Youth Devotional

©Tad Wychopen 2009

Week 2, Day 1
Daily Reading: John 3:1-8; Proverbs 4

Explanation: In the first 8 verses of John 3, Nicodemus and Jesus discuss the idea of being “born again.”
The words “born again” literally mean, “Born from above.” This is referring to spiritual transformation and
the idea of being regenerated.

1.) Why do you think Nicodemus came to Jesus Christ at night instead of the day time?

2.) What does the title “Rabbi” mean? (Look at John 1:38)

3.) In verse 3, what has to happen to be able to see the kingdom of God?

4.) Which did Nicodemus think Jesus was talking about, spiritual birth or physical birth?

5.) What type of birth was Jesus Christ talking about?

6.) In verse 5, what has to happen to be able to see the kingdom of God?

Explanation: Even if a person was able to be “reborn” physically, it would not do any spiritual good.
Spiritual rebirth is what people need. That happens through the water and the Spirit. The water is talking
about a spiritual washing or cleansing. Nicodemus would have been familiar with the need for a person to be
washed with water and the spirit. In the Old Testament, a reference to water and the spirit would refer to
spiritual washing and renewal (Num. 19:17–19; Isa. 4:4). the verses in Ezekiel 36:24–27 would probably
have been brought to mind. Christ’s point to Nicodemus was obvious: without the spiritual washing of the
soul, a cleansing that is accomplished only by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5) through the Word of God (Eph.
5:26), no one can enter God’s kingdom.

Application:
~Did you memorize John 3:16? If you have not memorized John 3:16, try to do that today.
~Have you been spiritually reborn?
~Remember the words of Christ in John 3:7, “You must be born again.”

Day 2
Daily Reading: John 3:9-20, Numbers 21:5-9; Psalms 5

Explanation: Jesus and Nicodemus are still talking. Nicodemus asks Jesus and interesting question in verse
9. He says, “How can these things be?” Nicodemus understood what Jesus was saying, however he had a
hard time accepting that salvation was from the Spirit God and not from obedience to rules and laws.
Nicodemus had a major problem; everyone in the world has this same problem: unbelief! Unbelief is the sin
that keeps a person from becoming a Christian.

1.) In verse 10, what do you think Jesus was implying mentioning that Nicodemus was “the teacher of
Israel?”

2.) In verse 12, what does Jesus say is Nicodemus’s problem?

Explanation: In verse 13, Jesus is saying that he is the only one who has come down from heaven. This was
proving to Nicodemus that Jesus Christ was the only one with true, authoritative knowledge.

3.) Read Numbers 21:5-9. How were the people that were bitten by the snakes saved?
 4.) According to John 3:15-16, how does a person have everlasting life?

5.) Why did God send His Son, Jesus, into the world?

6.) According to John 3, what is the result of real belief in Jesus (see verses 12, 13, 16, 18, and 36)?

Application: If you are not sure whether you’ve ever experienced the new birth, pray to God right now and
confess your need for forgiveness of sin. Tell God about your inability to change yourself, as well as your
faith in the fact that Christ alone can forgive sin and impart eternal life. By turning from your sin and
believing in Jesus Christ, you can be saved today!

Day 3
Scripture Reading: John 3:22-36; Proverbs 5

1.) According to John 3:23, why was John the Baptist baptizing in Aenon, near Salim?

2.) After reading John 3:25-26, why do you think that John’s disciples were concerned about Jesus
baptizing people?

3.) Was John the Baptist the Messiah (the Christ)?

4.) Why did John the Baptist say, “He must increase, but I must decrease?”

Explanation: In verses 27-32, John the Baptist was making sure that others knew who is most important.
John was explaining that since Jesus is divine, Jesus is from heaven, and Jesus is actually God, people
should listen to and follow Jesus Christ instead of John the Baptist.

5.) According to verse 35, what has the Father given the Son?

6.) According to verse 36, what happens to the person that does not believe in Jesus Christ?

~Are you going to have eternal life, or do you have the wrath of God abiding on you?

Day 4
Daily Reading: John 4:1-26; Ezekiel 36:25–27; Zechariah 14:8–9; Psalms 6

Explanation: The Samaritans were regarded by the Jews as “half-breads” since they had intermarried with
non-Jews. The Samaritans withdrew from the worship of Yahweh at Jerusalem and established their worship
at Mount Gerizim in Samaria. The Samaritans only regarded the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old
Testament) as authoritative from God. The Jews believed that the Samaritans were a group of heretical
people. Because of this, great tension developed between the Jews and Samaritans. In fact, it was uncommon
for a Jew to interact was definitely uncommon. Jesus Christ had no problem talking to the Samaritan woman
because she was a person that needed to have their life changed by the true God.

1.) Was the Samaritan woman shocked that Jesus talked to her?

2.) In verse 10, what did Jesus Christ say that she should have asked for?

3.) What did the Samaritan woman think Christ was talking about- physical water or spiritual water?

4.) According to verse 14, if someone drinks of the spiritual water that Jesus gives, what will happen?

5.) Why did the Samaritan woman want the living water?
Application: Have you drunk that spiritual water that Jesus was talking about? You can only have eternal
life by believing in Jesus Christ. Trusting for another way to heaven is of no use.

Day 5
Daily Reading: John 4:15-26; Romans 12:1-2; Proverbs 6

1.) Jesus said the Samaritan woman, go call your husband. How many husbands did the Samaritan
woman say that she had?

2.) After Jesus said that she had five husbands, what was the Samaritan woman’s assumption about
Jesus?

3.) Was it correct for the woman to be living with a man to whom she was not married?

Explanation: God hates fornication and adultery. (Ephesians 5:1-5; Exodus 20:14; Colossians 3:5) God
rejects the idea that just two people living together means that they are married. Biblical, marriage is always
restricted to a public, formal, official, and recognized covenant. (Matthew 19:5-6) Jesus proves that He is
more than just a man by realizing the Samaritan woman’s deceit. She understood this and realized that Christ
must have been someone amazing!

4.) What is the proper method for worship? (verse 23 and 24)

Explanation: Worshiping in spirit and truth means that we worship with our whole heart given to God in the
way that is revealed in the Bible. We know that Romans 12:1 literally tells us that we are to give our body,
our lives to God because this is our spiritual act of worship. When you completely give your whole life, and
heart to God, that is the ultimate act of worship. You understand the truth of Gods Word and you obey God
with your whole heart- that is true worship.

5.) In verse 25, who did the Samaritan woman know would be coming?

6.) In verse 26, who does Jesus Christ say that he is?

Application: Have you committed you whole heart to worshiping God?

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, what would say is your commitment level to worshiping
Christ? If it’s not 10, what are holding back from God? Give Christ your whole life!

Day 6
Daily Reading: John 4:27-42; Psalms 7

1.) What was the disciple’s reaction when they saw Jesus Christ talking to the Samaritan woman?

2.) Imagine if you were one of the townspeople that the Samaritan woman was talking to in verse 29.
What kind of reaction would you have to what she said? Would you want to find out more about this
person who she talked about?

3.) When you are hungry, what do you want to do?

4.) What kind of food was Jesus talking about in verses 32-34?

Explanation: Jesus’ hunger was fulfilled by doing the will of His father. He was giving the disciples a
lesson that the doing the will of God will fulfill our spiritual hunger. Read these verses: Deuteronomy 8:3
and Matthew 4:4. Jesus’ whole life was summed up by obeying and depending on the will of His Father. We
see in verse 35-38 that the will of God for us is to go into the world and teach others about Christ.

5.) Are you committed to doing the will of your Heavenly Father? Why or why not?
 6.) Think about someone who is not a Christian. Are you concerned about their salvation? If so, what are
you doing about it?

7.) According to John 4:41, why did the Samaritans believe?

8.) Who did they say that Jesus Christ really was? (verse 42)

Application: What will it take you to believe Jesus Christ? The Samaritans believe Jesus because of His
words. Are you willing to trust Jesus Christ because of His words? If you are willing to trust Him for eternal
life, are you willing to trust Him to control your present, physical life? why or why not?

Day 7
Daily Reading: John 4:43-54; Proverbs 7

1.) Why do you think the nobleman came to Jesus for help?

2.) Think about people today. What would most people rather do, watch someone healed of their
sickness or learn about God’s Word?

Explanation: People today are just the same as in Jesus’ day. Everyone wants something from God, but no
one wants to actually give back and worship God. Many people want God to heal them or bless them, but
they do not want to give their time and their life to God. True believe willingly submits and obeys God with
or without great physical blessings.

3.) What did Jesus say that the Jews had to see so that they would believe? (verse 48)

4.) How did Jesus heal the nobleman’s son?

5.) What does this miracle prove about Jesus Christ?

6.) What happened in the nobleman’s house after his son was healed? (verse 53)

Application: This whole chapter talks about Jesus Christ as the Messiah. Some people were starting to
believe that Jesus Christ was the true Messiah. Have you believed in Christ as your savior from sin, death,
and hell?