January 12, 2018

Ten Brave Soliders for Christ

January 12, 2018

DAILY READING

Daniel 3:1-30

This weekend’s reading: Daniel 2:1-16

FIELD NOTES
According to legend, the Roman army had a brave and gallant unit of one-hundred soldiers, who were Christians, also noted for practicing their faith.

The Roman Emperor created an image of himself and decreed that all Roman citizens and soldiers would bow down to worship it. This unit would not. Since it was winter, their sentence was death by freezing. They were stripped naked and marched to the center of a small frozen lake.

These soldiers huddled together singing, “One-hundred brave soldiers for Christ! To you, Lord, we give our lives!” They sang throughout the afternoon and into the dark night.

Through the night the singing became softer and softer until just a bare audible. Then, staggering towards the shore, one of the soldiers giving up said, “Ninety-nine brave soldiers for Christ….” All of a sudden, the sleepy guards were startled awake as they heard one of the guards on the shore tear off his clothes, run to the center of the lake shouting with a fresh voice, “One-hundred brave soldiers for Christ! To you, we give our lives!” Then, throwing off their clothes, several other soldiers ran to the center of the frozen lake shouting “One-hundred brave soldiers for Christ…”

Just as the witness of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego led King Nebuchadnezzar to accept the LORD as God, just as the witness of these Christian soldiers led to the conversion of other Roman soldiers, our witness, especially during times of struggle, can lead others to Christ.

QUESTIONS FOR THE FIELD

  • Who are some people who’ve influenced you to come to Christ?
  • Who has come to Christ through your witness?

FAMILY FIELD TALK

  • How have certain people in our lives influenced us?
  • How can we live our lives such that others come to know Jesus?

PRAYER GUIDE
Lord Jesus, thank you for giving us people who help us see what you are like, how you love us, and how we can love you. Lord Jesus, help us live our lives such that others want to accept you as Lord and Savior of their lives. In your gracious name I pray. Amen.