HONORING CHRIST

John 5:23

By David J. Riggs

Intro.
   A. Two things are clearly evident from John 5:23.
      1. All men should honor the Son, just as they honor the Father.
      2. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the
         Father who sent Him.
   B. We learn from other passages that the only way to the Father is
      through the Son. John 14:6
      1. Also, the one who is pleasing to the Son is also pleasing to
         the Father or vice versa. 2 John 9
   C. Let us notice some distinct ways in honoring Christ that we    
      might thereby honor the Father.

I. WE HONOR CHRIST BY IMITATING HIM. Phil. 2:5; 1 Pet. 2:21
   A. We must be conformed to the image of the Son. Col. 3:10; 2 Cor.
      3:18; Rom. 8:29
   B. Chart: We Honor Christ By Imitating Him.
      1. We need to do the Father's will as He did. John 4:34; 6:38
      2. We need to serve as He served. Matt. 20:28; Luke 22:27
      3. We need to be compassionate as He was. Luke 7:11-17
      4. We need to be obedient like Him. Heb. 5:8-9
      5. We need to be humble as He was. John 13:4,13-17
      6. We need to pray as He did. Mark 1:35
      7. We need to forgive as He forgave. Luke 23:34
      8. We need to freely give as He gave. 2 Cor. 8:9
   C. We follow Jesus Christ because He was the epitome of goodness.
      No one can match His character and life.
      1. It was impossible for the evil Jews to convict Jesus of sin.
         John 8:46
      2. Mere men, no matter how hard they try, can never reach the
         perfection of our Lord. Eccl. 7:20; Psalm 130:3-4
      3. Jesus Christ appeals to all those who realize their
         imperfections and have a desire to excel.
         a. Jesus exemplified a higher plane, and let us seek to walk
            in it.
   D. We follow Jesus because His teaching is far superior to that of
      any other human being.
      1. The sermon on the mount is the epitome of incredible
         teaching. Matt. 7:28-29
         a. The Scribes were fond of quoting each other and other
            famous Rabbis who had died.
         b. The Lord's teaching carried absolute authority because
            He was the Son of God.
         c. When we abide in His teaching, we are truly His
            disciples. John 8:31-32
   E. On the wall near the main entrance to the Alamo in San Antonio,
      Texas, is a portrait with the following inscription: "James    
      Butler Bonham - no picture of him exists. This portrait is of  
      his nephew, Major James Bonham, deceased, who greatly resembled
      his uncle. It is placed here by the family that people may know
      the appearance of the man who died for freedom."
      1. Likewise, no literal portrait of Jesus Christ exists.
         Nevertheless, His image can be seen in His word and in the  
         lives of His true followers.

II. WE HONOR CHRIST BY CONFESSING HIM BEFORE MEN.
   A. Consider Jesus' own confession. Matt. 26:63-64
      1. He was put to death because of this confession. Matt. 26:65-
         66
   B. We are to verbally confess "the Lord Jesus" (KJV & NKJV),
      "Jesus as Lord" (ASV & NASV), "Jesus is Lord" (NIV &
      NRSV). Rom. 10:9
      1. We must confess Jesus as Lord because He is God. John 1:1-2
         a. An illustrated paraphrase of the above text would be:
            "In the beginning was EVE, and EVE was with MAN,
            and EVE was MAN. SHE was in the beginning with
            MAN." Just as "man" can refer specifically to male, to
            the exclusion of female, so also "God" can refer to the
            Father, to the exclusion of the Son. However, just as
            "man" can include both male and female as a class of
            being, so, too, "God" can include both Father and Son
            as a class of Being, as in John 1:1. (By Steve Rudd)
      2. We dishonor Christ when we fail to confess Him before men
         and this will bring tragic results. Matt. 10:32-33
      3. In the last day, all men will confess Christ. Phil. 2:11
         a. Those who refuse or neglect to confess Him now will be
            forced to confess in that great day.
   C. We honor Him by continuing to confess Him on a daily basis.
      1. Confessing Christ is not a one-time act.
         a. It continues our whole lifetime as manifested by the way
            we live.
         b. We continue to do it as we sing, pray, and engage in
            other acts of worship. Heb. 13:15.
            (1) "Giving thanks" is "Lit. confessing" (footnote
                NKJV and NASV).
            (2) "...The fruit of lips which make confession to his
                name." (ASV)
         c. We confess Him when we make a stand for Him and His
            word. Luke 9:26
      2. Confession can lead to trouble. John 9:18-23; John 12:42-43
         a. Trouble may come on the job, at school, among friends
            or relatives.
            (1) Nevertheless, we must hold to our confession at all
                cost. Heb. 4:14; 10:23

III. WE HONOR CHRIST BY PARTAKING OF HIS MEMORIAL SUPPER.
   A. Jesus Christ ordained that we remember His death. Luke 22:19-
      20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26
      1. We know that the early disciples met on the first day of the
         week to observe the Lord's Supper. Acts 20:7
      2. It is important that we properly discern the Lord's body
         when we partake of the Lord's Supper. 1 Cor. 11:27-29
   B. For Christians to fail to meet with other disciples and partake
      of the Lord's Supper, is to dishonor Christ. James 4:17
      1. A man was hunting in a forest when a storm came up.
         Looking about for a shelter from the rain, he found and
         crawled into a hollow log, which fit quite snugly. The rain
         lasted for hours and soaked through the wood. The log
         began to swell with the moisture in it. When the storm was
         over the hunter was unable to get out. The log held him
         tightly, and finally, exhausted, the man gave up. Knowing
         that he would starve to death, his life flashed before him. 
         He remembered that he had failed to attend the Bible classes
         as he should have. He remembered also that he had failed to
         meet with the saints to partake of the Lord's Supper. After
         realizing how he had done wrong, it made him feel so small
         that he was able to crawl out of the log!
      2. To put it lightly: "Any Christian, who through neglect,     
         fails to be in his appointed place on the Lord's day, should
         feel very, very small."

IV. WE HONOR CHRIST WITH OUR SUBSTANCE. Prov. 3:9
   A. To honor the Lord with our substance is to give to Him of our
      living. 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:7; Prov. 21:25-26
      1. God has richly given us many things to enjoy. James 1:17; 1
         Tim. 6:17
      2. We are stewards of the blessings of God. 1 Cor. 4:1-2;
         10:26; 1 Pet. 4:10-12
      3. Our reward in eternity depends on our faithful stewardship
         here on earth. Luke 16:9-12
      4. A certain Christian was heard complaining, "The church
         costs too much. They are always asking for money." Another
         lady answered, "Some time ago, a little boy was born in our
         home. He cost us a lot of money from the very beginning; he
         had a big appetite, he needed clothes, medicine, and toys.
         Then he went to school, and that cost a lot more. Later he
         went away to college, and that cost us a small fortune. But 
         in his senior year at college he died, and since the        
         funeral, he hasn't cost us a penny. Now which situation do  
         you think we would rather have?" 

Concl.
   A. If you are not a Christian, will you not honor Christ by       
      confessing His name before this audience and being baptized    
      into Christ?
   B. Do the same as the Ethiopian Eunuch, and you can go on your
      way rejoicing. Acts 8:36-39
      1. When you obey, your forgiveness of sins will be sure, and
         your hope of eternal life will rest upon the solid          
         foundation which cannot be shaken.

Chart:
We Honor Christ By Imitating Him

1. We need to do the Father's will as He did. John 4:34; 6:38

2. We need to serve as He served. Matt. 20:28; Luke 22:27

3. We need to be compassionate as He was. Luke 7:11-17

4. We need to be obedient like Him. Heb. 5:8-9

5. We need to be humble as He was. John 13:4,13-17

6. We need to pray as He did. Mark 1:35

7. We need to forgive as He forgave. Luke 23:34

8. We need to freely give as He gave. 2 Cor. 8:9