SERMON NOTES: HEART CHECK – A HEART OF HONOUR

1 Corinthians 16:9 (ESV) –  for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

• We are in a season where great and effective doors are going to be opening… 
• I’m sensing a double focus – stepping through doors but also preparing for doors that are about to open
• …but there will also be many adversaries

If we are going to walk through these doors… (and even beyond that… simply because God is our heavenly Father and He wants us to mature and grow) each one of us needs to allow the Lord to do work in our hearts.

• We need allow God to work in us so He can work with us and through us
• The degree to which will allow the Lord to work in our hearts is directly proportionate to the degree to which we will walk in our destiny/purpose
• In this season each one of us needs to allow the Lord to work in our hearts.

Psalm 139:23-24 (TPT) – 23 God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares. 24 See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting ways—the path that brings me back to you.

I WANT TO FOCUS THIS MESSAGE ON HAVING A HEART OF HONOUR

Matthew 15:8 (ESV) – This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;

What is Honour?

• Honour is to have high respect, to esteem. To consider a privilege
• NT Greek: Timao – to place value on something, precious, weighty
• To honour someone is to appreciate them, esteem them and regard them

Who Should We Honour?

1. God – 1 Timothy 1:17 (ESV) – To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen
2. Spouse – 1 Peter 3:7 (ESV) – 7 Husbands, you in turn must treat your wives with tenderness, viewing them as feminine  partners who deserve to be honored, for they are co-heirs with you of the “divine grace of life,”  so that nothing will hinder your prayers
3. Parents – Ephesians 6:1-3 (ESV) – Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
4. Spiritual Leaders – 1 Timothy 5:17 (ESV) – Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.
5. Governmental Leaders/Those in Authority – 1 Peter 2:17 (ESV) – 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
6. One another – Romans 12:10 (ESV) – Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

What does that mean? That means that you go out of your way to demonstrate honor to them. Whether they deserve it or not (and honestly, many won’t), you give it out freely. Treat honor like it’s the most renewable resource on the planet. If there are people who take care of your children during the week while you work, show them honor. Find out their names. Learn their birthdays. Bring them gift cards and handwritten thank-you notes. When a person serves you, whether at a business or a restaurant, make a point to be overly courteous to them. Tell them that you appreciate what they do. Offer them some encouragement and a smile. Tip generously. Ask them if there’s anything you can pray for them for. If they give you something to pray about, then pray for them. At your church, single out the people who serve you. Thank them. Show them honor. Write a note to those who minister to your kids. Bring a gift to your small group leader. Email the worship pastor to say thanks for helping you grow closer to God through worship. Outdo one another in showing honor.Lean in. Listen closely. Outdo each other. Lift them up. Encourage them. Esteem them highly. Tell them you value them, and then demonstrate it by your actions. You might just be surprised to see them grow into what you speak to them in faith. – Craig Groschell

Why Does HONOUR Matter So Much?

Mark 6:1-5 (ESV) – He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.

• We see here that because of the dishonour Jesus could do no mighty works there except a few miracles
• Everyone who fully honoured Jesus received all He had for them, everyone who did not received on part (if any)
• When we honour we position ourselves to receve all that God has for us. When we dishour then we disqualify ourselves from what He has.
• Note how dishonour manifested: 
  1. “Who do they think they are?” attitude
  2. Murmering and whisperings
  3. Offense

Honour Matters:

1. Because God said so!
2. When we dishonour our spouse our prayers are hindered (1 Peter 3:7) – it would be Biblically correct to suggest that this extends beyond our spouse to people in general.
3. Honouring our parents causes things to go well with us and that we will live a long life (Eph 6:1-3) – it would be Biblically correct to extend this principle as well.
4. When we honour we receive reward – Mark 10:41 (ESV) – The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.

Proverbs 3:9-10 – 9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; 10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

• A major manifestation of honour to the Lord is when we bring our tithes and offerings to Him
• When we withhold we are dishonouring and we disqualify ourselves from so much that He has for us
• There are many believers who are living so far below what God has for them because of a lack of honour in this area of their lives.
• There are many churches that are living so far below what God has for them corporately because of a lack of honour in this area.
• TEST THE TENTH AND WATCH WHAT GOD DOES!

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