Eyewitnesses Who Followed Him
Month 2: The King Steps Forward · Why We Believe
Today's Scripture
Read together: John 1:35-39 & 1 John 1:1-3
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37 And when the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following. “What do you want?” He asked. They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are You staying?” 39 “Come and see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He was staying, and spent that day with Him. It was about the tenth hour. — John 1:35-39
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands—this is the Word of life. 2 And this is the life that was revealed; we have seen it and testified to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And this fellowship of ours is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. — 1 John 1:1-3
Memory Verse
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”— John 1:29 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Numbers 34-36
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 47 of 365 — the borders of the promised land are mapped out.)The Heart of It
When John the Baptist pointed and said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" two of his disciples did something simple and brave. They followed Jesus. Jesus turned and asked, "What do you seek?" They asked where He was staying. He said, "Come and see." So they came, and they saw, and they stayed with Him that day. John even remembers it was "about the tenth hour." Why would he remember the time? Because it really happened to him. One of those two men was John, who many years later wrote this very Gospel. He was there. He didn't pass along a rumor. He wrote down a memory.
This matters enormously for why we believe. Years later, that same John wrote, "That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled... we declare to you" (). The first Christians weren't telling a beautiful legend they hoped was true. They were reporting what they had touched and watched and lived next to. The faith we hold isn't built on wishful thinking or a feeling in the dark. It rests on real people who saw the real Jesus and refused to stop saying so, even when it cost them everything.
Around the Table
John was a real man who really got to be with Jesus. He saw Him. He heard Him. He even touched Him! Then he told everybody, so we could know about Jesus too.
Let's do it: Point to your eyes, ears, and hands and say, "John saw, John heard, John touched. Jesus is real!"
John remembered the exact time of day he first stayed with Jesus. Little details like that are how we know someone is telling about something that actually happened.
Let's talk: What's a detail you remember from a really special day? Why do you think you remember it?
The Gospels are eyewitness reports, not myths written hundreds of years later. John writes, "we have seen with our eyes... and our hands have handled."
Let's go deeper: People will sometimes die for what they believe is true. But the apostles died for what they claimed to have seen. Why does that make the case stronger?
💬 Conversation Starter
If you saw something amazing happen and your friend didn't believe you, what details would you tell them to prove you were really there?
🛡️ Defending the Faith
When someone says, "The stories about Jesus are just legends that grew over time," you can kindly answer: "Actually, the Gospels were written while the eyewitnesses were still alive. Those people could have spoken up and said, 'That's not true, I was there!' John even writes that he saw Jesus with his own eyes and touched Him with his own hands (). Legends take generations to grow. But this was written down while the witnesses were still around." And say it the way Peter taught, "with gentleness and respect" (). Care more about your friend than about winning.
For Dad · Go Deeper
Christianity is unusual among the world's beliefs because it stakes everything on history. It rests on real witnesses and real events, in real places you can still visit. Paul was willing to say that if the resurrection didn't happen, our faith is worthless (). He didn't hide behind "well, it's true for me." Teach your children that faith and evidence are friends, not enemies. We don't ask them to believe against the facts. We invite them to follow Jesus because the witnesses were trustworthy and willing to die rather than take it back. Even so, the evidence only opens the door. The Holy Spirit draws the heart through it. Lay out the reasons with confidence, then trust God to do the convincing your arguments never could. Your calm certainty about why we believe will steady your kids long after they leave your table.
Draws on: Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses; J. Warner Wallace, Cold-Case Christianity.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You that our faith is true. Real people saw Jesus, heard Him, and touched Him. Give us minds that think and hearts that trust. Help us tell others, with kindness, why we believe. In Jesus' name, amen."
I don't follow a legend. I follow the Jesus that real eyewitnesses saw, touched, and gave their lives to proclaim.