INTRODUCTION: A Community in Crisis
You don’t have to look far to see it—our streets are dirty, our language is filthy, our families are fractured, and our values are gone.
West Louisville isn’t just suffering from poverty or politics. It’s suffering from a lack of respect—for self, for others, and for God.
- Trash is everywhere because nobody honors where they live.
- Children curse their parents because nobody teaches them honor.
- People blast filthy music at full volume and strut through the streets half-naked without shame.
- Men get drunk, get high, film it, and show it off like it’s funny.
But it’s not funny—it’s foolish. And it’s sinful.
Proverbs 14:34
Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
If we want change, we don’t need another program—we need a return to respect and the fear of God.
POINT 1: Respect Begins with the Fear of the Lord
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Until people fear God again, there will be no lasting change.
That’s why people today treat others like trash—because they’ve never been taught to fear the Lord.
When you fear God, you don’t throw your trash in the street. When you fear God, you don’t cuss out your mother. When you fear God, you don’t post videos of yourself high, drunk, or half-naked.
Jeremiah 6:15
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.
People today don’t hide sin—they film it. They get drunk, get high, get naked, dance nasty, and post it to the world. They don’t blush—they brag.
But God sees it, and He says woe unto their soul.
Isaiah 3:9
The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
Point 1 is respect begins with the fear of the Lord.
POINT 2: Chaos Spreads When Nobody Cares
Ecclesiastes 9:18
Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.
One person decides not to mow their yard—now the whole block looks abandoned. Money spent on soda, chips, and pottery tickets instead of a mower.
One person dumps garbage in the alley—now others follow. The soda bottles, chips, and lottery tickets get thrown in my yard. I don’t want it my yard. It’s garbage. It’s a waste of money.
One girl dances dirty on camera—now her friends think it’s cool. One guy gets drunk and films it—his whole crew imitates it. This is not good. It’s not cool. It’s not awesome. It makes me sick to my stomach. It’s wickedness. Stop doing these things.
1 Corinthians 5:6
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
Sin is contagious. Disorder is contagious. When you do these things, it spreads. Do you want to live that way? It’s not good.
You can be the one who turns the tide. Hey, listen, you must be the one who turns the tide for you and your family. Are you hearing me today? Are you going to do this or not? Something must change. We aren’t here at church to stay the same. I am not here to spend all my time every week preparing, working hard, and not seeing anything change. Things need to change.
Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Point 1 is respect begins with the fear of the Lord. You need to fear the Lord. Point 2 is chaos spreads when nobody cares. You need to care.
POINT 3: God Cares About How You Treat Others—and Yourself
Matthew 7:12
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Don’t want someone throwing trash in your yard? Then don’t do it to them. Don’t want people blaring filth past your baby’s window at midnight? Then don’t blast your music past theirs. In the middle of the night, I hear bass shaking our home. No respect for other people. None. And then you won’t get the respect you want.
But this goes deeper than how we treat others—it’s how we treat ourselves.
1 Corinthians 6:19–20
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
If your body is God’s temple, why are you showing it off half-naked on social media? Why are you pouring alcohol or poison into it, or clouding it with weed smoke, or flaunting it in the streets? Not good. Very, very bad.
Galatians 5:19–21
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
If you think these things are okay, you need to wake up. It’s time to make a change. When you find yourself partying, you need to wake up and see what’s actually happening. It’s actually a shame. If you could only see yourself and what that actually looks like. God hates it.
We weren’t made to glorify sin—we were made to glorify God.
Point 1 is respect begins with the fear of the Lord. Point 2 is chaos spreads when nobody cares. Point 3 is God cares about you treat others and yourself. You better treat yourself well and others well. Trashing your own body with drugs, alcohol, and other things is disrespectful to God. Treating others bad is spitting in the face of God. Watch out.
POINT 4: Take Care of What God Has Given You
Genesis 2:15
And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
God told Adam to tend and keep the place He gave him. That principle still applies. God gave us this earth and it’s not okay to just trash it all.
Your house, your apartment, your car, your yard—that’s the space God gave you.
Letting it fall apart, trash it up, or live in filth is dishonoring the God who provided it. It’s laziness and sin. For example, God gave you clothing. Take care of it. Someone worked hard and paid for it. Don’t just trash it like it’s nothing. Bring back honor and respect in your life.
Psalm 24:1
The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
The streets of West Louisville belong to God. But they’re covered in the trash of people who don’t respect Him. When you throw trash out the window, you disrespect God Almighty. That’s pure laziness. There a trash can for trash. God’s earth isn’t your trash can. Have honor and respect for what God gave you.
1 Corinthians 10:31
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Now, if you aren’t seeing this, you need to look again. WHATSOEVER YE DO, do ALL to the glory of God. Everything you do should give glory to God. Getting drunk doesn’t give glory to God. Throwing YOUR trash all over the streets isn’t giving glory to God. Doing nasty dances and posting them all over the Internet is not giving glory to God. It’s giving glory to Satan.
Whose side are you on? If you are on God’s side, act like it.
You call yourself a Christian and then do all these things? You’re making Jesus Christ look bad. You’re supposed to represent Jesus Christ and yet you act like a devil. Jesus takes this very seriously.
Point 1 is respect begins with the fear of the Lord. Point 2 is chaos spreads when nobody cares. Point 3 is God cares about you treat others and yourself. Point 4 is take care of what God has given you. He’s given you so much. And he sees how you treat what he’s given you.
POINT 5: God Commands Order—Not Chaos
1 Corinthians 14:40
Let all things be done decently and in order.
In this church, we will have order here. It’s going to be different in here than it is out there. We’re going to come into church to worship God. We’re going to sing, worship him, praise him, be quiet and listen to the preaching of God’s word, and pray to him.
And we’re going to do this decently and in order. I love order. I’ve given it enough time here. You’ve had time to see how others act. My Dad and Mom don’t get up, run around, and cause distractions throughout church.
Shelia doesn’t talk throughout the service. She’s a great example. Take a look at how Shelia acts during the services. She listens. She pays attention to every word. She is a great example. Janie is the same great example. You need to watch them and act like them. There are other great examples in here. Don’t be the bad example. The good examples in here give respect and honor to God.
Look again. “Let ALL THINGS be done decently and in order.” That starts right here in this church. And then that goes into the rest of your life. This church is an example for you to follow in your life.
A life that honors God is a life of order. Not disorder. Not loud cursing, drunken parties, or viral videos full of filth. People have told me they have heard kids cursing in here. I don’t want to hear it. God especially doesn’t want to hear it.
Titus 3:1–2
Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
God is not impressed by rebellion. He blesses those who walk in gentleness, respect, and submission to order.
Point 1 is respect begins with the fear of the Lord. Point 2 is chaos spreads when nobody cares. Point 3 is God cares about you treat others and yourself. Point 4 is take care of what God has given you. Point 5 is God commands order and not chaos. Your life shouldn’t be filled with chaos.
You should have a plan each day, and you should execute that plan. For men, you need to have jobs and you need to be doing them. I don’t want to hear the excuses. Get one and keep it. Get there and get the job done. Do things decently and in order. Don’t expect everyone else to take care of you.
POINT 6: It’s Time to Raise the Standard of Honor Again
2 Timothy 2:21
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
God wants to make something honorable out of your life. But you’ve got to purge yourself—that means get rid of the drunkenness, the nasty things, the public shame, the loud foolishness, the chaos, the garbage—inside and out.
Hey, purge yourselves from all these things. If you’re stuck in a home filled with evil, it’s time to get out of there. Get your own home. Get to work. Get away from evil. Get rid of the chaos out of your life.
It’s time for you to raise that standard of honor and respect in your life. Stop disrespecting God and do things the right way.
Proverbs 22:1
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
A good name won’t come from flashing money or chasing power—it comes from walking with God and living with honor. That’s what gives you a good name.
Your name is worth more than great riches. Make sure you are hearing this. So, look. It’s time to get a good name. Don’t take your name and post trash all over the internet. Don’t go out in these streets and ruin your name.
If they know your name at the liquor stores, you’ve got a problem. That’s not a good name. Raise the standards in your life.
Point 1 is respect begins with the fear of the Lord. Point 2 is chaos spreads when nobody cares. Point 3 is God cares about you treat others and yourself. Point 4 is take care of what God has given you. Point 5 is God commands order and not chaos. Point 6 is it’s time to raise the standard of honor in your life.
CONCLUSION: It’s Time to Clean House
Isaiah 1:16–17
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
This isn’t just about picking up trash—it’s about putting away sin. Follow the laws out there. Follow the laws in the Bible.
Clean your house, clean your heart, clean your habits.
Let people walk by your home and feel conviction. Let your kids see a man of honor. Let your friends know you’ve left the foolishness behind.
And don’t allow people to discourage you from doing good. Continue to do good no matter what. Others will try to destroy the good, but God will destroy them. You want to be on God’s side. And to do that, you need to have and honor and respect in your life.
Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
FINAL CALL TO ACTION:
- If you’re saved—live like it. Clean your life. Walk in honor. Speak with dignity. Dress with modesty. Stop sharing shame.
Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
- If you’re not saved—get saved today.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
John 6:47
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
- Be the one who breaks the chain. Honor starts with YOU.
Start with your house. Start with your phone. Start with your yard. Start with your habits. It all starts with YOU.
Galatians 6:9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
If you want to throw trash out in the streets, you’ll get it back. If you want to post nasty videos, you’ll get it back. God is watching. You will be punished. Remember that. Stop the sin now.
Do good at all times. Don’t come to church, act good, and then go home and do all kinds of nasty things. This is not good. And you’re making God angry. Don’t make God angry.
Bring back honor and respect.
Let’s pray.
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