Honor.
A word that many of us don’t think too much about. Yet it could not be more central to our lives. To put it another way, honor is a question of priorities and value. What we value and what we make a priority is what we are honoring with our lives. It cannot be faked and eventually it becomes clear to all around us what we really honor with our lives.
God has graced our church with many men and women who honor Jesus not just with their words, but with their lives. They care deeply about people, their local church, the gifts God has given them and the legacy they will leave. As Pastor Mark shared in his sermon, we have: 64 elders (27 unpaid), 54 elder candidates, 614 deacons (517 unpaid), 598 Community Group leaders and 247 apprentices, 182 Redemption Group leaders, and many who lead in other areas.
Yet with all the people that call Mars Hill Church home, I can’t help but think there might be many more who need to pause and honestly ask if they are really honoring Jesus with all of their lives. For some of us this might mean we begin to give sacrificially and prioritize honoring Jesus with the money he has entrusted to us. For others, it will mean obeying the prodding of the Holy Spirit to begin leading and serving somewhere in your local church.
As Pastor Mark talked about, we often grow weary and tired but, because we belong to Jesus, we can return to him when we are exhausted (John 15). I have frequently seen people start serving or commit to something with great energy and enthusiasm only to quit shortly afterward. The tendency to start something strong but not finish well can be a characteristic of many of us. But not finishing well stunts our legacy and stops us from leaving the impact that Jesus would have for us. By God’s grace and through his strength we can finish the works he has given us to do for his mission well (Eph. 2:10).
Here are some questions to think through in how you can more specifically honor God with your life:
- Where does God want you to lead in the church? How are you honoring him by serving in the church?
- Because of how much God has given you (new life, forgiveness), how is he leading you to joyfully be generous?
- Where and how have you grown weary and tired? What do you need to remember about Jesus our great king in order to be sustained and encouraged?
- What have you started that you know you need to keep going forward with and finish well?
Jesus is worth honoring with all of our lives. And though many of us start with good intentions, the pulls, pressures, and enticements of the world constantly call us to honor something or someone else. We must remain rooted in community and strong biblical friendships to remind us and encourage us to honor and value that which we really do love most: Jesus.
Pastor Ryan Kearns is the Director of Community Groups for Mars Hill Church. Each week, he writes a post about the sermon to aid discussion in your Community Group. This is part two from the Malachi series. Don’t miss part one.
