(Read Luke 4:22-27)
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. Yesterday I shared a message with you about honor from Mark 6:1-6. This morning we continue to flow in the same vein and we will take a look at Luke’s account of the same situation. The following is Luke’s account of Jesus’ encounter in His hometown:
“Everyone there said good things about Jesus. They were amazed to hear him speak such wonderful words. They said, “How is this possible? Isn’t he Joseph’s son?” Jesus said to them, “I know you will tell me the old saying: ‘Doctor, heal yourself.’ You want to say, ‘We heard about the things you did in Capernaum. Do those same things here in your own hometown!’” Then he said, “The truth is, a prophet is not accepted in his own hometown.
“During the time of Elijah it did not rain in Israel for three and a half years. There was no food anywhere in the whole country. There were many widows in Israel during that time. But the fact is, Elijah was sent to none of those widows in Israel. He was sent only to a widow in Zarephath, a town in Sidon.
“And there were many people with leprosy living in Israel during the time of the prophet Elisha. But none of them were healed; the only one was Naaman. And he was from the country of Syria, not Israel.”
So what does this mean to you today? On Monday I will explain in detail Jesus’ reference to the widow in Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian. For today I will simply point out Jesus’ major point: Elijah and Elisha had to find strangers who would honor them enough to tap into the anointing on their lives. With that in mind, let’s glean a few more nuggets about honor.
1. Honor is woven into the fabric of the Kingdom of God.
a) Our God is a God of honor.
b) God requires His people to be honorable.
c) God’s system operates on the basis of honor.
d) God wants you to freely receive from His designated representatives, but you will fail to receive from those you do not honor.
2. God wants you to honor His ministry gifts.
a) God has anointed people in the Body of Christ to serve as gifts to the Body. The Bible says, “Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers. Christ gave these gifts to prepare God’s holy people for the work of serving, to make the body of Christ stronger.” (Eph 4:11,12).
b) There are certain things God wants to provide for His children that He has chosen to provide through the specific ministry gifts – people anointed by God to minister to the Body of Christ.
c) If you don’t honor the gift (or the person), you may miss out on the blessing God sent you through the person.
d) Developing a culture of honor keeps you in position to receive from God and His representatives in the earth.
3. I have seen honor play a major role in how a message from God is received.
a) I have seen Pastors preach a message to his/her congregation at 11am, with the message being received fairly well, with “some” impact.
b) I have then traveled with the Pastors as they go to a different church and preach THE VERY SAME MESSAGE in the afternoon of the same day. I have seen the power of God sweep through the room as signs, miracles, and wonders follow the preached Word.
c) Why does this happen? It happens because of honor. The more familiar and comfortable you are to a person — it could be your Pastor, your parent, your boss, etc. — the harder it is to truly honor them, because you know so much about them. It is especially hard when you know a person’s weaknesses, or you have been acquainted with their failures. But when that same person goes to a strange place, where no one knows their past, the people don’t have to filter through their personal knowledge in order to hear from God. They don’t know anything about the person, so they simply open their hearts to hear from God and they often receive major breakthrough.
d) This is why it is often hard for family members to receive from a Pastor or ministry gift.
4. You must embrace the culture of honor.
a) Most people don’t have an issue with honoring God. This is why they can receive from God directly. Receiving from God directly is amazing, but most of the time we actually receive from God through another human.
b) In order to receive from God through a human, you must protect your heart against failing to honor the ‘human in the loop’.
c) Godly honor is divine respect for the ‘human in the loop’.
d) The more honorable you become, the more you will be able to receive from God and His designated ministry gifts. And if you want to succeed in life, you will need to receive ALL God wants you to have and know.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. By faith I declare that I embrace and develop in Your Kingdom culture of honor. You are a God of honor. I am Your child. Therefore, I will be a person of honor. I choose to live honorably every day of my life. I humble myself before You and Your Kingdom representatives in the earth. You have given me the gift of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers, for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edification of the Body of Christ. I want to receive from You, and I know You will expect me to receive from You THROUGH THEM. I declare that I do. I honor those who labor amongst me. I honor Your ministry gifts. I protect my heart from becoming too familiar with the people You have designated to speak into my life. And I declare that I become the man/woman You have called, destined, designed and desire for me to be. I honor You and all those You have chosen to make a difference in this world. I am a man/woman of honor and I live an honorable life. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
