Lessons from White Court

Respect learned the hard way

Respect for God’s Word

Numbers 20:8-12Moses

• Numbers 20:8-12• 8 “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron

gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” 9 So Moses took the rod from before the LORD as He commanded him. 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?”

• 11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank. 12 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

We show disrespect for God’s word when:

• Ignore it - John 12:48

• Misapply it - Acts 17:10-11

• Change it – Revelation 22:18-19

• Disobey it – 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

Respect for God’s People

2 Kings 2:23-25 42 youths

• 2 Kings 2:23-25• 23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and

as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” 24 So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the LORD. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths. 25 Then he went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

We show disrespect for God’s people when:

• Ridicule them - 1 Peter 2:17• Harshly judge them - 2 Peter 2:9-10• We aren’t obedient to Elders – Hebrews 13:17• Romans 12:6-11• 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is

given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord

Respect for God’s Deity

Acts 12:19-24 Herod

• Acts 12:20-24• 20 Now Herod had been very angry with the

people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country.

• 21 So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. 22 And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.• 24 But the word of God grew and

multiplied.

Josephus Antiquities 19.8.2 343-361

• Now when Agrippa had reigned three years over all Judea he came to the city Caesarea and there he exhibited spectacles in honor of Caesar, for whose well-being he'd been informed that a certain festival was being celebrated. At this festival a great number were gathered together of the principal persons of dignity of his province......Presently his flatterers cried out, one from one place, and another from another, (though not for his good) that he was a god; and they added, "Be thou merciful to us; for although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a man,

yet shall we henceforth own thee as superior to mortal nature." Upon this the king neither rebuked them nor rejected their impious flattery. But shortly afterward a severe pain arose in his belly, striking with a most violent intensity. And when he had been quite worn out by the pain in his belly for five days, he departed this life.

We show disrespect for God’s deity when:

• We misuse His Name - Deuteronomy 5:11, Matthew 6:9• Take acknowledgment that is His -

Colossians 3:17, Matthew 23:12

• Romans 11:36• For of Him and through Him and to Him

are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

God gives second chances

• 2 Peter 3:9• 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His

promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

• 1 John 1:9• 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just

to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness

But, Some Will Learn Respect The Hard Way

• Hebrews 9:27• And as it is appointed for men to die once,

but after this the judgment,

• Romans 14:10b-12 • 10 For we shall all stand before the

judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written: "As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." 12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.

• Romans 2:8-9• 8 but to those who are self-seeking and

do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness--indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;