Leader Guide
Drawing Activity
- Butcher paper or poster boards; 3 feet of paper or 1 poster board per group of 3 or 4 children
- Crayons, colored pencils, or washable markers
- Whiteboard and marker; or chalkboard and chalk
- Scissors
- Glue sticks
- Gauze, toilet paper, or facial tissue
- Children’s scissors
- Optional: tables
- Optional: Bibles
- Tape
- Mural Idea Sheet
Make one copy of the Mural Idea Sheet for each group plus extras.
Write the two scenes on the board:
- Lazarus is dead and placed in a tomb.
- Jesus arrives and resurrects Lazarus.
Today, you will work together in groups to draw murals about our Bible story.
Optional for Grades 4–6: Pass out the Bibles and have children take turns reading John 11:1–44, the story of Lazarus.
Divide the class into groups of 3–4 children. Mix older and younger children.
Give each group:
- Mural Idea Sheet
- Crayons, colored pencils, or washable markers
- Poster board or sheet of butcher paper
- Gauze, toilet paper, facial tissue, and glue stick
Assign Mural 1 or Mural 2 to each group, or have each group draw both. The groups can make one large mural scene or split their mural into multiple scenes based on the Mural Idea Sheet. Have the groups plan their mural and then work on it for a set amount of time.
Mural 1
- Lazarus is dead, wrapped in grave clothes, lying near the open tomb.
- People are crying by the closed tomb.
- Jesus is traveling from far away with His disciples.
Mural 2
- Martha talks with Jesus.
- Mary falls at His feet.
- Jesus weeps at the tomb.
- Jesus prays and calls Lazarus.
- The stone is rolled away, Lazarus stands outside the tomb, and people are amazed.
- People unwrap Lazarus and praise God. Religious people are angry and afraid.
Tape the finished murals on the wall. Have groups share their murals with the class.
Conclusion: Each group did a wonderful job showing some of the main points of our Bible story. When we wait upon the Lord, we place our complete trust in His timing to answer. Because Jesus waited, God received the glory and everyone knew that Jesus was sent from His Father, God.