Author: Nathaniel Colt

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Read: Proverbs 2:1–6

If you knew that there was buried treasure nearby, what would you do? Would you ignore it and pretend that it wasn’t there? Would you say, “Maybe I’ll search for it tomorrow?” Of course not! You would go and dig for it right away. You would search for that treasure until you found it. Our Bible verses today talk about searching for understanding and wisdom like you would search for silver or hidden treasure.

Nicodemus had a heart to search for Jesus and to know truth. He did what he had to do to get to Jesus. He took the time to really listen to what Jesus was saying. It’s easy sometimes to get so caught up in the things that we have to do, that we miss what Jesus is trying to say to us. We don’t really listen carefully to Him. We hurry through our Bible reading time or just forget to do it all. But when we take time to get to know Jesus and listen to Him, we begin to hear His voice, the voice of truth, instead of all the other noises that fight for our attention.

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Read: John 3:16–21

Many times, when Jesus taught He talked about everyday things to help people understand. He did that when Nicodemus came to Him with questions.

Have you ever been afraid of the dark? When talking with Nicodemus, Jesus used dark and light to describe people. Darkness described people living in sin. Light described when people were willing to let the truth of Jesus change them. Then others could see Jesus in them.

When we listen to Jesus, He will show us the truth. He will give us a new spiritual life and change us. Then, when others look at us, they can see Jesus shine through us. When we search for Jesus, we can find things like light that can point us to the truths of Jesus too. These things can help us understand who He is!

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Read: Jeremiah 29:12–13; Matthew 7:7–11

Have you ever been in a room with the door shut because you wanted to be alone, and then someone knocked on the door wanting to come in? They may have knocked and knocked and wouldn’t give up until you finally opened the door. This is what today’s Bible verses say it’s like to seek God seriously! He isn’t hiding and can always be found. But we must keep on seeking Him sometimes in order to receive from Him. The Bible says when we knock, the door will be opened to us. That means when we seek God, we will find Him!

When Nicodemus talked with Jesus, he listened carefully so he could understand what Jesus was saying (John 3:4–10, 16). He continued to ask questions, and he didn’t give up! There is so much to know about Jesus that we will never fully understand while we are here on the earth. But when we seek Jesus—when we keep knocking on that door—we can know Jesus a little more each day!

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Read: John 3:1–10

Nicodemus was a Jewish religious leader. They studied the Scriptures a lot. Many of them were waiting for the promised Messiah to come. But Jesus came to earth in a way that wasn’t expected. So many people didn’t understand who Jesus was. They didn’t know that Jesus was the promised Messiah. He was offering a way for us to be closer to God.

When Nicodemus came to Jesus at night, he asked questions. He called Jesus rabbi, which means teacher, because he wanted to learn from Jesus. He wanted to know the truth and understand who Jesus was. Jesus was patient with Nicodemus and took the time to explain many things and help him understand. Jesus does the same with us. When we take the time to talk to Jesus and study the Bible for ourself, Jesus comes close to us. He helps us understand who He is and how to live a godly life.

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Read: Ephesians 2:8–10

Before Zacchaeus met Jesus, he probably didn’t feel like he was a masterpiece of God. People called him a sinner. But Jesus said salvation came to his house. Because of that moment with Jesus, Zacchaeus became something new. He was a masterpiece who God made new through His love and mercy. Zacchaeus showed others that Jesus had changed him.

New life comes when we’re saved. It’s the gift that these verses in Ephesians talk about. We can’t earn it. It isn’t a reward for things we do for God. Salvation is free, and it’s a gift from God. Because Jesus came to earth and died for our sins, we can be saved.

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Read: Luke 15:1–7

Some people around Jesus couldn’t understand why He would want to be with sinners. That’s one reason Jesus told this story. In Jesus’ day, sheep were very valuable. The more sheep you had, the richer you were. So when Jesus told a story about someone leaving ninety-nine sheep behind, it would have got people’s attention. And then to say that someone would do it to go after one lost sheep was teaching something important. It showed how important saving someone who is a sinner is to Jesus.

That’s why Jesus spent time with Zacchaeus. Some people thought Zacchaeus was a terrible person. They didn’t understand that Jesus wanted to reach everyone. Jesus came to look for and save those who need Him (Luke 19:10). That means He pursues everyone, including the worst sinners who have made a lot of mistakes.

Do you have a friend or family member who doesn’t know Jesus? Ask Jesus if there is anything you need to do so this person will come to Him.

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Read: Luke 19:6–10

This meeting with Jesus changed Zacchaeus’s life. The changes spilled over on others around him. Even the people who didn’t like Zacchaeus because he was a tax collector could see that he was different after spending time with Jesus. In fact, Zacchaeus promised to give back four times extra if he had cheated anyone in the past.

Every day when we spend time with Jesus, He will change us too. It might not happen all at once. But each time we’re with Jesus, we will slowly change to live and love others more like Him. When we love Jesus, we become more like Him, and that becomes obvious to others. Maybe they will see you caring for someone who’s lonely or sharing your things with someone in need. Those are just a few ways to show others that you care.

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Read: Luke 19:1–5

Stories of Jesus’ healings and miracles spread quickly. So, it’s not surprising that crowds gathered when Jesus came to a town. Everyone was curious about Jesus. But all the people around Him made it challenging to get close to Him. When Zacchaeus heard Jesus was coming to town, he wanted to see Him. We know Zacchaeus was a Jewish tax collector, which meant many people considered him to be a traitor to his own people. He was also pretty short. That made it difficult for Zacchaeus to even get a glimpse of Jesus, but he didn’t give up! He was determined to see Jesus.

There were probably other people who didn’t get close to Jesus that day, let alone spend time with Him. The story of Zacchaeus reminds us that if we desire to draw close to Jesus, we must look for ways to interact with Him every day. When we read our Bible and talk to Jesus in prayer, it’s like climbing a tree to get closer to Jesus.