity for us all.

The story links forward to chapter 12 (which we will read during Holy Week) where Lazarus’ sister Mary anoints Jesus with oil of nard, traditionally used for burial. She alone recognises that, though Jesus has raised Lazarus, he himself will very soon enter the tomb. Does she sense that he, too, will be raised, or not?

There is no ‘explaining’ this miracle in naturalistic terms. The evangelist wants us to know that Lazarus is well and truly dead. It has been four days. The mourners are all in place. ‘There is a stench.’ John wants us to know that Jesus has the power of life and death. He is very much in control of the situation. The traditional symbol for John the Evangelist is the eagle, sharp-eyed and incisive, seeing everything from above. Here John is quite clear about the presence of the divine in a human story. And his Jesus tells us the reason for the story — as with the blind man, as with his own resurrection, it is ‘for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it’. Everything points back to Jesus.

However — and again this is typical of John — Jesus is also intensely human. He is ‘greatly disturbed in spirit and intensely moved’. Surely this is for his friend’s suffering before death, for his own loss, for the loss of the sisters and all those who loved Lazarus. There is reassurance here for all those who grieve. Jesus himself knows the anguish and brokenness and intensity of bereavement; he shares the sisters’ longing that the death might be undone; he is one with the crowd of friends in their lingering about the family and the tomb.

Prepare for Easter by considering what is dead (and stinky) in our lives and in the life of this congregation. Where have we longed for healing and failed to see it happen? Which part of us and of our life together stumbles out of the tomb when Jesus calls ‘Come out!’?

Where in our world is people’s talent and zest for life buried because of the injustices with which it is riddled? What human potential is being buried in this neighbourhood? How is Jesus calling new life out of those situations?

Open the Word: Jesus coaches his disciples

Ideas for sermon preparation

Just as insight came slowly to the blind man of John 9, so this is a story in which Jesus patiently opens the minds of his friends to the significance of who he is. John explains this right at the beginning of the story when he tells us how Jesus stayed away after he heard of Lazarus’ illness. The disciples are unprepared both for the fact that Lazarus dies, and that Jesus is walking knowingly towards his own death. Thomas’ claim that they will die with him is bravado, rising out of lack of understanding. But the point of the incident is ‘so that you may believe’.

Martha experiences a dramatic shift in understanding during her conversation with Jesus (vv. 17-27). She moves from reproach of Jesus (vv. 21-22) to a wooden rehearsal of her beliefs (v. 24) to a real recognition of who Jesus is (v. 27).

Mary is a different person, probably closer to Jesus’ heart than any of them, and Jesus treats her differently, even though she begins, as Martha does, with reproach. It is when she kneels at his feet that Jesus is moved to weep. He enters into the human suffering in the situation and moves towards raising Lazarus.

Again, in what seems like a rather crude addition to his prayer, Jesus explains that he is doing what he is doing in order that the crowd may believe. It’s as if it’s no use talking to them — they will only respond to a show of power.

Notice how Jesus uses different approaches with different people and groups, in line with their level of understanding. Probably in the community that first received John’s Gospel there were various levels of commitment and understanding, just as there are in our churches today.

How has God approached us and called us at the level of our understanding during the course of our lives? Who has God used? How has our faith developed under the ‘coaching’ God has provided through others and through our lives’ events? How is God ‘coaching’ us now? Can we give thanks?

How do we, as a Christian community, seek to meet each other at the level of commitment and understanding where each of us is? What is our provision for newcomers and children? How do we go on ‘coaching’ each other in the faith?

The story is a reminder that God always answers our prayers — not always when and how we wish, but in God’s own time and for God’s own wonderful purposes.

Children & Young People

Open the Word

Ways of presenting the Bible passage to children and young people

For children

Lazarus, come out! for younger children

This is a difficult story to tell to younger children. You may want to start by talking gently with them about how things that die stay dead. They will probably have seen dead insects, or animals. They may have some experience of losing a pet, or even a relative. Explain that today’s story is about something completely amazing that Jesus did. At the end of it, give them the chance to tell you their reactions.

One day some people came to Jesus with a message. They came from the village where Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus lived.

‘Jesus, please come,’ they said. ‘Your dear friend Lazarus is ill.’

But Jesus knew that God wanted to do something special, and that it was not right for him to go to Lazarus yet — so he stayed for two more days where he was.

Finally, the day came when Jesus said to his followers, ‘Our friend Lazarus has died. You are going to see something that will help you believe. Come on, let’s go to him.’

When they got to Bethany, they found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Martha came to meet them.

‘Oh, Jesus,’ she said, ‘if you had been here Lazarus would not have died.’

Jesus said, ‘Your brother will rise again. Everyone who believes in me, even though they die, will live. Do you believe me?’

‘Yes, Lord, I believe you are the Son of God,’ Martha said.

Then Mary, and lots of other people, came to see Jesus. They were all crying and crying. That made Jesus cry as well.

Then they took Jesus to the tomb — the cave where Lazarus’ body had been laid.

‘Take away the stone,’ said Jesus.

‘But Jesus,’ said Martha, ‘he’s been dead for four days. His body will smell terrible.’

‘Trust me, Martha,’ said Jesus. ’You will see the glory of God.’

So they took away the stone.

Jesus prayed ‘Father, thank you that you always hear me. I want everyone here to believe you sent me.’

Then he shouted out, very loudly, ‘Lazarus, come out!’

And Lazarus did! He walked out, wrapped in strips of cloth and with his face covered.

‘Unwrap him,’ said Jesus, ‘and let him go.’

After seeing that amazing thing, lots of people believed in Jesus.

Mime the story for older children

Read the Bible story, with children taking the different parts and miming them. You can do it

straight from scratch, with the children improvising as they go along. Alternatively, they can study the story first, and decide how the different characters may have reacted. To make things more dramatic, hide Lazarus, well-wrapped in toilet tissue, inside a ‘cave’ made from chairs and blankets. Afterwards, ask them what they think it must have been like to be there on that day.

The living deadman

You may well want to use the wonderful story with this title on the web site at www.rootsontheweb.com, which tells the story from Lazarus’ point of view.

For young people

Drama

Give out copies of the text for everyone. Divide the material up into scenes for different groups to act out.

The grieving sisters.
Jesus’ reaction to the message.
Jesus deciding to go and the disciples being afraid.
The encounters with Martha and Mary.
Jesus’ tears over the situation.
The command at the tomb and Lazarus’ emergence.

Recollections

Ask volunteers to pretend to be the main characters present that day, talking about it afterwards. The others ask questions. What did they think about what Jesus was doing? How did Lazarus feel about coming back to life? After all, this wasn’t resurrection. He would still have to die again.

Bible story: The gravedigger's tale

A short retelling of the story of Lazarus through different eyes...

Local man sitting in pub the night after Lazarus had been raised from the dead… he's the pub character! The usual one sitting telling all the tall stories. Once again, he's sitting with a pint (or orange juice!) in hand telling them all about his day…

'You think that was good?! Let me tell you where I was yesterday. And you'll not believe this, even if you saw it yourself … in fact I'm not sure I believe it. AND I WAS THERE! It all happened right in front of my eyes …

'I was on my way home from the grave-space … oi, listen to this, you'll love it … it's not a scary Halloween story or anything … I'd been helping Jimbo move a couple of rocks to open up a couple of caves for a burial. Big family tombs and his usual help wasn't about, so I was helping him.

'We had just finished when this crowd of people came over the hill … loads of them. The usual stuff ... crying, wailing, moaning, men and women. I said to Jimbo, "I thought these tombs we're opening up were for tomorrow, not today? Did you get it wrong, you big plonker?"

'He looked at me, "Eh, no… Tell you what though, that's not the family who was talking to me yesterday … that's Lazarus's family back again."

'"What are they doing back?" I asked him. "Sure, he's been gone for days!"

'Well … we watched them as they got closer and wondered what they wanted. They were all standing round one particular guy … I didn't remember seeing him at the funeral last time … and the sister started telling him, "If you'd been here this wouldn't have happened … " stuff like that.

'I was thinking, "Love, you're mad," as I was watching. But then the weirdest thing happened … Listen to this …

'The bloke I'd never seen before – yes – the one they were all crowding round, he pointed at me and Jimbo, and then at the tomb Lazarus was in and said, "Remove the stone."

Like – NO.

'We just looked at each other and kinda giggled to ourselves. Thinking, "No flippin way!"

'But he just looked at us, and I knew he wasn't joking. He was real intense – like in a BIG intense way.

'So I shouted back, "Mate, he's been in there for a few days now and, well, no offence or anything, but it's gonna stink in there. You do not want to go in, believe me."

'He looked at me again, and said, "Remove the stone."

I shrugged my shoulders and thought, "Aw well, better do it." So we did.

'But this guy didn't want to go in. He stood outside and shouted … "Lazarus. Come out."

'Seriously mate, I nearly died on the spot. I thought, "This is cruel. Leave the poor family alone… they've been through enough. Just let it be …"

'Then … then there was a scuffle from inside … the sound of movement, and 30 seconds after I thought I was about to die the first time, came the thing that made me think I'd have a heart attack and die again!

'HE CAME OUT!

'Seriously. Funeral swabs and everything still on him. He walked out of the tomb. "This is it," I thought, "now I've seen everything!"

'The bloke told me to remove the bandages … I'm like, NO. So, a couple of the family did it. And it was him alright. Lazarus. Standing there, smiling, amazed, happy, thankful and grateful.

'I promise you. I've never seen anything like it in my life. Just wait till the news people get hold of it … that bloke will find his face on every paper in town!'

Bible story: The living deadman

A short retelling of the story of Lazarus

The house had never had so many visitors. The front door never stopped opening and closing to let in a constant stream of people who had heard the amazing news. The incredible news. The impossible news – that Lazarus was alive! Alive! A walking, talking, breathing, laughing man, who had been … dead! Now that was news!

Lazarus had never been so popular. A local celebrity, ever since that amazing day, when Jesus came to Bethany. Lazarus could still hear the voice that drew him back from what seemed now like a dream. He needed no encouragement at all to tell his story to any one who wanted to listen. And he always ended his story in the same way. His eyes would open wide, his face became full of life and joy, and he would say with a great big smile, 'Don't you realise? Death is not the end!'

'The voice that brought me back,' he used to say, 'was like a flash of lightning that made my whole body jump. It had a special power, so great it seemed to lift me up from that very uncomfortable bed I had been laid on. I just had to do what it said. "Come out!" it demanded. "Lazarus, come out!"

'Now I expect you know what it feels like when you wake up in the middle of the night in a strange bed because you're on holiday. For a few moments you get all confused and worried. Your mind races to try and work out what's happening. Where's the door gone? What's that light? What's happened to my favourite toys? That sort of thing. You're all disorientated, just for a while, but then it slowly dawns on you as to where you are. Well, it was sort of like that – Lazarus told his visitors – except that in my case I couldn't see a thing. There was something wound round my face. It was cold as well, and I didn't know which way was up. All I could hear was that powerful voice.

'As I adjusted to everything I managed to pull the bandages a bit so that I could see where I was. It was a cave. And not just a cave but a grave. I had been in a grave! They had all thought I was dead and well, actually, I was. But Jesus had brought me back to life.

'Well, I've never seen people more shocked in my life. They looked like they'd seen a ghost, which I suppose they had. But I was a living ghost, a living dead man. All because of Jesus. He is God on earth. God come to rescue us from all that is bad. To rescue us, even from death. Don't you realise? Death is not the end.'

Well, Lazarus went on telling his visitors this, all day long. As each new person came he'd start all over again but every time he would end with the same words: 'Don't you realise? Death is not the end!'

Many of Lazarus' visitors became followers of Jesus, because of what he told them. They wanted Jesus to rescue them not from a grave but from all the bad things they'd done wrong that deserved death. And he did. They wanted to feel clean on the inside. And they did. They wanted to become friends with God's promised rescuer. And they did.

Have you ever wondered why there were such large crowds to greet Jesus on that day when he came into Jerusalem on a donkey? Well, it was because of what happened to Lazarus. All the visitors who had heard his story were there and they were crying out 'Rescue us now, Jesus. Rescue us now.' Or in their words: Hosanna. Hosanna .

Very soon Jesus was going to rescue not just Lazarus, not just his visitors, but also everyone in the whole world. But it turned out to be in a very different way than they might have expected. God is always taking us by surprise. And you couldn't get more surprised than Lazarus and friends that day! Listen, you can still hear him telling his story. 'Death is not the end,' he is saying. 'Death is not the end!'

God showed his love for us by sending his only Son Jesus, so that we could become really alive through him. 1 John 4.9

Story: Lazarus, come out!

Retelling of the story of Jesus and Lazarus for young children, with mime possibilities for older children.

For younger children

This is a difficult story to tell to younger children. You may want to start by talking gently with them about how things that die stay dead. They will probably have seen dead insects, or animals. They may have some experience of losing a pet, or even a relative. Explain that today's story is about something completely amazing that Jesus did. At the end of it, give them the chance to tell you their reactions.

One day some people came to Jesus with a message. They came from the village where Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus lived.

'Jesus, please come', they said. 'Your dear friend Lazarus is ill.' But Jesus knew that God wanted to do something special, and that it was not right for him to go to Lazarus yet – so he stayed for two more days where he was.

Finally, the day came when Jesus said to his followers, 'Our friend Lazarus has died. You are going to see something that will help you believe. Come on, let's go to him.'

When they got to Bethany, they found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Martha came to meet them.

'Oh, Jesus,' she said, 'if you had been here Lazarus would not have died.'

Jesus said, 'Your brother will rise again. Everyone who believes in me, even though they die, will live. Do you believe me?'

'Yes, Lord, I believe you are the Son of God,' Martha said.

Then Mary, and lots of other people, came to see Jesus. They were all crying and crying. That made Jesus cry as well.

Then they took Jesus to the tomb – the cave where Lazarus' body had been laid.

'Take away the stone,' said Jesus.

'But Jesus,' said Martha, 'he's been dead for four days. His body will smell terrible.'

'Trust me, Martha,' said Jesus. 'You will see the glory of God.'

So they took away the stone.

Jesus prayed 'Father, thank you that you always hear me. I want everyone here to believe you sent me.'

Then he shouted out, very loudly, 'Lazarus, come out!'

And Lazarus did! He walked out, wrapped in strips of cloth and with his face covered.

'Unwrap him,' said Jesus, 'and let him go.'

After seeing that amazing thing, lots of people believed in Jesus.

For older children

Read the Bible story, with children taking the different parts and miming them. You can do it straight from scratch, with the children improvising as they go along. Alternatively, they can study the story first, and decide how the different characters may have reacted. To make things more dramatic, hide Lazarus, well-wrapped in toilet tissue, inside a 'cave' made from chairs and blankets. Afterwards, ask them what they think it must have been like to be there on that day.