Life / Small Group · aligned to Pentecostal / Charismatic
I Am the Resurrection: Jesus at Lazarus' Tomb
Jesus is not only the One who will raise us on the last day — He is resurrection and life Himself, present in our grief, and we can trust His timing and His power even at the tomb.
How this lesson was made
DiviNav AI drafted this lesson (Life / Small Group, aligned to the Pentecostal / Charismatic statement of faith), then an automatic review checked it for Scripture accuracy, theology, sensitive content, and originality. No pastor has read it line by line, so treat it as a starting point: read it all the way through and adapt it to your group before you teach.
Lesson plan
Warmly welcome everyone and briefly frame tonight: we're walking with Jesus into one of the rawest moments in the Gospels — a funeral, delayed, among friends He loves. Open by inviting the Holy Spirit to make this study more than information. Pray something like: 'Spirit of God, You raised Jesus from the dead and You live in us. Meet us tonight with resurrection life. Comfort the grieving among us and build our faith in Jesus. Amen.' Keep it short so there's room for the Word.
Read John 11:1-44 aloud together — split it across three or four readers to keep attention (e.g., v1-16, v17-27, v28-37, v38-44). Ask the group to simply listen for one thing: where do they see Jesus' emotions and where do they see His power? Don't comment yet; let the story land. Note aloud the key verses the group will keep returning to: Jesus' words in verses 25-26, 'Jesus wept' in verse 35, and the command in verses 43-44.
Teach around three movements in the passage. (1) Jesus' delay is not neglect (v1-6). He loved this family, yet He waited — because He was after something bigger than preventing one death: 'that you may believe' (v15). Charismatic faith is not naming our own timeline; it's trusting the Spirit's timing even when it hurts. (2) Jesus enters the grief, He doesn't skip it (v33-35). 'Jesus wept.' The God who raises the dead also stands at the graveside and cries. Being Spirit-filled never means faking that we're fine; it means grieving with hope. (3) Jesus is the resurrection, present tense (v25-26, 43-44). He doesn't merely give life — He IS life. When He calls 'Lazarus, come out!' the same resurrection power that will raise us at the last day breaks into the present. For us today, the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus lives in us (Romans 8:11) — so we pray with expectancy for life, healing, and hope, while leaving outcomes in the Father's hands. Be honest that not every tomb opens this side of heaven: Lazarus himself would one day die again, and someone in this room may have prayed in faith for a loved one who still died. That is not a faith test they failed; Jesus wept at that grave too. Land the plane on Jesus' question to Martha: 'Do you believe this?'
Move through the discussion questions, starting with the warm-up and spending most of your time on the 'dig' and 'apply' questions. In a group of 9-20, consider splitting into clusters of 3-4 for the deeper questions, then gather a few responses from each. Be gentle: death and delay are tender subjects, and someone in the room may be freshly grieving. Let silence do its work; don't rush to fill it.
Give each person an index card. Invite them to privately write one 'tomb' — a situation that feels dead, delayed, or beyond hope (a relationship, a prayer, a dream, a grief). On the other side, write Jesus' words to them: 'I am the resurrection and the life.' Then pair up (or stay in the smaller clusters) and, only if comfortable, share one card and pray a short, expectant prayer for one another, asking the Holy Spirit to bring life or comfort. No one is required to share — passing is completely fine. Leaders: circulate and be ready to pray with anyone who is visibly struggling. Encourage people to keep the card somewhere they'll see it this week.
Gather back together. Remind the group that Jesus still speaks life over bound-up places, and He still weeps with us. Close by praying over the tombs named tonight, inviting the Spirit's resurrection power and comfort. If anyone indicated deeper pain, quietly let them know you'd love to follow up after. Send them out with verse 25 as a benediction.
Discussion questions
- warmupWhen you first heard this story read aloud, what stood out most — Jesus' emotions or Jesus' power? Why?
- warmupMary and Martha both say, 'Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.' Have you ever prayed a prayer that felt like that — 'Lord, where were You?' What was that like?
- digJesus deliberately waited two days before going to Lazarus (v6). How does it challenge or comfort you that His delay was intentional and loving, not neglectful?
- digJesus wept (v35) even though He knew He was about to raise Lazarus. What does this tell us about how God meets us in grief, and about whether faith and sorrow can coexist?
- digJesus asks Martha, 'Do you believe this?' after declaring He is the resurrection and the life. What is He actually asking her to trust — and how would you answer Him honestly tonight?
- applyLazarus came out still bound in grave clothes, and Jesus told the community, 'Unwrap him and let him go.' Where might God be calling this group to help 'unwrap' someone He is bringing back to life?
- applyWhat 'tomb' in your life do you most need to hear Jesus speak over this week? What would it look like to trust Him there with expectant faith, while still leaving the outcome to the Father?
Scripture
John 11:25-26 (BSB) — Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:35 (BSB) — Jesus wept.
John 11:40 (BSB) — Jesus replied, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
John 11:43-44 (BSB) — After Jesus had said this, He called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The man who had been dead came out with his hands and feet bound in strips of linen, and his face wrapped in a cloth. “Unwrap him and let him go,” Jesus told them.
Romans 8:11 (BSB) — And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.
Leader notes
Prep checklist
- Read John 11:1-44 slowly a few times this week and pray through your own 'tomb' before leading — teach from a full heart.
- Pre-assign the Scripture readers (3-4 people) before the group starts so the reading flows.
- Write out the key verses (11:25-26 and 11:43-44) on a board or slide so the group can see them during teaching.
- Pray ahead of time for group members you know may be grieving; be ready to follow up one-on-one after the session.
- Running short on time? Compress the teaching by covering only the first and third movements (Jesus' delay and 'I am the resurrection'), and in discussion drop the second warm-up question about praying 'Lord, where were You?' Keep the full Application exercise and the closing prayer — do not trim the care given to anyone who is struggling.
- This lesson deals directly with death and grief and may surface deep pain. You are a caring leader, not a counselor — if someone shows signs of a mental-health crisis or thoughts of suicide or self-harm, point them warmly to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988, available 24/7); for immediate danger call 911. Encourage professional help alongside prayer, and never present prayer as a replacement for emergency or professional care.
Materials
- Bibles (BSB) or printed copies of John 11:1-44
- Index cards (one or two per person) and pens
- Whiteboard or screen to display key verses
- Optional: tissues on hand, given the emotional weight of the topic
This took DiviNav about a minute. Make one for your church:
Try it free — no card