Monday, August 22, 2005

Teaching tip 24. Knowing Jesus or knowing about Jesus?

Knowing Jesus or knowing about Jesus?

Many children don't understand the difference between knowing someone and knowing about someone. It is essential. of course, that we teach them how they can know Jesus personally as opposed to simply knowing about him.

Being British, I use the illustration of the Queen. I say "I know a lot about the Queen. I know what she looks like, I know who she's married to, I know where she lives, I know the names of all her children. But I have never met her. Although I know about her, I don't actually know her. If she were to walk into this classroom today, I might say 'Hello Your Majesty', and she may well reply 'Who are you? I don't know you.' And, of course, she would be right because we had never met before.

It is the same with knowing about Jesus and actually knowing Jesus. Many people know lots about Jesus. They may have read the Bible many times and know all about the wonderful things He said and did. But many of them have never actually met him. They don't know him personally, they only know about him. And the only way anyone can get to know him for themselves is by accepting him as their Lord and Saviour.