Seeking to See Jesus

The Bible says Zacchaeus “sought to see who Jesus was” (Luke 19:3). Sought means he looked hard and tried to find something. Zacchaeus was not the only person in the Bible who wanted to see Jesus.

Visitors at a feast. Some Greeks came to Jerusalem to worship at the feast. They came to Philip, one of Jesus' disciples, and said, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus” (John 12:21).

Friends who helped. “Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus” (John 12:22). Philip and Andrew took the visitors' request to Jesus.

Come and see. Two followers of John the Baptist once walked after Jesus. Jesus turned and asked them what they were looking for. They asked where He was staying, and He told them to come and see. They stayed with Him that day (John 1:37-39).

A promise from God. Long before, God told His people that they would seek Him and find Him when they searched for Him with all their heart (Jeremiah 29:13). Moses had told them the same thing (Deuteronomy 4:29).

A heart that answers. David wrote that when God said, Seek My face, his heart answered that he would seek God's face (Psalm 27:8). God invites us, and a seeking heart says yes.

Come close. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8).

Asking for a Person. The Greeks did not ask to see the feast or the temple. They asked to see Jesus. Real seeking always comes back to Jesus Himself.

Seekers bring others. The Greeks found Philip, Philip found Andrew, and both of them took the request to Jesus. When you know Jesus, you can help someone else come to Him too.

With all your heart. The Greeks asked for Jesus by name. The two disciples stayed with Him that day. Zacchaeus ran and climbed. Seeking with all your heart means giving Jesus real time and attention, not a quick look.

The One we need. Jesus is the Savior. “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Seeking Him is the best search there is.

What to do. This week, read one story about Jesus each day with a grown-up. Ask Him to show you who He is.

Zacchaeus went looking for Jesus. But at the end of the day Jesus said, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Seek in 19:10 is the same word as sought in 19:3. Zacchaeus was seeking Jesus, and Jesus was seeking Zacchaeus.

Jesus came first. Zacchaeus climbed the tree. But Jesus came to that very place, looked up and called him by name: “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down” (19:5). Jesus knew exactly whom He had come to find.

Found by surprise. God said through Isaiah, “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me” (Romans 10:20). Made manifest means shown. God showed Himself to people who were not even looking for Him.

The woman at the well. A Samaritan woman came to a well to get water. She was not looking for Jesus, but Jesus was sitting by the well. He talked with her and told her, “the Father is seeking such to worship Him” (John 4:23).

The Father seeks. God is not hiding from us. He is the One who comes looking. Before you ever thought about God, He was already thinking about you.

Jesus found Philip. Philip, the disciple the Greeks came to, had been found first. Jesus went to Galilee, found Philip and told him to follow Him (John 1:43).

Love that comes first. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). When we look for God, we are answering the God who first came looking for us.

Philip passed it on. Because Jesus had found Philip, Philip was ready when the Greeks came looking. The people Jesus finds become people who help others find Him.

All the way to the cross. Jesus' search for lost people led Him to the cross. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Then He rose again.

He still finds people. Jesus is alive, and He still calls people to Himself, one by one, through His Word and His people.

If you are seeking. If you want to know Jesus, He wants you to know Him even more. You do not have to climb a tree or find the right words. You can talk to Him right now, wherever you are.

What to do. Thank Jesus that He came looking for you. Pray for a friend who does not know Him yet, and ask Jesus to find that friend too.