A man lies sick in a small village. His sisters send an urgent message to their friend Jesus. Come quickly, they say. The one you love is sick. But Jesus does not rush. He waits. And by the time he arrives, everything seems too late. Children's Bible story about Lazarus shows us one of the most amazing miracles Jesus ever did. It also shows us something important about waiting and trusting.
Let us walk together to the village of Bethany and meet a family that Jesus loved dearly.
<h2>What is the story?</h2> Children's Bible story about Lazarus appears in the Gospel of John. Lazarus lives in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. Jesus loves this family very much. He often stays with them when he visits Jerusalem.One day Lazarus becomes very sick. Mary and Martha send a messenger to find Jesus. They say, Lord, the one you love is sick.
When Jesus gets the message, he says something surprising. This sickness will not end in death. It is for God's glory, so that God's Son may be glorified through it.
Jesus stays where he is for two more days. He does not rush to Bethany. Then he tells his disciples, Let us go back to Judea.
The disciples worry. Judea is dangerous. The religious leaders there recently tried to stone Jesus. But Jesus insists. He says, Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.
The disciples misunderstand. Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better, they say. So Jesus tells them plainly, Lazarus is dead. For your sake, I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.
When Jesus arrives in Bethany, Lazarus has been dead four days. Many people have come to comfort Mary and Martha. Martha hears Jesus is coming and goes out to meet him. Mary stays in the house.
Martha says, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.
Jesus tells her, Your brother will rise again.
Martha says, I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
Jesus says to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die. And whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?
Martha answers, Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.
Then Martha goes and gets Mary. Mary comes quickly and falls at Jesus's feet. She says the same words as Martha. Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
Jesus sees her weeping. He sees the people weeping with her. He is deeply moved in his spirit and troubled. He asks, Where have you laid him?
They say, Come and see, Lord.
Jesus weeps.
The people see this and say, See how he loved him. But some say, Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?
Jesus comes to the tomb. It is a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. He says, Take away the stone.
Martha worries. Lord, by this time there will be a bad smell, for he has been dead four days.
Jesus reminds her, Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?
They take away the stone. Jesus looks up and prays. Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I know that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.
Then Jesus calls out in a loud voice, Lazarus, come out!
The dead man comes out. His hands and feet are wrapped with strips of linen. A cloth covers his face. Jesus tells them, Take off the grave clothes and let him go.
Many of the people who see this believe in Jesus.
<h2>The message of the story</h2> Children's Bible story about Lazarus carries deep messages about Jesus's power and his love. Jesus waited when Mary and Martha begged him to come. He let Lazarus die. This seems hard to understand. But Jesus had a bigger plan. He wanted to show something greater than healing. He wanted to show power over death itself.The story also shows Jesus's humanity. He wept. He knew he would raise Lazarus. He knew death would not win. Yet he still wept with his friends. Jesus feels our sadness. He enters into our grief even when he knows the happy ending.
Jesus says something huge in this story. I am the resurrection and the life. He does not just say he gives resurrection. He says he is resurrection. To know him is to have life that death cannot touch.
The story also teaches about believing even when we do not understand. Mary and Martha did not understand why Jesus waited. But they kept trusting him. Martha said, Even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask. That is faith.
We can ask our children, Have you ever waited for something hard? Did you feel like Jesus was not listening? What helps you keep trusting?
<h2>Vocabulary learning</h2> Children's Bible story about Lazarus introduces important words that help children understand this miracle.Resurrection means coming back from the dead. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Jesus himself rose from the dead later.
Tomb is a place where people bury dead bodies. Lazarus was in a tomb for four days.
Grave clothes are the strips of linen wrapped around a dead body for burial. Lazarus came out still wrapped in them.
Glory means the bright, wonderful presence of God. Jesus said this miracle would show God's glory.
Believe means to trust that something is true. Jesus asked Martha, Do you believe this?
Messiah means the special one God promised to send. Martha called Jesus the Messiah.
After reading, we can use these words naturally. When you see someone trust something hard, you might say, That takes belief like Martha had. When something wonderful happens, you might say, That shows God's glory.
<h2>Phonics points</h2> The names in children's Bible story about Lazarus give us lovely phonics practice.Lazarus has three syllables. Laz-a-rus. The L at the beginning requires lifting the tongue. Lll-lazarus. The Z in the middle buzzes. Zzz-lazarus. The R curls the tongue. Laz-a-rus.
Martha has two syllables. Mar-tha. The M closes the lips. The R curls. The TH requires sticking out the tongue. Mar-tha. This name gives practice with the TH sound.
Mary has two syllables. Ma-ry. The M again. The R again. The Y at the end makes a long E sound. Ma-ree. Mary and Martha start the same but end differently.
Bethany has three syllables. Beth-a-ny. The B pops at the beginning. The TH again in the middle. The Y at the end makes long E. Beth-a-ny.
We can play with these sounds by finding other words with the same patterns. Lazarus and lizard both start with La. Martha and thumb both have TH. Mary and merry sound the same but mean different things!
<h2>Grammar patterns</h2> Children's Bible story about Lazarus uses language patterns that help children understand how sentences work.We see repetition for emphasis. Mary and Martha say the same words to Jesus. Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. This repetition shows their shared grief and their shared faith.
Questions drive the conversation. Do you believe this? Jesus asks. Where have you laid him? he asks. These questions invite response and relationship.
We see contrasts throughout. Jesus waited, but then he acted. Lazarus was dead, but then he lived. The people wept, but then they rejoiced. These contrasts highlight the miracle.
Jesus's words are simple and powerful. Lazarus, come out. Four words changed everything. Children learn that powerful speech does not need many words.
After reading, we can notice these patterns. Jesus said, I am the resurrection. What does that mean? How is that different from saying, I can do resurrection?
<h2>Learning activities</h2> Children's Bible story about Lazarus inspires gentle activities that help children connect with its themes.Create a garden stone to remember the story. Paint a small rock with the word HOPE or BELIEVE. Place it in a plant or garden. Every time you see it, remember that Jesus brings life from death.
Practice waiting together like Mary and Martha waited. Set a timer for a few minutes of quiet. Talk afterward about how waiting feels. What helps when you have to wait for something important?
Draw the story in four parts. Lazarus sick. Messenger sent. Jesus comes late. Lazarus comes out. This builds sequencing skills and helps children retell the story.
Make grave clothes for a doll using strips of cloth. Wrap the doll and then unwrap it. Talk about how Jesus told them to unwrap Lazarus. He was free and alive!
<h2>Printable materials</h2> Many wonderful printable materials exist for children's Bible story about Lazarus.Look for coloring pages showing Jesus with Mary and Martha, Jesus at the tomb, and Lazarus coming out wrapped in grave clothes. Children can color while you talk about each scene.
Find printable finger puppets of Jesus, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Cut them out and act out the story together. Your child can be Jesus calling Lazarus out.
Some websites offer printable story wheels that show the sequence. Turn the wheel to see Lazarus sick, messenger running, Jesus talking to Martha, Jesus weeping, Lazarus coming out. This builds comprehension.
You might also find printable verse cards with key verses. I am the resurrection and the life. Jesus wept. Lazarus, come out. Display these where your child can see them.
<h2>Educational games</h2> Games based on Lazarus help children internalize the story through play.Play a game of believe it or not. Say statements about the story. Some are true. Some are false. Jesus loved Lazarus. True. Lazarus was dead ten days. False. Jesus wept. True. Children decide which they believe.
Create a cause and effect matching game. Match causes to effects. Jesus got the message. He waited two days. Jesus arrived late. Lazarus was dead four days. Jesus called Lazarus. Lazarus came out.
Play a game of emotions. Make faces showing different feelings. How did Mary feel when Lazarus died? How did Martha feel when Jesus finally came? How did Lazarus feel coming out of the tomb? How did the people feel watching?
For younger children, play a simple hiding game. Hide a picture of Lazarus somewhere. Have your child find it. Talk about how Lazarus was hidden in the tomb, but Jesus found him and called him out.
These games show that Lazarus's story offers wonderful opportunities for learning through play. Children absorb the miracle while having fun together.
<h2>The raising that changed everything</h2> Children's Bible story about Lazarus did more than bring one man back to life. It changed everything. Many people believed in Jesus because of this miracle. But it also made his enemies more determined.The religious leaders heard about Lazarus. They saw that many people were believing in Jesus. They were afraid. They plotted to kill Jesus. They even plotted to kill Lazarus, because so many people believed because of him.
This miracle led directly to the cross. Jesus raised Lazarus, and then Jesus himself died. But death could not hold him either. The same power that called Lazarus out of the tomb raised Jesus from the dead.
Lazarus became a living sign. Everyone who saw him knew that Jesus had power over death. He walked around, ate meals, hugged his sisters, lived his life. He proved that Jesus tells the truth.
<h2>The message for us</h2> Lazarus's story speaks to everyone who has ever felt like hope is dead. Sometimes we wait and wait and nothing happens. Sometimes it seems too late. Four days too late. All hope gone.But Jesus specializes in impossible situations. He shows up when we think he has forgotten us. He stands at the tombs in our lives and calls us to believe. Then he speaks words of power. Come out. Be free. Live again.
The story also shows that Jesus shares our tears. He wept with Mary and Martha even though he knew the happy ending. He does not rush past our pain. He enters it with us. He weeps with us. Then he acts.
When we share this children's Bible story about Lazarus with our own children, we give them hope for hard times. They learn that Jesus can handle anything. They learn that waiting does not mean forgetting. They learn that death is not the end of the story.
So find a children's Bible with this story. Settle in together. Walk to Bethany. Wait with Mary and Martha. Watch Jesus weep. Then hear his voice calling into the darkness. Lazarus, come out. That same voice calls each of us into new life, again and again.