Called to Live Different

Intro

Our culture has become more and more dishonoring. People show no respect to the flag, to the police, to their parents, to each other, and to themselves.

Romans 12:10 NIV84

10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

We want to teach

Malachi 1:6 NIV84

6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty. “It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’

In the OT, this applied to the ministers, but Jesus says we are all ministers and it’s talking to all of us.

We will learn how we have dishonored God.

Malachi 2:1–2 NIV84

1 “And now this admonition is for you, O priests. 2 If you do not listen, and if you do not set your heart to honor my name,” says the Lord Almighty, “I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not set your heart to honor me.

Let’s look at what this means… to set you hearts to honor.

Honor - value, worth, weight

Weighty - you have to deal with it. You have to give honor to it because it has some weight.

To honor is to add weight to something.

Dishonor - to take lightly

We have a generation that takes things too lightly. They take things as common that should not be common.

Poor - Too often we take the poor lightly and that is dishonoring.

Traditions -

People - we get on our phones while we talk to people.

Where is the honor?

Mark 6:1–5 NIV84

1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! 3 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. 4 Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.

Then they scoffed… that’s just like our world today. Then they were deeply offended. People seem to be going around looking for offense today.

SOG was limited by the attitude of the recipients. Think about it. Our attitude is keeping God from working in our lives.

Familiarity causes dishonor

Anything you become too familiar with causes you to take it lightly. Especially with those close to us… like family.

We have to intentionally work to teach honor. ILL of our homes...

We want to see a revival of honor .

We want God to be able to do a lot of miracles here at River Church

Offenses cause dishonor

You cannot honor something that you are offended by. If you are offended by government, doesn’t give you a pass. Rom 13 doesn’t have an *

How do we set our hearts to honor?

1. Honoring begins with God’s claim on them

It has nothing to do with what they deserve. Honoring begins with how God views them.

How does God view them? He sees everyone as someone he created… that he designed and that he died for.

Even if they are a jerk… can’t drive… they are God’s jerk…

We need to see people in the same way God sees people. We see people that we think don’t deserve honor, but God sees their potential

God’s claim on others changes everything.

Ephesians 5:21 NLT

21 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

We don’t treat people with honor by what they deserve, we treat people with honor because we honor God.

2. Honoring benefits me too

When you honor something or someone, it benefits you too. You actually get more honor when you give more honor.

example of honor - people listen… say amen… they are involved. When that happens, things happen.

Your attitude towards the speaker will determine the benefits you receive from them. You want to see some miracles at this altar, be involved in the worship and the preaching.

Mark 6:4–5 NLT

4 Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” 5 And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them.

The Son of God was limited in what he could do because of their attitudes. Could our attitudes be keeping Jesus from doing miracles here?

Listen, if you want to see Jesus do miracles at this altar, be involved… give honor.. or weight to this service… to the worship … to the word. If you are sending out text, or walking around or whatever during worship and the message, you will never see God do miracles in your life here.

The more you value it, the more you will value from it

What are you placing value on?

3. Honoring is decided not deserved

It’s a decision that you make. You can’t give honor to those who deserve it, you have to decide to honor them anyway. You will be tested.

1 Peter 2:13–17 NIV84

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

When we ascribe honor to someone, they often become more honorable

Don’t wait until they deserve it. Give it to them anyway.

IOW, the world is watching. We can silence their talk by living differently.

respect = honor - same word

show proper honor to everyone… even on the GNO

Who can we show honor to this week? Who can we give weight to?