26 March 2023

---

Bible readings for today

• Ezekiel 37:1-14
• Psalms 130:1-8
• Romans 8:6-11
• John 11:1-45

Liturgical colour: VIOLET

Collect

God in Trinity, 
Creator, Saviour, Giver of life and truth, 
reveal the possibilities within us, 
that we may attain to the fullness of our humanity. 
Hear this prayer for your love’s sake. 
Amen. 

E te Atua Tokotoru, Te Kaihanga, Te Kaiwhakaora,
​Te Kaihōmai i te oranga me te pono,
whakaaria mai ngā pūmanawa kei roto i tēnei,
i tēnei o mātou, kia tae atu ai mātou ki te puāwaitanga o te tangata.
Whakarongo ki tēnei īnoi i runga i tōu aroha. 
Āmine. 

Lazarus (John 11:1-45)

Today's passage from John tells the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead. 

Lazarus come out

An amazing sermon from Rev. Caleb Rowe, from Whanganui Anglicans. ​

Gospel Conversations

Thanks to the Diocese of Dunedin for another great Gospel Conversations. We have an ecumenical gathering in this week's Conversation, with Graham Redding joining us from the Presbyterians, Lisa who describes herself as "Bapto-Catholic," and Jonathan representing the Anglicans of Auckland. Together with Michael they delve into the amazing story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead: a pivotal story for John's Gospel and a thing of unending challenge and good news for us.

What makes you cry?

I’m wondering… When was the last time you cried? It might have been a long time ago or maybe just  earlier today. What are some of the things that make you cry? (allow different answers and add a few more if needed- someone you love is sick or hurt, falling off of your bike, someone being mean to you, saying good bye at the airport, someone dying, a sad movie or book, etc)

I cry sometimes and usually the things that make me cry are when people that I love are hurt, or when they move somewhere else or when they die. The people that I love the most are my family and my friends.

When Lazarus died, Martha and Mary, his two sisters, cried. And people from their village, their friends, also cried. It was a very sad time. But when Jesus came, something amazing happened. 

Ask: Do you know what this amazing thing was? (Allow time for people to respond, expect some children to say raised Lazarus back to life.) Before he brought Lazarus back to life, Jesus watched Mary and Martha and their friends crying and he felt very sad for them. And then Jesus remembered Lazarus, who was his friend, and Jesus cried, too.

That’s amazing to me.It’s easy to think about Jesus being God’s son, being our Saviour, even being a wonderful teacher, but sometimes I forget that Jesus cries with me when I’m hurt or upset, he cries when I’m sad or have lost someone I love, because Jesus is my friend.

Pop up Lazarus

• Download this file to make your own 'Pop up Lazarus'​​

Visio Lectio

A design from Rev. Sarah West, from Visio Lectio
​PNG Download
Download w/ background
Terms of Use

Pass the parcel

Tell the story of Lazarus by playing Pass the Parcel. 

What you need
​Download and print the Images and story.
Wrap up each prop and the story in a different layer of paper, starting with the last one first. You might like to wrap this one in bright coloured paper (lollies) and end with the first layer being a picture of Lazarus. We have included some props and images, but you might like to be a bit more creative and add your own props. Each layer should have a short part of the story for the children to read, with some questions throughout. 

What you do

• Get the group to sit in a circle, and have some music playing to signal when to stop passing the parcel around. 
• Once the music stops, the child opens the parcel and removes a layer. In each layer, encourage the children to read the piece of paper and show everyone the props. 
• The game ends when the final layer is unwrapped. 
• Once the story has been told, you might like to encourage the children to retell the story with the props. 

Quick Questions

• Who would you ask for help if you couldn’t reach something on a high shelf?
• Why do we pray to Jesus?
• Do you think Jesus answers prayer?
• Why do you think Jesus raised Lazarus back to life?
• What do you think would happen if you got everything you ever asked for?

Dead ants

Preparation: Nothing!
What to do: Choose someone to be the tagger. Everyone else has to try and keep from being tagged by the tagger. If someone gets tagged, they need to lie down on the ground on their back with their arms and legs waving in the air. They are a ‘dead ant’. They can come alive again when four people hold the dead ant’s legs and arms. (One dead ant + four people = ant comes back to life!) 

​If you have girls with skirts that don’t want to wave their arms and legs in the air, then you can modify the game so that they just lie on the ground without waving their arms and legs. They still need four people to make them alive though.

Lazarus craft

You will need:

• Templates of a body shape
• Googly eyes
• White string or wool -- cut into lengths 

Instructions:
Cut out card templates of a body -- you may like to do this in advance if you have younger children. Stick on two wobbly eyes. Give children white string to wind around the body of Lazarus -- tape to the back at the start and finish to secure it.
​Source: I heart Crafty Things

Media

Ezekiel 37

• Bible Lesson: Ezekiel's vision of God's glory departing from the temple (Ministry-to-children)
• Bible Lesson: Ezekiel the watchman (Ministry-to-children)
• Children's Ministry Session: Ezekiel the Watchman Bible Lesson
• Watchman”Bible Lesson: Ezekiel 37 Valley of Dry Bones (ShareFaith Kids)

Media

Share Faith Kids - Ezekiel 37, valley of dry bones. 

Hillsong United: Bones (2012)
"You can take my dry bones
Breathe life into this skin
You called me by name
​Raised me to life again"

The story of Ezekiel

We'd love your feedback and ideas

Bible Explore is a team effort, and we'd love their what creative ideas and resources you're using.
If it was a hit for you, it might help others too...
​Flick us an email today!