Ripple Effect: Honor One Another Romans 12:10; Phil 2:1-4

Intro: Good Morning FE, we are glad you are joining us today, we are in our series Ripple Effect, looking at how the Gospel transforms our life and brings us into a community of people, known as the church.

In this community we grow in love, peace, joy, grace, in praying for one another and caring for one another as we grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. One of the ways we care for one another and one of the biggest impacts we can have on one another is our generosity. The DNA of our generosity to one another is seen in the ministries and care for the body. Here at Fellowship, we operate our church budget in what is known as a fiscal year, from July to the end of June, I am not sure if you noticed, but every week you can see where we stand in our giving in relation to our church budget. We need your support and generosity to finish our year strong, if you are giving continue to give and if you are able to consider giving a special gift which goes above and beyond your regular giving. If you are here and consider FE your church home and haven’t been to one of our membership classes and you have questions about giving we would love to answer any questions you have, you can ask me, Dave or Alfredo and we would love to answer any questions you have in regards to giving. Our goal is to end the year strong for our ministries here at our church, for our outreach partners and for one another.

I hope you have been enjoying our Ripple Effect series, I know I have. I have been growing, been challenged and convicted in some areas and today will be know different, as we learn what it means to honor one another. Ray Ortlund has said on this topic of honoring one another, that it might be the most disobeyed command in our churches today. Maybe at times we are more influenced by a world full of criticism and dishonor that we become more like the world than we are like Christ.

Before we learn about the command to honor one another, we need to understand the basis or foundation, what is the why? Why do I need to honor?

The Foundation of the Command to Honor One Another

Paul, writing to the church in Phillipi, he is rejoicing because of the work God is doing in their lives, rejoicing for their partnership in the Gospel, rejoicing that Paul’s imprisonment has advanced the Gospel. Then Paul says this,

Philippians 1:27 (ESV)

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ,

Solamente comportaos de una manera digna del evangelio de Cristo,

Paul is encouraging them by saying if you have been transformed by the Gospel then let the way you live your life be worthy of the Gospel of Christ. That is the whole point of this series, if a heart is transformed by the Gospel then there will be a ripple effect, changes in the life of the person where their life reflects the Gospel of Christ. Pail says live a life that reflects the Gospel

so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

de modo que ya sea que vaya a veros[s], o que permanezca ausente, pueda oír que vosotros estáis firmes en un mismo espíritu, luchando unánimes por la fe del evangelio;

Paul says live a life worthy of the Gospel so that you will be in unity with your brothers and sisters in Christ striving for the work of the Gospel. This leads Paul into chapter 2,

Philippians 2:1–5 (ESV)

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Por tanto, si hay algún estímulo en Cristo, si hay algún consuelo de amor, si hay alguna comunión del Espíritu, si algún afecto y compasión, 2 haced completo mi gozo, siendo del mismo sentir, conservando el mismo amor, unidos en espíritu, dedicados a un mismo propósito.

Paul uses many phrases to talk about Gospel transformation in these few verses, if there is any

encouragement in Christ

any comfort from love - I believe this is referring to love displayed by the Father towards sinners.

any participation in the Spirit

any affection and sympathy

These are the effects of a heart that has been transformed by the Gospel. If your heart has been transformed by the Gospel, Paul says make my joy complete by being unified by having

the same mind

the same love

being in one accord

one mind

This is the corporate call for the believer to be in unity with one another. Paul moves from the corporate call of the body to unity and tells us how this is accomplished, he tells how we accomplish unity as individuals. Paul first gives the negative command then the positive command.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

Nada hagáis por egoísmo o por vanagloria, sino que con actitud humilde cada uno de vosotros considere al otro como más importante que a sí mismo, 4 no buscando cada uno sus propios intereses, sino más bien los intereses de los demás. 5 Haya, pues, en vosotros esta actitud que hubo también en Cristo Jesús,

Unity is accomplished in the body of Christ when believers come together as the church and decide to push selfishness and self glory away and embrace humility and count others more significant than themselves. By putting self interest behind and putting the interest of others before our own.

What Paul is telling the church in Phillipi, is to honor one another. I believe if you ask Paul what is honor, he would tell you “in humility count others more significant than yourselves by putting their interest before your own”. Before we move on I want you to understand to grasp Paul’s argument,

Honor one another so that

You may be of one mind, one love and in one accord so that

Your life reflects the Gospel since

Your heart has been transformed by the Gospel, which is the Foundation of honoring one another.

To obey this command the way that Paul is outlining for us, we need a heart transformed by the Gospel. It is human nature to seek ones own interest, to value ourselves above others. But the Gospel reverses this, because God through Christ chose to give,God through Christ chose to love, God through Christ chose to save enemies and transform them into friends, that is the Gospel. What God is asking us to do, is to reflect to each other what has been done for us in Christ.

I love that Paul says in humility, Paul isn’t saying to lift others up by putting yourself down. He isn’t telling you to view others as worthy and you as worthless. Humility is having a proper perspective of ourselves in light of God’s holiness, our sinfulness and the work of salvation God is doing through Christ in our lives and the lives of others. The reason I can honor you and you can honor me and we can honor each other is because we were all running in the same direction headed to hell until God transformed our lives. Now that God has transformed me I can count you more significant than myself because I know I do not deserve the grace of God, but God through Christ has given it to me any way and I can honor you because the work of grace God is working in me, he is working in you too.

So what is honoring one another? Again in the words of Paul “in humility count others more significant than yourselves by putting their interest before your own”. Here is another helpful definition from John Piper, “honoring someone is treating them with your deeds and words as worthy of your service.” Those are both helpful definitions because they point out what honor is, when you honor someone you are saying I value you, you are worthy of my time talent and treasures.

When we honor one another we are displaying the Gospel because we are valuing others and putting their interest before our own. This is what Jesus did for us, when he left heaven and came to earth, and submitted himself to death on a cross. This is why Paul says “have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus”. This mind of honoring one another is yours in Christ Jesus, if your heart is transformed by the Gospel. When we honor one another we are displaying the Gospel to each other, we are giving up self interest for the interest of others for the glory of God.

Compete in Honoring One Another

When Paul wrote to the church in Rome, what he wrote them about honoring one another is interesting, lets read it

Romans 12:10 (ESV)

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Sed afectuosos unos con otros con amor fraternal; con honra, daos preferencia unos a otros;

This word for outdo is interesting it means to be eager, to go first or lead the way. Paul want us to be eager, to lead the way, to be the first in line to show honor. It is almost as if Paul wants us to compete in showing honor to one another, which is a competition where we all win because in the process we create a Gospel culture where people are encouraged and celebrated and grace is shown when people are weak.

Ray Ortlund makes an excellent point when referring to this passage and honor

“Every church can be a culture of honor. Why? Because of the doctrine of glorification. It’s the punch-line of the gospel: “Them he glorified” (Romans 8:30). Every Christian you know will be forever glorious inside and out with the glory of the risen Jesus… Let’s see one another not as we are but as we will be in heaven. That gospel-perception makes Romans 12:10 an obvious thing to do.

When I look at Alfredo and I view him as he will be when he gets to heaven, how can I not honor him because he will be glorified by Christ and if I dishonor him now, I am really dishonoring Christ and the work he is doing in his life. Brothers lets be known as a people who honor each other and develop a culture of honor here at FE, when people walk in this place they can see and feel how we honor each other.

Honor Everyone

We are called to honor one another, and that call is centered in the Gospel and the work God is doing in fellow believers. But just like when we talked about live at peace with one another, it extended beyond living in peace at church, we are commanded to live at peace with everyone, so far as it depends on you. When Peter writes to the believers who are suffering for the sake of the Gospel, he writes this

1 Peter 2:17 (ESV)

Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Honrad a todos, amad a los hermanos, temed a Dios, honrad al rey.

The call to honor is extended beyond the walls of the church, Peter tells the churches, who are being persecuted, to honor everyone. We are called to be a people who honor all. Does that mean you let go of your Gospel convictions, no that is not what Peter is saying. There is a way of disagreeing with someone in a way that is honorable and respectful, Jesus did so when he was before Pilate, the Apostles did so before the Jewish leaders and the leaders of Rome. Jesus was full of grace and truth, and when those two characteristics are in balance with each other then you can disagree with people and still show honor.

Look at what Peter says there at the end of this verse, honor the emperor. I am sure when the churches read that they may had to read that two or three times because it was the emperor who was causing their suffering, yet Peter says honor the Emperor. Why? because they wouldn’t be in power if God didn’t want them there. Which is a lesson to us, because many times we can get fired up about our politics and about those who are leading our country here in America or the countries where we come from. Peter is not saying you have to agree with everything they say or do, that is not what Peter is saying, what he is saying is we have to honor them. Too many times our attacks on those who govern are personal and demeaning, yet God says honor. We need to learn to disagree with the policies while treating the person as someone of value even though they may not deserve it, because that is what our heavenly father did with us in Christ.

This being mothers day, how can we not take the time to honor the mothers in the room. I would like to take the time to read a little something to our mothers.

To those who gave birth this year to their first child—we celebrate with you

To those who lost a child this year – we mourn with you

To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and wear the badge of food stains – we appreciate you

To those who experienced loss through miscarriage, failed adoptions, or running away—we mourn with you

To those who walk the hard path of infertility, fraught with pokes, prods, tears, and disappointment – we walk with you. Forgive us when we say foolish things. We don’t mean to make this harder than it is.

To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms – we need you

To those who have warm and close relationships with your children – we celebrate with you

To those who have disappointment, heart ache, and distance with your children – we sit with you

To those who lost their mothers this year – we grieve with you

To those who experienced abuse at the hands of your own mother – we acknowledge your experience

To those who lived through driving tests, medical tests, and the overall testing of motherhood – we are better for having you in our midst

To those who are single and long to be married and mothering your own children – we mourn that life has not turned out the way you longed for it to be

To those who step-parent – we walk with you on these complex paths

To those who envisioned lavishing love on grandchildren -yet that dream is not to be, we grieve with you

To those who will have emptier nests in the upcoming year – we grieve and rejoice with you

To those who placed children up for adoption — we commend you for your selflessness and remember how you hold that child in your heart

And to those who are pregnant with new life, both expected and surprising –we anticipate with you

This Mother’s Day, we walk with you. Mothering is not for the faint of heart and we have real warriors in our midst. We honor you today.