Commandment #3: Making the Holy Vain
Exodus 20:7
I. Introduction
-Why preach from the ten commandments?
1. So we will know what God wants from us.
2. When you are born-again, you do not automatically know everything about what God wants.
3. That's why it is so important to study His Word.
4. So important to be in church (SS plug, Sun. PM, & Wed.)
5. Some say, "Get them saved, and the Spirit will tell them everything."
6. That's right, through His Word, through the preaching, & teaching!
-I preach assuming that you are hungry for God's truth.
1. ...that you want to learn.
2. ...that your desire is to be more like Christ.
3. ...that you want to increase your intimacy w/ God.
4. ...that you want to grow!
5. ...that you want to continue to be molded by the Master.
-My preaching (or any preaching) is ineffective if you are no more than a hearer. (vs. doer)
-Time of response (altar) is for Christians (sinners just have the opportunity to begin their journey, Christians have an obligation to continue!
-Otherwise this hour is wasted
II. Scripture
III. Background
-Of all the commandments, it can be argued that this one is viewed as the most frivolous.
1. If God says it, why do we try to change it?
2. Unashamedly proclaim truth.
-Israelites were very serious about this!
-For example:
1. Saying YHWH was punishable by death (even in the temple in a ‘reverent' way)
2. Scribes copying the Bible would have to go through a ritual bathing to be worthy to write the name of God.
3. They would never stop/pause in the middle of writing the name of God.
4. They were to break their writing utensils after writing YHWH.
3. When they wrote YHWH they left out the vowels.
4. If you wanted to talk about God you would say in Greek: Adonai (Lord) or in Hebrew: El, God.
-‘El' or God was used in names:
1. Genesis 32:28 "Then he said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed."" (Strives with God)
2. Genesis 33:20 "There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel." (God, the God of Israel)
3. Elijah, Samuel, Ezekiel, etc.
-Have we lost that respect/ reverence for the name of God?
1. It doesn't matter what about everyone else?
2. Have you lost it?
IV. In Vain
-Most translations will say: "You shall not take the name of the Lord [YHWH] your God in vain."
1. NIV waters it down to ‘misuse.'
2. The problem is far deeper than just misuse.
-Vain means void of meaning, or pointless or empty.
-In other words, do not use the name of the Lord in a way that would seek to make it meaningless.
-Note: You cannot make the name of the Lord vain, only use it in a vain way.
-We live in a time of Shakespeare who said: "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
1. That may be true about some things, but not God.
2. He is holy and we are to reverence Him.
-Why is one's name important?
1. You ever had a deep, close, intimate relationship with someone who's name you didn't know?
2. Ever been in the awkward position of forgetting someone's name?
-A name is important!
V. Using His Name in Vain
-How do we take God's name in vain?
-Using it as an exclamation mark!
1. Shock, fright, amazement, excitement, etc. are no reason to blurt out His name.
2. God's last name is not damn.
-Misusing or abusing his name:
1. "I swear to God."
2. Jesus said not to in Matt. 5.
3. God's name is not to be taken in vain by being used as a validation to your claims.
-Christian Hypocrisy
1. Claiming to be a Christian, but not living it is taking His name in vain.
2. Don't use his name for something so vain as trying to make yourself look good!
-Doing our Will in His name!
1. ‘Christian Crusades' and the claims of the popes.
2. Be careful when you begin a sentence with ‘God told me...'
3. Mormons; Jehovah Witnesses claim they are of God.
4. Ill. "God wants me to marry you."
5. Note: God will never contradict His written word!!
6. Everyone wants to use God to bring validity to their actions.
-Preaching (in God's name)
1. False prophets were not dealt w/ lightly.
2. I take preaching seriously (not editorial or soap box).
3. "Thus saith the Lord..."
-Using the name of the Lord for our own gain!
1. Profiting off the name of the Lord.
2. False miracles in the name of the Lord.
3. Acts 19; seven sons of Sceva; v.13b "I adjure by the Jesus whom Paul preaches." v.15 "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?"
4. The evil spirits beat them up and sent them off naked and wounded.
-We must not take the name of the Lord in vain...but why?
VI. A Name to be Hallowed
-His name is to be praised!
-Psalm 135:1 "Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord, give praise, O servants of the Lord"
-His name is not to be used for vain purposes by us, it is to be praised!
1. In reverence we should worship Him!
2. In awe and wonder we should glorify His name!
-Matthew 6:9 "Pray then like this: ‘Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.'"
1. Not hollowed!
2. Hallowed!
3. Literally the same root word for ‘to sanctify.'
4. "Sanctified be your name."
-Leviticus 22:32 "And you shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel. I am the Lord who sanctifies you."
-The God we serve is holy, so much so that even his name is holy and worthy to be praised!
VII. Power in His Name
-It is so holy that there is power in His name!
-We pray in the name of Jesus
1. You can pray in no other name!
2. No other name has the power to reach heaven!
-We are baptized in the name of Jesus!
-We are healed in the name of Jesus!
-James 5:14-15 "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. [15] And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven."
-(Acts 3) Peter heals "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!"
-There is power in the name of the Lord!
-Proverbs 18:10 "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe."
-There is power in the name of the Lord!
VIII. Conclusion
-Because there is power even in His name we need to be reverent in it's use.
-"God d*mn it!" what a dangerous curse uttered by a Christian.
-2 Kings 2:23-24 "He [Elisha] went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying ‘Go up, you baldhead. God up, you baldhead!' And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the Lord. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys."
-There is power in the holy name of Jesus.
-May we never take that in vain.
-Would you like to call on the name of the Lord today?
-That is the privilege we have.
Response
