Man's Honour: A Stealth Impediment to Faith

Activity: Sunday Message

Anchor Scripture: “I receive not honour from man.” - John 5: 41

Scripture Reading: John 5: 39 – 47

Message

One of the things people are after in the world today is recognition and rewards. The motivation and reason for some people’s involvement in their places of “worship” is for them to be recognized and honoured by their fellow men.

People want to be appreciated, and therefore, recognized, honoured and celebrated by their fellowmen for whatever feat they might have achieved. Just as it is in the world, so it is now in the church of God, and when people are not so recognized, they become disgruntled and unhappy and may even decide to quit that congregation that is not honouring “their efforts”.

In the book of 2 Kings 5: 2, the Bible speaks of “a little maid” who announced the God of Israel to Naaman, the head of the Syrian army and by whom Naaman got healed from his leprosy. Amazingly, the Bible never mentioned that “little maid” again, nor whether anything was done for her by Naaman or anyone in his great household in Syria. However, what honour could be more than one’s name being indelibly inked in an indestructible book? Thousands of generations will continue to read about her and what she did in propagating the name and Power of God, even in a strange land and while in the bondage of slavery.

The “little maid” cared not for any honour or material gain from any man, but her concern was first to propagate the name and Power of God, the Almighty. Reading through 2 Kings 5: 14 – 18 tells the story of the result of her selfless service. Naaman did not only get healed of his leprosy, but he also gave his life to God, making a vow never to sacrifice to any other god again, but the Lord. What a great achievement had that unnamed “little maid.”

In our Scripture reading this morning, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, clearly told the Jews that He does not want the honour of man (vs 41). Earlier, in verse 33 – 34, He even rejected the testimony of John the Baptist (Matthew. 3: 11, John 1: 15, 26 – 27, 30, 34) about Him. Why did He do all that? He did that because He had a testimony that is higher than that of John the Baptist; the testimony of the Father, Himself (John 5: 36 – 37).

But why will Jesus Christ not want either the testimony or the honour of man? He pointed out the reason in that John 5: 44, saying, “How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another; and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?”

These words of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, show that when we seek to be honoured by man, our faith is in peril. It means that we do not believe God to honour us; that’s why we crave the honour of man. The danger of seeking honour from man is that most times we are not aware of how this attitude impedes our faith in God, but the truth is that IT DOES!

This position of Jesus Christ truly affects our faith in that at times, it leads to bickering and chaos in the body of Christ such that it affects our relationship with God. When we do things because we expected honour from man, but such honour failed to come, especially if it is the house of God, we may end up feeling bad about it. How we felt will ultimately affect our relationship with God because of what our behaviour towards our fellowmen afterwards becomes. I pray God gives us understanding in Jesus name.

Another way our expectation of honour from our fellowmen affects our faith is that it blurs our vision of what God can do for us, without any man’s input, because it takes our focus off God unto man. God is the Almighty, and we must all have this understanding if we really want to go far with Him, even unto the end. The man’s insinuation that for God to help you, He will send somebody to you is an age-long myth. The truth is that God can honour or help you without anyone’s assistance (Isaiah 57: 13c). May God help us in Jesus Name, amen.

"The danger of seeking honour from man is that most times we are not aware of how this attitude impedes our faith in God, but the truth is that IT DOES!"

The antidote to falling a victim of this attitude is to do all things as if we are doing them for God Himself directly. We must have the understanding that whatever we did for our fellowman is indirectly done unto God (Proverbs 19: 17).

As we close today, the Bible says without faith, we cannot please the Lord (Hebrews 11: 6). Therefore, everything that may affect our faith in God, such as demanding or expecting honour from our fellowman, must be done away with because God has promised that He will not share His glory with anyone (Isaiah 42: 8). May the good Lord see us through in Jesus name, amen.

"The antidote to falling a victim of this attitude is to do all things as if we are doing them for God Himself directly."

Till we meet again to hear from His mouth, keep keeping on in Him!