Mark's Gospel 8

Loved this message on Honour spoken by Paul Benger on Sunday morning as part of our Mark's Gospel series.

Mark 6:1-6
1 Jesus left there and went to his home town, accompanied by his disciples.
2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. Where did this man get these things? they asked. What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!
3 Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us? And they took offence at him.
4 Jesus said to them, Only in his home town, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honour.
5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith.

There are times when God anticipates things Jesus did not anticipate unbelief in this story Shock God with faith and not unbelief.

Never underestimate the power of being taught by God - It lifts us from mediocrity.

Honour...bring honour back to the forefront Honour is a positive a good thing It builds up.

To value something (honour)
Dishonour is to treat something as common, mediocre

In our story they went from “wow” to scoffing.

God has no ordinary children...we are children of God!

Dishonour makes us call everything common place...and things happen that shouldn't happen.

Honour causes everything to elevate not deteriorate.
Kids will excel when we honour them
In church people over achieve when we honour them

Malachi 1:6 (+ the Message) God anticipates honour and respect.
A son honours his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honour due to me? If I am a master, where is the respect due to me? says the LORD Almighty. It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for your name?' You place defiled food on my altar. But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?' By saying that the LORD's table is contemptible. When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you? says the LORD Almighty.

(The Message)
Isn't it true that a son honours his father and a worker his master? So if I'm your Father, where's the honour? If I'm your Master, where's the respect?" God-of-the-Angel-Armies is calling you on the carpet: "You priests despise me!
"You say, 'Not so! How do we despise you?' "By your shoddy, sloppy, defiling worship. "You ask, 'What do you mean, "defiling"? What's defiling about it?'
7-8"When you say, 'The altar of God is not important anymore; worship of God is no longer a priority,' that's defiling. And when you offer worthless animals for sacrifices in worship, animals that you're trying to get rid of—blind and sick and crippled animals—isn't that defiling? Try a trick like that with your banker or your senator—how far do you think it will get you?" God-of-the-Angel-Armies asks you.


Giving God the very best!

Dishonour is a downward spiral.
God is to be praised, to be applauded.
Honour is the opposite of the spirit of the age. We live in a world of put-down.
God wants to shock us into a culture of honour.
It’s a kingdom culture.
Everything is always better with honour.
Friendship is always better with honour.
Church is always better with honour.

Let's bring honour back.
Honour chooses to notice the right things.
Dishonour highlights the negative.
Honour notices! We don't let things pass us by.
What have we become so familiar with that we miss it?
We need to become more aware.
We need to give more compliments.
It's a kingdom language...not a foreign language.
When we give honour out…Honour comes back to us.
We reap what we sow.

We don't have to agree with everything or everybody to give honour.
No compliments is always a downward spiral.
We want to be in a place where there is lots of applause and honouring of people.