HONOR: COMES FROM SERVING THE SAVIOR
"If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor."-John 12:26 (NKJV)
In the verse before us, Jesus tells us that the Father honors those who are committed to serving Him.
And as the Father bestows honor upon us, it has an effect on our character. The more honor we take in, the more honorable our character becomes. This shows that there's a direct connection between possessing honorable character and serving Christ.
Show me a man or woman dedicated to the Savior's service, and I'll show you someone with honorable character. The gospels are full of examples that bear this out, from Mary and her broken alabaster flask to Zacchaeus and his dinner table.
Those who seek to serve Jesus are those who produce honorable fruit.
So we know that serving Jesus brings honor to our lives, but what does it mean to serve Jesus? Look above and notice that Jesus defines those who serve Him as those who also follow Him. You cannot serve Christ without following Him. You must walk with Him in order to know what pleases Him and to discern how He would have you serve Him. I love this about our Lord. He makes the requirement for getting honor the very thing that also brings the greatest blessing to our souls-being close to Him.
When we put this all together, we see that the real key to having honorable character is to be a close follower of Jesus. If we want to have honor, we need to honor God. If we want to honor God, we need to serve Jesus. And if we want to serve Jesus, we need to follow Him.
Discuss with your group how God has honored and blessed you as you have served Him. Without being self-promoting, share a specific way God has bestowed honor upon you and how your service for the Savior has affected your character.
Dig into John 12:26. Explain the connection between serving Jesus and having honor. Why do you think God would promise and provide this honor? What does this verse say to you about the Trinity? Where else in Scripture do you see examples of God honoring those who honor Jesus?
Decide as a group to honor Jesus through a sacrificial act of service. Connect with someone in your church or community that has a need that they cannot personally meet. Join together with your group to meet that specific need—not for earthly praise but to glorify God.
