Honor & Power | Uncommon Unity | Greg Ford
Honor & Power | Uncommon Unity | Greg Ford
ICEBREAKER:
Who is greater Michael Jordan or Lebron James? :)
MESSAGE NOTES:
The way you treat other people tells you a lot about what you believe about God.
[I John 4:20]
If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?
[Romans 12:10]
Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
[Daniel 2:20-21]
He said, “Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power. 21 He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.
[Luke 9:46-48]
Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest. 47 But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side. 48 Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.”
[Matthew 18:1]
About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
[Matthew 18:4]
So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
[Matthew 18:5-6]
And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. 6 But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.
[Matthew 20:28]
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
[Luke 22:24-27]
Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. 25 Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ 26 But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. 27 Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.
[Philippians 2:3-9]
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
[James 4:10]
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
[Romans 12:10]
Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
What we honor we elevate. What we elevate we duplicate.
Action Steps:
Use your power like Jesus used His.
Honor the people who use their power like Jesus used His.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
QUESTION 1: Can you think of a time when you felt tremendously honored by a person or group of people? What made you feel that way, and how can you apply it to how you treat others?
QUESTION 2: In your world, how can honor and power be leveraged to point people to Christ?
QUESTION 3: How do you practically evaluate what is elevated in your world, thus is being duplicated?
QUESTION 4: Where are there opportunities around you to elevate others, rather than competing or comparing?