E-Sermon

DECEMBER 2015

WHAT ABOUT HONOUR?

A lot has been said about honour or how we honour our pastors etc. Having

considered all that I have heard and read, I thought it best to check the

Bible with regards how we honour and who?

There are men of God (probably women also) preaching from pulpits about how

important it is for the church members to honour their pastor. Now, this is not a bad thing, but let’s consider the Bible.

What do they mean by honour and how

do we show it? Does it mean that we bow to everything

that the pastor wants and accept even his incorrect or abusive leadership?

How can we honour someone that not even God will honour! The church has

been hoodwinked into believing that this type of honour is biblical!

The pastor must lead by persuasion not by demanding. King Agrippa said this of

the apostle Paul, “thou almost persuades me to become a Christian”.

Christian leaders need to stop creating an environment of control that puts a yoke on the people!

I agree that we live in an age and

culture of dishonour. There is no respect for teachers by their students.

The employee has no respect or honour for their managers or directors. The government has no respect or honour

to the voters. Dishonour is rife!

honor has these synonyms: "esteem, respect, pay homage to, assigning value to."

The Greek word translated "honor" in our English Bibles, timao, means "to

prize, i.e. fix a valuation upon; by implication, to revere" (Strong's Concordance). Showing honor, then,

means treating another respectfully because we value them highly.

Romans 13:7 - Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute

is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom

honour. When every pastor is trying to prop

themselves up to be honoured by the people, the apostle Paul considers

himself to be the ‘least of all the apostles’.

For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle,

because I persecuted the church of God. (1 Corinthians 15:9)

He also said, Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this

grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable

riches of Christ; (Ephesians 3:8) Pastor’s, when you talk about honor,

are you expecting the people to flood you with material or financial gifts?

Now I know that is not what you might be saying, but it is certainly implied.

I am not against being blessed or people receiving cars and motorbikes

and loads of money, BUT, that is not necessarily honour. It could well be considered a bribe!

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Of course you are angry that I just said that, but God’s men that are set apart to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ have a serious responsibility not to laud it over the flock. We

must serve! The word honour means to revere or treat respectfully. The thing is, what about those

that cannot honour their pastor with financial gifts or material things? Where do they stand and how are they considered within the congregation? The danger of the human

nature is that men want to be worshipped, when it is God that must be worshipped! Please consider the following scriptures regarding honour;

John the Baptist said,. ‘He must increase and I must decrease’. (John 3:30) Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the

LORD thy God giveth thee. (Exodus 20:12) And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those

things that please him. (John 8:29)

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. (1Peter 3:7)

Honour widows that are widows indeed. (1Timothy 5:3)

Now the next scripture is what these so called ‘honour’ preachers use to increase their popularity and wealth. It is an abuse of scripture!

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who

labour in the word and doctrine. (1 Timothy 5:17)

So I agree that men of God must be honoured, in fact they are worthy of double honour. It only means they are worthy of double respect, and to be revered more than others because they labour in the word and doctrine.

I don’t have to honour some sleazy, lazy, good for nothing pastor who has no care for the flock, and all he wants is to take from the people but never showing respect or

honour to others. The Bible is very clear as you will see by the following scriptures that not only must God be honoured, our parents, our spouses, the widows, but also every one!

ALL MUST BE HONOURED

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; (Romans 12:10) Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; (2)

The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. (1 Timothy 5:1-2) The standard is the same for all of us. Honor God, honor family, honor Christ,

honor one another. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. (1Peter 2:17) Pastors, as much as you want to be honoured, will you show the same honour to

everyone as the scriptures tell you? If honour means the provision of financial or material things, then surely the pastor must

honour his people in the same way! If you love the members of your church and one or more are struggling, would you honour them by supporting them financially or with whatever material things they need?

Perhaps some food for thought and correcting of incorrect teaching regarding honour

Pastor Tony Sands (072 5577437) reviveworshipcentre@gmail.com.