DATE: 1-22-23
SERIES: 10 Commandments 2023
SERMON: Revere God’s Name
TEXT: Exodus 20:7 (ESV)
Watch the sermon here.
Take notes here.
As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time or are joining us at our North Main Campus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.
We’re in a preaching series where we’re looking at the Ten Commandments — taking a closer look at God’s top ten list and how it’s relevant and practical for our lives today. And — today’s command — like the previous commands we’ve looked at — is found in Exodus chapter twenty. And here’s our verse — only one verse for us as we continue our series on the Ten Commandments. We’re looking at verse 7, which says…
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7 ESV)
What’s in a name — have you ever thought about that? If you’re here today and you’re maybe hesitant to call yourself a religious person — or maybe find it difficult to believe that God even exists — you probably don’t give much thought about the name of God. So worrying about taking God’s name in vain — our commandment for today — isn’t that big of a deal for you.
But think — for a moment — how much weight we give to a person’s name. For instance, what does the name Mother Teresa mean to you? The name probably means something like “selfless love” and “sacrifice” — even if you’re not a Catholic. Or what about the name Hitler? It’s a name associated with “death, abuse of power, and destruction,” right? It’s why we don’t name our kids Adolph — because there’s something in a name.
Years ago, Emily and I went to a Tim Hawkins’ show — he’s a Christian comedian. The best joke — for me at least — wasn’t one of Tim’s jokes. It was a joke from the comedian who was on tour with Tim at the time. And the point of his joke ties into this idea of the importance of names. What do I mean? Well, have you ever heard of the town named Flippin, Arkansas? Well Flippin, Arkansas got that comedian’s attention. And some of you have already figured out why. Because that’s a crazy name for a town, right? Flippin, Arkansas.
Well this comedian had me laughing as he questioned how this got passed as the name for the town. So I looked up the town to see if it’s really true — did someone really name their town Flippin, Arkansas? And it’s a legit town.
Now “why is this funny,” you might be asking. Well here’s one reason why this is funny. (SHOW PIC OF POLICE CAR.)
Here’s the Flippin police car. Now — I love our law enforcement folks — so cut me some slack here — because — that’s funny. In Flippin, Arkansas you can say “there goes the Flippin police” and no one knows if you’re just stating a fact or throwing out an insult.
I even found a press release — from the Flippin police department that — I kid you not — is titled: “Two Flippin Residents Arrested on Felony Drug Charges.” And the report is signed by the Flippin Chief of Police. Now that’s funny. Can you imagine being a resident and having someone ask you, “Where do you live?” And you say, “Flippin, Arkansas.” They’re gonna think, “Geez, is it really that bad of a state to live in?”
Now we laugh — or at least I laugh at this — at the ridiculous name of that town, but it ties into our big idea for today — which is…there’s power in a name. There’s power in a name. Power to make us laugh when the name is Flippin, Arkansas. Power to make us disgusted when the name is Hitler. Power to inspire us when the name is Mother Teresa.
I remember a girl I met in Connecticut named Katrina. Her mom told me about the struggles her daughter was having after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast back in 2005. For a while, this young girl’s name was associated with the destruction of a hurricane and it was affecting this young girl. Why? Because there’s power in a name.
So what kind of power might we then expect in the name of God? Think of how even now — as I say the word God — what kind of associations come to your mind. There’s power in the name of God — even if you don’t believe he exists — because we all associate the name of God with something.
So as we look at this third commandment today — the third commandment of God’s top ten list — we’re going to ask ourselves three questions about the name of God. We’re going to ask: 1) What does it mean to take God’s name in vain? 2) Why does this command make God’s top ten list? And 3) what’s the punishment for breaking this commandment?
What does it mean to take God’s name in vain? Why does this make God’s top ten list? And what’s the punishment for breaking this commandment?
So let’s begin with question one: What does it mean to take God’s name in vain? Let’s look at our verse again.
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7 ESV)
Now most people — when they think of taking God’s name in vain — they tend to think of using God’s name in a derogatory way — like using it as part of a curse word. Now — taking God’s name in vain definitely includes these kinds of things — but to think that this is the only way to take God’s name in vain is to misunderstand what this verse is teaching us.
According to one of my Bible dictionaries the word “vain” — in our verse — means “worthlessness, vanity, or falseness.” So to take God’s name in vain is to say his name, use his name, think of his name, or associate his name in a way that’s not true to who God is.
Let me say that again because this is so important when it comes to understanding this commandment. To take God’s name in vain is to say his name, use his name, think of his name, or associate his name in a way that’s not true to who God is — because — God is not worthless or false.
Think of it this way. To take God’s name in vain is to misrepresent who God is. It’s to make God into something he isn’t — or the opposite — it’s to make something that’s not God, God.
If you remember back to two weeks ago — in the first commandment — we learned that we’re to have no other gods before us — which means we’re to only worship the one true God. We’re to be devoted to the one true God. We’re not to be a worshiper of anyone or anything else.
Last week, we learned that we’re not to worship idols. We’re not to create a god that we desire to worship — we’re to worship the one true God.
Next week, we’ll learn what it means to rest in the Lord — the Sabbath Day of rest — which, again — is about worship. I hope you’re catching a theme here. The first, second, and fourth commandments are all about worship.
So who’s willing to take a guess as to what this third commandment is about? It’s also about worship. And — since we’re to worship the one true God — to take God’s name in vain is actually an act of false worship. Because — in doing so — we misrepresent who God is. For — to take God’s name in vain — is to say, “The one true God isn’t good enough for me. So I’m going to misrepresent his name by creating my own little false god to worship and devote myself to. But I’m going to call this false god I’ve created — the capital “G” God. The God of the Bible. I’m going to call this false god the one true God.”
So now — I hope — we can all see how we’re in trouble. For some of us thought this commandment wasn’t an issue for us because you don’t cuss. But cussing is only one way we break this commandment.
So — yes — we take the Lord’s name in vain when we use it in a derogatory way — like cussing. But there’s so much more to this commandment than cussing alone. To take the Lord’s name in vain is to associate his name with something other than who he is as he’s said in his Word to us. It’s to redefine who God is rather than letting him define for us who he is.
Now that we understand what it means to take God’s name in vain — let’s move on to our second question which is…why would this make God’s top ten list? Why does “do not take God’s name in vain” make it into the Ten Commandments? Look with me again in verse seven.
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7 ESV)
Earlier I asked you what’s in a name and we saw how a name has power. Even if you’re not a religious person — you associate the name “God” with something. Again — God’s name might be associated with people who’ve caused destruction and death. For others, God’s name might be associated with comfort and peace. But — for all of us — we can’t be indifferent to the name of God — because a name has power.
And — in the Bible the phrase the “name of the Lord” embodies the power of God. The “name of the Lord” represents God’s nature — what he’s like. The “name of the Lord” represents God’s being, and his teaching, and what we’re to believe — for what God says is true. And “the name of the Lord” represents his morals and ethics — how God says we’re supposed to live. Think of it this way: the “name of the Lord” is a verbal symbol of all that God is.
Additionally, the “name of the Lord” is a place where God’s people find safety. It’s also the name that’s to be praised. According to the Bible, we’re to call upon the name of the Lord, exalt the name of the Lord, trust the name of the Lord, and we’re to fear God’s name. For — the name of the Lord includes God’s authority — thus we see in the Bible severe consequences for those who speak falsely in his name. Why? Because — in doing so — they misrepresent who God is.
So you can see why the misuse of God’s name would make it on his top ten list. For the “name of the Lord” — what we’re not to take in vain — represents all of who he is. And — if you and I get upset when people misrepresent us — well — why would we not expect the same of God when we take his name in vain and misrepresent him?
In 2015 our nation experienced a horrific tragedy. It took place at a community college in Oregon when a depraved young man shot and murdered numerous individuals who were in their first week of the new semester. When the sheriff addressed the press, he refused to release the name of the individual who was responsible for the tragedy. And the reason the sheriff gave — for not releasing the name — is because he didn’t want the murderer to get a few minutes of fame in the media. The sheriff knew that there’s power in a name and he didn’t want this man’s name getting any power by being released to the media.
Something different about this tragedy — though — for our nation, at least — is another name that was involved in the deaths of the victims. As reported by the New York Post, the New York Times, CNN, the Washington Post, and other media outlets — the murderer asked his victims to stand up. He then asked them if they were a Christian. And — though there’s some confusion as to whether or not every victim was a Christian — many reports from the survivors state that — if they said yes — he shot them — killing them.
These victims — as young as eighteen and as old as sixty-seven — faced the reality of a question many of us — who follow Jesus — have probably asked ourselves: “What would I do for Christ if I knew it would cost me my life?”
And some of these victims honored the name of the Lord by courageously saying, “Yes, I’m a Christian,” even at the cost of their life on this earth. Why? Because there’s power in the name of Jesus. Power that gives courage when we have a gun pointed at us. Power that gives peace when life’s out of control and not going the way we had hoped. Power that gives us confidence and compassion when our family members don’t agree with our faith. For there’s power in the name of Jesus.
The apostle Paul wrote these words to Christians in the city of Philippi. He said, “When he (that’s Jesus) appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. 9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the (what? God gave Jesus the…) name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:7b-11 NLT)
Do you see what Paul’s saying? Paul tells us that Jesus has been given the name that’s above all other names. So the most powerful name — of all names — is Jesus. And — one day — every other name — your name, my name, the name of every person who’s ever lived — will all bow down in submission to the name of Jesus. And one day — in the coming future — every person will say what about Jesus? They will say, “Jesus is Lord.” Because — the name Jesus — is the “name of the Lord” that’s not to be taken in vain. The name — Jesus — is not to be misused or misrepresented.
And this is so important when we take on the identity of a Christian. For — in saying “I’m a Christian” — is literally to represent his name. And we either represent Jesus’ name accurately — as a Christian — or we misrepresent his name to the world. We either honor his name — as a Christian — or we dishonor his name. We either embody his name — or we misuse his name when we claim to be a Christian.
Like I said earlier, it’s not just cuss words that are a misuse of Jesus' name. In fact — if we’re honest — we Christians misuse the name of Jesus more than we’d dare to admit by how we misrepresent him to the world through our words and actions.
Which leads us to our final question…
What’s the punishment for breaking this commandment? What’s the punishment — or consequence — for dishonoring the name of the Lord by taking it in vain? Because all of us are guilty — all of us have broken this commandment — so what’s the consequence? Look at verse seven with me one last time.
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7 ESV)
The Lord will not hold the person — who takes his name in vain — guiltless. Meaning — to misuse the name of the Lord — is to be guilty of breaking this commandment.
Now often — in the Bible — especially in the Old Testament — we see death as the punishment for misusing the name of the Lord. And — perhaps — like many — you’ve wondered, “Why death?” I mean isn’t that a bit drastic — a bit over the top of a consequence for misusing the name of the Lord?
But — if we remember that the name of the Lord includes God’s authority — we’ll remember that to speak for God in a false way is to misrepresent who he is to your listeners. And we also can’t forget that this commandment is about worship. So if we misrepresent who God is to those who listen to us — and they believe in our misrepresentation of God — then who are we really worshiping — and who are we asking them to worship?
Have we led them to believe in the one true God? No! We’ve caused them to believe in a false god. A god we’ve made up. A god we’ve evangelized for. A god we’ve enslaved others too. A god who we’ve enslaved ourselves too as well.
We might say we’re a Christian, but our actions demonstrate that we’re a slave to something other than Christ. We’re chained down by the god of prosperity, or comfort, or health, or our work. We’re chained down by the god of safety or control, the god of power or being our own authority. And the one true God isn’t blind to this. He sees us misusing the name of his Son and his verdict on all of mankind — including you and I — is guilty.
You’re guilty of breaking this commandment. Guilty of misusing his name. Guilty of taking the name of the Lord in vain. And this is a guilt that deserves punishment. And the punishment for breaking this commandment is death. And this punishment looms over all of us — death is in our future — for all of us will die.
And — for the vast majority of us — after our death — our name will be no more. We give such power to names of people, but think of how quickly we’re forgotten. A generation or two from now and none of us will be remembered. Think of how the most important names in our country’s history — the names of our presidents — think of how their names are virtually unknown by most of us. Sure — you might know a few of their names — but of the forty-five men who’ve held the highest office in our nation — how many of their names do you know?
And the reason why we know so few of their names isn’t just because we’re lazy or uneducated. The reason why these names are forgotten — and the reason why our names will be forgotten — is because of our guilt for breaking this commandment and the punishment of death that’s upon us. And — when you and I die — in just a few decades — our names will be forgotten. A just punishment for people who’ve misused the name of Jesus — the name that’s above all names — including our own names.
But there is Good News. “Good News? This sounds like awfully bad news to me.” Well we do need bad news for the Good News to really shine. The Good News is that God sent Jesus — and all that his name represents — to earth. And — while he lived on this planet — Jesus did not misuse the name of the Lord — instead — he honored it. He honored it in his life. He honored the name of the Lord in his death. And he honored the name of the Lord in his complete trust in God to raise him from the grave.
You see — the reason why Jesus has been given the name above all other names — is because Jesus is the only person to have ever obeyed this third commandment — and he did so perfectly. And — he did so — because he saw the punishment that was yours and mine — for misusing his name. Yet — because he loves you — and because he loves me — he took our punishment on the cross — paying the price for our dishonoring of his name. How incredible is that?
On the cross — Jesus bore the punishment for all of your sin — including your sin of misusing his name. On the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” While also crying out, “Father forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.”
As we were misrepresenting the name of the Lord — by having Christ murdered on a cross — Jesus perfectly represented the name of the Lord by forgiving us of our sin. And — although we deserve to be abandoned by God — for misusing the name of the Lord — Jesus was abandoned by God in our place so we can know — with confidence — that God will never abandon those who believe in his Son’s name. And the promise we’re given — in believing — is that — because of Christ — our names will now never be forgotten. For our names have been written down in God’s book of eternal life and we will be known by him for all eternity.
So — for all of us — the question isn’t whether or not you’re guilty of breaking this commandment — for we’re all guilty. The question for each of us is this: Who will bear your guilt and punishment for misusing the name of the Lord?
For those who believe in Jesus — the Good News — the chain breaking, unshackling, freedom from our slavery and guilt news — is that Jesus bore our punishment on the cross. He took on the chains of our guilt — so we could be set free to live for him. Jesus — by the power found in his name — has set you free to represent his name to the world.
How are you representing the name of the Lord — the name of Jesus — to the world? If you’re here today and you feel chained down by guilt — or feel enslaved to something you want to be freed from — know this: There’s power in the name of Jesus. He can break every chain that’s weighing you down — but only if you turn to him, trusting in his name, believing in his power, giving up control, bowing your knee before him, humbling yourself, and declaring that he is Lord.
And — when you do this — you honor the name of the Lord. And then — for the first time — you obey this third commandment as you acknowledge who the one true God is. And now you’re to go and represent who he is to the world by not taking his name in vain — but by representing his name to the world. Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, remind us of the power that’s in the name of Jesus.
Spirit, I ask that you would break every chain that’s holding us back from living in the freedom you’ve offered to us. Set us free to live for the name of Jesus — to represent him well to the world. May each of us bow our knees in submission to Jesus and declare that he is Lord. For there is no greater name — in Heaven or on earth — than the name of Jesus.
And — Jesus — help us to represent you well. Help us to bear your name honorably. Help us to live for your name — for yours is the name above all others. And it’s in your name that we pray. Amen.
May you go representing the name of Jesus well — living for his name — for his name is above all others. Amen.
God loves you. I love you. You are sent.
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