Pentecostal Tabernacle » R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Listen to the sermon: R-E-S-P-E-C-T

by Bishop Brian C. Greene

Matthew 6:9

In 1965, R & B artist, Otis Redding wrote a song entitled “Respect.” Little did he know that once Aretha Franklin got a hold of that song in 1967, it would become a hit for the ages. Who can forget that line: “R-E-S-P-E-C-T, Find out what it means to me?”

What caused me to think about the words of this song when looking at our text is the definition of the word “hallowed.” The Greek definition of the word “hallowed” is “to venerate.” The word, venerate means “to regard with great respect.” As I thought about that word, respect, I wondered how would I feel if God sang the words to this song “Respect” to us to express His disappointment with His worship experience from us. What if God sang the following:

What you want
Church I got
What you need

Do you know I got it?
All I’m askin’
Is for a little respect when you come to church (just a little bit, just a little bit)

I’m about to give you all My money
And all I’m askin’ in return, My child
Is to give me My tithes
When you get to church (just a little bit, just a little bit)

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, Find out what it means to me.

Before we begin to provide God with our long shopping list of requests in prayer, God first wants us to hallow His name. He wants us to regard Him with great respect. The Latin word venero from which we get our English word “venerate” means “to worship.” Worship simply means “to put into a position of worth (value).”

God’s name - that is, His reputation - gets no respect or value (strength) if it does nothing. Because He is Our Father, this means that God is “our supplier.” That is, we pray to the one whom:

• We requisition (make our prayer requests).
• Helps me recover.
• Recruits people in my life to help me.

God’s name (reputation) has worth, value, and my respect in the area of being Jehovah-Jireh, “The Lord who Provides.” God sees my need (video) prior to or before it occurs (pro) and goes and meets it. For example: God saw my need for a job prior to my actually needing the job and then met the need.

Instead of being frustrated, angry, and full of anxiety because God seemingly isn’t doing much, it could be that He is waiting for us to put some worth (value) in His name. Imagine if God’s name to you was in the form of a pillow case. Imagine that each time you praised or thanked God, a penny was dropped into the pillow case. By the end of your day, how much value (pennies) would you have added to God’s reputation (the pillow case)?

Is it any wonder that God’s name that is His reputation has little to no value because we do not regularly add value to His name? What would the weight of that pillow case be at the end of the day if a penny was dropped into the bag every time we praised or thanked God? Would the bag be light or heavy in weight? Did you know that the word for “glory” in Old Testament Hebrew is the word kabod which translated means “weight?”

Could it be that the lack of respect for God’s name is due to the fact that little to no value has been added to His name by the praises that come from our lips? Therefore, the next time you decide to approach God in a time of prayer, remember: All He wants from you is some respect (Just a little bit. Just a little bit).