Kingdom Principle: What is honor? Who should we show honor to? The bible speaks of honor in many places and grants honor to several in society. In our text it isn’t the places of honor that are denounced but those who assume they belong in those places. God has called us to live honorable and we ought to do so with a proper estimation of who we are in light of who God is. 

1. ________________________ of Honor

Luke 14:7 (ESV) — 7 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 

The Bible speaks positively about honor. In the first place, because God is to be honored above all things.

Exodus 20:3 (ESV) — 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 

“To give glory to God is to praise and recognize His importance and weight in relationship to the worshiping community and society. This isn’t merely acknowledging His existence; it’s recognizing His consequential reality. The term kabod expresses “glory,” “honor,” “splendor” as a derived meaning of the primary idea of weightiness or gravity. When humans fail to grant God this recognition, they commit a fundamental error—treating the infinitely significant as negligible.”

Proverbs 1:7 (ESV) — 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. 

In order to maintain the original dignity of mankind, God has prescribed several human institutions to protect the image of God in man.

Parents are to be honored.

Exodus 20:12 (ESV) — 12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 

Governing Officials are to be honored. 

1 Peter 2:13–17 (ESV) — 13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 

Elders are to be honored. 

1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 (ESV) — 12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 

1 Timothy 5:17 (ESV) — 17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 

Each one of these positions have been given to us by God in order to preserve and protect our lives, both physically and spiritually in order that we might flourish in the way that God has called us to flourish.

1. The ____________________ of being Honored

Luke 14:7 (ESV) — 7 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 

The real issue at hand in this text is not how we view the positions of honor, but how we view ourselves. What Jesus is getting at here is that we ought to have an accurate assessment of our own self-worth.

Luke 14:11 (ESV) — 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” 

Questions to Consider

• Who are those whom God has called you to honor? What does that look? 

• In what positions of honor has God called you to serve? How do you do so in dependence on Him?

Author: Robert Lowrie