Honour (The Bridge) - Pastor Ekpenyong

The word Honour in the Old Testament comes from the root word Kabod, which means to give weight to someone.

The New Testament expresses honour as Sense of esteem, value, preciousness.

It is an internal attitude of giving respect, courtesy and dignity to others and it is expressed by corresponding actions.

It empowers and validates people when we acknowledge their value. Honour is recognizing who a person is without stumbling over who he/she is not.

We must learn to celebrate the God in everyone and stop bothering about their weakness. God encourages Honouring throughout the Bible.

Honour is the bridge to your next level.

Romans 12:10 

BBE “Be kind to one another with a brother's love, putting others before yourselves in honour.”

ESV "Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honour."

Respect is what people earn. Therefore, it influences how we view them. 

Honour is what you give freely as a gift. Therefore, it influences how we treat them. Everybody is deserving of honour.

Value is shown in how we TREAT people.

Mark 6:30-34

30 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. 

31 And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 

32 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves. 

33 But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. 

34 And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.

Honour is the opposite of shame.

Shame drives people away from community because it marks people as outcasts, unloved, and unvalued. 

Honour draws people into community.

Honour says I know everything about you and I love and value you.

Honour is the atmosphere in which the people of God become their best.

It is very important you discern and receive people in their God-given roles.

Matthew 10:41-42 AMP

41 He who receives and welcomes and accepts a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward, and he who receives and welcomes and accepts a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 

42 And whoever gives to one of these little ones [in rank or influence] even a cup of cold water because he is My disciple, surely I declare to you, he shall not lose his reward.

Accurately discerning and acknowledging WHO people are will position us to give them what they deserve and to RECEIVE THE GIFT OF WHO THEY ARE IN OUR LIVES.

Discernment is key in honour.

Let's look at honour in different contexts:

Honour your parents:

Ephesians 6:2-3 

2 Honour your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: 

3 that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth."

Honouring your parents involves four key actions:

Appreciate them: Celebrate them and be thankful for all they've done for you.

Accept their authority: Especially while you're under their care, recognize the authority God has given them. Even young Jesus willingly obeyed His parents. (Luke 2:51)

Treat them with respect: This involves what you say and how you say it.

Proverbs 30:17TLB  A man who mocks his father and despises his mother shall have his eye plucked out by ravens and eaten by vultures.

Provide for them: When your parents get old, they may need practical support. Try your best to make sure they have what they need.

1 Timothy 5:4 AMP

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, see to it that these are first made to understand that it is their religious duty [to defray their natural obligation to those] at home, and make return to their parents or grandparents [for all their care by contributing to their maintenance], for this is acceptable in the sight of God.

Honour the lowly:

Proverbs 19:17 TLB 

When you help the poor you are lending to the Lord and he pays wonderful interest on your loan!

Do you think if the little slave girl in Gen. Naaman's house didn’t feel honoured that she would have suggested that her boss go to Elijah for a cure? (2Kings 5:1-14)

Honour those in authority:

Romans 13:1-6

1.Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 

2. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 

3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.

4. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 

5.Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 

6. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.

1 Timothy 2:2 GW “for everyone who has authority over us. Pray for these people so that we can have a quiet and peaceful life always lived in a godly and reverent way.”

We honour those in authority so we may live quiet and peaceful lives. And so we may live godly and dignified in every way so that there will be orderliness and that the boundaries for our protection are intact.

Honour your bosses:

1 Timothy 6:1AMP “LET ALL who are under the yoke as bond servants esteem their own [personal] masters worthy of honour and fullest respect, so that the name of God and the teaching [about Him] may not be brought into disrepute and blasphemed.”

We honour our superiors in defense of the name of our LORD and that of our gospel.

Do you think if the Centurion's staff didn't honour him that he'll go out of his way to seek Jesus' intervention to have his staff healed? (Matthew 8:5-8)

Honour will bring you into spaces where your skills and competencies are so relevant.

Honour for marriage:

Hebrews 13:4AMP “Let marriage be held in honour (esteemed worthy, precious, of great price, and especially dear) in all things. And thus let the marriage bed be undefiled (kept undishonoured); for God will judge and punish the unchaste [all guilty of sexual vice] and adulterous.”

Honour for marriage is in two fold: for those in the union and then for those around the union.

It involves you intentionally recognizing the beauty and worth of your relationship with your spouse and then doing something to put that recognition into action.

It involves you as an observer intentionally recognizing the worth of the relationship between the couple and then doing something to support as well as not create room between them.

Honour for your spouse:

1 Peter 3:7GNT “In the same way you husbands must live with your wives with the proper understanding that they are more delicate than you. Treat them with respect, because they also will receive, together with you, God's gift of life. Do this so that nothing will interfere with your prayers.”

In honouring your spouse, your prayers are heard.

You're making yourself beautiful.

You're Sarah's daughter indeed. (1Peter 3:6)

You're doing good and not functioning in fear.

Honouring God:

1 Samuel 2:30 “…But now the Lord says: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honour Me I will honour, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.”

The internal esteem and reverence which we should bear in our hearts towards Him.

Isaiah 29:13 MSG The Master said: "These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their hearts aren't in it. Because they act like they're worshiping me but don't mean it”

HERE ARE FIVE WAYS THAT YOU CAN HONOUR GOD TODAY:

Honour God with your time -

Colossians 4:5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.

Honour God with your body - 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 CEV You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. You are no longer your own. God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honour God.

Honour God with your talents -

These are your God-given gifts and abilities.

Honour God with your resources -

Proverbs 3:9 MSG Honour GOD with everything you own; give him the first and the best.

Honour those He sent -

1 Thessalonians 2:13 AMP And we also [especially] thank God continually for this, that when you received the message of God [which you heard] from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the Word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising its superhuman power in those who adhere to and trust in and rely on it].

We Honour Him when we live according to His Word, which teaches us to Honour others.

Honour is a great gift that all of us can give to others. We can influence culture and our communities with honour. It has nothing to do with the person's reputation. It’s our gift to see people the way God sees them.

In 1 Corinthians 13:5, Paul says love does not dishonour, doesn’t behave unseemly, is not rude, does not do what is shameful.

Honour truly brings great refreshing to God’s people. As God’s children, we must learn to choose an attitude of honour at all times.  

We can start by meditating on all the scriptures in this conversation.

Start today to honour those closest to you.

You're loved and celebrated!

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