Find the Gold [Habits of a Healthy Heart] — Pastor Jason Burns

Devotional

Day 1: Lack of honor restrains Jesus' power

When people who knew him best treated him as common and took offense, Jesus’ work in that place was restrained; familiarity and devaluation closed doors to the miraculous, so notice how honor—or the lack of it—affects presence and power in the spaces you inhabit. [10:51]

Mark 6:1-6 (ESV)
He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And when the Sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him, and these mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief.

Reflection: Identify one place or relationship where familiarity has made you dismissive of Jesus’ work; what is one concrete way you will honor Jesus’ presence there today (for example, show up early, speak a word of affirmation, or pray publicly for God’s work in that space)?

Day 2: Honor others—above, equal, below—for rewards

Jesus teaches an upside-down economy: honor flows in every direction—toward those over you, beside you, and under you—and welcoming others as valuable positions you to receive the corresponding reward and to reflect honor toward the One who sent you. [20:19]

Matthew 10:40-42 (ESV)
“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is righteous will receive a righteous person's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

Reflection: Name one person in each category this week—someone above you, one equal, one under you—and pick a specific honoring action for each (e.g., pray for your leader and send a short note, publicly affirm a peer, perform a humble act of service for someone under you); which three actions will you do this week and when?

Day 3: God is an abundant rewarder of seekers

God’s heart is to lavish beyond what’s owed; He is described as the rewarder who delights to give opulently to those who draw near by faith, so pursue obedience fully and expect God’s generous response. [06:29]

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Reflection: What is one act of obedience you've begun but not completed (the “two days of medicine” moment)? Decide today on one concrete next step to finish that obedience (for example: return to tithing for 30 days, join and attend one group for a season, confess and reconcile with someone) and commit to it now in prayer.

Day 4: Guard what you've worked for; receive full reward

John warns believers to watch themselves so they don’t lose what they’ve built in faith—spiritual work can be forfeited by drifting or half-hearted living—so protect the rhythms and practices that produce reward and finish the “prescription” of obedience. [05:10]

2 John 1:8 (ESV)
Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.

Reflection: Which spiritual practice or habit have you let slip that has real consequences (prayer, church attendance, serving, scripture)? Choose one to restart today, set a specific daily commitment for the next seven days, and tell one trusted person to keep you accountable.

Day 5: Honor family roles brings blessing and longevity

Scripture lays out a pattern of mutual submission, sacrificial love, and child-parent honor that creates stability and blessing in the home; choosing the path of honor in marriages, parenting, and family life carries both relational fruit and promised rewards. [28:08]

Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-3 (ESV)
21 Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself, 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

Reflection: Choose one family relationship where honor is strained—spouse, child, or parent—and plan one concrete honoring act you will do this week (for example: prepare a meal, ask for their counsel and listen, write a respectful and grateful note, or take one burden off their plate); commit to that action and schedule when you will do it.

Sermon Summary

We wrapped up Habits of a Healthy Heart by aiming at a habit that isn’t flashy but changes everything: honor. I opened with my cough-and-steroid story because we all know the principle—if you want the full benefit, you have to follow the whole prescription. The same is true with God. John warns us not to lose what we’ve worked for but to be rewarded fully, because God is a rewarder by nature—over-and-above generous. But in Mark 6 we see that dishonor restrained Jesus’ power in Nazareth. Not that he wouldn’t, but that he couldn’t do many miracles there because the people treated him as common. Scripture ties honor to faith; where there’s honor, heaven’s life flows.

Honor is not just polite behavior. We honor with actions, words, and—most revealing—our thoughts. Isaiah says lips can say the right things while hearts are far, and in Luke 5 the Pharisees never spoke a word out loud yet their inner contempt grieved Jesus. So this is heart work. Then we looked at the two times Jesus was “amazed”: at Nazareth’s unbelief and at a Roman centurion’s honor-filled faith that recognized authority. That centurion understood what many religious people around Jesus did not: honor releases authority.

Jesus lays out honor in every direction: up, across, and down (Matthew 10). Honor those above you, beside you, and entrusted to you—and each direction carries a reward. I gave four spheres where this plays out. Civil authority: we can disagree without dishonoring; God is still sovereign, and honor births peace. Family authority: God’s order in marriage and parenting is mutual, sacrificial, and life-giving, with a promise—honor your parents so it may go well and you may live long. Social authority: bosses, teachers, coaches—work as worship, kill entitlement, and watch God’s favor find you. Spiritual authority: Scripture calls for double honor, not so leaders can be elevated, but so people can receive. I asked for one year of “all in”—show up with expectation, serve the next gen, join or lead a group, tithe in trust—and see what God does in you.

Bottom line: in a world addicted to dirt, become a gold-digger. Find the value, speak to it, and serve it. Honor doesn’t make you smaller—it opens you to the full reward of a God who loves to bless his children.

Key Takeaways

1. Honor unlocks heaven’s reward Honor positions your life under God’s authority so that his power isn’t restrained by contempt or familiarity. Nazareth shows that treating the sacred as common shuts down what God longs to do. If you want the “full prescription,” practice honor in your relationships and before God. Reward is not accidental; it follows honor. [10:24]
2. Honor begins in hidden thoughts God weighs the interior life, not just our words and actions. Lip-service with a distant heart leaves us unchanged, and cynical inner commentary slowly calcifies our faith. Invite the Spirit to confront quiet contempt and replace it with reverent, truth-filled thinking. What you secretly rehearse becomes what you eventually live. [16:01]
3. Practice honor in every direction Jesus ties reward to honoring those above us, alongside us, and entrusted to us. Honor isn’t flattery—it’s a disciplined way of seeing God at work in imperfect people. As you bless up, across, and down, you’ll notice your capacity for love, patience, and joy increase. Honor forms the kind of community where grace flows freely. [19:41]
4. Disagree without dishonoring authority Honor doesn’t silence conviction; it sanctifies it. You can contend for truth without contempt, trusting God’s sovereignty over leaders, seasons, and outcomes. This posture releases peace, lengthens life, and draws favor—rewards Scripture attaches to honor in civil, family, social, and spiritual spheres. Courage without humility is noise; honor makes it fruitful. [24:51]

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
- Mark 6:1–6
He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And when the Sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him, and these mighty works performed by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. (Mark 6:1–6)

- Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

- Matthew 10:40–42
“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is righteous will receive a righteous person’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:40–42)

Observation questions

In Mark 6:1–6 what words, actions, or attitudes from the hometown crowd show how they “took offense” (dishonored) Jesus? How did that dishonor affect what Jesus was able to do there? [10:24]
Read Hebrews 11:6. How does the verse describe God’s character related to reward? What expectation does that create for a person who aims to honor God and others? [06:29]
In Matthew 10:40–42 Jesus links honoring people with “rewards.” What are the three directions of honor Jesus names (above, alongside, below) and what concrete reward language does he attach to each? [19:41]
Recall the Luke 5 story the pastor used (the paralyzed man lowered through the roof). What do the Pharisees’ unspoken thoughts in that scene reveal about the difference between outward words/actions and inward honor? [16:01]

Interpretation questions

How should the group understand the connection Mark makes between unbelief/dishonor and the restraint of Jesus’ power? In what ways does the text imply a causal relationship rather than merely a description? [10:24]
Hebrews 11:6 calls God a “rewarder.” What does that description suggest about God’s posture toward people who seek to honor him and others? What kind of reward does the passage imply—transactional, relational, or both? [06:29]
Matthew 10 presents honor as multi-directional (prophet/righteous person/little ones). How should the group interpret Jesus’ use of “reward” here: as personal blessing, communal flourishing, or both? How does that shape the way honor functions in a church community? [19:41]
The pastor emphasized that honor shows up in thoughts as well as words and actions. How should the group interpret the role of inner thoughts (attitudes, assumptions, cynicism) in whether honor is genuine or merely lip service? [16:01]

Application questions

Think of one person in a public or civil role you find hard to respect (local official, state leader, national figure). What is one concrete, respectful action you can take this week (pray for them, write a short note of thanks to a public servant, model respectful language) that honors God’s instruction to honor civil authority? [23:23]
In your closest family relationships, identify one specific habit or phrase that communicates devaluing (for example: sarcasm, eye-rolling, leaving conversations). What exact replacement behavior will you practice this week to demonstrate honor (a short encouragement text each morning, an intentional “thank you” at dinner, a listening hour without interruption)? [26:35]
Who in your workplace or team has been placed over you for a season (boss, coach, teacher)? Name one entitlement attitude you need to kill and one real step you will take this week to serve them (take on one task proactively, ask “how can I help?” and follow through). [29:50]
Identify one person you see as an equal (spouse, friend, coworker). What is a specific encouraging sentence or action you can give them this week that builds rather than tears down (send a short note about something they did well, bring coffee, publicly thank them)? How will you follow up? [21:17]
Where in your life do you find secret contempt, cynical inner commentary, or “lip service” worship (a relationship, a church situation, a spiritual discipline)? Pick one brief confession or prayer you will use before your next interaction with that person or place to reframe your heart toward honor (for example: “Lord, remove my contempt; help me see what you value”). [16:01]
The pastor asked people to give God one year “all in” (show up with expectation, serve next generation, join/lead a group, tithe). Which one of those specific commitments could you realistically start this month? What is your first concrete step and date to begin (e.g., sign up to serve Sunday, join a group starting X date, schedule a meeting with your giving plan)? [32:33]

Use the Bible reading to start your time together, then move through Observation → Interpretation → Application. Let each person answer honestly and practically—this study is about small, specific steps of honor that reshape relationships and invite God’s reward.

Sermon Clips

But this one, Hebrews 11.6, that God is a rewarder adds a fifth syllable, which means he doesn't just give you what you're owed. He gives you that over and over and over again. So instead of giving you $100, he gives you 100 times 100. Like this is his nature. This is who he is. He wants to reward us. So today, I want to show you how to take hold of heaven's reward. How to not live a life that accidentally misses out on the rewards that God, our rewarder, wants to give us. [00:06:43] (29 seconds) #ClaimHeavenlyRewards

``If I could give you this message in like one sentence, learn to be a gold digger for Jesus. Like find the gold in people, right? And Jesus wasn't honored. I want you to see it. Conversely, he was dishonored. And dishonor is to devalue, to treat something valuable as common. Now, why does honor and dishonor matter? The stuff we devalue and treat as common have the tendency of exiting our lives. We tend to miss out on them. [00:11:32] (29 seconds) #FindTheGoldInPeople

You can do the right stuff with the wrong heart and get the wrong result. He says, their worship of me is based merely on human rules that they have been taught. God, like it is possible for you to say the right things and to do the right things, but to have a heart that is so full of dishonor that all of your actions and all of your words fall flat. I want you to see this. The way we think and what's reflected in our heart matters so much. [00:14:22] (26 seconds) #HeartMattersMost

If we're going to be the kind of people who God uses to change the world, we need to understand the principle of honor and how it affects us in our relationships with those around us. Now, two chapters later in Matthew chapter 10, Jesus was teaching and he gives us the principle of how honor is supposed to work. Now, I want you to think about how honor usually works in our society. Honor almost always only goes up. We honor those who are above us as parents, as leaders, as governors, as presidents. That's who we honor. [00:18:46] (27 seconds) #HonorChangesEverything

You can disagree with someone without dishonoring them. I can choose to say, hey, I disagree with this politician stand on this particular issue or that particular issue, but you will never hear me openly criticize the president of the United States because God placed them there. Now, what does it mean? Here's what it means. It means that when you make this decision to say, God, even when I don't understand, I choose the path of honor, here's what you're saying. You're saying, God, I trust that you know more than me. [00:24:36] (26 seconds) #DisagreeWithHonor

If for no other reason than God used those people to create you, that's a reason to honor. You can protect yourself and you can have appropriate boundaries and all of those things, but you have to choose the path of honor. Third level of honor that I believe God calls us to is what's called social authority. Social authority is the people in our life that God has placed over us for a season or for a reason. Listen, this would be your boss at work. This would be your coach on the football team. This would be your teacher in the classroom. [00:28:48] (27 seconds) #HonorYourSeasonalLeaders

Let me tell you why it matters. Colossians chapter 3 says, pay attention to the way you work because you're not working for man. Your work is actually representative of how you view God. What's the reward? When you understand the social authority thing, the reward is it represents God well and draws the favor of God. And I'd rather have the favor of God than the favor of any boss any day. But one of the ways we get it is by the way we honor those people. [00:30:23] (27 seconds) #WorkForGodNotMan

There's nothing in this world I want more than to stand before God, to hear God say, well done. Like you did it. You did it right. Your life wasn't just about you. You lived your life to serve other people and to see what God can do through a life and really thousands of lives who say, God, I'm just all in. Let me end with this thought. This is the kind of message where it's easy to hear this to be like, all right, I got it. I need to go be nicer to the people around me. If that's the case, you missed it. [00:35:36] (32 seconds) #LiveToHearWellDone

A life of honor is a life that's thoughtful. It's kind. It's listening for ways to serve. A life of honor is putting the desires and the needs and the wishes of other people ahead of your own. A life of honor serves and looks for reasons and ways to serve, not to be served. And if we'll get this, it'll affect those underneath us, our kids, our families, the people who work for us. It'll affect our relationships here with our equals, and it'll affect those above us. But who it's going to most affect is you. [00:36:08] (29 seconds) #LiveToServe

John said, don't mess up. You've lived this great life. Don't mess up and miss out on the full reward that God, your rewarder, has for you. Listen to your pastor for a moment. I don't want you to miss out on the reward God has for you. So will you make this decision? Let's be a church. Let's be a people. You, me, let's be people of honor. [00:36:37] (24 seconds) #DontMissYourReward

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