When God Waits, Part 2
Is God good? Does He truly love us? Is He really powerful? Your kids will eventually face these questions in their own lives or in the lives of others, often when confronted with great pain.
The story of Jesus and His resurrection of Lazarus in John 11 can be a powerful launching point for talking with your child about the God powerful enough to raise the dead who proved His love and goodness to us by sending His own Son to suffer and die so we can live forever.
We continue the conversation begun last week with talking points pulled from the second half of that story. Again, it would be worth reading John 11 together as the basis for discussing these ideas with your son or daughter.
[NOTE: A few of the questions repeat themes from last week’s talking points. If you’ve already covered those, feel free to move on to the questions in the bottom half of the list.]
Talking Points
- What did Mary say to Jesus when she saw Him after her brother had died?
- Have you ever wondered why God didn’t use His power to step in and stop a terrible thing from happening? Have you ever known someone who concluded that God was not good, loving, or powerful because He didn’t do something like that?
- Is that a fair way to judge God? Why or why not?
- How has God proved His love for us? [Parent: Think about reading Romans 5:8 together.]
- Mary was upset about her brother and knew that Jesus could have kept Lazarus from dying. Which way did she run when she heard Jesus was near? [Parent: Mary ran toward Jesus even though she seemed upset that He did not act to save her brother.]
- Do you think it’s okay to ask hard questions about God when He doesn’t choose to use His power to do what we’d like Him to do? [Parent: It is actually an act of great faith to ask why the God who loves us didn’t use His great power to do something we see as good. But that faith moves toward God with those questions, trusting His character in our sadness, much as Mary did.]
- What’s the shortest verse in the Bible? [Parent: That’s an easy way to remember “Jesus wept.” (v. 35)]
- Why do you think Jesus cried when He obviously knew He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead? What made Him so sad?
- Do you believe God feels sadness when we feel sad about death and loss, when we mourn and grieve? Why or why not?
- Does it help you to know that God feels compassion for us as a loving Father when bad things cause us to suffer? Why?
- Revelation 21:1-4 lists a few things that God points out will never be the same again once this life is over and we’re all in eternity with Him. What things will there be no more of? [Parent: There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain once we’re in eternity with God forever.]
- Do you think God understands that death and mourning and crying and pain cause us deep suffering? What has He done for us personally to bring those things to an end?
- In a prayer, Jesus says that one reason for His raising Lazarus from the dead was to help everyone to believe that God is the one who sent Him, that He was really the Son of God. Why do you think people needed to see something like that to believe?
- Would seeing Jesus raise the dead have helped you to believe He was God? Why or why not?
- Would seeing Jesus raise the dead have scared you some? Why or why not?
- Do you believe that your body will one day be resurrected from the dead, along with all who have believed in Jesus? [Parent: Encourage your child to embrace the idea that resurrection is for all Christians. See Romans 8:22-25 and 1 Corinthians 15:12-28.]
- Why do you think the Jewish religious leaders who heard about Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead did not believe He was the Son of God when so many others did?
- Why do you think so many people today refuse to believe that Jesus is the Son of God?
- Everyone suffers. God is working a plan that includes us and is motivated by His great love for us and His great goodness. Are you convinced this is true? Why or why not? [Parent: Think about reading Romans 8:18 together.]
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