Opening

Find out from the children whether they have been in a situation where they believe in someone, or something even if the prevailing circumstances are unfavorable. Receive the answers they give. Today’s story is about two sisters, Martha and Mary, who had believed Jesus would raise their brother from the dead.

Bible Story

● We want to become children with audacious faith. To have audacious faith is the willingness to believe God’s promises no matter the circumstances. God did not create you to be ordinary or complacent. You need to step up, step out and step into your purpose. And when you do this, expect some resistance in many forms but this is what you do: activate your audacious andpersistent faith.
● As a church our definition and desire for audacious faith is to be a community that seeks after and worships a great God with a big vision that will only take Him to accomplish
● Our memory verse teaches us that it is important to have faith, even as we trust God to provide to us the desires of our hearts. We have to believe that God is the ultimate provider.
● In our Bible story, we meet Martha and Mary, who had just lost their brother, Lazarus, to death. The two sisters were very good friends of Jesus.
● When their brother was very ill, they sent a message to Jesus, hoping that he would come soon to heal their brother. Jesus however, took long to get to them. Upon the arrival of Jesus, he found that Lazarus was long dead and had been buried for four days.
● Martha went to meet Jesus and told Him that had he been there earlier, Lazarus would not have died.
● She however adds to say that she believes that even in that situation, God will give Jesus anything that he will ask for. This is where we see her faith. Jesus encourages her by telling her that her brother will rise again.
● Martha went and called her sister to meet Jesus. Mary fell at the feet of Jesus and wept telling him that Lazarus would have not died had Jesus been there early enough.
● Jesus was deeply moved by the tears of Mary, and the other Jews who had come to mourn. He too cried at the loss of His friend. He asked where they had buried Lazarus.
● He went to the tomb where Lazarus was buried and asked the people to take away the stone that was covering the entrance of the tomb.
● When the stone had been taken away, Jesus looked up and prayed to God, then said in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’
● Lazarus walked out of his tomb while in his grave clothes. Jesus instructed the people to take off the grave clothes from Lazarus, and let him go. Just like Martha and Mary, we should strive to grow in our faith, even if the situation seems impossible. We learn that God is able to do all things, even those that seem really impossible to us.

Questions

1. Who died in the story? Lazarus
2. Who were the sisters of Lazarus? Martha and Mary
3. What can we learn from this story? To have faith Who showed faith in the story? Mary
4. How did Mary show faith? Believing that God would give Jesus anything He asked for