How To Build Your Family ~ Honor

Feb/10/14 07:22

How To Build A Family ~ Honor from Matt Larson on Vimeo.

How To Build Your Family Without Getting Married ~ Honor

 Jesus is a great family builder.

 No longer foreigners but family.

 A people who find their identity in the family of God.

 Imitate the Father just as children imitate their Father

 Honor and Submission go hand in hand.

 Your Attitude the Same as Christ

 Honoring in the midst of weakness
What we do see is Noah comes off the ark and plants a vineyard. He becomes drunk and is involved in something that could bring shame upon himself and his family. The interesting point for me is to see how Shem and Japeth chose to give honor is this time of weakness. Because of it they were blessed by Noah.
There are many times in life where you will find someone who is in a state of vulnerability because of their own actions. Let us decide to honor rather than expose and exploit the sins of our family.
Isn't that the attitude we see in Jesus when he says, "let him without sin cast the first stone?" He chose to cover and honor rather than expose and exploit.

 Honor at the heart of God's family.




In no way should we think lightly of sin. Sin and idolatry destroys and enslaves the heart and soul. It is only in the divine honor of God that the captive is set free again.

But for this to be active in one's life. That person must submit to the love and redemption of God, by Christ Jesus.

 Strength comes when we walk in submission and honor.



John 3:16

The mission of Jesus was to go to the people God loved and make a way for them to be adopted into the family of God.

This is what Paul saw as he penned the letter to the church at Ephesus. He saw everything coming together in the family of God in Christ.



Ephesians 2:19


Ephesians 3:14–15


Ephesians 5:1–2

If you are imitating the Father the characteristic that would jump out to you is love.

I love watching good impersonators. People who do impersonations will find a characteristic of a famous person and highlight that one characteristic. When you see them highlight you recognize them because you noticed it yourself on some level.

When we love people we look like God.



Ephesians 5:21

Paul continues his talk of the family of God here by bringing us to relationships. He addresses (1) husband and wife vs 22-23 (2) children and parents 6:1-4 (3) slaves and masters 6:5-10 with an overarching truth. "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."

I must admit some of this is hard for me to apply to this day. I want Paul to address the issue of slavery as being evil and wrong. What happened to the freedom issue in Christ? Shouldn't he address this here? Other's might have objections to the hierarchial view of marriage. I mean if your a single parent how to you apply these issues?

And if you are a child in an abussive situation how much do you obey your parents?

For that reason I think we need to look more at the overarching principals of submission and honor.

Most translations use the word reverence in this verse. A couple use the phrase fear. And some use the phrase subject instead of submit. Those who prefer strong words like subject and fear lean towards a more hierarchial view of the family. Authority is a big issue in this conversation. Just a side bar, the people who clamour about authority usually don't feel like they have any.

Paul gives us a clue of how to view this issue. The lens is Jesus.

I know that seems like a standard answer, but it is in the case the correct answer. Paul draws us to consider Jesus when we think about submission and honor.



Philippians 2:1–12

This chapter might be the chapter I quote more than ay other. In it we see the beauty of Christ. My theologian friends would comment on the rich Christology that Paul shares.

I agree, but the richness as always comes in it's context. Look Jesus honored the Father so much that he submitted completely. This meant he obeyed. He humbled himself completely.

Then God honored Jesus by exalting His name above all others.

You can see the interaction of submission and honor throughout Jesus life. When we see this we see holiness. It is so uncommon, so different then the way our natural minds would work. We are filled with self preservation and self promotion. But in submission Jesus was honored.

Now look at the context of this incredible hymn. This is what you should think of when it comes to your relationships with others. This is not just a great theological exercise, but this is the Word becoming flesh and dwelling amongst us. As His attitude becomes ours He is exalted and we are identified as the people of God.



Genesis 9:18–27

This account in the life of Noah brings up many questions that I cannot go into at this time. It's rather messy.


HONOR CHANGES DESTINY


Look how the honor that was displayed in the account of Moses changed the destiny of Noah's children and grandchildren.

Look how Jesus changed the destiny of the woman caught in adultery when He honored her in spite of her sin.

Honor changes the giver and the recipient alike.



Hosea 1:2–3

One of the most impactful stories of the Bible to me is the story of Hosea. It begins with the Lord chosing to speak through Hosea. Note He spoke through Hosea not just to Hosea. Hosea would be a living illustration of God's love and honor to an adulterous people.

God tells Hosea to take an adulterous wife to demonstrate not only the sin of Israel in turning to other loves, but also to demonstrate the amazing love and honor God still showed Israel. Notice this honor was the foundation of Hosea's home.



Hosea 3:1

Even more amazing is that Gomer returned to her former life and found herself the enslaved by her harlotry. And yet Hosea came and bought her back. He honored the one who had acted dishonorably.

This is a picture of how God decides to love and honor still.



Hosea 14:1–4

Listen to the family heart of God. vs 3


Ephesians 6:10

Finally... Paul is summing up his talk of family relationships here. He says finally be strong in the Lord and His might power.

I submit to you the strength and might power of God is unleashed in our lives when we honor and submit to one another. This happened when Jesus submitted and it will to us as well!



Who is disrespecting whom?


We hurt because we feel that we have been disrespected or dishonored. It is natural to feel that way. Honor is an attitude of the heart, and you can only know your own heart. So you cannot truly know if someone has honored or disrespected you, you can only know if you are honoring and respecting them.