Passage for this week: Matthew 10:22–23
Resource: Pray The Word Podcast by David Platt
How to use this resource: The questions below should be read after you and your family have spent time listening to the resource linked below, and after you have had time to read through the passage carefully and slowly. Following your family time discussion (using the questions below, or your own questions regarding this text), close in prayer and ask your students how you can be praying for them and let them know how they can be praying for you as parents.
Family Devotional Question For This Week:
1. What stands out to you the most from reading this passage? What did you learn that is new to you from this passage? What did you learn that caused you to remember something you’ve known, or what has been reinforced from reading this passage?
2. How does Jesus connect being hated – for His name’s sake – with the call to endure until the end? How else is this whole chapter about persecution in connection with sharing the Gospel as ambassadors for Christ?
(Potential answers: Because real Christians will face persecution for speaking about Christ and believing in His divinity and His exclusivity, there will be backlash from the world. Christians do not seek the approval of the world, nor should that be the first thought that comes to mind when engaging in a conversation with a nonbeliever. As winsomely as possible, and in living peaceably with all as much as one can (Romans 12:18), Christians should serve the Lord by being used by God as He seeks to save the lost (seen earlier in verses 19-20).)
3. What is real persecution for Christ?
(Potential answers: real persecution defined here is what Christ is talking about in chapter 10 and in these verses – to endure hatred for representing Christ. If that arises to losing ones life for Christ, then (verse 32) securely know that Christ has acknowledged His servants before the Father in heaven! Persecution can even describe being imprisoned for Christ, so it doesn’t just amount to losing ones life for Christ. )
Prayer Prompts For This Week:
– Pray that those who are missionaries in the remote regions of the world who are being imprisoned, isolated and punished for believing in Jesus Christ would be sustained and empowered and protected by God.
– Pray for Jesus to reveal Himself through the lives of His faithful servants in places like North Korea, Afghanistan, Yemen, Pakistan, India and Somalia!
– Continue to pray for one another and write down or remember the requests of each person. Either have one person pray over each request, or delegate those prayer requests so that each person prays for something or someone specific.