Honor is the currency of the kingdom.
[0:00] Galatians chapter 4, 1 and 2, I'm reading from the New King James Version. It says, Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all.
[0:19] That's really the verse that we've focused on, but I want to go to verse 2. But is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the Father.
[0:33] The heir, the one that is set up by God to receive an inheritance so great and so big is under guardians and stewards. They're under authority.
[0:44] They're in submission. Under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the Father. Now go to 1 Corinthians chapter 12. 1 Corinthians chapter 12.
[1:00] Verses 22 and 23. 1 Corinthians 12, 22 and 23. It says these words. Know much rather those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
[1:17] And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable. On these we bestow greater what? Honor.
[1:29] And our unpresentable parts have greater modesty. Today I want to talk to you for a few moments from the subject, the currency of the kingdom.
[1:41] The currency of the kingdom. Let's pray. Father, in Jesus' name. I thank you for this congregation. I thank you for everyone who's gathered here today.
[1:54] I thank you, Lord, above all else for your presence in this room, God. That as we have gone forward in worship, that you have met us right where we are.
[2:05] God, I pray that hearts would be open to receive your word and that you would speak, that you would teach. That we would hear the still, small voice of your spirit and be forever changed by it.
[2:19] In Jesus' name. And the church said, Amen. The currency of the kingdom. The currency of the kingdom. That verse that we just read, it says, and those members of the body.
[2:32] And I'm going to come back to Galatians 4. But those members of the body which we think to be less honorable. On these we bestow greater honor.
[2:46] We bestow greater honor. So I think that we're living in a day in the church or the body of Christ across America where we kind of think that it's about the preacher.
[3:01] And we kind of think that it's about those that we can see on the platform. And we thank God for those who lead in public in front of the congregation.
[3:12] But a lot of times what we fail to realize and the people that we fail to give honor to are those who are behind the scenes which we think to be less honorable.
[3:25] But the Bible says that it is the parts in the body of Christ that you can't see. It is the parts in the body of Christ that we think to be less honorable that are actually more honor.
[3:38] And that we actually give more honor to. You can see my hair. But I don't need my hair in order to live.
[3:50] You can't see my heart. But I need my heart to live. It is the parts of the body that you can't see.
[4:01] That you need in order to live. See, it's the intercessors who show up at 9 a.m. to pray.
[4:12] And you don't see that, but that's where the power is. It's the people who are running the cameras. And you don't really think about them, but those are the ones that get the gospel out to the ends of the earth.
[4:25] It's the sound man. It's the people running the lyrics on the screen. It's the people who greet you with a smile at the door. It's not about the person with the microphone. It's the body as a collective whole that makes the difference.
[4:40] It's the parts that we don't see that we bestow greater honor. And I want to tell you this morning that honor is the currency of the kingdom.
[4:55] Honor is the currency of the kingdom. What is currency? I want you to think about this for a moment. What is currency?
[5:07] Currency, such as an American dollar, currency is something that you give in exchange for something valuable.
[5:18] Currency is something that you give in exchange for something valuable.
[5:29] And I want to tell you that the more currency you give, the more value you can get. So what I want to teach to you and explain to you this morning is that I can only access the God-given value on the inside of you to the same degree that I honor the calling on your life.
[5:54] I can only access what God has placed on the inside of you to the same level and to the same degree that I am intentional about showing you honor.
[6:07] Why? Because honor is the currency of the kingdom. And currency is something I give in exchange for something valuable.
[6:20] The Bible says that we have this treasure in earthen vessels. That the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
[6:34] We have this treasure in earthen vessels. You are an earthen vessel. I am an earthen vessel. We were made from the dust of the earth. And God breathed his breath into us.
[6:46] And man became a living being. We are earthen vessels that God flows through. So there is a treasure in us.
[6:58] But you can only access the treasure in me to the same degree that you honor me. I can only access the treasure in you to the same degree that I decide to honor the gift that God has placed on the inside of you.
[7:14] And the reason that many people don't access the value and don't access the treasure that is inside of the earthen vessel is because they can't get past the dirt.
[7:24] They can't get past the human side of the earthen vessel. So they never access the treasure inside of the vessel.
[7:35] We think that well I'm not going to receive from a man. I'm just going to receive from God. Well you've not yet learned that God uses people. You've not yet learned that although he doesn't have to use people.
[7:49] He has decided to use people. And if you are going to neglect and forsake the gathering. And disconnect yourself from the body of Christ. You will never walk into the fullness of the calling of God upon your life.
[8:05] Because you are a member of the body. And when a member of the body disconnects from the rest of the body. The body doesn't die. The member does. We need the body of Christ.
[8:23] Go to Mark chapter 6. Mark chapter 6. Verses 1 through 6.
[8:33] Mark 6 starting at verse 1. It says, Is this not the carpenter?
[9:10] The son of Mary? And brother of James? Joseph, Judas, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? So they were offended at him.
[9:20] Or they stumbled because of him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor except in his own country.
[9:31] Among his own relatives. And in his own house. Now he could do no mighty work there. Except that he laid his hands on a few sick people. And healed them.
[9:42] And he marveled because of their unbelief. Then he went about the villages in a circuit teaching. Let me go back to verse 3.
[9:53] Is this not the carpenter? The son of Mary? And brother of James? Joseph, Judas, and Simon? Are not his sisters here with us? So they were offended at him.
[10:06] I want to tell you that Nazareth saw more of the Lord than any other place. But profited less. Because Jesus became familiar to them.
[10:20] And they failed to honor him. Said a prophet is not without honor except in his own country and among his own relatives. They would have profited had they shown him honor.
[10:31] But because they failed to honor him for who he was. They did not get the benefit of who he was. They couldn't wrap their minds around the fact that the one who was born in a one star motel.
[10:47] And the one whose diapers they had to change. And the carpenter's boy. They couldn't wrap their carnal minds around the fact that he was God in the flesh. They saw him as a child.
[10:59] And they treated him casually. And because they treated him casually. They weren't able to receive from him like they should have. Because they didn't honor him.
[11:12] I want to tell you this. They saw where he came from more than they saw who he was. And because they saw where he came from more than they saw who he was.
[11:28] They couldn't receive from what he did. Let me say that again. Because they saw where he came from more than they saw who he was.
[11:39] Because they didn't receive from what he did. They saw him as a good person. But they didn't see him as God.
[11:50] And I've heard this quote. And it hit me. And it stuck with me. And I pray that it sticks with you. But the quote is that you will receive somebody as you perceive them.
[12:03] You will receive somebody as you perceive them. And because they didn't perceive him as God.
[12:15] They didn't receive him as God. They couldn't benefit from him as God. Because of their perception of him.
[12:25] So this morning I'm going to give you three types of people. That you need to honor. Three types of people. Your next level in God is locked up in your ability to honor three types of people.
[12:45] You may not believe that. But your next level. The next door that God wants to open could be locked up in your ability to honor. So number one.
[12:56] Your next level is locked up in your ability to honor those above you. Your next level is locked up in your ability to honor those above you.
[13:12] Let's go back to Galatians chapter 4. 1 and 2. It says. Now I say that the heir as long as he is a child. Does not differ at all from a slave.
[13:24] Though he is master of all. But is what? Under. He's under guardians. Under stewards. Until the time appointed by the father.
[13:39] See I want to tell you this morning that you can't be over until you're under. God will never allow you to get to a place where you're under.
[13:50] Unless you know how to be under. Until you know how to serve without a position. To serve without a spotlight.
[14:02] If you can't faithfully be under. God can't entrust you with over. Let me say it like this. You don't deserve to be in authority if you don't know how to be under authority.
[14:17] You're not fit to be in authority. If you're not under God's authority. If you're not under God's delegated authority.
[14:28] 1 Corinthians chapter 4 verses 15 and 16 says it like this. For though you might have 10,000 instructors in Christ.
[14:39] Yet you do not have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you imitate me.
[14:53] You have many instructors. You have many teachers. But not many fathers. We need fathers in the faith. We need spiritual fathers.
[15:04] And I want to tell you this about having a spiritual father. And honoring those above you. A father doesn't need their son's permission. To give instructions and wisdom and advice and counsel.
[15:20] A father shouldn't go to the son or the child and say. Is it okay if I give you an opinion or some advice? No. A father's advice is unsolicited. And it should be.
[15:31] And we need people over us in the Lord. Who can tell us where we've gone wrong. And we don't have to ask them for it. We need those people above us. That we can honor and submit to.
[15:44] Because often times. God's voice will sound like a spiritual father. Sometimes God's voice will sound like your pastor.
[15:55] Sometimes God's voice will sound like your mentor. And sometimes God's voice will sound like your accountability partner. We need people over us.
[16:07] We need to learn how to honor the people that God has put over us. See, we have to learn from their wisdom.
[16:18] Or we'll have to learn from our experience. And it's much more pleasant to learn from their wisdom than it is to learn from our experience.
[16:31] Lord, don't let us be hard headed and have to learn the hard way. And go through pain and trouble. Some of us could have saved years of our life.
[16:43] Had we listened to those that God placed in authority over us. But we were too prideful. We wanted to do it our own way.
[16:53] We wanted to get in relationships that they told us not to get into. And because we were too prideful to listen. We had to learn the hard way.
[17:07] Proverbs chapter 4. Verses 1 through 4 says. Hear my children. The instruction of a father. And give attention to no understanding.
[17:21] For I give you good doctrine. Do not forsake my law. When I was my father's son. Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother.
[17:32] He also taught me and said to me. Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commands. And live. May we find fathers in the faith.
[17:45] May we find people that can call us out. When we go down the wrong path. We all need it. Amen. Number two. The next type of person you've got to honor.
[17:58] Your next level is locked up in your ability to honor those beside you. Number one is above you. This one is beside you.
[18:10] God will only bless you. To the same degree. That you celebrate the blessing of God. On somebody else's life.
[18:22] If you can't celebrate it for them. God won't do it for you. And I want to encourage you. Because we are the body of Christ.
[18:34] We're members individually. But we are the body of Christ. And when one member of the body is blessed. The whole body gets a blessing. So why would you get jealous or envious over the blessing of God on somebody else's life.
[18:51] Or somebody else's ministry. Because if God is blessing them. It only benefits you. And if you can celebrate them. God can do it for you.
[19:02] I heard somebody say it like this. If God can get it through you. He can get it to you. Amen. 1 Corinthians 12. Going down to verse 25.
[19:15] It says that there should be no schism. Or no division. In the body. But that the members should have the same care for one another.
[19:32] And if one member suffers. All the members suffer with it. Or if one member is honored.
[19:43] If one member is honored. All the members rejoice with it. We don't see that very much in the body of Christ today. We don't see where God can bless somebody else.
[19:56] And we'll all celebrate them for it. Sometimes there's just this hidden thing of jealousy. And envy. In our hearts. And maybe that's why you've not walked into the blessing you're praying for.
[20:08] Maybe it's because you can't celebrate the blessing of God on somebody else's life. So God won't bless you with your own thing. Amen. But if we can ever get to the place where we can clap and shout and praise God just as much for somebody else.
[20:22] God will pour out a blessing on you that you don't have room enough to receive. Does anybody believe that this morning? Amen. No more jealousy.
[20:33] No more envy. No more bitterness. No more divisions in the body of Christ. I long to see a day where the body of Christ can actually dwell in unity. God didn't pour his spirit out on the day of Pentecost until they were in one place in one accord.
[20:50] There weren't any divisions. I have a study Bible and I was studying that scripture one day. And it said that none of the 120 in the upper room were uninterested.
[21:04] None of them were lazy or half-hearted. But all 120 were in one place with one mind and with one accord. They were in unity.
[21:16] And then God poured out his spirit. If we can get to a place where we honor our brother and honor our sister that is beside us, God can do it for us.
[21:29] The Bible says, as iron sharpens iron, one person sharpens another. We need each other. We can't do it on our own.
[21:41] This is why the Bible says to not forsake the gathering. Not forsake the assembling together of ourselves. But we've got to gather all the more, the Bible says, as we see the day approaching.
[21:56] Number one, honor those above you. Number two, honor those beside you. Number three, probably the most difficult for some, is to honor those below you.
[22:09] Your maturity level is determined by your ability to honor those you think you don't need.
[22:23] Your maturity level is determined by your ability to honor those you think you don't benefit from. I've heard it said like this, dynamite comes in small packages.
[22:39] Pastor Steve would say it like this, big doors swing on little hinges. So never underestimate what God wants to do for you through somebody you think you don't need.
[22:54] Never underestimate what God wants to do for you through somebody that you think you don't need.
[23:07] Can you honor those below you? Why should we honor those below us? Because some doors in your life swing on the hinges of honor.
[23:20] They swing on the hinges of honor. And it could be that some doors in your life have remained closed. Because you have failed to honor.
[23:34] You have failed to honor those that God has sent into your life. Some doors will only open when you decide to show honor.
[23:50] I want to tell you this morning, and I'm not going to be much longer. But I want to tell you that you attract what you honor. And you distance what you dishonor.
[24:02] You attract what you honor. But you distance what you dishonor. And God forbid that you distance something that he's trying to bring close to you.
[24:19] God forbid you push something away and distance it from you. Or distance that person that God sent into your life. Because you fail to show honor.
[24:34] And you might think to yourself, well, I'm not dishonoring them. And that's alright. But I also want to tell you that thanks not expressed is no thanks at all.
[24:45] Thanks not expressed is no thanks at all. Your next level. Your next level.
[24:57] The place that God is wanting to take you. Could be locked up in your ability to honor. I know this isn't a shouting message.
[25:08] But I pray that it's a growing one for you. Because God is going to send people into your life. And you will only be able to benefit from them.
[25:19] And access the treasure on the inside of them. If you can honor. If you can honor the gift that God has placed on the inside of them.
[25:31] If you can honor the calling of God upon their life. And my prayer for you is that you don't distance what God is trying to bring close.
[25:43] That you don't unintentionally push something away. Because you have failed to honor. I was listening to something the other day.
[25:55] A preacher. And he was talking about how at every critical moment or transition in his life. God would send him a voice.
[26:08] Or a mentor. Or somebody. And he said. And it hit me. Because I was preparing for this message. But he said. My next was locked up in them.
[26:21] My next was locked up in them. Sometimes your next is locked up in somebody else. And God will send them with a word.
[26:32] For you. That you won't be able to receive. And that you won't benefit from. That you won't get. If you don't honor the anointing. And the calling. And the gifting. On their life.
[26:43] Does anybody believe that this morning? Let's pray. Father. In Jesus name. I pray that you would make us a people. Of honor.
[26:54] People who know how to honor those above us. Those beside us. And those below us. God I pray that when you send people into our lives.
[27:07] That are called to take us to that next place in you. That next place in the kingdom of God. I pray that you would help us know how to honor. God that when you honor our brother.
[27:21] Or when you honor our sister. That we would know how to celebrate. And clap our hands. And praise God. And thank you. Because you bless them. God I pray that you work on our hearts.
[27:33] To a place that you can get it through us. So that you can then get it to us. God. God. Let us.
[27:44] Create a culture of honor. God. And may we understand and realize. That it's not about the person. It's about the calling on their life.
[27:57] When we honor somebody else. It's not about giving praise to man. It's just about the gift of God on the inside. That we can't access without honor.
[28:12] God may we walk in humility. May we walk in a humbleness. Because humility. The Bible says. Comes before honor.
[28:26] God I pray that you would help us to be the people that you've called us to be. Help us to be the body that you've called us to be. Every member. Every joint. Supply. Because this has never been and never will be a one man show.
[28:40] It's about the body. It's about your people coming together to be who you've called us to be. Every one of us providing strength one to another.
[28:52] Every one of us edifying one another. Every one of us encouraging one another. Lifting one another up. Speaking the word. The right word to each other in due season.
[29:03] Bearing one another's burdens. And God I pray that when you send people in our lives. To bless us. That we would honor. So that we could receive.
[29:15] God we pray all this in Jesus name. I want to say this now. If you're in here and you don't know Jesus. Nobody looking around. Every head bowed. Every eye closed. If you've been in the presence of God today.
[29:27] And you've heard this word. And you want this Jesus that you feel around you. You want this Jesus that we've been worshiping today.
[29:38] You want this relationship with God. And this joy that you see in those beside you. You want your smile back. You want your joy back. If you're in here and you don't know Jesus.
[29:50] I want you to throw your hand in the air. Nobody looking around. Throw your hand in the air. If that's you and you want to know Jesus. If you're in here and you've never met him.
[30:03] Amen. You can put your hand down. If you lifted your hand. I want you to pray this out loud after me. And everybody's going to pray it together. So that nobody prays it alone. Pray this. Dear Jesus.
[30:14] I invite you into my heart. I make you my Lord. And I make you my Savior. I want to be born again. I want to be born from above.
[30:26] I want to be a new person. God help me to honor you. And those you've placed in my life. Forgive me for my sins. And wash me clean.
[30:39] Today. I put my trust in you. I put my faith in you. Help me to follow you. For the rest of my life. It's in Jesus name we pray.
[30:51] And everybody said amen. Amen. And amen. Will you stand to your feet.