Wisdom Trumps It All!

Who do we Honor!

Introduction

Study of Proverbs

A few weeks back we had a sermon on Wisdom.

So glad that you are with us today.

Today I want to talk about ‘Honor’

This is an attitude that will bless your life.

Honor some people:

Mike running sound

Mike, Jim, and Roman for stepping up and taking care of all the background things we don’t see.

Curtis my guy up there running slides, just so that we can have a service

The musician that made these recordings so that we may sign hymns.

I. Proverbs 4:7 “Wisdom is supreme; Therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you

have, get understanding.”

A. Go get it!

1. What are we doing to discover wisdom?

2. What are we investing in attaining wisdom?

B. Every week we are talking about one piece of wisdom.

II. ‘Honor’

A. First 9 chapters of Proverbs makes a case for wisdom

1. In Chapter 10 the Proverbs actually start.

B. Proverbs 10:1 “The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but

a foolish son brings grief to his mother.”

1. Your decisions will affect people.

III. Relationship Proverbs

A. When it referred to a ‘Fool’, it described them as doing one unique thing.

1. The Fool has relationships they despise.

2. The fool has a lack of honor in his relationships.

a) He has relationships but he does not honor the people in those

relationships.

B. Despise: to be in contempt of, to scorn, to disdain, to consider worthless

and unworthy of honor.

1. HONOR IS A RELATIONSHIP PRINCIPLE THAT CAN AND WILL CHANGE

YOUR LIFE.

IV. Proverbs 31:31 “Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring

her praise at the city gate.”

A. This is the last proverb.

B. Brag on people.

1. Talk about the things they do well with other people.

2. Talk highly of people.

3. Brag on them.

a) On your wife.

b) On your husband.

c) On your boss.

d) On your employees

e) On your politicians

f) On your neighbors

g) On your pastor!!!!!

A. This is a quality that is leaving the mouths of people in this country.

1. When was the last time you went out of your way to brag on people that were

not your children?

B. Boldness to Dishonor People!

I. Culture of Honor

A. Really in our world we have become people who have just accepted

dishonorable behavior.

B. We have in turn seen the culture of dishonor take over this generation in the

church.

1. Christians must be a display of honor to the world.

C. What does a culture of honor look like?

1. We all want to be honored.

a) However, we reap what we sow.

(1) Honor follows those who show honor.

II. Honor means ‘Place Value, Worth, and Weight on something.’

A. Acknowledge the importance of it.

B. Dishonor means ‘to take something lightly.’

1. Take for granite.

2. Focus on the flaws.

3. Everything has flaws.

C. If you want to be honored you must honor.

III. Touchy subject

A. Many people who struggle with this because they never really saw it modeled to

them.

1. So they are facing the challenge of overcoming this critical perspective that

sees more of the bad in people.

2. Honor directs us to something different in people.

#1 —Honoring begins with God’s claim on them.

I. It is not based on how you see them.

B. It is based on how God sees them.

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C. GOD CAN SEE YOU IN YOUR COMPLETE DEPRAVITY AND SEE YOU IN

YOUR PERFECT PERSON ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

1. God can see everything you have done.

a) And He can still see what you can become.

2. God can see all the mistakes you have made.

a) And still see the potential in your life.

D. Thank God we serve a God that sees us for who He created us to be.

IV. WE DO THIS WITH OUR KIDS.

A. WE HAVE HOPES FOR OUR CHILDREN.

1. AS PARENTS WE ALWAYS SEE THE GREAT POTENTIAL THAT LIES IN

THEM.

a) We want to see them and their spouses serve the Lord.

b) That has always been our hope.

B. But they have let me down at times.

1. I have been disappointed with them at times.

C. We honor our children when we see the good in their life.

V. THE REHEARSAL

A. THEY DON’T NEED A REHEARSAL OF ALL THE THINGS THEY DID WRONG.

1. We give them the laundry list of things they messed up in.

2. You did this.

a) You did this.

b) You did this.

c) You did this.

B. They don’t need a rehearsal of all the things they did wrong; they need a

rehearsal of all the things they can be.

1. It is easy to tell them what they already know.

2. It is much more difficult to express to our children what they can be and to get

them to see it.

a) Something in their life is expressing to them that they are who they are

acting out.

VI. Illustration: Mckenzie Thought she was dumb.

A. I asked her who told her that.

1. She said, it was just what she noticed.

2. We had no idea that she was forming these thoughts about herself in

elementary school.

B. I explained to her the dynamic of the brain.

1. How God doesn’t make stupid.

2. That she was smart but it might require a little more application than other

people.

C. She was in the top 5% of her class at Lakeville South.

VII. Broken People!

A. All types and kinds of people are watching this message.

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1. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE DON’T SEE WHO YOU

ARE BY WHAT YOU DID.

2. WE KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMETHING AMAZING

ABOUT YOU THAT EVEN YOU DON’T ALWAYS SEE OR

BELIEVE.

B. BECAUSE GOD DON’T MAKE JUNK.

1. YOU MAY NOT BE WALKING IN IT RIGHT NOW.

2. PRODIGAL WAS EATING PIG PODS BUT HE WAS STILL THE SON.

a) YOU MAY BE EATING PIG PODS BUT IT IS TIME TO COME HOME

AND EAT FROM THE FATHERS TABLE.

b) TO WEAR THE RING.

c) PUT ON THE ROBE.

C. JESUS HAS ALREADY PAID THE BILL FOR YOUR TICKET HOME.

1. WE WILL LOVE YOU AT HERE.

VIII. We Are not going to REHEARSE your sins.

A. Satan is trying to do that everyday of your life.

1. There is now NO Condemnation in the life of a Believer.

B. We are going to REHEARSE the Promise!

1. It is Finished!

2. You can:

a) Believe

b) Belong

c) Become

d) Build

IX. Doctrine: Glorification

A. One day we are all going to stand before God and we are going to be made

perfect.

1. GOD CHOOSES TO SEE YOU THAT WAY NOW.

a) THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS.

B. Romans 8:30 “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also

justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

1. This does not mean he has picked some and left out others.

a) No.

b) God has chosen everybody.

(1) You have been picked.

(2) He has a plan for everybody.

C. If God sees people this way SO SHOULD I!

1. That is why we must make a conscious decision to see people who are not

like us with honor.

a) This world has taught people to stay in their flock.

b) The church has fallen into the trap

2. It is not that simple.

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#2—Honoring Benefits Me Too.

I. Honoring People will bless you more than the one on the receiving end.

D. It has more of an affect on us than it does on them.

E. The way you honor people will bless you.

1. The way you treat your boss.

2. The way you treat your employees.

3. The way you treat your spouse.

4. The way you treat your friends.

F. It will determine what you will receive from them.

X. Mark 6:2-5 “Where did this man get these things?” the asked. “What’s this wisdom

that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles his is performing?

Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,

Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among

his relatives and in his own home.”

A. It says that the Son of God couldn’t do many miracles there.

1. Not because he was not able.

2. Not because he did not want to.

B. They did not acknowledge who he was.

1. They did not honor him.

C. Dysfunctional families

1. I think there is this perception that the family of Jesus was the model family.

a) I don’t think it was.

b) 1st of all there has never been a family that doesn’t have some

dysfunction.

(1) Why?

(2) Because there are people in them.

2. The more people in the family the more dysfunction.

a) Jesus had at least 8 people in the family.

(1) The Brady Bunch.

(2) You know all of the struggle in that family.

b) My guess is that most of them really didn’t care for Jesus all that much.

(1) In fact, you don’t even hear about them in the Christ story until he was

dead and resurrected.

3. Why?

a) I can hear Mary repeating to all of the siblings of Jesus “Why can’t you be

more like Jesus!”

b) Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

4. The community probably witnessed some of this dysfunction.

a) James lit the temple on fire at 10.

b) Judas was stealing bottles of wine.

c) Simon was lazy, doing nothing.

d) The girls oh my.

e) (I am making this up)

(1) (Did you know that Jesus’ brother was a drunk)

5. Why would this community believe Jesus was any different?

a) They had to overcome their resident preconceived attitudes of Dishonor

even toward the family.

D. Altar time.

1. When we come to an altar to join in agreement with other believers we

acknowledge God and his word, God is faithful.

2. The way you see Jesus will determine what you will receive from him.

a) This is as Powerful a truth today after your salvation, as it was that day of

your salvation.

(1) Have you stopped seeing Jesus as your source to LIFE today?

(2) Are you honoring him today?

XI. Ephesians 6:1-3 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor

your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—“so that it

may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

A. A kid once, told a 100 year old woman one time.

1. You must have really obeyed your parents.

B. Honor the parents God has given you.

1. They may be adopted parents.

2. They may be one parent.

3. They may be spiritual parents.

C. There is no contingency tied to whether they were a good parent or not.

1. We often justify our response by whether they deserved it or not.

D. illustration: A Judge

1. When you refer to a Judge you say, ‘Your Honor’

a) Regardless of the character of the person.

2. Because you are honoring the seat they sit in.

#3—Honor Is Given!

I. Respect is earned but honor is given!

E. I am not going to wait til you deserve it.

1. I am going to give it anyway.

XII. Honor Test!

A. As soon as you agree to this.

1. You are going to have a chance to honor a person that you really don’t thinks

deserves it.

B. Wisdom—Given them Honor anyway!

1. They don’t even need to receive it.

2. You will receive the Honor’s reward.

XIII. 1 Peter 2:13-17 “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority

instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors,

who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do

right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of

foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a

cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love

the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.”

A. They didn’t have a good king at this point.

1. They didn’t discuss all the things they didn’t like.

2. They honored the leaders.

B. Christians should be the example of what it is to honor people.

1. Wow!

2. Can the world say this about us?

C. Honor needs an re-introduction back into our culture.

1. Where we allow the elderly to have our seat.

2. We elevate

XIV. Romans 12:10 “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another

above yourselves.”

Honor One Another

I. #1 Prioritize Them!

A. Whatever is first is honored.

B. Illustration: Eating Place!

1. You allow someone to go in front of you in the line.

a) You are hungry.

(1) You could eat the person hair piece.

(2) But you let them through.

b) You know they are going to be slow through the line.

(1) They will count the beans out.

(2) Because they are on some special diet.

2. That is honor.

a) Christians put others first.

b) When you open the door for the Lady.

(1) That is honor.

(2) Just to be nice.

3. Christians in a serving line.

a) SOMEONE GO FIRST!

C. Proverbs 3:9 “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your

crops.”

1. You add value to God in your life when you give Him your first.

a) You did it today.

(1) When you gave Him the first day of this week.

(a) You came to church.

(b) You took time to serve first.

(2) When you tithe, you give the first fruit of your increase.

2. Proverbs 3:9 msg “Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and

the best.”

a) When we withhold from God we dishonor God!

b) We put a barrier in what we will receive from him!

3. The Tithe!

a) This is the first of our finances.

II. #2 Praise Them!

A. Honor has a language.

1. It praises people.

a) Not just when they are around you.

b) You praise them behind their back.

2. God sees how we treat people.

a) What are they saying about that person behind their back?

B. James 3:9-10 “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we

curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth

come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.”

1. God’s sees value in them.

a) You have attempted to devalue them in the eyes of man.

b) God does not like that.

(1) GOD TAKES IT PERSONALLY.

2. No parent likes it when you talk about their kids in a negative way.

a) Do you think God likes it any more?

b) God loves them.

3. THIS SHOULD NOT BE!

C. This can be a challenge.

1. There are those people:

a) Road rage people.

b) Referees

2. These are the people God called me to pastor.

a) I am like okay God.

b) Help me!

3. PEOPLE GIVE US REASONS WHY WE SHOULD NOT HONOR THEM.

D. Ephesians 4:29-30 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,

but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may

benefit those who listen. AND DO NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD.”

1. Will you ask the Holy Spirit to help you with this?

a) That we will guard our tongue.

b) So that I will not dishonor his claim on them.

2. Bless people rather than curse them.

a) If they are a jerk they probably need to experience blessing.

3. Every time I get this wrong it grieves God.

a) Because of what it does to that person.

b) And what it does to me!

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III. #3 Protect Them!

A. If you value it, you will protect it when others try to attack it.

1. You will put your life in the fray.

2. Anything of value in your life, you will protect.

B. Power of Prayer

1. When you value people you will pray for them.

a) You tell the devil to take a hike in their life.

2. I AM PRAYING FOR YOU!

a) I AM PRAYING FOR YOUR MARRIAGES.

b) I AM PRAYING FOR YOUR FAMILIES.

c) I AM PRAYING FOR YOUR HEALTH.

d) I AM PRAYING FOR YOUR FRUITFULNESS.

e) I AM PRAYING FOR YOUR FULFILLED PURPOSES.

3. Intercede for the each other!

a) Fast and pray for people.

C. Noah Story

1. After the Flood, he planted a vineyard.

a) He drank some wine.

b) He got naked and drunk.

2. One of his three sons walked in and laughed at him.

a) He went out and told his two brothers about it.

b) Mocking his dad.

3. The other two brothers walked in backwards and covered their father up.

a) They protected his weakness.

D. Protect the Honor of the Name of Jesus!

1. In a culture that is laughing at Christianity.

a) I think we need to stand up and proudly say, “I am a Christian.”

(1) We are not going to be rude.

(2) We are not going to be mean.

(3) We are not going to be defensive.

(4) We should feel proud to be in the Family of God.

(a) Mark 8:38 “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this

adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed

of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

2. Mocking the followers of Christ.

a) We can stand up for the honor of Jesus.

E. John 7:18 “He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he

who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is

nothing false about him.”

1. Every time you honor people.

a) Something is going to happen on the inside of you.

b) It is for you that you honor people.

2. The motivation for this message today is for your own Physical, Emotional

and spiritual health.

F. Bethel’s Rock Honor People this week.

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Piece of Wisdom: The More I value something the more I value from it.

The more I value my marriage the more I will gain from it.

The more I value God the more I will gain from it.

The more I value My Church the more I will gain from it.

The more I value My Job the more I will gain from it.