Ask a Bible Teacher
Q&A

I'm trying to prepare a
children's sermon.

How do we explain to children
that death is a time of
rejoicing, as well as a of grieving.

cont

When relaying the stories
of Jesus raising Lazarus
and others from the dead
it is hard to convey that
all is fair and right
to be content to wait til
we see our loved ones
in heaven.

cont

Why is it that He physically
raised Lazarus whom He loved, but will not bring back
our loved ones and we
must wait
( and be content to do so)
to be reunited with them?

Answer to Question

Your perception is flawed.

Jesus didn't bring Lazarus
back from the dead in a
self serving use of His power.

cont

If He missed Lazarus so much
all He had to do was wait
a few days when He Himself
would be dead and they'd
be together forever.

cont

By bringing Lazarus back He
actually made their separation longer, because He was going
to the place He'd just brought
Lazarus back from, and at the
same time He was sentencing Lazarus to more suffering
in this life before he got
his reward.

cont

Accordingly to John 11:42
Jesus brought Lazarus back
so the people would believe
that God had sent Him to them.

cont

Why not tell your children's
group the truth?

God created humans to be immortal.
Death entered the world
because of man's sin
( Romans 5:12 ), but God
in His grace made sure it
didn't have to be a permanent condition
( John 6:40 ).

cont

We celebrate when believers die because they have escaped this sin filled world and have
begun an eternal life of
unblemished joy.

We grieve because we'll
miss them for a time,
not because God refuses
to bring them back,
but because it's one of the
consequences of sin.

cont

You could also tell the children
that it's so nice where
dead believers are that none
of them want to come back,
and all we have to do to make
sure we go there is agree
to let the Lord's death pay
the penalty for our sins.

Ask a Bible Teacher Q&A

Read this thread or scroll down my timeline and read

Explaining Death To A
Child

1 Minute to Read