少儿圣经故事:认识主(2)复活/Knowing Christ(2)The Resurrection

??Have you ever visited a happy home, where you felt loved and welcome？Jesus found just such a place when He visited the home of Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus. John 11：5 says, "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." Their home was in the little village of Bethany, about 2 miles from the great city of Jerusalem.

??However, in our Bible lesson for today, a great sadness has come upon that little home. Lazarus has become very ill, so ill that his sisters realized Lazarus was going to die if he didn't get some help. Mary and Martha knew the Lord Jesus could help him! Hadn't Jesus opened the ears of the deaf？Hadn't he healed the poor man with leprosy sores all over his body？Martha and Mary wasted no time in sending a messenger to find the Lord Jesus. The messenger found the Lord Jesus and simply said, "Lord, he whom you love is sick." Even though the messenger didn't say a name, the Lord Jesus immediately knew it was Lazarus who was sick. Jesus loved His friend Lazarus. Peter, James and John and the other disciples 1 were standing 2 around the Lord Jesus. Did He love them too？Yes, and He loves you too! He made you, He knows and cares about you. And Jesus cared about His dear friend Lazarus. He said to His disciples："This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified 3." Jesus was saying that Lazarus's sickness was going to bring great honor to God and to His Son.

??Do you think Jesus and the disciples left right away to go to Lazarus？After all, this is an emergency! Martha and Mary are expecting Jesus. Lazarus will die if he doesn't get help. It seems so puzzling when we read that Jesus stayed right there for two more days! Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Our friend Lazarus is sleeping, but I'm going to wake him up." The disciples didn't understand until Jesus said plainly, "Lazarus is dead." Then Jesus said something that seems very strange："Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sake that I was not there, so that you may believe." Doesn't it seem strange that Jesus said, "Lazarus is dead and I am glad I was not there.？" But remember Jesus is God, and He has a very good purpose for all that He does when He does it!

??If you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior from sin, have there been times when you wondered why God didn't answer your prayer right away？Or when His answer was no, and you felt sure it should be ？yes.？" Remember, God has a good purpose for everything He does! Ephesians 1：11 speaks of ？the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will." God sees the past, the present and the future. He knows the very best way to work in our lives for our best good. His answers to our prayers may cause us to wonder why He doesn't do something right away, but remember God has a good purpose for all that He does, when He does it! And Jesus knew that waiting two more days before going to Bethany was God's best answer for Lazarus. After two days, Jesus said, "Let's go now."

??The disciples did not want Jesus to go back to Bethany. They felt it was too dangerous for Jesus to be near Jerusalem, where recently a mob of angry people had tried to kill Him. When they knew that Jesus was determined 4 to go, Thomas said to the others, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."

??Let's read from John 11："Then when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had been in the grave 4 days already. And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort

??them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him：but Mary sat still in the house. Then Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now, whatever you ask of God, God will give it to you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

??Martha said, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.？" ??Listen carefully to hear what Jesus then told Martha! It is such good news for you and me! Jesus said, "I am the resurrection, and the life：he that believes in me, even though he dies, yet he will live."

??Do you ever think about dying？The Bible says we all must face that appointment with death. Even though there are many ways people die, there is only one real reason we die. Romans 5：12 says, ？" by one man sin entered into the world, and death (came) by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." The reason everyone has to die is because everyone has sinned. You see, the first people who ever lived, Adam & Eve, chose to disobey God. Disobeying God is called sin. Because of their sin, everyone born after them was born with a sin nature. You and I could write a long list of all kinds of things that displease 5 God, like fighting, saying bad things, breaking rules, etc. Any or all of those sins keep us separated from God and His Home. God's Home is Heaven, where there is perfect beauty and happiness, even a street of pure gold! But there is NO sin there!

??Because of your sin, you have that curse of physical death. But if you choose to stay in your sin, you will suffer everlasting 6 death in Hell. Did you know that Jesus came to give you another choice？As the perfectly 7 holy Son of God, Jesus left Heaven and came to a world that hated Him and didn't believe in Him. He came in great love to take our punishment for sin. I Corinthians 15：3 says, "Christ died for our sin？" Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and 3 days later came alive again. Now He is in Heaven, and He gives you the choice to believe on Him and be saved from everlasting death. When you are saved, you do not have to be afraid when you think about dying. You can remember Jesus' wonderful promise："I am the resurrection and the life：he that believes in me, even though he dies, yet he will live."

??Jesus went on to tell Martha, "Whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this？" Martha answered, "Yes, Lord：I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world." Then Martha went to get Mary."Mary, the Master is come and He is calling for you." As soon as Mary heard that, she got up quickly, and went to Jesus. When the Jews saw Mary leave, they followed her, thinking, "She is going to the grave to cry." But Mary was hurrying to Jesus! When she saw Him, she fell at down at His feet. I'm sure she was crying as she said, "Lord, if You had only been here, my brother would not have died." Do you think Jesus was hardhearted as He saw this precious friend crying from a broken heart？No, boys and girls, the Bible says ？Jesus groaned 8 in the spirit and was troubled？And then, "Jesus cried." Jesus hates what the curse of death has brought upon the world! It grieves His heart deeply.

??Where have you laid him？" Jesus asked. They led him to the grave. Some were whispering along the way, "Couldn't this man who opened the eyes of the blind have kept his friend Lazarus from dying？" They didn't understand God's wonderful purpose for this!

??If you are God's child, you may not always understand God's purpose for allowing things in your life. You may wonder why God doesn't answer your prayers quickly, or why He allowed certain painful things to happen. But remember, God has a good purpose for everything He does. He promises in Romans 8：28, "All things work together for good to them that love God." God sees so much more than we as human beings can, and He promises His purposes and plans are for our good! Try to remember that even when you don't understand. Link：The Jews with Mary and Martha were whispering what they thought Jesus ought to have done, but they didn't understand the bigger and better plan Jesus had!

??Jesus walked to the front of the tomb. It was a cave-like place with a stone in front of the opening."Take away the stone, " Jesus said. Quickly Martha protested, "But Lord, by this time he is stinking 9. He's been dead four days." But Jesus hushed Martha by saying, "Didn't I tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God？"

??Surely everyone stood with wide eyes focused on the Lord Jesus and that tomb. Some of the men moved the big stone away from the door. Then Jesus lifted His eyes toward Heaven and prayed, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people here I am saying this, so they may believe that You have sent Me." Then with a loud voice that rung with authority, Jesus cried out, "Lazarus, come out!"

??And the dead body of Lazarus heard the command of the Lord! The Bible says, "And he that was dead came out!" Lazarus？body was bound hand and foot with graveclothes：and his face was bound about with a napkin, but somehow he came out of that tomb!

??Jesus said, "Loose him, and let him go!"

??Can you imagine how the people gasped 10 in awe 11 and amazement 12!! Can you imagine Mary and Martha's shouts of praise and gladness, as they pulled those graveclothes away from Lazarus？face, and hugged and kissed their precious brother!

??God's Word says, "Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him." Now we understand why Jesus waited! We can see His wonderful plan and purpose! He wanted more people to believe on Him, to understand that He could not only heal the sick, but He was the Son of God Who could raise the dead to life!

??If you have already believed on the Lord Jesus and asked Him to make you His child, remember, God has a good purpose for everything He does! You can trust the Lord Jesus, even when you don't understand His bigger plan and purpose! Maybe you will see later in life what that good purpose was, but maybe you will not know til you get to Heaven. Why not memorize Ephesians 1：11 and Romans 8：28 to help you remember to trust the Lord Jesus even when you don't understand.

??Even though the Lord Jesus had given life to the dead, some of the Jews went away that day still refusing to believe on Him. What about you？As we close this wonderful true story, will you choose to believe on the Lord Jesus and have His gift of everlasting life？Then go now to ？How to be a Child of God？and follow those steps.

??小朋友们, 你有没有去过一个人的家, 在那个人家里, 你觉得特别温馨, 因为那里充满了爱？主耶稣也找到了这样一个地方。这是谁的家呢？就是马大, 玛利亚和拉撒路的家。约翰福音11：5说："耶稣素来爱马大, 和他妹子, 并拉撒路。"他们的家在伯大尼的一个小小的村子里, 离耶路撒冷城有两英里。

??在我们今天的圣经故事里, 这个家里发生了一件令人悲伤的事。弟弟拉撒路生病了, 而且病得很厉害, 他姐姐们知道他可能会死。马大和玛利亚知道只有耶稣能够帮助他!耶稣不是让聋子听见了吗？他不是治好了长大麻风的吗？马大和玛利亚赶快给耶稣捎去口信。捎信的人找到耶稣, 说：主啊, 你所爱的人病了。虽然他连名字都没提, 但主耶稣知道是拉撒路病了。耶稣非常爱他的朋友拉撒路。彼得, 雅各和约翰, 还有其他门徒, 围在耶稣旁边。主耶稣也爱他们吗？是的, 他爱他们, 他也爱你!他造了你, 他认识你, 他也看顾你。耶稣很挂念他的朋友拉撒路。他对门徒说："这病不至于死, 乃是为神的荣耀, 叫神的儿子因此得荣耀。"耶稣是说拉撒路的病要叫神和神的儿子得到荣耀。

??我们肯定会希望主耶稣马上就去医治拉撒路, 对不对？这可是急诊阿!马大和玛利亚也在等耶稣。如果耶稣不帮他, 拉撒路一定会死的。但是, 圣经上说耶稣并没有马上去, 而是又等了两天才去。耶稣对门徒们说："我们的朋友拉撒路睡了, 我去叫醒他。"门徒们真的以为拉撒路睡了, 主耶稣就明明的告诉他们说："拉撒路死了, 我没有在那里就欢, 这是为你们的缘故, 好叫你们相信。"真是奇怪, 主耶稣竟然说, 拉撒路死了, 我很高兴我没在那里。记住, 耶稣是神, 他做任何事情都有他美好的旨意。

??如果你已经相信耶稣是你的救主, 他把你从罪中拯救出来, 你有没有想过为什么有的时候神没有马上答应你的祷告？或者有时, 你100%肯定神会答应你的祷告, 但是, 神却说："不!"我们要记住, 神做每一件事都有他的美好的旨意在里面。耶稣知道。多等两天再去伯大尼就是神对拉撒路最好的回答。所以, 过了两天, 耶稣说："我们去吧。"

??门徒们却不想让耶稣去伯大尼, 因为那里离耶路撒冷很近, 最近还有犹太人要拿石头打耶稣, 所以他们觉得危险。但耶稣已经决定要去, 多马就对其他门徒说："我们也去, 和他一起死罢。"

??让我们从约翰福音11章17节读下去：耶稣到了, 就知道拉撒路在坟墓里, 已经四天了。有好些犹太人来看马大和马利亚, 要为他们的兄弟安慰他们。马大听见耶稣来了, 就出去迎接他。马利亚却仍然坐在家里。马大对耶稣说：主阿, 你若早在这里, 我兄弟必不死。就是现在, 我也知道, 你无论向神求什么, 神也必赐给你。耶稣说, 你兄弟必然复活。马大说, 我知道在末日复活的时候, 他必复活。下面耶稣的回答要仔细听, 因为这是大好的消息。耶稣对马大说："复活在我, 生命也在我。信我的人, 虽然死了, 也必复活。"

??你有没有想过死这件事？圣经上说人人有一天都要面对死亡。虽然人们死的原因不一样, 但死亡的真正原因只有一个。罗马书5：12说："这就如罪是从一人入了世界死又是从罪来的, 于是死就临到众人, 因为众人都犯了罪。"人都要死, 因为这世界上的每一个人都犯了罪。亚当和夏娃是神造的第一对人, 他们选择违背神的命令。违背神就是罪。因为他们的罪, 每一个在他们以后出生的人生来就都又了犯罪的天性。我们可以写出一长串不讨神喜悦的事情, 比如打架, 骂人, 违规等等。罪, 不管大小, 多少, 都把我们与神分开, 与神的家天堂分开。你知道吗？天堂里没有罪, 那里是那样的完美充满快乐, 甚至天堂的街道都是金子铺成的。

??罪带来人身体的死亡。但如果你一直在罪里, 你还要经历在地狱里永远的死亡。你知道吗？耶稣来, 使我们可以脱离永远的死亡。作为神完美的儿子, 耶稣离开天上到这个世界上来, 这个世界却恨他, 不相信他。他实在爱我们, 为我们承担了对罪的惩罚。

??歌林多前书15：3说："基督照圣经所说, 为我们的罪死了。"耶稣死在十字架上, 被埋葬在第三天, 他复活了。他现在就在天上, 他愿意你来相信他, 就可以脱离永远的死亡。如果你已经得救了, 当你想到死的时候, 你就不用害怕了。 你可以记住耶稣的应许："复活在我, 生命也在我。信我的人, 虽然死了, 也必复活。"

??耶稣又对马大说："凡活著信我的人, 必永远不死。你信这话么。"马大说, 主阿, 是的。我信你是基督, 是神的儿子, 就是那要临到世界的。马大说了这话, 就回去叫她妹妹马利亚说, 夫子来了, 叫你。马利亚听见了, 就急忙起来, 到耶稣那里去。那些同马利亚在家里安慰他的犹太人, 见她急忙起来出去, 就跟著他。以为她要往坟墓那里去哭。但马利亚是要去见耶稣。

??她到了耶稣那里, 看见他, 就俯伏在他脚前。我想, 她一定哭著对主说：主阿, 你若早在这里, 我兄弟必不死。当耶稣看见他所宝贵的朋友这样难过, 你知道他是什么样的心情吗？圣经上说：耶稣心里悲叹, 又很忧愁, 然后, 耶稣哭了。耶稣痛恨死亡给这个世界带来的诅咒。这使他的心非常难过。他问别人说, 你们把他安放在那里？他们就领他到拉撒路的坟墓那里。路上, 有人说, 他既然开了瞎子的眼睛, 岂不能叫这人不死么。 他们不明白神在这件事上的美好旨意。

??如果你是神的孩子, 你也许并不理解在你身上发生的每一件事, 到底神有什么旨意？你也许会想为什么神没有马上答应你的祷告？为什么神允许痛苦发生？但是, 你要记住, 神做任何事情都有他美好的旨意在里面。他在罗马书8：28应许说"万事都互相效力, 叫爱神的人得益处。"神比我们看得要远多了, 他知道未来, 也掌握未来。而且他应许他的旨意和计划都是为了我们的好处。虽然你可能还不理解, 但你要记住这个真理。

??跟著马大, 马利亚的犹太人小声议论著他们觉得耶稣该怎样做, 但他们实在不明白神在这件事上的美好旨意。耶稣来到坟墓前, 那坟墓是个洞, 有一块石头挡著。耶稣说："你们把石头挪开。"马大对他说："主阿, 他现在必是臭了, 因为他死了已经四天了。" 耶稣说："我不是对你说过, 你若信, 就必看见神的荣耀么。"

??每一个在那里的人都注视著耶稣, 想看看他要干什么。有人把石头挪开, 耶稣举目望天说："父阿, 我感谢, 因为你已经听我。我也知道你常听我, 但我说这话, 是为周围站著的众人, 叫他们信是你差了我来。" 说了这话, 耶稣就以带著权柄的声音, 大声呼叫说："拉撒路, 出来!"那已死的拉撒路听见耶稣的命令!圣经说, 那死人就出来了, 尽管他手脚裹著布, 脸上包著手巾, 他竟然从坟墓口出来了。

??耶稣对他们说："解开, 叫他走。"

??你能想象人们惊讶的程度吗？你能想象当马大, 马利亚解开拉撒路身上的布, 拥抱，亲吻他们的弟弟, 并感谢美神的激动心情吗？??圣经接著说："那些来看马利亚的犹太人, 见了耶稣所作的事, 就多有信他的。"现在, 我们知道为什么耶稣要多等两天才来。我们看见他的奇妙的计划和目的。他想让更多的人相信他, 知道他不但能使有病的得医治, 他更是神的儿子, 有权柄使人从死里复活。

??如果你已经相信并接受耶稣, 并恳求他接受你成为他的孩子, 你要记住：神做任何事情都有他美好的旨意在里面。虽然你还不明白他的计划, 但你可以完全信靠耶稣。也许以后你回过头来看时, 就会惊讶地发现神的旨意是多么美好, 也许你到天上的时候才知道为什么神要这样做。为帮助你记住无论你理解不理解都要信靠神这个真理, 你可以把以弗所书1：11和罗马书8：28背起来。

??虽然主耶稣使拉撒路从死里复活, 但有一些犹太人还是不信耶稣。那你呢？当我们要结束这个故事的时候, 你愿意来相信耶稣并得到永远的生命吗？请你去听"怎样成为神的孩子, "并照着那里所说的去做。