Open the Word

For children

Jesus’ friends shared their sadness.

You will need: a tomb set up in the room, perhaps with Lazarus waiting inside. You might do this with a blanket draped over a chair or a small pop-up tent.

Tell today’s story by walking through it, going from Bethany up to the tomb.

> BEGIN IN THE OPPOSITE CORNER OF THE ROOM FROM THE TOMB.

"Mary and Martha were very sad. Their brother Lazarus had been very ill and they had sent a message to their friend Jesus. They thought he would come and make Lazarus better. But Jesus didn’t come, and Lazarus died.

The sisters put the body of Lazarus in a tomb, and the tomb was sealed up. Four days after Lazarus was put in the tomb, Jesus arrived in Bethany where Mary and Martha lived. Martha went to meet him. ‘If you had come sooner, Lazarus wouldn’t have died’ she said.

Jesus asked her if she believed that he was more powerful than death. ‘Yes Lord, I believe,’ said Martha.

When Mary came out to see Jesus, and he saw her crying, he asked where they had put Lazarus. The sisters took Jesus to the tomb.

> WALK FROM THE VILLAGE TO THE TOMB.

The tomb was a little way away from the village. When they got there, Jesus told someone to open up the tomb. But Lazarus’ body had been in there for four days. Martha told Jesus that they shouldn’t open the tomb, because it would be really smelly in there. Jesus said ‘If you believe, you will see the glory of God’.

So they rolled away the big stone in front of the tomb, and Jesus shouted ‘Lazarus, come out!’

> ALL SHOUT ‘LAZARUS COME OUT!’ A FEW TIMES, THEN IF LAZARUS IS IN YOUR TOMB, HAVE HIM COME OUT, AND THE CHILDREN CAN UNWRAP HIM.

When everyone saw Lazarus walk out of the tomb they were amazed. They unwrapped the bandages around him. Lots of the people watching believed in Jesus because of what they had seen."

For young people

A pared down dramatic version of the story, using tableaux and mime.

Cast: Narrator (N), Mary and Martha, Jesus, Lazarus.

You’ll need to prepare a space to represent the ‘tomb (see above).

Decide on who is going to play which character.

Run through the different scenes of the story: Lazarus ill; Lazarus dead; Lazarus buried; Where are you Jesus?; Mary meets Jesus; Mary’s great realisation; Lazarus, come out; Lazarus comes out.

Decide on how you are going to present the scenes, bearing in mind: where is the ‘front’; the different levels of presentation — low down, middle and higher levels/sightlines.

Appoint a narrator or choral narration group.

The tableaux move soundlessly from one scene to the next as the poem is being read.

> TABLEAU SCENE OF MARTHA AND MARY SAT BESIDE LAZARUS WHO IS SAT UP BUT LOOKING ILL. JESUS AT FAR SIDE OF ROOM FACING AWAY.

N    Lazarus dies.

> TABLEAU SCENE OF MARTHA AND MARY HUGGING EACH OTHER IN GRIEF. LAZARUS LIES FLAT. JESUS STILL BACK TO THE ROOM.

N    Where are you Jesus?

> PAUSE. LAZARUS TO TAKE UP POSITION IN TOMB, MARTHA SITS LOOKING LOST ON HER OWN.

N    It’s too late! 

> TABLEAU SCENE OF MARY AWAY FROM MARTHA AND LAZARUS BEATING HANDS ON CHEST OF JESUS.

N    Jesus asks Mary to trust him and Mary says ‘I believe, Lord, you are the Messiah.’

> TABLEAU SCENE OF MARY SITTING AT THE FEET OF JESUS.

N    And Jesus said ‘Lazarus come out’.

> MARY AND JESUS JOIN MARTHA AND STAND TOGETHER FACING THE TOMB.

N    And Lazarus came out.

> LAZARUS LEAVES THE TOMB AND ALL FOUR CHARACTERS FREEZE IN POSITION TOGETHER.