You were listening to a live city church podcast and we hope you'll experience Jesus today We are excited to have you join our extended online church family If you would like further information or wish to access more content, please connect with us on our live city church Facebook page Or visit us at live city church calm. Good morning to live city church We're so glad that you took the time to watch the stream and to all our regulars God bless you We're so glad that you're part of this ministry. You're supporting us. You're partnering with us today I'm gonna preach on the gospel of Matthew chapter 13 I'd like you to turn there with me Matthew chapter 13 and we're gonna read today verses 53 to 58 Matthew 13 verses 53 to 58.
Let's read together When Jesus had finished these parables he moved on from there coming to his hometown He began teaching the people in their synagogue and they were amazed Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? They asked isn't this the carpenter's son Isn't his mother's name Mary and aren't his brothers James Joseph Simon and Judas aren't all his sisters with us Where then did this man get all these things and they took offense at him? But Jesus said to them only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor and He did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith this morning I want to talk to you about honor and the title of this message today is that's just Jesus father We pray for your presence to come right now We ask Lord God that you would move in every home right now that you move in every heart father right in every room In every house Lord God in every place where people are watching or listening to this message I pray Lord God by the power of your Holy Spirit that you would move and that you'd use this message to speak to their hearts Oh God I ask that you would be the one that does the talking and we bless this message in Jesus name all God's people said amen It's interesting as we see how at first the Bible says that they were amazed at his teaching so up to this point in time Jesus had left them he began establishing his ministry So you remember that the very first miracle that he performed that wasn't actually the time you were supposed to do that He turned water into wine at a wedding in Canaan Galilee, but after this was a legal time where he began his ministry He now has gathered disciples around him thousands of people were following him in his ministry and they have seen with their own eyes Helings miracles signs wonders. They've heard teaching such as had never heard before there was something extraordinary about this man And many began to wonder this could be the Messiah that was prophesied and so for the first time his own hometown Go shut off of the hometowns Jesus has gone home and he's there in this town It really was that it was no city It was tiny in fact the historians and the commentators tell us that this place where he preached the synagogue was actually so tiny I think you'd be lucky to fit 50 people in there.
It is really small That's what they said can anything good come out of Nazareth and perhaps someone saying that about you today Can anything good come out of Ipswich? Can anything good come out of red bank planes? Can anything good come out of Brisbane? Give a shout out right now.
That's where you're from saying yes. Yes. Yes in Jesus name But his own hometown I'm listening to this guy who's now got national prominence I mean word is getting back to them the rumor mill spreads faster than the telegram They could travel and they have now heard about their own hometown or Jesus who is from the town of Nazareth and there he is Preaching and the Bible says this they were amazed. How could you not be amazed at the teaching of Jesus?
They recognized that greatness was in their midst It was something about his manner the way he spoke the way that maybe he brought this ability to understand and they already heard about the miracles And they're floored by this and they can't understand what's going on and they're trying to make sense about this great Jesus How can he be great? He comes from our hometown. We know what he did for a living Hey, dude, I studied with him. I have the same teacher So how come you know, where did he get this stuff from someone else would say I remember him when he was still in diapers I can't believe he's able to say these things.
Where did that come from? Oh, there's a saying look we know this guy everyone else you might fool the others, but you can't fool us We know you Jesus. We know where you come from right here They were impressed with his teaching ability and they could understand why it drew the thousands and they were amazed that he would come back to this humble Little synagogue and they had an opportunity to either accept him or to reject him Have you ever wondered why God is not big in your life? Have you ever envied when someone else talks about Jesus like he's their own personal Savior?
I know right he's supposed to be a personal Savior you're supposed to be one that you can talk to he's meant to be friend and Yet it seems so distant for you but for someone else he seems so close for others I talk about miracles and healings and stories of breakthroughs and you're wondering why you don't have those same breakthroughs in your life In fact, you probably developed a theology to justify your unbelief God is God and he's just who he is he's outside of that box, but how much honor do you give him? That's what's at stake here in this story And let me go a little bit further with this because they didn't honor Jesus It shut down the anointing from miracles because they did not honor Jesus It shut down the great God that he was in their midst and they could not understand this and they're trying to comprehend it And so they belittled him instead perhaps you've done this to a leader that you know Perhaps for some of you It's a boss in the workplace But some of you it might just be a husband it might just be a wife and you are struggling with this leadership thing and you're questioning them I can do that job better than they can I can do that job of my hand slide behind my back The question is how much honor do you give them? What is the attitude of your heart when your leader asked you to do something? What is the attitude of your heart when your parent asked you to do something?
Fine, I'll do it doesn't bring honor and so they began to question God and his intentions I want you to write this down when you question God and his intentions It is the beginning of the road to sin Genesis chapter 3 the devil did this very thing right at the beginning of time He said to Adam and Eve did God really say this and he began to change the way that they looked at that But it wasn't a simple question and it wasn't simply questioning God's command It was questioning his character. It was questioning his integrity Have you ever heard a defiant kid speak back to you questioning your instructions? I remember as a kid It's totally different days now when I grew up It was just normal to get a whack in the head if you did the wrong thing and my dad He was famous at this he was very good at it in fact My dad was Indonesian and so he could speak English probably not as fluently as you and I but he would say he goes My name is Earth, we call her because he grew up Paul go get a thing in the thing and see I when he first started I would question what's the thing whack? Where's the thing whack?
So I live very quickly don't question dad when he tells you to do something just look busy So I just be running around trying to figure out what is the thing and where is the thing trying to figure out so if I look busy enough Maybe he let me go and eventually he goes and tries to find it himself Some of you could probably relate to this go ahead put that in the chat when Satan questioned God It was an act of defiance and rebellion against it He was thrown out for this and now he's trying to incite rebellion in Adam and Eve the moment you begin to question leaders But the moment you begin to question authority over your lives you are starting to walk in sin I'm not talking about when there's abusive relationships. I mean that is real. I'm not talking about that I'm talking about the normal stuff where you're thinking to yourself. I can do a better job than him I can't believe they did that they should have done this instead.
I got all these ideas I never asked me the moment you begin asking questions and talking like that sin begins to enter and It's so the seed of doubt to Adam and Eve in the validity of God's word His good intentions and purposes for them and it was the only thing that Satan could use to attack them The devil could not attack Adam and Eve's health because there was a tree of life and they would get healed all the time They could live forever He could not attack their marriage because there were only two humans on the planet and they knew they were created by God custom made For each other they had to work it out. He could not attack their finances because God provided everything for them There was no need at all and he could not attack their identity because they were unique the very first created human beings in his image So he attacked the construct of who God is to them He attacked the way that they looked at God and his nature his intentions for their life Have you questioned God's good intentions and great plans for your life perhaps because of disappointment perhaps because of some failure That's happened be perhaps because of some loss that's happened in your life I've seen many turn away from the Lord because they could not understand or justify how a loving God would allow their partner will Allow their child to die But God is God and God is good because they could not understand the greatness of God Those people in Jesus own hometown reduced him to the familiar what they could comprehend the devil attacked Adam and Eve This way he says no the reason you can't eat that fruit is because you can become like God again Making him familiar putting them on the same level as we are Don't make your God small don't try to be little don't try to take away what the word of God says who he is When we question God's good intentions for our lives offense quickly sets in in numbers chapter 12 we read how Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses the Bible says in verse 1 and 2 because Are the Ethiopian woman whom he had married for he had married an Ethiopian woman? So they said has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses has he not spoken through us also Maybe you've had certain conversations but listen to this and the Lord heard it These questions are laced with poison and their private conversation was heard by God when you question God even in your heart God is listening because the Bible is very clear in this God doesn't look at the outward appearances he looks at the heart And when you question leaders whom God has appointed over your life good or bad God is listening we are living in times when honor is no longer taught in homes or in schools We don't stand to give up our seats for the elderly We don't stand to give up our seats for pregnant women We yell and we break a waitress because our coffee was cold and we post our grievance on social media to shame others and to shame them And then we attack those who do not agree with us We question the authority God placed over us and think nothing of undermining and be littling our prime minister Even the leaders of other nations. I'm not saying that there aren't such a thing as corrupt politicians and leaders But what I'm saying is they're not perfect and we are commanded by God to respect and to honor them I want to challenge you with a thought if you can't honor the person honor the position God brought you to that church Honor that pastor leader God brought you to that place of business Honor that manager Aaron and Miriam questioned Moses.
They were agreed with his choice of wife You chose a black person. How could you do that and wondered why God hadn't chosen them? Notice the next verse says in numbers 12 verse 3 now the man Moses was very humble more than all men who are on the face of the earth That's a bold statement to make you wonder why you are not promoted to leadership How dangerous would it have been if Aaron or Miriam became the leaders of the nation of Israel? We know what happened when Aaron had 40 days of leadership.
He ends up leading an entire nation. They were following God They saw signs and wonders They saw the visible glorified form of God in a pillar cloud by day a pillar fire by night Even saw him descend on a mountain like an amount an eruption and still there's Aaron this you know These assistant pastor he ends up crafting an idol for the people to worship blows the mind Yes, the pastor. Yes that leader. Yes that manager that supervisor Maybe less qualified than you you may be more gifted in business You may be more gifted in teaching and they are you may be more gifted in preaching But until you can learn honor God cannot promote you because you can't handle it Your lack of humility will destroy you and then the Bible says God held them to account God gave Miriam leprosy for seven days I love this message by Jensen Franklin he teaches on this He says why leprosy because leprosy carries with it isolation is supposed to call out unclean unclean and people are supposed to run away from them If someone has dishonor treat them like a leper until they get over it because dishonor is contagious and secondly Because the leprosy affects nerves causing a loss of feeling in the same way spiritually You may be singing in church, but they can't feel it You may be worshiping like all things crazy feel the presence of God, but they won't feel it You may be preaching up the song the pastor is going for but you can't feel it Because you've lost the ability to feel the anointing You lose the ability the ability to feel when you allow dishonor to come into your life And then the Bible says that they missed out on the miracles and the healers Jesus could do few miracles in their hometown Because of their lack of faith Dishonor shuts down the gift God has to you know this a words in mark chapter 6 verse 5 It's the same story in the book of mark It says it this way he could not do any miracles there except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them How unbelievable that dishonors not just a lack of faith It was the fact that it was a dishonor of who Jesus is the Bible says except a prophet as a prophet and you receive the prophets reward Except a minister or man of God is that man of God and you receive the man of God's blessing that reward But if you accept the man of God a minister Not as a prophet except a prophet as a man of God you receive the prophet the man of God's reward not the prophets were a greater reward It's important to understand honor because it unlocks the gift that God has for you You may lose that and what God has for you because you cannot honor the vessel God uses to deliver your blessing God is something for you that place of business where the manager has it out for you But he got put that person in place for you for your benefit God is something for you at this church that God has planted you in but that dishonor because you cannot stand the person next to you You can't stand the leader home You can't stand the pastor you're gonna miss out on what God has for you God is something for you in that marriage that you are struggling with and you fail to honor one another and you're wondering why it feels like hell at home Learn to honor and the blessings will break open I feel right now the Lord wants to speak to someone today You've been struggling with dishonor and it might be to your spouse in fact It might be the children to their parents it might be some of you right now You're struggling in your workplace in fact you're hitting the ceiling you've heard me speak before and pray over you God I pray for promotion promotion promotion and you keep missing out because God cannot promote you because if he promotes you It will end up in disastrous for you It's about protects you by keeping you where you're at because you still haven't learned to honor If that's you this morning, I want you just to respond writing your home.
Jesus can see what you're doing right now I can't see you maybe there's someone else in the room right now I just sort of stick out your hand to the side But I want to pray for you this morning to just unlock the blessings that God has for you if that's you this morning I want you to reach towards your television set or to a smart device come and receive right now What the Lord has you father in the name of Jesus Lord I bind every spirit of dishonor that has been released Lord God in this home in this marriage in this place of business perhaps even in the church And father I pray right now that she would turn away Lord God from that curse and I pray Lord instead Lord You would smile upon your servants as they confess as they repent right now in their homes on their bed on that sofa on that Carcy father I pray let your glory overshadow them I pray Jesus you would take the punishment that they deserve that I deserve remove it from us and I pray release your spirit upon them Father I pray for blessing blessing in favor as they honor Lord God I pray as they honor that Lord They will see instantly there's been a change in the place I prayed for you today I declare you begin to release honor upon your boss as you release honor in your marriage children as you release honor upon your parents You're going to see a seasonal change in the name of Jesus Holy Spirit I pray that you make it so clear that you are moving in those homes that you're moving in those places of business that you're moving in this church Perhaps others listening from other churches that in their church Lord God you would bless them in the name of Jesus today This might be the first time that you've understood the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ If that's you and I've been preaching today and you've been feeling something's changing it with me Something's different about me today. I can just sense it I can just feel it if that's you right now I want to pray for you today perhaps today you feel that you have fallen short of the glory of God in fact It's been such great dishonor. It's caused such bitterness and poison to be inside you and the Lord wants to release you He'll eat from these things It's time to repent to repent means to change the way that you're thinking I want to pray for you too if that's you right now wherever you are for some of you need to stand you're saying not I refuse to be sitting down and take this like normal I am changing today some of you need to stand in front of your family so that they know in fact It brings honor right now you honor the word of God you'll find that honors released in the home in Jesus name So let's stand together. Let me pray for you father.
I want you to repeat this prayer after me father God Thank you for dying on the cross for me You took every sin that I've ever committed or will ever commit and you wore it upon yourself as You died for me on that cross Jesus, thank you for removing my sins Take away my guilt as well and I ask that you give me a new heart and fill me with your spirit You died for me now. I will live for you Praise the Lord. Let's give a shout out for all those who have responded if that's you and you responded this morning Can you please write to me just write to yes at live city church calm so that I can follow you up I'd love to talk with you some more and take you on your next steps to grow in the Lord Well, thank you for listening in today God bless you and I look forward to seeing you next week Thank you for joining live city church And we hope that you will bless and inspired by today's message if this ministry has made an impact on your life We'd love to hear from you. Please drop us a line and share your story yet.
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