Honor: is our commitment

Intro: *Talk about the 7 Values Series.

Title: Honor: is our commitment

Big Idea: We are going to be relentless in showing and sharing honor!

Passage: Romans 12:10

“Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Outdo one another in showing honor.”

• Honor definition: high respect or esteem. -> respect, distinction, notability, and esteem.

Story:

Main Points:

1. Honor Reveals

   1. Honor reveals certain things about a person that they might not have otherwise seen in themselves.
   2. Honor reveals certain things about a person that others might not have otherwise seen in that person.
   3. People are going to be speaking into your life. And the words they use matter!

   4. Illust: Honor Circle

      1. At Ryan's 7th birthday party we held an honor circle.

         5. You need people to speak into your life of who you can be. Who God sees you as.

      2. This world often speaks lies and discouragement over your lives and that begins to shape your identity.

         6. Being vocal with your honor helps the ones you love.
         7. Being vocal with your honor helps the one honoring.
         8. God is vocal about honoring you:

      3. We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalms 139:14)

      4. We are God’s prized possession and crowned creation (James 1:18)
      5. We are called a friend of God (John 15:15)

      6. God calls us His children (1 John 3:1)

         9. What someone says about you, can and will eventually become my identity. Words shape both culture and identity.

      7. Two questions to consider. What voices am I listening to? What am I speaking over peoples lives?

2. Honor Builds Up

   1. Flattery puffs up, honor builds up. Flattery is full of lies and the motivation is selfish ambition. Honor is truth and the motivation is selfless love.
   2. Honor is constructive. It builds them up. The opposite of honor is destructive. May we never be a people that tears others down in the name of “speaking truth”. That is not loving, that is not honorable.

   3. Honor those that seem less honorable with joy - 1 Corinth 12:18-26

      1. “But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted. And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable. And those parts of the body that we consider less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, which our respectable parts do not need. Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

3. Honor Is Received

   1. Honor is not achieved, it’s received.

      1. “...it’s not good to seek honors for yourself.” Proverbs 25:27 NLT

      2. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.” - Matthew 6:2 NIV

         2. Question: How do you receive honor? How do you appropriately give honor?
         3. Question: Are we living a life worthy of honor?

      3. Illust: Paul honors Epaphroditus (Phil 2:29)

         4. At Pinewood we honor up, down, and all around.
         5. Story: Jesus is addressing our desire to seek honor

      4. Luke 14:7-11

      5. Question: Have you ever taken the better seat on the airplane? Or taken the better seat at a sports game? Seats that may not have belonged to you?
      6. When you get caught in the wrong seat then it’s embarrassing. Right? It’s humiliating when you get called out publically for being in a position that you don’t belong. A position that you placed yourself in.
      7. But when you get bumped up…. When you get the first class upgrade… you’re strutting. Your chest is out and your head is high as you take the position that has been given to you.

      8. There is nothing wrong with seeking honor, but we have to make sure that our approach begins with humility.

         1. When we think of honor we think of bold, courageous, and strength. It doesn’t make sense how humility leads to honor. 6. God’s Word says to honor specific people in our lives, our mother and father, spiritual leaders like pastors (1 Timothy 5:17), government officials or authority figures in our lives, but in Romans 12:10 is says to “honor others above yourself.” 7. There’s a relationship between humility and honor.

         2. What we see through Jesus story… “not only does showing public humility lead to receiving personal honor, but showing public honor leads to personal humility.” - Pastor at Vous Church

            6. “Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Outdo one another in showing honor.” - Romans 12:10 CSB

Walking Points:

1. Be vocal with your honor

   1. Send a text, make a phone call, or honor someone tonight.
   2. Talk about their potential, not their past. Talk about their character, not their
   3. We are vocal in church not because of hype, we are vocal because we are honoring God. We are vocal in church because we are affirming what is being spoken and the person that is speaking it.

   4. Honor isn’t about loud, it’s about love.

      1. Jesus coming in the triumphal entry… and people are wanting to crucify him days later.
      2. Mary washing Jesus feet with her hair.
      3. Honor anyways

   5. You don’t feel like it, honor anyways.

   6. You don’t agree with that person, honor anyways.
   7. You don’t like someone, honor anyways.
   8. WE ARE COMMITTED TO HONOR.

   9. Humble yourself (myself)

   10. Humility precedes honor. Let’s be a humble people first.

   11. Honor reminds us that it’s not about us.
   12. Submit to leadership and authority
   13. “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” - James 4:10 CSB
   14. “The fear of the Lord is what wisdom teaches,and humility comes before honor.” - Proverbs 15:33 CSB
   15. “Before his downfall a person’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.” - Proverbs 18:12 CSB

Closing: Jesus is worthy of our honor - John 5:23