Matthew 10:24-25
devotion by: Tina Miller sermon by: Rich Lanning
March 30, 2025
Gather
A superhero costume(s)
Background
The Lent emphasis for our church this year is on discipleship, and Christian disciplines that help us live as disciples of Jesus. Children may think of a disciple as one of the twelve men chosen by Jesus to be close to him while he was on the earth, but everyone who receives Jesus by believing in him becomes a disciple. A disciple follows Jesus. In our passage today, the idea of following involves both learning and obeying.
Introduction
Let your children dress up in the hero costume.
Ask: Does this costume make you _______________ (hero’s name)? Does it give you the same abilities he/she has?
Of course not! Can we dress up to become like Jesus? Is there something we can wear to make us like him?
Pray
We come to you Jesus, asking you to help us see wonderful things in the Bible today so that we love you more. Show us to how to be doers of the Word, not just hearers, so that we follow you better.
Looking into the scripture passage
We can’t wear a Jesus costume, but Jesus has shown us how to be like him. Let’s look at what the Bible shows us about that.
[before reading the passage, review the meaning of “disciple” as explained in the Background section above.]
Read: Matthew 10:24-25a
Ask: Who did Jesus say a disciple should be like? [his/her teacher]
Who is our teacher that we should be like? [Jesus]
What has Jesus shown us by his words and his life that we can learn to do from him?
Allow the children to come up with various answers, and dig deeper into the ones you find applicable, making sure to reinforce them with scripture.
Pastor Rich mentioned these:
- Jesus modeled prayer (Mark 1:35; John 17; Matthew 6:5-13; Luke 22:31-32)
- Jesus modeled forgiveness (Luke 23:34; Ephesians 4:32)
- Jesus modeled compassion for the lost (Matthew 9:36; Luke 19:1-10)
- Jesus modeled the word of God dwelling richly in him (Matthew 4:1-11)
Read again: Matthew 10:24-25a
Ask: Who did Jesus say a servant should be like? [his/her master]
Who is our master that we should be like?
Because Jesus is our master, we are to obey him. What has he told us to do?
Allow the children to come up with various answers, and dig deeper into the ones you find applicable, making sure to reinforce them with scripture.
Some examples:
- Love one another (John 13:34-35 and 15:12)
- Pray and not lose heart (Luke 18:1)
- Go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20)
- Be his witnesses (Acts 1:8)
- Seek his kingdom first (Matthew 6:19-33)
It is important to emphasize that we don’t do these things to make ourselves disciples but because God has saved us by his grace so that we are free to live this way.
Conclude by reading Ephesians 2:8-10
Apply the passage
Get specific! Look over the lists you made about what Jesus both modeled and commanded. Have the children find one way to put each into practice this week. Remind each other of these every day.
Memorize
Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children.
Ephesians 5:1
Practice the verse
Play follow the leader as you say the verse, each person getting to lead an action as the family repeats the verse (patting your head or clapping your hands, for example)
Extra Stuff
Songs to sing
