Pastor and 1st Lady Mims

Mims Chapel Church

Week 3, December 14

LESSON 3

Bestowing Double Honor

Lesson Text:

1 Chronicles 11:10-19; Matthew 10:40-42;
1 Timothy 5:17,18

Memory Verse
'And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."
Matthew 10:42

Key Terms
Fealty • The obligation to be faithful to a lord, usually sworn by a vassal; faithfulness; fidelity.
Hallow • To make Holy or set apart for holy use.
Libation • An act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice (as to a deity).

Suggested Emphasis

Near the conclusion of the 1964 film Becket, King Henry II of England cries out in exasperation "Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?" Four knights who were in earshot perceived this to be an command to assassinate the Archbishop of Canterbury, Henry's erstwhile friend Thomas Becket. Historical sources have debated about the exact way he worded it, but they agree that a careless outburst from the king forfeited Becket's life. Henry's knights were so fiercely loyal, that they would murder a cleric at his mere suggestion.

Fealty to a leader can be a powerful motivator. It can inspire great accomplishments as well as fiendish crimes; it can ennoble and it can corrupt. For the people of God, however, our loyalty to leadership is given parameters by our loyalty to the Lord. We will eschew performing unrighteous acts on behalf of anyone, but we will follow the example of faith and rectitude left by a good leader.

Emphasis 1:

King David's Men of Valor

The lesson scripture is from a passage cataloguing David's "mighty men," the warriors who helped him win and maintain his kingdom. The first two mentioned were Jashobeam, who famously slew 300 men in one battle, and Eleazor, who fought shoulder-to-shoulder with David in a conflict in which they were greatly outnumbered. Their prominence undoubtedly came from the phenomenal exploits they performed in defense of the kingdom. However, although the passage mentions that there were thirty mighty men (a.k.a. "captains"), only a few are mentioned by name. This is why it's assumed the identified warriors, like Jashobeam and Eleazor, were generals over the others.

The next section of the text is an anecdote told about three of the mighty men who performed a dangerous yet very personal mission on behalf of their king. At that time in the ongoing war with the Philistines, the enemy had an encampment outside of David's hometown Bethlehem. David and the Israelite army were engaging the Philistine host in the Valley of Re-phaim, some 13 or 14 miles north. Weary from the battle, and perhaps feeling a little nostalgic about more peaceful times, David sighed, "Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!" (1 Chronicles 11:17). We assume he did not mean this to be a literal request, but three unnamed mighty men took it upon themselves to fulfill this longing.

Emphasis 2:

Fulfilling the King's Request

The three warriors crossed enemy lines, secretly travelled to Bethlehem, somehow evaded the Philistine garrison outside the town, and drew water from the well. When they returned to David, he seemed embarrassed by the efforts they made. He "would not drink" of the water, but poured it upon the ground as a libation (1 Chronicles 11:18). By their actions, the men demonstrated the immense honor they held for David; but in his response, David honored them, indicating that their selfless love and devotion had hollowed their gift.

The spirit in which we esteem another person sanctifies our endeavor: it makes our effort a blessing to the recipient while simultaneously accruing merit to our own account. This is a principle of the Kingdom that Christ asserted: "If you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded" (Matthew 10:42, NLT). Moreover, he made it clear that if we honored his servants, we were honoring him, and the Father: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me" (John 13:20).

Emphasis 3:

Preferring One Another

This teaching extends beyond our relationship with leaders of the congregation. We are generally told to exercise a higher regard for others than for ourselves: "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another" (Rom. 12:10). We imitate the humility of our Savior when we "look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others" (Phil. 2:4). In the Church, we love one another, we care for one another, we support one another, we submit to one another. Our saved lives are lived in community, and only in community can we sharpen the skills and masterthe disciplines of gracious living.

Although the whole counsel of God speaks of honoring civil (Romans 13:1; 1 Peter 2:17), social (Colossians 3:22; 1 Timothy 6:1-2), and domestic (Ephesians 5:22, 6:1, Colossians 3:18,20) leadership, there is a special attention to be paid to spiritual leaders. To no other group of leaders are we admonished to give "double honor" (1 Timothy 5:17). In practical terms, our behavior and speech toward Christian leaders should be thoroughly respectful. We should never communicate to them disdain or indifference. Every task we are given on their behalf or in their authority should be completed with excellence. And we should liberally provide for their physical and financial needs. In all ways, the goal is to give them twice the honor we would bestow on a secular leader.

Missions Application Questions

What was the mission of the three mighty men? What was King David's reaction to it?
How does Christ expect us to respond to the leaders of his Church?
In what ways can congregations honor their pastors? In what ways can pastors honor their congregations?

World Missions Prayer Points

Let us pray for inspiration on how best to honor our leaders.
Let us pray to remember the rewards awaiting us for our service to others.
Let us pray for opportunities to refine our skills of gracious living.