Why is it important to have eyewitnesses tell about Jesus?
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Kids Talk About God
By Carey Kinsolving
“If I told my teacher that a UFO landed on the playground during recess, she’d ask for video proof,” says Logan, 9. “Same thing if someone said Jesus rose from the dead. I’d want to see the evidence.”
That’s a fair request. Fortunately, the Bible doesn’t ask us to believe without evidence. The Apostle John tells us at the end of his Gospel why he wrote it: “This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true” (John 21:24).
John wasn’t reporting secondhand news. He saw Jesus turn water into wine, calm storms, feed thousands, heal the blind, and even raise the dead. He stood at the cross and raced to the empty tomb.
“Eyewitnesses help us know what really happened,” says Ava, 10. “It’s like when your friend sees something at recess. If they were there, you trust them more.”
Exactly. Christianity isn’t based on fairy tales or fuzzy feelings. It’s grounded in history: real events, real people and real witnesses. That’s why John’s words matter. He’s giving testimony.
And John wasn’t the only eyewitness. In I Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul lists many people who saw Jesus after his resurrection, including over 500 at one time.
Christian apologist and author Norman Geisler added, “The disciples did not invent the resurrection; they saw the resurrected Christ. They were not deceivers, but believers who proclaimed what they had experienced.”
That’s a strong point. The apostles wrote their accounts while many witnesses were still alive. If they were making things up, people could have challenged them. But they didn’t. Because the events were true.
The final verse of John’s Gospel reads, “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25).
John wasn’t trying to write an encyclopedia. He chose specific events to help us see who Jesus is (the Son of God) and to believe in Him.
Faith in Jesus isn’t a leap in the dark. It’s a step into the light of eyewitness testimony. The Gospel of John is a reliable record from someone who knew Jesus personally.
“Believing in Jesus changes your heart,” says Sophia, 11. “That’s how you know it’s real.”
That’s the goal of John’s writing, not just to inform, but to transform. When we believe in Jesus, we receive eternal life. It’s a relationship with God that begins now and lasts forever. Transformed lives are not a primary proof, but a strong secondary one that Jesus is alive and well in the hearts of those who believe in Him.
Almost half of the New Testament books were written by a man who began as a persecutor of Christians. The Apostle Paul became the most effective advocate and evangelist of the resurrected Christ, who appeared to him on the Damascus Road (Acts 9:1-9).
So why is it important to have eyewitnesses tell about Jesus? Because they were there. They told the truth. And their words still change lives.
Think About This: The Bible gives us real eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. We can trust what the apostles wrote because they saw it with their own eyes.
Memorize This Truth: “This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true” (John 21:24).
Ask This Question: Why is it important to have eyewitnesses tell about Jesus?
“Kids Talk About God” is designed for families to study the Bible together. Research shows that parents who study the Bible with their children give their character, faith and spiritual life a powerful boost. To receive “Kids Talk About God” twice a week in a free email subscription, visit www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org/email.
