Jesus Raises Lazarus Bible story for kids

"Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick."

Lord, the one you love is sick. That was the message, the way the Bible tells it. Just a few words, carried along the road, all the way to Jesus.

Let me tell you who sent it.

In a little village called Bethany, not far from Jerusalem, there lived two sisters and their brother. The sisters were Martha and Mary. This Mary is a different Mary, not Jesus's mother. And their brother's name was Lazarus.

Jesus knew this family well. Another part of the Bible tells about a day when Martha welcomed him into her house, and Mary sat at his feet to listen.

And the Bible says this, very simply. "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus."

All three of them. Martha, and Mary, and Lazarus.

But now Lazarus was sick. The Bible doesn't say what kind of sickness. It only tells us that his sisters sent that message. They didn't even ask Jesus to come. Maybe they knew they didn't need to.

Jesus was far away just then. He was across the Jordan River, at the very place where John used to baptize.

When the message came, Jesus said that this sickness would not end in death. It was going to show God's glory. Glory means how great, and bright, and good God is.

And then he stayed where he was, two more days. That might seem strange, when he loved them so much. But Jesus already knew what he was going to do.

After that, he said to his disciples, "Let's go into Judea again."

His friends were worried. It wasn't a safe place for Jesus just then.

And then Jesus told them plainly. "Lazarus is dead."

That is a very sad thing to hear, little one. But Jesus said that what happened next would help his friends believe in him. And he said, "Nevertheless, let's go to him."

So they went. One of his friends, Thomas, said they should all go along with Jesus, whatever happened. Brave, loyal Thomas.

When Jesus came near Bethany, the Bible says Lazarus had been in the tomb four days already.

Lots and lots of people had come to comfort Martha and Mary. Bethany was very close to Jerusalem, so maybe some of them had walked out from the big city.

Then somebody brought the news. Jesus is coming!

Martha went straight out along the dusty road to meet him. Mary stayed in the house, with all the people who had come.

And when Martha reached Jesus, she said, "Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn't have died. Even now I know that, whatever you ask of God, God will give you."

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

Martha said she knew that. Someday, on the very last day, her brother would rise again.

But Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies."

Resurrection means being made alive again. And did you hear what Jesus said? He didn't say he could give it. He said he is it.

Then he asked her, "Do you believe this?"

And Martha said, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God's Son, he who comes into the world."

The Christ. That means the King God had promised to send. And Martha knew who was standing right in front of her.

Then Martha went back home, and called her sister quietly. "The Teacher is here, and is calling you."

Mary got up quickly and hurried out. And all the friends in the house got up and followed her.

When Mary came to Jesus, she fell down at his feet. And she said the very same words her sister had said. "Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn't have died."

And Mary was crying. And the friends who had come with her were crying, too.

When Jesus saw her weeping, the Bible says, his heart was deeply troubled.

"Where have you laid him?" he asked.

And they said, "Lord, come and see."

Jesus wept.

He saw Mary crying. And he cried too.

And the people standing near said, "Behold how he loved him!"

So when you are sad, little one, you are never sad alone. Jesus knows all about tears.

Then they came to the place where Lazarus was laid. It was a cave, with a stone lying against it.

And Jesus said, "Take away the stone."

Martha said, "Lord... he has been dead four days."

Maybe she was worried. It had been such a long time.

But Jesus said to her, "Didn't I tell you that if you believed, you would see God's glory?"

So the people standing there took away the stone.

And Jesus lifted up his eyes. And before anything else happened, he said thank you.

"Father, I thank you that you listened to me. I know that you always listen to me."

Thank you, before the miracle. As if it was already done. He did that once on a grassy hillside, too, with one boy's five little loaves. He looked up, and gave thanks first.

Then Jesus called out in a loud voice.

"Lazarus, come out!"

And out he came. Lazarus!

He was still all wrapped up. Strips of cloth around his hands and his feet, and a cloth wrapped around his face.

I don't think he could see very much at all.

And Jesus said, "Free him, and let him go."

Free him! Let him go!

I wonder whose hands got there first, to unwind all that cloth. Maybe Martha's. Maybe Mary's. Maybe they were laughing and crying at the very same time.

And then, I think, a face peeked out. Lazarus. Blinking in the daylight. Alive. Just as Jesus said. That sickness did not end in death.

"Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus."

And there they were. All three of them, together again. And Jesus, right there with them.

And God was with him. God was with her. God is with you, too.

Big hug, little one. May the same God who cried real tears when He saw Mary crying... sit close beside you on every sad day, and stay until the glad one comes.