Who We Want To Be : A People of Honour

Last Thursday, Tris spoke on Honour and opened our eyes to the kind of people we want to be. Take a look if you weren't there or if you want refreshing...

Honour is an odd Word which really means recognising value, giving respect, the opposite of what is honourable is what is worthless.

1)HONOUR GOD (Honour UP)

Romans 1v21 For although they knew God, they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Scripture goes on to say how instead of Worshipping God people gave glory to things he has made and become impure and dishonour themselves. The Bible describes idols as worthless – Pursuing other things than God is Destructive. An ancient Chinese vase used as an umbrella stand by an elderly couple for 50 years has turned out to be worth up to £500,000 - more than the value of their house, in the same way we miss out on God when we don’t realise His value.

Revelation 5v11-14 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing!" And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever!" And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshipped.

Heaven has an amazing culture of honour for God because it knows and see’s clearly who God is and what He has done. The greatest way we can honour Him, is by pursuing Him above all other things! Make Him your TREASURE. Question- HOW much pressure would it take for you to stop honouring God? Praise is a way to honour God through the toughest of times, looking to Him even when we don’t understand what we are going through.

2)HONOUR YOURSELF (Honour in) God is mindful of You.

Psalm 8v3: When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?

We are made in His image, like the way we care about photographs because it is our image, this is an amazing privilege to be cared for by a God who created us in His image. People say stuff unkind stuff. When I was a kid at school someone once asked me quite seriously 'Tris, why are you so ugly?' ouch, that hurt. When people have lied to us we tend to hold a dishonouring picture of ourselves. This needs to be replaced with the truth. If we honour God then we can start to believe what He says about us!

Psalm 139 v14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

The Love of God was displayed on the Cross, Christ crucified and rose from the dead on our behalf, and it’s a great honour that someone died for you. Who it was should blow your mind . He did it for you when you were His enemy! Fernando Torres cost Chelsea football club £50 million- and scored 6 goals this year- we define people’s value in what they can do or achieve.
 As Christians we are defined by what God has done for us by dying on a Cross and giving us our new identity in Christ as sons and daughters.

We need to learn who we are, learn to honour ourselves, maybe you have struggled to honour yourself in your attitude, word and actions. A good practice is to speak out Scriptures that say who you really are in Christ. 

3)HONOUR PEOPLE (Honour out)

We are called To Honour Parents, Leaders & Everyone We won’t always get on well with people we need to honour. It can be a challenge but God’s heart is for us is to be a community that honour all people. Honour values regardless of performance or our preference. There was once a school teacher who used to tip his hat to every child in the school – because he realised any one of those children could be the next prime minister. 1Thessalonians 5v11: Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. A girl at youth went up to a singer after worship to feedback to him he wasn’t very good and shouldn’t really sing- she felt guilty later when she saw him playing in front of a huge crowd as it was Martin Smith from Delirious.

 When we honour people we help build them up not tear down, fortunately Martin Smith overcame the girls' initial discouragement, but he should never have had to. It’s exciting to be part of a group of young people, who Honour God, pursue Him, honour themselves, encourage each other, fight for each other, and celebrate each other’s success. These 3 all hold together when we Honour God for who He is we can honour ourselves when we find our value in Him. Then we can love and honour other people through what He has done for us.

  How are you doing? Which way do you find it most difficult to honour - up, in or out?