Honor

Intro - to Proverbs/Fourth of July  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  25:10
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This week we will celebrate our country’s birthdate. That’s pretty significant. Every year for several years I’ve read through the Declaration of Independence which was declared in Congress on July 4th, 1776. I would encourage anyone to do the same. It’s a pretty amazing document. The final sentence of that document reads,
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
That is such a powerful statement.
What our founding fathers understood, what they knew, was they were defiance of the crown, that they were in this together, that this could cost them everything they had, including their “sacred honor.”
I am intrigued by that word Honor, and more specifically that they referred to it as their “sacred honor.”

1hon•or \ˈä-nər\ noun

[Middle English, from Anglo-French onur, honur, from Latin honos, honor] 13th century

1 a: good name or public esteem: REPUTATION

b: a showing of usually merited respect: RECOGNITION 〈pay honor to our founder〉

2: PRIVILEGE 〈had the honor of joining the captain for dinner〉

3: a person of superior standing—now used especially as a title for a holder of high office 〈if Your Honor please〉

4: one whose worth brings respect or fame: CREDIT 〈an honor to the profession〉

In the book of Proverbs we read:
Proverbs 18:12 NIV84
Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.
Humility comes before the honor.
Humility

hu•mil•i•ty \hyü-ˈmi-lə-tē, yü-\ noun

14th century: the quality or state of being humble

What does it mean to be humble?
Again, looking at Webster:

1hum•ble \ˈhəm-bəl also chiefly Southern ˈəm-\ adjective

hum•bler \-b(ə-)lər\; hum•blest \-b(ə-)ləst\ [Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin humilis low, humble, from humus earth; akin to Greek chthōn earth, chamai on the ground] 13th century

1: not proud or haughty: not arrogant or assertive

2: reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission 〈a humble apology〉

3 a: ranking low in a hierarchy or scale: INSIGNIFICANT, UNPRETENTIOUS

b: not costly or luxurious 〈a humble contraption〉—hum•ble•ness \-bəl-nəs\ noun—hum•bly \-blē\ adverb

I don’t know what it was for sure that the founding fathers were meaning when they said, “Our sacred Honor”, but there is something about the entire statement that has a sense of humility to it. That they are somehow giving themselves up for something greater.
When John the Baptist was approached by his own disciples about Jesus baptizing and his followers leaving him and turning to Jesus, he responded with,
John 3:30 ESV
He must increase, but I must decrease.”
James reminds us to humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord,
James 4:10 ESV
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Many of you know that I was and am an Eagle Scout. The scout oath begins with these words,
“On my honor...”
On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country… it goes on.
One might say, “I give you my word.”
That’s another way to speak of honor. - It’s like saying, I promise.. as the person who stands before you. This my word.
Its’ been said a person is only as good as their word.
Proverbs 3:9 ESV
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
There is a sense that we put God first in all things and our word is our bond. We serve God, and God only.
​
In the coming weeks, we’ll be looking through the book of Proverbs and parables of Jesus to seek the Wisdom that we find in God’s Word.
​
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