HONOR

by Rev. Howard Rosen, Jr
(Dillwyn VA)

Rev. Howard Rosen, Jr
Pleasant Grove Baptist Church

Ephesians 6: 1-3; Let me start this morning with a illustration that I have used before but will fit the idea for the day . . . It’s 1960 Little Johnny comes down for breakfast and finds his dad at the table reading the paper in his jockeys and tee shirt smoking a big cigar. He say’s Johnny before you eat take out the trash . . . Johnny says Yes Sir! Now It’s 2012 and Johnny comes down for breakfast and dad is sitting at the table in his silk panties checking his smart phone, eating a granola bar and says Johnny please take out the trash before you eat breakfast . . . Little Johnny says . . . do it yourself!

Well, our first thought is that little modern Johnny needs his butt whipped. But the fact is that the real problem is that his father has not taught him how to give him honor.
Boy don’t we see that so true today in homes all across this country, it sounds a bit funny, but we no that really there is nothing funny about it at all.

But actually the idea of honor should be second nature to people in this country.
We have days set aside to honor all sorts of people and things.
Mothers day, Fathers day, Veteran’s day, Memorial day, Presidents day, Columbus day, St. Patrick’s day, and of course the greatest day of all Christmas day, the birth of Jesus Christ the savior of the world.

Then there are things that recognize honor, Metal of honor, Honor guard, Honor society, Honor student,(and they tell me there is such a thing as an Honor roll), and the list could go on and on, but you get the idea.
It seems every time we get a chance we ant to honor someone, which is HONORABLE!!

But my friends we should be troubled at the condition of the average home in our country today, and how the idea of honor and respect of the family unit has been destroyed by the Devil.
We may not see it much in our direct families, but we have a group of young people who are a dishonorable lot.
I know the Bible tells us in 2 Tim. That perilous time will come and children will become disobedient to parents.

But unless you see it firsthand you have no idea of how bad it has become.
Our children are faced with a society that has kicked God out.
They are faced with the influence of the demonic forces in a way we have never been around. 6:12.
Guns are taken off of school children regularly, all kinds of knives, brass knuckles, black jacks, and a dozen other things that show us the trend of their thinking.

They are expelled form schools for murder, for rape, for drugs, and many other sorts of criminal offenses.
They are bombarded with every kind of picture of rebellion against authority.
They are taught by the songs and the filthy language of the gangs and lawlessness of those who only want to damn their souls.

I’m not trying to attack our young people, because the problem they are facing is a direct result of the parents of this generation failing to teach them how to honor.
How to honor the things of God and how to honor the things that is important to the backbone of our society.
This is why our young people are being killed by the demons of drug abuse, alcoholism, and aids and every attack from every angle possible.

Men it is our responsibility to bring honor back to our homes and God wants just that, but there are things we need to honor from God’s word so we can.
BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN TAUGHT TO HONOR

I. HONOR DEMANDS HONESTY.

1. Any man who would ever tell one of his children a lie is not right. A dishonest man cannot teach honor.

2. Any man, who would deceive one of his children, is cursed of God. Mat. 18:6 but whoso offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

3. A man cannot teach honor if he is not honest. When a man teaches his child to run over another no matter what; he is not teaching honor. If a man teaches his child that it is ok to cheat, or take something that does not belong to him; he is not teaching honor. There is dishonor in the children, because there is dishonesty in the home.

II. HONOR DEMANDS CLEANLINESS.

1. God wants clean men. Men, who think clean, talk clean, act clean, and live clean. How can we expect children to honor God and fathers and mothers if they are around a lot of trash?

2. As long as we have dirty homes, we will have dirty schools.

3. As long as we have dirty homes, we will have dirty churches.

4. As long as we have dirty homes, we will have dirty nation.

5. As long as we have dirty homes, we will not see honor.
The devil knows this and we are blind for the most part!! How can we expect the world to honor the church and God’s people if we aren’t honorable?

III. HONOR DEMANDS A GOOD INFLUENCE

1. We need to pray that God will give us men who realize that when they exercise an influence on their children that is more important than school Sunday or church or any thing the world has.

2. That the influence the family has on the children is the life of our country.

3. Remember you reap what you sow, that is also a promise from God. If we are to reap honor we must seek honor in our home once again, and be the influence of it. You show me a man who will Be Honest, Be Clean, Be a Good Influence. And put God first, and put God in his home, and use the Bible as his guide, I will show you a man who will be honored.