Latest / Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons / The Practice of honour pt. 2

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The Practice of honour pt. 2 · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

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Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is
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designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
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walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
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right in. Turn to your left and right. You see
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a brother or a sister? Tell the person you are
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my supernatural relationship. Or you don't believe?
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You're looking for another relationship somewhere.
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Say it again. You are my supernatural relationship.
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Hallelujah. See, when you got born again, you
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were born into a supernatural relationship. Hallelujah.
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Because you're not the only one that is born
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again. You are born into a community of peace.
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Alright? Men of equal spirit. Men of the Spirit
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of God, we carry the Spirit of God. So we are
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united by the Spirit of God. Hallelujah. So I
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want you to begin to see your brother and your
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sister in that light. The connection you need
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to excel in all that God has called you to do
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is seated right at your right hand or at your
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left hand side. Don't begin to look for something
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elsewhere. Oh, only if God can give me divine
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relationship and you begin to look at some people
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elsewhere. Some people you see on the television,
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the newspapers you read, those are the people
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you regard as supernatural relationships. Whereas
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the man and the woman by your side is your supernatural
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relationship. Hallelujah. So what we'll be studying
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today is how to maximize this supernatural relationship.
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How we can enjoy this supernatural relationship.
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Matthew chapter 20, verse 20. On Sunday, our
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brother talked about honor, right? The practice
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of honor. And I'm going to continue building
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from that. Because one of the important ways
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we can enjoy and maximize the relationship that
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God has given us as members of his family, as
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members of the kingdom of God, is honor. Right?
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Without honor, it is impossible to maximize the
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relationship. So what I'll be teaching is a practice
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of honor in continuation to what our brother
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taught us. The culture of the kingdom of God,
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the practice of honor, the culture of the kingdom
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of God. Now let's go to Matthew 20 verse 20 and
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let's read something that happened here briefly
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to lay foundation. Matthew 20 verse 20 to 28.
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There was a political happening that happened
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here. Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came
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to him with her sons. That is, The disciples
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of Jesus. Kneeling down. Look at, she was kneeling
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down and asking something from him. And he said
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to her, what do you wish? She said to him, grant
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that these two sons of mine may what? They may
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sit one on your right hand and the other on the
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left in your kingdom. Okay? And the request is
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concerning what? It's concerning the kingdom.
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But Jesus answered and said, You do not know
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what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that
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I am about to drink and be baptized with the
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baptism that I am baptized with? They said to
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him, We are able. So he said to them, You will
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indeed drink my cup and be baptized with the
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baptism that I am baptized with? But to sit on
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my right hand and on my left is not mine to give,
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but it is for those for whom it is prepared by
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my Father. And when the ten heard it, they were
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greatly displeased with the two brothers. Perhaps
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all of them were eyeing that position. You know,
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the position of honor, of respect, of authority,
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of influence. They also want to... sit on the
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right hand and on the left hand side and look
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at the altitude. And when they turn, who are
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they turn? The remaining 12 apostles, right?
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When they heard it, so these two went and bring
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their mom to lobby for them. And she came and
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they probably, they might have discussed at home
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about the kingdom because you see, they were
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requesting for something that is in the kingdom.
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And they are on the sign of the kingdom is something
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physical. Are we together? So when the ten heard
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it, they heard the conversation. What happened
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to them? They were greatly displeased with the
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two brothers. You see, conflict started. They
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were greatly displeased. Jesus called them and
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then from there, Jesus began to teach about the
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kingdom. Okay? You know that the rulers of the
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Gentiles lord over them and those who are great
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exercise authority over them. So Jesus is teaching
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about what we see in the natural kingdom, all
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right? The kingdom that is earthly, the kingdom
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that is natural that we see, that is generally
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refers to the unbelieving, okay? The kingdom
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of the world, the worldly system. So the system
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of the world has its own culture and its tradition.
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The world has its way of doing things. In the
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kingdom of the earth, in the kingdom of the world,
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there's a practice, there's a general culture.
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You have a perception of... of how they do things,
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how they honor, how they practice love. They
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have their own definition on how they do it.
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Yet, Jesus said, it shall not be so among you.
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So we who are in the kingdom of God cannot act
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in the same way as those who are in the kingdom
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of the world. There's a distinction between the
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kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world.
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Jesus will say, yet. Go back to verse 25. Let's
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see how the world acts or how the kingdom of
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the world operates. You know that the rulers
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of the Gentiles, that is those who are ruling
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in the kingdom of the world, what do they do?
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They exercise lot. What kind of a lordship is
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this? Huh? Tyrannically, right? They are like
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decletors. They exercise a very, you know, controlling
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leadership, I would say, rulership over the Gentiles,
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the Lord over them, and those who are great with,
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those who are great exercise authority over them.
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Okay? Jesus said, it shall not be so among you.
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That is not the kind of kingdom that you are
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born into. For whoever desires to be great among
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you, let him be what? It's the opposite of what
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we see in the world. So, what we see in the kingdom
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of God is not the same as what should happen
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in the kingdom of God. Alright? Verse 27. And
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whoever desires to be first among you, let him
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do what? Let him be your slave. Whoever desires.
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Now, influence in this kingdom, impact in this
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kingdom, honor in this kingdom is actually in
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serving. That is how we define honor in this
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kingdom. All right? It's a service. Just as a
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son of man, example with himself, just as a son
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of man did not come to be served, but to serve
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and do what? And to give his life a ransom for
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many. So Jesus came to serve and to give his
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life for many. Right? So there is a distinction
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between how we practice. There's a culture. There's
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a cultural difference between the kingdom of
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God. and the kingdom of the world. So, our brother
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taught us about the concept of honor, particularly,
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you know, in the church, the church of God. In
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the church of God simply means in the kingdom
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of God, simply means in the family of God. It
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means in the sphere of God's influence, which
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we are. 1 Timothy 5, verse 17, where he read
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and then he... taught us from 1 Timothy 5, from
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verse 17 to 18. Let the elders who rule, well,
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be counted worthy of what? Of double honor. Okay?
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So in the family of God, those who rule over
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us, what do we do? We apportion double honor.
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And I believe he explained what double honor
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is, right? Double means double. There's no...
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It means double honor. Especially those who labor
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in word and doctrine. For the scripture says,
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you shall not muzzle an ox while it treats out
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the grain. And the laborer is worthy of his wages.
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And let me add verse 19. Do not receive an accusation
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against an elder except from two or three witnesses.
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And then, We learned that the elders are who?
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Who are the elders? Those who oversee and preside
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over the local church, right? We saw that these
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people, they label in word and in doctrine. Word,
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which is doctrine. They label in teaching us
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the word, in correcting us. Sometimes we may
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not enjoy the correction, but it is the responsibility
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of these elders to correct us in the word. to
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guide us in the world, to teach us the word.
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Because you see, in this kingdom, there is order.
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Are we together? Even in the Bia Palo, okay,
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there's order. If you go to Bia Palo, they respect
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each other there. Those who get drunk, they know
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who is the oldest and the most senior in the
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Bia Palo. Even if they are fighting, there are
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people that, once a person say, it's okay, they
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just keep quiet. All right. That's just by the
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way. Even the kingdom of darkness is under some
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order, right? So in the kingdom of God, we have
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order. And the order is that which God has established.
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The church, in the church, we have elders. We
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have those whom God has appointed by grace. The
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election of leadership is by grace. So they label
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in the world and in doctrine. And we saw that
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these elders are what we call overseers. They
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oversee. They are what we call the bishops. At
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the same time, they are what we call the pastors.
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So we've been taught to honor such men. Our responsibility
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is to honor such men. We honor them because they
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label in word, they label in serving us, they
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label in teaching us. And what does it mean to
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honor? To honor means to respect. Number one,
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it means to respect. To treat as uncommon. We
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don't treat them as common people. We don't treat
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those who label in word as common. Listen, if
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you treat the man that labels in the word and
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doctrine to you as common, you will not be blessed
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by that person. Alright? So, we treat them with
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honor, with respect, as uncommon. As uncommon.
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It implies to treat them as sacred. Alright?
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It means to treat them with what? Treat them
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as sacred. What is sacred? Special. We treat
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them as what? As special. Sacred simply means
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special. It should be our attitude towards the
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things of God. This should be our general attitude
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towards the things of God. Now, honor will mean
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that we treat the things of God, we treat the
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things of God also with honor. Okay? We don't
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take the things of God dishonorably. All the
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things that God has given us in the spirit, the
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blessings of God, we treat it what? As sacred,
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as uncommon. So it should be our attitude towards
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all the things of God. Also the people of God.
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Okay? We treat the people of God as what? As
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sacred, as special, as with honor. In order for
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us to enjoy the blessings that are in the people.
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So we treat the people of God with honor. We
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treat the places of God as uncommon, as sacred.
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Listen, right now, this place is a sacred gathering.
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All right? So your attitude towards coming to
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this hall will determine how much you're going
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to be blessed by what will happen in this hall.
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So if this place has been designated as a place,
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places as a place where the people of God will
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gather. Okay? You don't just come to this place
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as though you are going to the basketball court.
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The attitude to which you come to this place
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must be an attitude of what? Of honor to the
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gathering. You are coming to a sacred gathering
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where God's will will be. So, coming to this
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place, how the attitude you keep in this place
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will show your honor to the people that you meet
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in this place, to the leaders in this place.
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To what? To the people, fellow people that you
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meet in this place. And even to the God that
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is in this place. Hallelujah. So when you come
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here, you know, it's not the time. In the midst
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of service, I see some people that will just
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cross their leg. I've once told somebody to switch
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off his phone in the midst of a church service.
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You know. So, If it were a governor or a president
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or whatever political leadership in your country,
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I think you give honor to that meeting. But because
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of a lack of understanding of the gathering of
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God's people, you treat it as common. So the
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places are treated as uncommon. The events of
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which God has put his name in, events, programs
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that are organized, We treat them as sacred events,
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not as common events. Because every single event,
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for example, now this, the Wednesday service
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is a sacred meeting of God's people. We treat
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it with honor, with dignity. On Wednesday, on
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Friday, is another opportunity to do what? To
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be blessed, it's a moment for us to meet with
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the people of God. So we treat those events,
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those programs as sacred events. It's not a common
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Friday meeting. The Sunday service is not just
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a common, normal meeting you come into. It's
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not the way you do your group studies in the
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library. All right? So we must treat those meetings
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as what? As with honor. Because that is how we
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can receive and enjoy the best of it. So despite
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prevailing circumstances in our world, as our
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brother Riley put it, where the things of God
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and the people of God are treated as common,
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we must remain unspotted. We must guard our mind
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with all diligence, right? He told us that we
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have a duty of guarding our mind from the things
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we see around us. When you go to social media,
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you know, they make jokes of the spirit of God
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every day. They make jokes of the name of God
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every day. And then some of us, we participate
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in laughing. We participate in sharing some memes.
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that are very, very unspiritual. You commonize
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the things that are sacred. Your tongues, tongues
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becomes something you use to play. The man of
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God that God has blessed you with, you turn them
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into a caricature of jokes. And you want to be
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blessed by those people. Hallelujah. So we have
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a responsibility to God. our mind from those
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influences. Renewing our mind as well as from
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all worldly information that has gained mastery
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over our thinking because the influence, Romans,
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we read from Romans 12, verse 2, we have to renew
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our mind constantly with the word of God so that
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we will be able to gain mastery over the thoughts
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that comes into our mind in order for us to hold
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in honor the things of God, all the things of
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God with honor. The people of God with honor.
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The word of God with honor. The programs and
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events that are organized in the name of God
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with honor. Hallelujah. So it is very important
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for us to do that. Okay? So how did we learn
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to honor those who labor in teaching us the word?
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First of all, we say we respect them, right?
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We honor them. 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 12. We
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read 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 12 to tighten quickly.
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Help me, media. And we urge you, brethren, to
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recognize those who labor among you and are over
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you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem
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them. How do we esteem them? We esteem them very
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highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace
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with one another. Hebrews chapter 13, verse 7.
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Hebrews 13, verse 7. Remember those who rule
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over you. who have spoken the word of God to
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you, whose faith, what do you do? You follow,
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right? Considering the outcome of their conduct.
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So we respect, we hold them in high esteem. How
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do we honor them? We honor them by submitting
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and obeying them. Hebrews chapter 13, verse 17.
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Yes, I think verse 17 talks about obeying them.
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Obey those who rule over you and be submissive
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for they watch out for your souls. as those who
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must give account. You see, honor is not in words.
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It's not in morning, sir. Some of us, we've learned
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how to dramatize. Okay? We learn how to dramatize,
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how we learn, we can sleep on the floor. Some
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of us, we come from cultures that we want to
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greet elders, we sleep on the ground. But as
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we are sleeping on the ground, you are insulting
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them in your heart. That's not honor. I remember
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when we were back in the secondary school, you
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know, we are obligated to greet our seniors.
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So, because we are very disrespectful to them,
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we don't say, who born you, sir? We know what
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we're saying. We're not just saying, good morning,
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sir. We're saying, who born you, sir? Because
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we don't want to respect the one. We don't want
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to honor them. And one day, what? So then he
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mistakenly said, who born you, sir? I heard.
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So what did you say? And that's how we demonstrate
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honor. We don't really honor. Honor begins from
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the heart. And the demonstration of honor to
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the men that God has blessed us with is that
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we obey the things they teach us because they
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teach us the word of God. They rule over you
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and be submissive for they watch over your souls
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as those who must give account. Let them do so
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with joy and not with grief for that will be
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unprofitable for you. And then 1 Corinthians
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16, 16 again, where we read also. All right,
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1 Corinthians 16, verse 16. Another way by which
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we all know them is to submit, that you also
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submit to such and to everyone who works and
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labor with us. And labor with us. Another way
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our brother mentioned on Sunday was we support
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them materially, right? Galatians 6, verse 6.
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That's how we honor. That's how we honor men
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who labor in the word for us. Let him who is
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taught the word share in all good things within.
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Share with him in all good things. First, it's
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not only your problems, but it's also sharing
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good things. Good things has to do with everything
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that is good. Alright? It's not only prayer porn.
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We know how to share prayer porn. Our inboxes
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are full of prayer posts. I will not say you
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shouldn't send your prayer, your needs and whatever
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your problems are, but you must know that you
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have a duty, you have a responsibility. This
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is what we call the kingdom culture. We have
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a tradition in this kingdom. This is our culture
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in the kingdom. This is what we do as members
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of the family of God. Hallelujah. So it is our
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responsibility to do this. It is our duty to
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do this one to two issues. to our leaders. Hallelujah.
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So, much more to that, to build up from there,
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we must choose to honor these elders. Who are
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the elders? Those who teach us the word, right?
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We honor them regardless of their flaws and humanity.
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Because sometimes what we expect, the standard
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we expect from the elders and the pastors and
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the leaders is an extraordinary standard. As
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though these men fell from, they fell from the
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sky. So we ignore the place of their humanity.
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We forget that these are men. In fact, the base
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of men are what? Are still men, isn't it? So
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these are men. The base of men are always men.
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So what do we do? We must choose to honor these
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elders regardless of their flaws and their humanity.
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Let's go and see an example. Popular example
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we always read. 1 Samuel 1 verse 8. 1 Samuel
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1 verse 8. The story of Elkanah and his wife
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and then Eli. Then Elkanah, her husband said
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to her, Anna, why do you weep? Why do you not
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eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not
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better to you than ten sons? Verse 9. So Anna
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arose after they had finished eating and drinking
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in Shiloh. Now Eli, the priest, was sitting in
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the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of
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the Lord. And she was in bitterness of soul and
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prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. Then
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she made a vow and said, O Lord of hosts, if
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you only need look on the affliction of your
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maidservant and remember me and not forget your
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maidservant. but will give your maidservant a
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male child, then I will give him to the Lord
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all the days of his life, and no razor shall
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come upon his head. And it happened, as she continued
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praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her
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mouth, he watched her praying. And then he made
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his conclusion. He jumped into conclusion. Now
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Anna spoke in her heart, only her lips moved.
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But her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought
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she was drunk. That was his conclusion. This
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lady, this young woman that they were partying
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in church, you know, they used to drink wine
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in the, what do you call it? In the temple, right?
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She was thinking it's all these people that will
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come and then they will overdrink. And then they
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will drink to stupor. So Eli said to her, how
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long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from
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you. if you try to use this generation, they
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will first of all put away the respect that you
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have as a man of God. And they will tell you
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their mind first. You know, they will address,
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they will, how do they used to say? They will
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tell you the peace of their mind. You know? But
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Hannah answered and said, No, my Lord, I am a
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woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither
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wine nor intoxicating. But have poured out my
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soul before the Lord. Do not consider your maidservant
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a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my
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complaint and grief I have spoken until now.
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Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace, and
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the God of Israel grant your petition which you
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have asked of him. And she said, Let your maidservant
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find favor in your sight. So the woman went her
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way and ate. Her face was no longer sad. Hallelujah.
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And when we read forward, we see the result of
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this encounter that she had, especially with
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the man of God in the temple. So Anna's attitude
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is that of what? Is that of honor and respect,
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despite the man of God wrongly judging her situation,
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isn't it? Verse 15 and 16, we see her reply is
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full of honor. You know, full of honor. Her words
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were full of grace and honor. She didn't go online
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and begin to post illicit things about the man
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of God, all these men of God. You know, before
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you know it, you just correct somebody in church.
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Before you know it, you see their status on WhatsApp.
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First of all, they will not put your name. But
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you know it's you they are talking about. All
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these church people. And whenever we see, we
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laugh because we know that, you know, Your situation
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needs emergency. So, but in honor, because you
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will never be corrected. You will never enjoy
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the blessings of this prayer you pray for supernatural
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relationship. It's honor that will make that
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relationship work. It's honor that will make
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you, you know, enjoy the benefit of such supernatural
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relationship. So, we didn't see how going to
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gather people and begin to come and begin to
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talk about. You know, how the man of God did
27:31
what he don't like. You know? How the man of
27:35
God said rubbish to you. She didn't go on TikTok
27:38
and begin to talk about how bad the family of
27:42
the man of God is. You know, Eli had a problem
27:44
with his family, right? We know that when you
27:47
study, you see, he had some unruly sons. They
27:50
were misbehaving in the temple. She didn't look
27:53
at him and say, you that you cannot even handle
27:55
your own children, you want to say, you want
27:57
to correct me. But then she saw a man in a place
28:02
of God, regardless of his flow. I'm telling you
28:05
how you can enjoy supernatural relationship.
28:07
And some of you, when you go online, you begin
28:09
to type things about men of God. Now we've corrected
28:11
some of you here. You see, you don't have the
28:17
liberty, okay, to speak anything ill about any
28:21
person that is a man. You did not call the person
28:23
to ministry. Are we together? We are not training
28:27
you. We are training you to what? To distinguish
28:29
between the truth and a lie. Now, there's a difference
28:32
between the man of God and what he teaches. Are
28:37
we together? Now, you are able to differentiate
28:39
what is truth. You don't attack a man. You are
28:43
conscious of what is truth. Are we together?
28:46
So, you must be able to remove truth from the
28:49
person. Okay? So, we are not saying that you
28:53
should take everything from anybody. That is
28:55
not honor. The honor is that you're able to distinguish
28:58
truth from God, whatever we're training you to
29:00
do. But you've never seen us go online to begin
29:02
to castigate any person that is saying something
29:04
that is not right or is not correct. That's not
29:07
honor. That is not you living as a child and
29:10
a member of God's family. Are we together? So
29:13
we have an obligation to honor men, the men of
29:16
labor and the servants. So Eli became a means
29:21
by which we see God's blessings coming to Anna
29:23
because she holds him in high esteem. verse 17
29:27
to 18, we'll see that he quickly understood her
29:29
situation and then he was able to pray and then
29:32
release her to go on. Hallelujah. So, this is
29:36
one aspect of honor, okay, in the church, in
29:41
the community of God's people. This is an aspect
29:44
that was purely dealt with by our brother on
29:47
Sunday. Now, beyond the honor we bestow on our
29:49
elders, the pastors, we must understand that
29:52
honor is for all men. Okay? Honor is for who?
29:58
It's for all men. The brother by your right -hand
30:02
side, the sister by your right -hand side, by
30:04
your left -hand side, you must honor such an
30:07
individual. Without honor to your brother, to
30:11
your sister, you cannot enjoy the blessings of
30:15
your brother and your sister. And what do we
30:17
say is honor? To treat them as what? As uncommon.
30:22
Are we together? to treat your brother as sacred,
30:25
to treat your brother or your sister as uncommon.
30:28
She's not just anybody. Some of us have stayed
30:30
with our friends in church that we don't see,
30:34
we don't read them. Let me use that word. We've
30:37
seen them finish. Okay? So even if they give
30:43
me a word by the Spirit, ah, you're not upon
30:45
that. Either I know, I know, we know, we know
30:51
where you're coming from. probably may have shared
30:54
some intimate weaknesses with you. So all what
30:57
you see is the humanity of the person. You don't
31:00
see the person in the light of, you judge. Jesus
31:03
will say, we no longer judge men by what? By
31:06
the flesh, right? We judge, it's Paul, Paul in
31:09
Corinthians. He judges people by what? By physical
31:15
appearance. You don't judge them based on who
31:18
they are. Supernatural beings. Spiritual beings.
31:22
Hallelujah. So you will not be able to benefit
31:26
from the relationship you have because that relationship
31:29
is a supernatural relationship. It's not only
31:32
natural because we see ourselves in the natural,
31:34
but every brother and sister in church is a supernatural
31:37
relationship for your advantage. And when you
31:41
don't honor your brother, you don't honor your
31:43
sister, there's no how you will benefit from
31:46
the blessings of God in your brother and your
31:48
sister. For you to honor men of God and dishonor
31:54
your brother, that's hypocrisy. Okay? Oh, you
31:59
honor Pastor Fred, you honor Pastor Chidi, Pastor
32:00
Kostin. We had so many wonderful testimonies
32:03
you gave on Sunday. Blessed be the name of the
32:05
Lord. Well, some of you will look at your life,
32:07
you don't even have regard for your aspects.
32:10
So, we will question that honor because our honor
32:14
is not complete. Hallelujah. So, Honor is for
32:20
all men, our brothers and sisters in the faith.
32:23
Honor among believers means mutual respect and
32:27
care. We esteem each other. We see each other
32:32
as valuable, as important in the plan and the
32:35
agenda of God. In the body of Christ, all is
32:37
not reserved only for leaders, as I said, but
32:39
it is a mutual calling of all believers. God
32:44
designed the church as a family. where each member
32:47
is valued and respected and cared for. All right?
32:53
Each member is what? Is respected, is valued,
32:57
and is cared for. So we honor through love and
33:03
preference. Romans 12, verse 10. Romans 12, verse
33:09
10. Look at this text. It says, Is it only to
33:28
men of God? He's talking about what? One another.
33:33
In our conduct, in our relationship with one
33:35
another. We are kindly affectionate to one another.
33:40
We are... devoted to one another in love, we
33:45
honor one another above ourselves. That is, putting
33:49
others' needs above yours. Putting others' needs
33:54
above yours. Exterminating others, honoring them
33:59
and putting them before yourself. That's selflessness.
34:05
So to honor others means we put their needs before
34:08
our own needs. True love is selfless. Okay? It
34:15
seeks the good of others first. The well -being
34:18
of others. You honor them. You esteem them. You
34:22
see them as valuable. You don't see yourself
34:24
more important than them. That's what we're trying
34:26
to say here. You don't put yourself above them.
34:28
Looking at yourself, you see yourself more important
34:31
than them. So we honor through valuing every
34:37
member. No member of the church is irrelevant.
34:43
Okay? There is no brother or sister in the faith
34:47
that is irrelevant. Everybody is important. 1
34:53
Corinthians 12 verse 23 And those members of
35:03
the body which we think to be less honorable
35:05
on this we bestow greater honor. No, Paul was
35:09
using the physical human body to describe the
35:12
church, how we interrelate, how we work together,
35:16
how we are much more a blessing together. And
35:21
our unpresentable parts have greater modesty.
35:24
24. But our presentable parts have no need. But
35:32
God composed the body, having given greater honor
35:34
to the part which lacks it. Verse 25, last verse
35:38
here. It says that there should be no schism
35:42
in the body, but that the members should have
35:45
what? The same care of one for another. Hallelujah.
35:50
So even those who seem less important are giving
35:53
greater honor in the body. No one in the church
35:56
is useless or irrelevant. All of us are crucial
36:00
to one another. Brother Gabriel was talking about
36:06
one person doing everything in the church. It's
36:10
impossible. It's practically impossible. The
36:14
church is a community of people and everybody
36:16
is important in this. For God's plan to be done
36:20
on earth is a collaborative responsibility. And
36:24
everybody is part of that plan. Hallelujah. So,
36:29
honor counselors' pride and division. It makes
36:33
us see Christ in each member. It makes us see
36:36
God walking in each member of the body. We honor
36:43
through humility and service Philippians 3, verse
36:48
2 to 4. Philippians 2, verse 3 to 4. Philippians
36:58
2 verse 54. Look at it. It says, let nothing
37:00
be done through selfish ambition or conceit in
37:05
everything we do. But in lawlessness of mind,
37:09
how do we treat ourselves? Let each esteem others
37:13
better than himself. Let each body esteem others
37:18
better than himself. Let each of you look out
37:21
only. Let each of you. Look outward, not only
37:26
for his own interest, but also for the well -being,
37:32
for the interest of others. When you always put
37:33
yourself first, then there's no how you're going
37:37
to enjoy the blessings of the body. You're at
37:40
a selfishness. Hallelujah. You reap corruption.
37:46
So in humility, we value others above ourselves.
37:49
Not looking at our own interests, but each of
37:52
us. looking for the interest of others. Honor
37:57
means not competing for position, but serving
38:01
one another in humility. Hallelujah. So when
38:06
I honor you, I acknowledge the grace of God in
38:08
you. I honor what God is doing in you. I honor
38:12
what God is, I believe in what God is doing in
38:14
you. We honor through respect and peace. 1 Peter
38:21
2, verse 17. 1 Peter 2, 17. Honor how many people?
38:36
Look up. Let's read together. One, two, go. One,
38:40
two, go. Look up. Stop writing. Let's read the
38:42
screen together. One, two, go. Honor all people.
38:47
Love the brotherhood. Fear God. And honor the
38:51
king. In that order. Hallelujah. We honor who?
38:58
All men. Okay? All men means all men. Even those
39:05
that are not believers. We honor them. Are we
39:09
together? Because they are what? They are people
39:12
that God died for. Talk more of those that are
39:15
in the body that have belief and are in the kingdom
39:19
and the family of God. We honor all what? All
39:23
people. Not selective honor. All right? But all
39:28
people. All people. In church, we honor one another.
39:36
When we go back to our homes and our rooms, we
39:37
honor even our housemates, our parents. Some
39:42
of you, when you listen to the way you talk to
39:43
your parents, I think some of you will begin
39:45
to see the way you chat with your parents. It's
39:46
full of dishonor and disrespect. You don't honor.
39:52
There's no honor. The only time you call your
39:55
parents is when there's need for something. The
40:01
relationship between you and your parents is
40:03
parasitic. Whenever your parents see your call,
40:10
they know that, in fact, before they even, they
40:12
say, what do you need? Because that's the only
40:13
thing, that's the reason you call your parents,
40:16
only because you need something. Now, that is
40:20
not a lifestyle of a child of God. Okay? That
40:25
is not biblical. That is not the life of the
40:27
kingdom. That is not the culture of the kingdom.
40:29
We'll look at that later. So we honor our people.
40:32
We love the brotherhood. That brotherhood is
40:33
like cultic. Brotherhood is like something that
40:38
is cultic. Not the occult, but it's cultic. There's
40:42
a bond that cannot be separated. If you don't
40:46
like me, sorry, you're going to see me forever.
40:50
Because I'm born again, you're born again, and
40:53
we'll live forever. Alright? So, if I offend
40:57
you, you have to forgive me. Because we have
41:01
a long way to go. Alright? We have a long way
41:05
to go, both here and even, you know, at the coming
41:09
of the Lord. Alright? So, we live in peace because
41:13
of that. We honor one another. We love one another.
41:17
We honor all people. We love the brotherhood.
41:19
We reverence God. And of course, if you don't
41:23
honor the king, honoring the king, we don't need
41:25
to preach that one. The world has a way of making
41:27
you honor them. If you don't do your taxes, they'll
41:35
come for you, you know? And then you'll pay in
41:38
prison. Even Jesus Christ paid tax, so you know
41:43
that. When he was on earth, he honored the Adelaide
41:46
government by paying tax. Talk more of you. So
41:51
we preserve the unity and the peace in the fellowship
41:55
by honoring one another, by loving one another,
41:57
by caring one for one another. So why must we
41:59
honor one another? Why? Because we are all together
42:03
members of God's family. That is the reason.
42:06
Because all of us are brothers and sisters in
42:10
faith. So we have to honor one another because
42:15
we are brothers and sisters in faith. Let's look
42:18
at an example in Acts of the nine. When Paul
42:24
became brother Paul, when he was Saul, before
42:29
he became brother Paul, Ananias had a vision
42:34
about God. Okay, let's read from verse 10. Acts
42:41
chapter 9 verse 10. Now there was a certain disciple
42:45
at Damascus named Ananias. That's after the encounter
42:47
Paul had. You know, Paul was, he was Saul previously.
42:51
And what we see him before now is that he was
42:54
busy terrorizing the entire church. He was a
42:57
very senior member of the Al -Qaeda terrorist
43:00
network. Prosecuting believers all over the world.
43:05
You know, arresting them and locking them up
43:07
in jail. Now there was a certain disciple at
43:08
Damascus named Ananias. And to him the Lord said
43:13
in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Here I am,
43:15
Lord. So the Lord said to him, Arise and go to
43:19
the street called straight, and inquire at the
43:22
house of Judas, one called soul of Tarsus. For
43:26
behold, his word is praying. And in a vision
43:30
he had seen a man named Ananias coming and putting
43:33
his hand on him so that he might receive his
43:36
sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard.
43:40
I have heard, you see this man, he's a sinner.
43:42
I have heard from many about this man. He's a
43:45
very wicked man. This man, after the devil is
43:50
him. You know, after Osama Bin Laden, he was
43:55
at his right hand. This man is a wicked man.
44:00
How much harm he has done to your sins in Jerusalem.
44:05
and here he has authority from the chief priests
44:07
to bind all who call on your name. You are saying
44:11
I should go to him? But the Lord said to him,
44:14
Go, for he is a what? He is a chosen vessel of
44:19
mine to bear my name before the Gentiles, kings,
44:22
and the children of Israel. You see, even the
44:25
unbeliever, you don't have the plan of God. You
44:28
are not the one that is, you don't determine
44:30
the fate of even the unbeliever. Yours is to
44:35
preach to the unbeliever. Are we together? So
44:38
for I will show him how many things he must suffer
44:40
for my name's sake. Okay? Verse 17. And Ananias,
44:45
what did he do? He went out in obedience. He
44:48
went his way and entered the house, laying his
44:50
hand on him and said, how did he approach Paul
44:53
with your understanding of who Saul has become?
44:58
He said, brother Saul. All right? The Lord Jesus
45:03
who appeared to you on the road as you came has
45:06
sent me that you may receive your sight and be
45:09
filled with the Holy Spirit. Verse 18. Immediately
45:16
there fell off his eyes something like scales
45:19
and he received his sight at once and he arose
45:22
and was baptized. Hallelujah. So he called him
45:27
what? Brother Saul. Amen. He called him a brother.
45:32
See, some of you, when they call you brother,
45:33
say, ah, don't call me brother. I'm not a brother.
45:36
I'm just me. Just call me Paul. Ah, you know,
45:40
this bro don't bro me here. Bro is false. It's
45:43
really sounding, ah, my name is not sister. Sister
45:47
queen. Don't call me sister. Just call me queen.
45:49
I'm not sister. Let me tell you, the title brother
45:53
and sister is an honor. Okay? Some of us are
45:58
so much bastardizing that we say bro. And then
46:05
we use it as a mockery. All right? As a mockery
46:10
term. But it's an honor that we use it revering
46:15
one another as brothers and sisters in faith.
46:20
Hallelujah. So he referred to him as a brother.
46:23
And Ananias saw him and then he called him a
46:27
brother in verse 17. Women are also called sisters,
46:31
isn't it? We see Paul. Romans 16 verse 1, calling
46:35
Phoebe his sister in faith. So as I say, it's
46:41
an honorable title. Yes, I commend to you Phoebe,
46:44
our sister, who is a servant of the church, servant
46:49
of the church. So it's an honor. It's not a derogatory
46:54
title. It's an honor that you call. In fact,
46:59
you don't even call your friend with you. Adding
47:03
brother to your friend is an honor. And a sister
47:06
to your friend is an honor. Meaning that you
47:08
are recognizing the oneness that you share. Meaning
47:11
that you are recognizing what God has done in
47:12
this person. And this person is a member of a
47:15
brotherhood, of a family. A family of God's people.
47:21
A member of God's family. And then we'll read
47:30
through Acts chapter 10, verse 48. We see another
47:35
situation with Peter. All right? Peter was brought
47:40
up in a very Jewish tradition, right? Very racist
47:46
Jewish tradition where they consider some people
47:49
unclean and some people clean. Some of us, our
47:54
culture, we see some people as... as inferior
47:58
people. We see some tribes as inferior. That's
48:02
cultural. That's worldly. That's natural. That's
48:05
carnal. So in a vision, he also had a vision
48:09
and then he said he has never eaten anything
48:13
unclean. What did he just tell him in the vision?
48:17
Verse what? Acts chapter 10. Let me check. Acts
48:30
chapter 10, verse 15. Okay, give me verse 15.
48:38
And a voice speak to him again. What God has
48:43
cleansed, you must not call what? Does that word
48:48
sound familiar? You must not call what? Common.
48:52
And what is he referring to? He's referring to
48:54
the Gentiles that he has been called to go to
48:56
the house of Cornelius. And later on, we see
48:59
that he moved in obedience. And then he saw something
49:02
that has not happened before. When God has called
49:06
people, you don't call them common. You don't
49:09
commonize people that have been called by God.
49:12
You don't commonize people that have been called
49:13
by God. You hold them in high esteem. You value
49:18
them. You honor them. You respect them because,
49:20
you know what? The Spirit of God lives in them.
49:24
Are we together? And the Spirit of God that lives
49:28
in you is not superior to the Spirit of God that
49:31
lives in them. Same Spirit. In all of us, same
49:36
Spirit. We are born again by the same Spirit.
49:39
Same Spirit. Hallelujah. So, we must learn to
49:44
honor people. We don't live from a traditional
49:47
way of thinking that we were brought up. But
49:51
we live by the transformative mind that we have.
49:54
In the word of God. Hallelujah. How do we treat
49:59
women? Not from an earthly cultural perspective.
50:05
Some of us are so African. Alright? That I doubt
50:09
whether we are born again. You are so African
50:13
to the point that the way you treat sisters in
50:18
church reflects where you are coming from. not
50:24
knowing that these are people that must be honored
50:28
and dignified. Hallelujah. What does the scripture
50:31
say? 1 Timothy 5, verse 1 to 2. Do not rebuke
50:49
an older man. Now, this is in a church setting.
50:53
Okay? Sometimes the way we speak, there's order,
50:56
there's honor in the body of Christ. There's
50:58
order and, you know, structure in the church.
51:01
So Paul is telling Timothy, do not rebuke an
51:04
older man. Okay? But what? But exalt him as what?
51:10
As a father. Does that apply to our relationship
51:14
in church here? Right? You do not rebuke an older
51:18
man. But what? But exalt him as a father. Younger
51:23
men as what? As brothers. As slaves? No. As what?
51:27
As brother. Older women as what? As mother. Younger
51:33
women as what? As sisters. And they act in all
51:37
what? All purity. Okay. Now, because Paul was
51:43
writing to a brother, so he says to the sisters
51:47
in all purity. Now, if you apply that principle
51:50
to you as a lady, You treat all brothers, young
51:54
and men as what? As brothers with all what? With
51:58
all purity. That's the application to you. Are
52:03
we together? So you don't objectify women or
52:07
men in our relationship as we relate. Okay? We
52:14
treat each other with honor because we are equally
52:17
members of God's family. Hallelujah. To the married.
52:26
How do we treat each other? Ephesians 5 verse
52:28
20. I'm not married. I'm part of this now. Glory.
52:32
Hallelujah. Ephesians 5 verse 20. to one another
52:51
in the fear of God. Submission. See, when they
52:55
talk submission, Pastor have taught us, the moment
52:58
they say submission, the African man in you want
53:00
to rise. You know, women should submit. Submit
53:04
to what? One to another in what? In the fear
53:07
of God. All right? So, who is the one another
53:11
here? Brothers and sisters, we submit one to
53:16
another in church here. Hallelujah. We submit
53:19
one to another. Okay? Where am I? Verse 22. Wives.
53:33
Okay? Submit to your own husband, not another
53:38
person's husband. This one is in the context
53:40
of what? Marriage. It's different from other
53:44
submission. Are we together? As to the Lord.
53:48
Alright? This is under the umbrella of marriage.
53:52
And all of us here, by the grace of God, are
53:55
potential husbands and potential wives. Unless
53:58
God has not said you should not marry, which
54:02
we will know by knowledge and by prophetic ability.
54:09
Someone came to me and said, Samir, I think I
54:11
will not marry. I said, who told you you will
54:13
not marry? I said, you will not marry, you will
54:16
be hopeless. You enter one relationship, small
54:25
relationship, you enter, anyhow, they break your
54:28
heart and you conclude you're not going to marry.
54:33
When they say you should come, sort of would
54:35
teach you the word of God. Some of you, your
54:40
heart is so broken that it can only be repaired
54:43
by mercy and grace. The mercy and the grace of
54:47
God. Hallelujah. So, We see submission even in
54:53
the marital relationship. Are we together? Submission.
54:59
Turn to verse 32. Now, give me verse 23 here.
55:03
Verse 23 and verse 32. For the husband is the
55:08
head of the wife, as also Christ is the head
55:10
of the church, and he is the Savior of the body.
55:12
Now, verse 32 and 33. This is a great mystery,
55:19
but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
55:24
Nevertheless, let each one of you in particular
55:26
so love his own wife as what? As himself. And
55:32
let the wife see that she respects her husband.
55:36
All right? Now move to chapter 6, verse 1 to
55:39
4. We'll see that even at the family level, honor
55:43
is expected to be seen in our relationship with
55:46
one another. Children, what do we do? We obey
55:49
our parents how? In the Lord, the context is
55:53
what? Do you know what it means to obey them
55:56
in the Lord? The boundary of our obedience to
56:01
our parents is within the circumference of the
56:03
Word of God. Okay? In the Lord. The honor and
56:09
the submission in marriage is also within the
56:11
boundary of what? Of in the Lord. If an instruction
56:15
coming is outside the Lord, alright, then you
56:19
seek the counsel of your pastor to know what
56:20
to do. But I believe that with the Spirit of
56:23
God, you know what to do. Are we together? So,
56:26
children, obey your parents in the Lord, for
56:28
this is what, this is right. Honor your father,
56:32
and what? And mother, which is the first commandment
56:36
that comes in the promise, that it may be well
56:39
with you, and you may live long on earth. And
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you, fathers, do not provoke your children to
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wrath. but bring them up in the training and
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admonition of the Lord. So we see here where
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it goes down to family. 1 Peter 3, verse 1 to
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7. Because of time, let's move. Let's conclude.
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1 Peter 3, verse 1 to 7. Wise, likewise, be submissive
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to your own husbands, that even if someone do
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not obey the word, they without a word may be
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warned by the conduct of their wives. When they
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observe your trust, conduct accompanied by fear.
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Do not let your adornment be merely outward,
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arranging the air, wearing gold, or putting in
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fine apparel. Rather, let it be a hidden person
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of your heart, with the incorruptible beauty
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of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious,
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and a side of God. For in this manner, in former
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times, the holy women would trust in God. Also
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adorn themselves, being submissive to their own
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husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him
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Lord, whose daughters you are, if you do good,
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and are not afraid with any terror. Now verse
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7, which I was looking for too. It says, Husbands,
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likewise, dwell with them, with what? With understanding,
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with honor, with understanding, giving honor
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to the wise, as to the weaker vessel, as being
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what? Now this is the reason. Because she is
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an heir together of the grace of life. The woman
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is also an heir together of what? Of the grace
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of life. Are we together? So, male and female
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are what? Are one in Christ. Hallelujah. How
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do we treat people who are rich in the goods
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of this world? I was telling my class yesterday,
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I said that that brother is a rumor, I'm not
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saying that he's a fact, that was sinning and
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sleeping with his father's wife in that church.
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And the church was not doing it. Probably he
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is rich. Probably he saw influential that the
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pastor was not willing to correct him. So they
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can allow him to do whatever he wants to do.
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That's not the conduct in the church. Hallelujah.
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So how should we treat those who are rich and
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those who are less privileged in the things of
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the world? Because sometimes when you come to
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church, you see the church is built in strata.
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Those who are economically strong have a committee
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in one side. Those who are political influencers,
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they have power and connection, they are in one
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side. And then the rest. That is all the love
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of God. Honor must cut across all. We are equal
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in the sight of God. Hallelujah. James chapter
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2, verse 1 to 7. James chapter 2, verse 1 to
1:00:01
7. As we run up, the man of God says that the
1:00:09
correct man of God that is teaching must say
1:00:12
finally at least seven times. before you finally
1:00:15
finish. James 2, verse 1 to 7 says, My brethren,
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do not hold the feet of our Lord Jesus Christ,
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the Lord of glory, with partiality. How do we
1:00:31
treat this other? We don't treat each other with
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what? With partiality. That is, we see this person,
1:00:35
he's Kenyan, so I'll favor him. I'll honor this
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one. This one is from, she's from Cameroon. I
1:00:41
don't rate her. No. We don't treat each other
1:00:45
with all the partiality. For if they should come
1:00:47
into your assembly, a man with gold ring, a fine
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apparel, that is, he's looking very well to do.
1:00:56
He's wealthy. He's looking very economically
1:00:59
up and doing. A fine apparel. And they should
1:01:05
also come in a poor man in filthy clothes. What
1:01:08
should we do to a poor person? Huh? He recognized.
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We work in love. What do we do? We supply the
1:01:15
needs. Are we together? And you pay attention
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to one wearing the fine clothes and say to him,
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you sit here. This seat is for rich people. The
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rest you can sit behind. You honor those who
1:01:28
are rich in the material things and then you
1:01:31
dishonor. You take as less as common those who
1:01:34
are financially not able. Say, wearing the fine
1:01:38
clothes and say to him, you sit here in a good
1:01:40
place. And say to the poor man, you stand there
1:01:44
or sit here at my footstool. Thank God our ushers
1:01:48
don't do this. Have you not shown partiality
1:01:54
among yourselves and become judges with evil
1:01:57
thoughts? Meaning that the lenses by which you
1:02:00
demonstrate this activity is evil thoughts. It's
1:02:03
not spiritual. It's not godly. Hallelujah. Listen,
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my beloved brethren. Has God not chosen the poor
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of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of
1:02:16
the kingdom which he promised to those who love
1:02:18
him? It's salvation cut across social and economic
1:02:23
strata. All right? The same spirit of God that
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is in the rich. Because sometimes where we're
1:02:29
coming from, the poor are made to look as though
1:02:32
their own salvation is a second -class salvation.
1:02:36
As though the spirit of God that is the rich
1:02:38
people is different from the spirit of God in
1:02:39
the poor. As though the poor are poor because
1:02:43
they are sinners. But the stem spirit that is
1:02:48
in us works in all. For God has even chosen the
1:02:53
poor of this world. Poor of where? Where are
1:02:55
they poor? They are poor only in the physical
1:02:58
and the material things. But they are rich in
1:03:01
the spirit. Hallelujah. So, He has chosen them
1:03:05
rich in faith and heirs. What are they? They
1:03:07
are called heirs with us. Of the kingdom which
1:03:10
he promised to those who love him. Verse 6. But
1:03:14
you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the
1:03:18
rich oppress you and drag you into courts? Do
1:03:22
they not blaspheme that noble name by which you
1:03:25
are called? If you really fulfill the royal law
1:03:34
according to the scripture, you shall love your
1:03:36
neighbor as yourself. You do what? You do well.
1:03:40
Hallelujah. So we must honor people regardless
1:03:44
of whether you are richer than them or we are
1:03:47
more economically stronger than them or not.
1:03:51
1 Timothy 6 verse 17. 1 Timothy 6 verse 17 and
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18. Commanders who are rich in this present age
1:04:06
not to be hearty or to trust in what? Uncertain
1:04:10
riches. There's no certainty in riches. Okay?
1:04:17
Because the riches of this world is not certain.
1:04:21
You can wake up today and then you are poor.
1:04:24
Once upon a time, Bill Gates was the richest
1:04:26
man in the world. Then something happened to
1:04:29
his marriage and other things. And then we don't
1:04:34
see him as the richest man again. Are we together?
1:04:37
So there's no guarantee. Of course, he's still
1:04:40
rich. I mean, I'm not saying he's poor. He's
1:04:43
still rich. Richer than many, many, many people.
1:04:47
Hallelujah. But then, riches is uncertain. But
1:04:50
what is certain is the spiritual riches we have
1:04:53
in Christ. The blessedness we have. The eternal
1:04:57
riches we have in Christ Jesus. Is that which
1:05:00
cannot... decay is eternal. So command those
1:05:06
who are rich in this present age not to be haughty,
1:05:08
not to trust in uncertainties, but in the living
1:05:10
God who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
1:05:14
Verse 18. Let them do good that they may be rich
1:05:18
in good works, ready to give what, willing to
1:05:22
share. Hallelujah. So do not choose who to honor.
1:05:27
Okay? We don't segregate in our choice of who
1:05:30
to honor. We honor all men. We honor those God
1:05:32
has chosen by faith and all men. You can't afford
1:05:37
to live in dishonor against your brother and
1:05:40
sister because when you do, you miss all that
1:05:43
God has in store for you. God's blessings are
1:05:47
administered by who? By men. Okay? So if God's
1:05:52
blessings are administered by men and you dishonor
1:05:54
the vessel by which God has sent you, you will
1:05:56
not enjoy the blessings of God in your life.
1:06:00
So you must be able to honor those that God has
1:06:03
sent around you. Kill him is administered through
1:06:09
who? Through men. Okay? Insert and revelation
1:06:13
in God's word are administered through who? Through
1:06:17
men. Instructions and guidance are given through
1:06:20
who? Through men. So when you dishonor men, you
1:06:24
don't receive in their ministry to you. Hallelujah.
1:06:29
So our culture in the kingdom is that of honor
1:06:32
and reverence one another because that way we
1:06:35
enjoy the blessings of one another. Hallelujah.
1:06:40
So it is very easy to pretend to love and honor
1:06:42
men of God we see online who are popular on TV
1:06:46
or with huge followership. Right? And then see
1:06:52
as common your pastor in your local church. Or
1:06:58
your cell leader. Or your team leader. As common.
1:07:04
Or your brothers and sisters in church. Or your
1:07:09
wife. You see her as common. You see your husband
1:07:12
as common. You see your wife as common. You see
1:07:14
your brothers and sisters as common. In front
1:07:17
of even your parents, because you've seen their
1:07:20
weaknesses, you see them as common. This is not
1:07:28
what God intends for us as believers. Are we
1:07:32
together? So honor cut across every sphere. In
1:07:36
fact, it is the way we live. We live a life of
1:07:38
honor. Amen? I just want you to just close your
1:07:42
eyes and begin to speak to God. I want you to
1:07:46
pray for God, for God's help. Probably this will
1:07:50
have sound and then have shown to you where you
1:07:56
stand. We appreciate you being here today. We
1:08:02
hope you carry this word with you throughout
1:08:04
your week. Don't forget to check the show notes
1:08:07
for additional insights. Stay connected with
1:08:09
us through our website or follow us on social
1:08:12
media. If you are encouraged, share this message
1:08:16
with someone you care about. Until next time,
1:08:19
stay blessed.