This teachers copy of the I am the Resurrection sketch lesson plan is printer friendly.
This sketch relates to the What did Jesus teach lesson plan
It has the What did Jesus teach worksheet
See also: What did Jesus teach? RE resources
[LOOSELY WRAP THE “GRAVE CLOTHES” (A BANDAGE OR LOO ROLL) ROUND AND ROUND A PUPIL WHO WILL BE LAZARUS. THEN LAY LAZARUS DOWN ON THE FLOOR IN A LITTLE “TOMB”, (MOVE A COUPLE OF DESKS WITH A GAP BETWEEN THEM FOR THE ENTRANCE, AND HAVE A CHAIR FOR THE STONE DOOR). NOW IN ANOTHER PART OF THE CLASSROOM START THE DRAMA]
Narrator: Lazarus became ill and his two sisters, Mary and Martha, were worried about him, so they sent for Jesus who was about 50 miles away.
Messenger: [WORRIED, SOUND URGENT] Lord, your friend Lazarus is very sick. Mary and Martha want you to come and heal him. Come quickly!
Jesus: This sickness will not be the death of Lazarus. This will all bring praise to God and to His Son.
Messenger: [PUZZLED]
Narrator: But Jesus did a very strange thing! He stayed in the same place for a further two days – he didn’t travel into Judea where Lazarus was!
Jesus: Okay. Now is the time to go back to Judea.
Disciple 1: [SCARED] You can’t go back there! The last time we were there, the people tried to kill you!
Jesus: Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going to wake him up!
Disciple 2: [DISBELIEF] If he’s sleeping, he can wake himself up! It’s too dangerous to go there!
Narrator: What Jesus’ disciple’s hadn’t realised was, that Jesus was talking about sleep meaning death.
Jesus: Lazarus has died. For your sake it was good that we weren’t there before he died, because you wouldn’t have seen what you’re going to see now! This will result in you believing in my power! Let’s go to Lazarus now!
Disciple 3: [UNCONVINCED. SPEAK TO OTHER DISCIPLES] Oh come on, let’s go with Jesus and perhaps we’ll die with Him!
[ALL WALK TO THE TOMB]
Narrator: It took a long time to walk the 50 miles in the blazing sunshine. So by the time they got near Lazarus had been dead in the tomb for 4 days! Martha had heard that Jesus was coming, so she ran to Him.
Martha: [UPSET] Lord, if only you had got here sooner, then Lazarus wouldn’t have died! [PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER] But I know that even now, God will give You whatever You ask.
Jesus: Your brother, Lazarus, will rise again!
Martha: I know that he, and all of us, will be raised back to life at the resurrection, at the end of the world.
Jesus: I am the resurrection and the life! Anyone who believes in me will live even though they die!
Narrator: Christians believe that this means that anyone who believes in Jesus, their body will be raised back to life as a new spiritual body which will never die again, at the end of the world.
Jesus: And whoever lives and believes in me will never die!
Narrator: That means that anyone who believes in Jesus, their inner spirit – the real them – will live on, even after their body has died!
Jesus: Do you believe this?
Martha: Yes Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, the One that all the prophesies speak of.
Narrator: Martha turned and ran back to her sister Mary and brought her to Jesus. Then they walked to the tomb and a large crowd followed them.
Jesus: Remove the stone door from the tomb!
Narrator: None of the disciples moved because of fear. The whole crowd were totally silent.
Martha: [ANXIOUS] But Lord! In this heat his body will already be decaying! There will be a dreadful smell!
Jesus: Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see God’s power! Remove the stone!
[DISCIPLES PUSH THE STONE DOOR OPEN]
Jesus: [LOOK UPWARD] Father God, I thank You that You have heard my prayer. I know that You always hear, but I have said this for the benefit of those people listening here now, that they may believe that You have sent me. [LOUD VOICE] Lazarus! Come out!
[LAZARUS GETS UP SLOWLY AND SLOWLY COMES OUT OF THE TOMB, STILL BOUND WITH THE GRAVE CLOTHES – CROWD CHEER AND PRAISE GOD]
Jesus: Take off his grave clothes and let him go!
Narrator: Many people witnessed this amazing miracle and they put their trust and faith in Jesus.