Honours Reward - Message 1 - Honour Is Not Optional
Honour is not optional; it is a fundamental command that we must embrace in our lives. This episode delves into the profound implications of honouring God and others, elucidating that our treatment of them directly influences the blessings we receive. The biblical narrative reveals that honour is not merely a feeling but a deliberate choice that positions us for divine favour. We confront the dangerous lies that have infiltrated our understanding: that honour is discretionary, contingent upon merit, and unnoticed by the Divine. By examining the consequences of dishonour and the necessity of intentionality in our actions, we are beckoned to reassess our relationships and align our behaviours with the honour we profess. The discourse presented in this session seeks to illuminate the paramount significance of honour in the context of our spiritual and interpersonal relationships. It begins by addressing the pervasive societal trend that prioritizes superficial recognition over genuine character, urging listeners to reconsider their approach to honouring both God and others. The speaker articulates a compelling thesis: honour is not merely a nicety or an optional practice, but an imperative command rooted in Scripture, specifically referencing 1 Samuel 2:30, which states, 'Those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me will be disdained.' This assertion is framed not as a suggestion, but as an unyielding spiritual law that operates as consistently as the laws of nature. Through poignant examples from biblical narratives, such as the lives of Joseph and David, the speaker reinforces the notion that true honour leads to divine elevation and blessings, while dishonour results in spiritual stagnation and missed opportunities for grace.
Takeaways:
- We inhabit a society that prioritizes social status while neglecting the importance of character.
- Honour is not merely a commendation; it is a divine mandate that we must embrace.
- Dishonour yields adverse consequences, obstructing the flow of blessings in our lives.
- Acting in honour is a choice that must be made regardless of personal feelings.
- To honour God is to treat His commands with utmost seriousness, reflecting our character.
- A true audit of honour requires a sincere examination of our actions towards God and others.
Transcript
We live in a world that worships clout and ignores character.
Speaker A:We follow strangers on social media, but we disrespect the Father in our own home.
Speaker A:We shout about what we deserve and forget about what we owe.
Speaker A:We want God's blessings, but we skip God's requirements.
Speaker A:This series is a confrontation.
Speaker A:It is a corrective.
Speaker A:It is a call.
Speaker A:Honor's reward will strip away three lies that have been quietly destroying lives.
Speaker A:That honor is optional, that it's reserved only for people who earn it, and that God doesn't notice how you treat others.
Speaker A:The Scripture is clear, dangerously clear.
Speaker A:Those who honour me, I will honour.
Speaker A:And those who despise me will be disdained.
Speaker A:1 Samuel 2.
Speaker A:30.
Speaker A:That is not a suggestion.
Speaker A:That is a spiritual law, as real as gravity, as active as a seed, as unavoidable as harvest.
Speaker A:And here is what the world misses.
Speaker A:Jesus did not become the most powerful name in history because he chased fame.
Speaker A:He became known because he was faithful.
Speaker A:Faithful to the Father, faithful to the assignment, faithful all the way to the cross.
Speaker A:Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.
Speaker A:As we read in Philippians 2:9, the reward came because honor was real.
Speaker A:Joseph didn't promote himself.
Speaker A:He honored God in every room he was placed in.
Speaker A:And God moved him from the pit to the palace.
Speaker A:David didn't chase a throne.
Speaker A:He honored the one already sitting on it.
Speaker A:And God handed him the kingdom.
Speaker A:What are you about to.
Speaker A:What you're about to hear will cost you something.
Speaker A:But what dishonor has already cost you, that is the greater bill.
Speaker A:It is time to pay the right debt as we go into our first message of the series.
Speaker A:Honor is not optional.
Speaker A:Those who honor me, I will honor.
Speaker A:And those who despise me will be disdained.
Speaker A:1 Samuel 2.
Speaker A:30.
Speaker A:God does not reward your talent.
Speaker A:He rewards your honor.
Speaker A:Two brothers, same father, same priesthood, same opportunity.
Speaker A:Hophni and Phinehas were the sons of Eli the priest.
Speaker A:They grew up in the temple.
Speaker A:They knew the rules, they knew the offerings, they knew what God required and they did not care.
Speaker A:They took the best cuts of meat before God's portion was offered.
Speaker A:They used their position to take advantage of women who served at the temple entrance.
Speaker A:Their father, Eli, knew and said nothing strong enough to stop them.
Speaker A:God's response was not a warning.
Speaker A:It was a sentence.
Speaker A:Here is what should make you sit up.
Speaker A:They didn't deny God, they just disregarded him.
Speaker A:They still showed up to the temple, still wore the robe, still knew all the right words.
Speaker A:They just treated the things of God carelessly.
Speaker A:And God called that despising him.
Speaker A:Some of us are doing the same thing.
Speaker A:We're still showing up, still singing, still posting scriptures.
Speaker A:But our actions say something different from our mouths.
Speaker A:And God is watching both.
Speaker A:Honor in the Bible is not about niceness.
Speaker A:The Hebrew word is kabad.
Speaker A:It means to give weight to something, to treat it as serious.
Speaker A:When you honor God, you treat him as serious.
Speaker A:You order your life around his instructions, not just your convenience.
Speaker A:And here is the uncomfortable part.
Speaker A:God said he would treat people the way they treated him.
Speaker A:Same measure, same mirror.
Speaker A:That means honor is not just about being polite.
Speaker A:It is about positioning yourself for God's response to your life.
Speaker A:Our first point in this message is honor is a verb, not a feeling.
Speaker A:You don't wait until you feel like honoring.
Speaker A:You choose it.
Speaker A: Romans: Speaker A:Your parents may have failed you.
Speaker A:Yes, your pastor may have disappointed you.
Speaker A:Of course your boss may be difficult.
Speaker A:We all know that.
Speaker A:But honor is not an evaluation of their performance.
Speaker A:It is an expression of your character.
Speaker A:And if your your trust in the God who plays them.
Speaker A:Honor, brothers and sisters, is not about how you feel about someone.
Speaker A:It's what you choose to show them.
Speaker A:Our second point for the message is dishonor has consequences.
Speaker A: Matthew: Speaker A:And the very next verse says he did not do any miracles there.
Speaker A:Think about that.
Speaker A:The miracle working Son of God was in their town and they got nothing.
Speaker A:Not because God changed, because their dishonor blocked the flow.
Speaker A:Some of us have been praying for breakthrough while draining the barrel through dishonor.
Speaker A:You cannot WhatsApp God a half hearted prayer at midnight and call that honor.
Speaker A:He sees the full conversation.
Speaker A:Dishonor doesn't just offend people, it blocks your blessings.
Speaker A:Point three of the message.
Speaker A:Honor must be chosen before you feel like it.
Speaker A:Ephesians 5:21.
Speaker A:Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Speaker A:You know when you're standing in the queue at home affairs and someone cuts in front of you, that fire rises up inside you.
Speaker A:That is the moment.
Speaker A:Honor is not what happens when you feel respected.
Speaker A:Honor is what you choose.
Speaker A:When you feel disrespected, that is where characters build.
Speaker A:That is where God is watching.
Speaker A:God doesn't reward your talent.
Speaker A:He rewards your honor.
Speaker A:Some of you are waiting for breakthrough.
Speaker A:Some of you are still praying the same prayer.
Speaker A:Some of you are still asking God why the door hasn't opened and God is asking you, why, when last did you walk in honor?
Speaker A:It is not the loudest worshiper God rewards.
Speaker A:It is the most consistent honor.
Speaker A:Honor shows up in your mouth, in your money, in your manners.
Speaker A:All three.
Speaker A:Not just the one that feels convenient.
Speaker A:All three.
Speaker A:When is the last time you gave someone the weight they deserved?
Speaker A:Not because you felt like it, but because God placed them there?
Speaker A:If God treated you the same way you've been treating him, what would your life look like right now?
Speaker A:Can I get an amen now?
Speaker A:This week, let's audit our honor.
Speaker A:Audit your honor?
Speaker A:Pick three relationships, God, a parent or elder, a leader or boss, and rate your actions to each one.
Speaker A:Not your feelings, your actions.
Speaker A:Then find one area where your behavior doesn't match your proclaimed honor and fix it before the next message or before the next Sunday comes around.
Speaker A:Let us pray.
Speaker A:Father, we confess that we have called you Lord and not always treated you as Lord.
Speaker A:We have sung your praises and not always obeyed your principles.
Speaker A:Forgive us.
Speaker A:Teach us what it means to honor you.
Speaker A:Not just in psalm, but in decision.
Speaker A:Not just in church, but in character.
Speaker A:We choose today deliberately and specifically, to walk in honor toward you, toward the people you've placed in our lives.
Speaker A:We believe your word.
Speaker A:We stand on your promise.
Speaker A:Those who honor you, you will honor.
Speaker A:So we honor you.
Speaker A:Now, in Jesus name, amen.
