Exodus 20: 3rd Commandment Bible Study - Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Let's stand together. It's one simple verse but it's

still worthy of our reverence and it's worthy of our

attention. Exodus chapter 20 beginning in

Exodus 20 · chapter mention

verse 7. 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.

Father, we thank you again for this word.

An ending in Revelation. Blessing upon blessing.

And Lord, we just ask that as we continue in the Ten Commandments

you would continue to reveal to us who you are.

And the blessings that come from your commands for by them, we

have life. And we thank you Lord for Jesus,

who fulfilled the law for us because we could not do it.

But Lord. We also thank you that by the

spirit, you have written them written them on our hearts.

So now we long for them. So Lord, as we with your word,

through your word and in your word, discover this command give

us Clarity from confusion and give us willingness to obey in

Jesus name. We pray, amen.

You may be seated. The first two Commandments of

the Ten Commandments. And as we finish these 10

commandments, you're probably going to hear the same

introduction following up from what we learned last week.

And that's okay because it's going to stick in our brains

that much more, the first two Commandments dealt specifically

with the people. And their complete devotion and

adoration towards God that there were to be no other God.

But this God, the true and living God, the only God and

that they were not to even take this God, if they have decided

to worship Him and try to manipulate him or try to carve

him into their own image or try to remove things of him, that

they might not feel too comfortable with or add

something to him that they might.

Need, concerning their carnal flesh to be fulfilled. and we

are motivated here to understand why these two Commandments are

important because he is what Why is he giving these commands?

It's in the second verse and we talked about extensively.

Why did God give these first two Commandments?

Because he's a jealous, God. He is jealous ferociously,

jealous that he himself wants us for himself complete, adoration

complete devotion, complete sacrifice unto him and him

alone. And that is something that we

can agree with concerning on a human level.

If any of us want to be in any Covenant relationship, we want

Total devotion from that spouse from that person and God wants

nothing less. Now, when we come to the third

commandment, we are still dealing with God's righteous

passion. His fiery Zeal for total

obedience to him is found in verse 1 and 2 and that passion

continues and in this third commandment, but the object of

his passion is not us The first two Commandments, the object of

his passion is you and me, I want you.

I'm jealous for you for the spirit that I've made to dwell

in you. You're mine.

We should be stirred by that but the third commandment, he has a,

he has a righteous deal but it's not for us necessarily and we

can Rejoice that God gives us commands.

And God gives us instructions because he loves us, but there's

something else that motivates God.

What is it? Read it right there.

You shall not take the name of the Lord.

What is he zealous for? What is he jealous for?

What is he passionate about his name?

His name and though he is yes again motivated by love to

sacrifice and to show long-suffering and to even

demonstrate his power. Isn't it wonderful that when you

read Jesus performing Miracles? Oftentimes, it's coupled with

the Revelation that he is compassionate that he did his

miracles because he was a compassionate, he is a

compassionate God but we can never imbalance that Truth by

removing the understanding that he's also jealous for his glory.

So you kind of have these two ideas, concerning how God

relates to, man, you have those that say it's all about his

love, he loves us, he died for us because he loves us.

That's true. But they don't, they don't talk

about the fact that he also wants to glorify himself.

Then you have the other side that's all about God's glory.

Jesus died for his glory. Jesus did this for his glory?

Jesus. All these things she saves for

his glory. He heals for his glory and then

they don't really talk about the love.

Can we just marry the two and just be balanced?

he loves us and he is jealous for us, but he also is jealous

for his name and this commandment has to do exactly

with that name, his name and so, he speaking to those who are

familiar with his name, and what is he trying to say here is

trying to say this, I want you to be careful how you handle my

name. Because based on how you handle

my name will determine how I will receive glory honor and

recognition. How we as his people treat this

name will determine to some degree how God through us will

receive glory to his name. And so we have to really take he

to this, but we're going to realize, I believe more than

anything how God really values his name.

It's probably going to shock us. The extent that God goes to to

make sure that his name is protected concerning its

reputation. So what does he do?

He gives us different titles of his name.

He reveals himself early on an exodus as I am.

I am who I am and the beauty about all of his titles.

And all of these things that he relates to himself is ultimately

a reflection of his character. We have to remember that even

names given to certain Saints in the scriptures and certain

people as we know are given because it reveals something

about either that person's character or that person's

Destiny and it's so much more true for God that his name.

Why? Because when we mention his

name, and when we speak of his name, we would be reminded of a

certain attribute. We would be reminded just by the

mention of his name. We would know that he is Holy

that he has powerful, that he is loving that he is gracious and

forgiving now, if that name is associated with anything, other

than who he truly is, it becomes an assault to his character.

None of us in here would like our name associated. to a

certain circumstance or situation, or even a person,

That is not living righteously or that is not acting.

Holy or a situation that is not honorable.

None of us want to be associate and we have the right to be

frustrated. If somebody does bring our name

into something that it should not be brought into how much

more God, how much more God. And so this commandment has

everything to do with that. Let me read this verse you in

Exodus 916, he says this early on But for this purpose, he's

talking about raising up Pharaoh.

But for this purpose, I've raised you up to show you my

power. Why so?

That my name may be proclaimed in all the Earth.

I want my name to be known throughout the entire world and

I want my name to carry such a reputation that when they hear

my name, they would know my axe. That At The Mention Of My Name,

they would know that I am the god that delivered my people out

of Egypt that split the Red Sea that destroyed all the false

gods of pharaoh and all of his Nation.

Psalms 111 verse 9. This is powerful.

Psalms 111:9

He sent Redemption to his people.

He has commanded his Covenant forever.

Holy and awesome is his name. Holy and awesome is his name.

So if we really want to get to the center reason for this

command, it's for this. He wants to instill in the minds

of his people. And understanding of his name in

such a way, pay attention that we would be careful how to use

it in our verbal activity. and, We would Revere it when it is

mentioned amongst us. Let me say that again, God

through this command wants to instill in his people.

Such an understanding of his name that we would be careful of

how to use it in our verbal activity and we would Revere him

when it is even mentioned by a whisper This is what he's trying

to do. He says, don't don't take my

name in vain which now we open up to one another.

What does it mean to take God's name in vain?

So songs about like you said, associated with anything that

isn't glorifying him. But at the same time, if you, if

you call yourself, for example, question ourselves, Christian,

we should walk a life that honors God, the same for them,

and they associate themselves with God, they should have to

walk the life that God intends for them.

Or else that through actions taking his name is Randy.

Vein it's smearing his name so we're not just strictly talking

about some lip service here are we is God taking God's name in

vain strictly restricted to how we speak of him or how we live

how we live. And we're going to see that more

than anything. Yes.

So we represent his name. So, how I live must be in line

with the person and the God that I represent.

What are the things involve taking God's name in vain?

Associating things that are not glorifying him.

Absolutely. Yeah.

Using lord's name to push an agenda.

That's not a. Oh yeah.

We see that a lot. Unfortunately, today I'm going

to talk about in a moment to taking his name for the purpose

of advancing an agenda. Yeah.

Oh, we'll get into it, we'll see ya.

We're going to discover in a moment.

Yes, this character that kind of things like so dragging his name

in the dirt, to even associate him or to even say something in

the same sentence that does not honor or glorify who he is.

Absolutely. And that's kind of the common

way. We understand taking God's name

in vain, is that we put his name or we replace his name with

something that is Not wholly, sure.

Any other way we can take God's name in vain.

This is important. So we said some surprisingly,

because people have this narrow view of taking God's name.

In vain is saying that three-letter word phrase when

you receive bad news, or when you're surprised or when you get

startled by something, it's deeper than that.

Yeah, swearing. That's as simple as that when we

use his name as a cuss word, that's the common view.

Absolutely. We shouldn't neglect that

though. That is the main way, there are

many ways. Yes, The way we live

associating, his name to what is not wholly.

Not glorifying his name, cussing, and swearing

absolutely. Advancing a genda.

Yes. Well it would help us to look

into what the word vain means. The Hebrew word for vein is shot

of the root word is she've. And in this sense, it has three

main words that are associated with it.

One of them is worthlessness worthlessness, the other is

false sness rockets sness, and valueless So when we're talking

about something being in vain, it's something that is false is

associated with something that is false, It's associated.

Something that is worthless and valueless, and in the root word,

it even has this idea of Destruction destruction.

So when we look at the original language, God is saying and we

can we can look at it, different ways.

Don't use my name in such a way where you destroy it.

Or don't use my name in such a way that I am related to

something that is false. Don't use my name in a way that

makes it worthless. Don't be so casual with my name.

But it's almost lost its value. And so it has to do with all

these things. And so if we were to kind of

rephrase this command, we can make it as simple as this.

You shall not address God's name casually or represent it

falsely. You shall not address God,

casually or represent it falsely.

Remember that? And this is what he's saying.

It's beyond using my name in the same sentence as a cuss word,

though. That is part of it.

And so I want us to talk about the different ways in which we

can take God's name in vain. Number one, in our speech.

And there's subcategories with that in our speech.

The first way that somebody can take God's name in vain is how

we address his name. How one addresses the name that

is above every other name? What did Jesus say when he

taught his people? How to pray?

When you pray, what does he say? Anybody know the Lord's Prayer?

Pray. Then like this, don't pray this

you can pray it, but we have a whole system now that's built

upon repetition and vain ritualistic addressing to God.

No, pray then like this take the elements of this prayer and

apply it to your own prayer. Life, what is it?

What's the first thing that he says, father?

Who art in heaven, Hallowed? Be Your Name.

Hmm. How low would be your name?

What does that mean? Sacred.

Yes. Glory.

Yes. But what's the address being?

What is it? What is it?

What are we saying? When we say Hallowed be your

name? Holiness to your name.

Yes. Glorifying your name, set apart.

Yes, that's the main part being set apart.

So it's addressing God in this way.

Your name is like no other name. You are lovely.

You Are Holy, you are beyond my understanding, you are great,

and greatly to be praised. And so what Jesus is even

telling us as Believers, how to address God is that we should

address him in such a way. That you would not address

somebody else. How you address?

Someone reveals a lot of how you respect them.

Isn't that true? How you address an individual

reveals much about how you respect them?

Now, no matter what your opinion is of the president, the

president came here to give a speech.

I don't know why you would but if you came here to give a

speech and there was an open Q&A, I don't think well this day

and age, probably nobody would be bold enough to say hey Donald

Or ADT. if you've ever been in court, You know what you have to

say to the judge when you want to address the judge your honor.

Why? Because there are certain people

who have been given a level of authority and their position

carries power and that alone deserves our respect.

There are certain people who have been given Authority and a

position of power and that alone causes us to address them in a

way knowing that they can exercise that Authority.

Now, how much more for the name that is above every other name?

How much more? Are we to address the Holy One?

The one again, who has been given the name above every other

name. You know, what means that he has

authority over all authorities and all the powers of this world

combined. Cannot even come close to the

power that comes from his breath alone.

And this is the one that you and I have access to pray to Which

is amazing because there's a mingling of two realities.

There's this understanding of him being father, but then I

still in the same breath have to say Halloween, be your name.

How do you reconcile that? That's an important question.

How do you and I reconcile the fact that he is father but he's

also King of the universe. How do you reconcile in your

prayer life? How do you understand that in

your walk with the Lord? That he is father.

But he's also King hope so. Yeah, absolutely.

So the same thing you would honor your father so you honor

the Lord and have beer of your father, as well.

I would be something along those lines.

Sure. And I think that's becoming

increasingly difficult because we have a lot of this generation

that is even how to respect our own parents.

That don't even know how to address their own parents.

And if you can't address people that you can see respectfully.

How are you going to address someone?

You can't see respectfully. Sure.

How do you reconcile father? And that if you were to even

meditate upon his Holiness, you would, you would realize that

the ground is not low enough for you to lay prostrate on.

How would you explain it to somebody who comes up to me,

says, you believe, God is like your father, right?

Sure. But you also believe that he's

the god of the entire universe, right?

Sure. How do you reconcile that And I

believe one way to reconcile that, at least in my own mind,

is that when I do understand him as father, the place for me to

come to into revering, him is understanding how I became a

son. When I realized that he's not

just automatically my father, the world is not God's children.

That is a right given to those who believe on his son.

So, when I come to the place of understanding that God is

father. I must also in that same thought

realize that that's not something that came about

automatically and there is something done for me to become

his son and when I realized that that transaction of identity has

come through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that the same one

that I call, Father is the same one that poured out his wrath

upon the son. And on the cross allow them to

experience a pain that is beyond anything that we can even

comprehend for me to be adopted as a son.

In that same thought you will feel the weight of his holiness.

You will and you will realize that though he is Father for him

as king to bring you to that place of having relationship

with him is an astounding thing. That he is just he is Holy, he's

all these things yet. I can still call him father, and

it brings you into that balance of understanding.

How, yes he is King, but he deserves my reverence.

And so that's the beauty of it. How we address him.

And you've heard me say this before, but it's worth

mentioning again. There is, there is a casualty

Towards God in. Even the way we address him.

I remember when I was first saved and we were doing these

group little things where we would come and just have group

discussions after the church service.

And I would hear this is just freshly saved.

I would hear the way. People would address God.

And just, just a new, as a new believer, I would say that just

doesn't sound right. it just doesn't seem appropriate to say

these words or to be so casual, And as you grow in your

knowledge of God, you will realize that.

And if you really meditate upon who he is, even in your prayers,

you will be careful with how you address him.

Even behind pulpits. One thing to observe is to see

how that individual addresses God.

And oftentimes, you see a very flippant cool, relaxed Jesus.

Yet that person does not even realize that that sermon that

they prepared will be brought up at the Judgment seat of Christ

and they will be judged for what they just preached that day.

And so we have to have this understanding of addressing him

rightly Jesus even said, when you pray, say how holy his name

is sanctify his name even in the way you address him.

We do not take the lord's name in vain.

By dressing him wrongly. Not just by how we address him,

but how we apply his name. The first one is how we address

his name the second way in, which one can take the lord's

name in. Vain is how we apply his name.

Leviticus, 19 12 says this. You shall not swear by my name.

Falsely and so profane, the name of your God.

I'm the Lord. You shall not swear by my name

falsely. Now, what does that mean?

Don't take it, don't take an old by God's name.

Is that all it means that's part big.

Part of it. Absolutely.

If you make a promise in both the Lord is like y'all didn't

answer. I need his name.

I promise you this and you don't keep it.

Don't do that. Could you what is it exactly

what he's saying there in your attempt to validate your

statement to be true. When in fact you yourself know

what's false and you bring in the name of God to that

statement, you just took in his name in vain And so when

somebody says, oh I swear to that, I will do this.

And I promise to that, I will perform this and you and your

mind know that you will not. You are associating, God's name

to something like deception and a lie and he wants no part of it

because he's holy And so, he says, don't swear by my name

falsely. I want nothing to do with

falsehood. I want nothing to do with

deception. I want nothing to do with lies.

Keep me out of it. And Jesus Takes it up a notch.

He takes it up a notch. This he not.

Where does he do that? Does anybody know Matthew 5.

Matthew 5 34 to 35. What does he say?

But I say to you, do not take an oath at all.

Why would tells us what we're not supposed to associate with

an oath by heaven for it is the Throne of God.

Or in other words, it's where God dwells Or on Earth for it.

Is his footstool Or by Jerusalem for is the city of the great

king. And then he goes on to say just

let your yes, be yes. And your no be no.

We have to understand this because what Jesus is saying,

here to Believers is absolutely brilliant.

So he's saying here, hey, don't even taken off at all.

Don't try to swear by this or swear by that or swear even on

your own head. Don't But just let your yes.

Be yes. And your no be no.

What is he trying to say? Because it's challenging.

Yes, your bingo. The Lord wants to develop

Believers. That are so honest in their

character and are so consistent in their commitment that when

you just say yes, it's a done deal, it's gonna happen.

And when you say, no, it's no. And what he's trying to say is I

don't want you to try to enhance the truthfulness of your

statement by trying to bring my name into it or you swearing by

something. I want you to be such an honest

person, I want you to be such a woman of your word.

Such a man of your word that when you say you're gonna do

something the person that you said, yes to will not even

question it. Oh, how convicting is that?

Are you a person that if you say yes to something that person can

guarantee he'll do it? Or if that person says no, can

you trust that person? And maybe, you know, somebody

that said yes, to something so many times that if you were to

ask him again, you know, there's a question mark even when you

ask them, hey, are you going to do this?

Yeah. And in your mind, you like,

you're not going to do it. You said, what's a modern way of

looking at it? Well, here's a modern way of

looking at it. Hey, can you do this?

I'll pray about it. And, you know, the person who

just said that, you know that the answer is no.

Yeah, I'll pray about it. And maybe you are going to pray

about it. If that's the case, I'm pray

about it. But if you know in your answer

as that person is saying something to you, you're like

I'll pray about it when the answer is no just say no just be

a man of your word and say I can't I can't.

I love the story about Nathaniel.

That short little story because when he when he encounters,

Jesus, Jesus says something about him, what does he say?

A man in whom there is no deceit.

He was so truthful in his statements, he's at what good

can come out of Nazareth. and so, what you hear is, what you

get Now, don't confuse that with rudeness.

Don't confuse boldness with rudeness.

There's a difference. But there's something about a

heart in which when they say something you know that they're

honest in their statement that there's no fogginess, there's no

Hayes. You're like I don't know, it's

just plain truth and Jesus wants to produce that in his

disciples. He said don't try to be somebody

that says okay I'm going to make this statement more weighty by

associating God's name with it. I'm just going to be a person

that so consistent when I say something people will believe

me. And so how we apply his name.

Now, there are certain circumstances, especially you're

going to hear this and you're going to read through the

Epistles and you're going to see moments or even Paul takes an

oath. There are certain circumstances

and that's beyond the, the teaching.

Now, even in this life, you might have to take an oath in

some circumstances. That's different.

There's a sense here where Jesus saying, don't be flippant and

loose and voluntary would just making Oaths as a habit or

because you want to try to prove your statement to be more true

just being This person build such a reputation that people

will take you for what you say. Just feel the weight of

conviction. Just how powerful our words are

and how jesus takes him. So seriously, Not only how we

apply his name to our statements, to our promises.

But how we speak on behalf of his name.

So we talked about how we address his name, we talked

about how we apply his name. Now it's how we speak on behalf

of his name. Let me read this text from

Jeremiah, you don't return. There was just read it.

He's talking about the false prophets and he says, this and

Jeremiah 20:7 15. I have not sent them declares

Jeremiah 20:7

the Lord, I have not sent them. But they are prophesying falsely

in my name. The famous.

Three-letter phrase that you here.

I hope not too often, especially if it's not true.

God told me fill in the blank. and there are some people that

say that so frequently, For whatever reason, there are some

people who say certain things and they just want to say, God

told them so that they can just sound more spiritual.

It's like this in. That's not that deep of a

revelation, it's pretty plain but it just because I want to be

more spiritual you know. The Lord told me this really And

to a more serious level, their people.

Who because they want to advance an agenda.

We'll bring in the name of the Lord.

To affect the naive. you know what it says in Romans about

false teachers and says that they affect the naive, it's the

naive that buy into false teaching And you might be

thinking really this stuff happens.

I remember when somebody came up to me, I don't know why they did

this. Maybe they were just trying to

test it who subscribe to a certain person's Ministry.

And they would get newsletters and different things, but this

was like a text message thing and this person showed me a text

message of this man of God. Who said the angel of the Lord,

and the text message, I read it for myself.

The angel of the Lord appeared to me and gave me instructions

for you. Send via text or through PayPal

$50 for me to reveal what the angel of the Lord revealed to

you, you believe that? You and I are sighing and we're

laughing. But here's the thing, people

actually buy into it or else those things wouldn't last and

those people wouldn't be living in those kind of mansions and

driving those kind of cars because people don't read their

Bibles. And don't have it under stairs.

So moved by emotion there. So moved by the supernatural.

That anything that comes they're willing to buy into it because

they do not have the filter of the scriptures before them.

You've heard me say this before and I will say it again.

You can come to such a place in your understanding and the

handling of the sword of the spirit that even if you were to

hear a sermon and you hear some statement being made, you can

recognize when it's true or false because your your mind is

saturated. With the truth.

Where an alarm goes off because you know, the scripture when

somebody declare something contrary to the scripture or

somebody delivers the scriptures, even in an unworthy

manner, you can detect it because you have the wisdom of

God. I fear terribly for those who

casually used God's name to advance a message, or their

Ministry, or the reputation. And I would love to unpack this

more concerning. What do we do with somebody?

Who says, you know, I feel like the Lord is prompted something

on my heart but listen, even if if you if you have that where

the Lord puts something on your heart and you sense that and you

pray about and you seek wisdom on it, we always have to once

again, approach it with caution. Always with caution.

Because what can happen is and what has happened is there a lot

of people who are experiencing this even now that because

somebody has been so flippant with this, God told me and

whatever they told them happens not to be true or happens to be

something that's false effects that person.

To a level that you. And I can't even imagine.

And there are people who have been haunted by years by

statement, being made by somebody who was so arrogant

enough to not even say something in a way where they approach it

with humility. And say, you know, I've been

praying for you and I don't know if this is, this is the Lord or

what, just take this and just bring it before the Lord, but

come with such arrogance because they want to seem bold and they

want to seem profit like and they damaged people.

And they walk with the sense of being haunted by something that

they don't even know if it's true or not.

And so there has to be. Caution around his name and

ultimately more than anything though.

People might be damaged by it and people can be greatly

edified by. Like I said, I want to unpack

this too much. I'm trying to restrain myself.

But ultimately God's name. God's name is involved with

that. The last thing anybody should

want is somebody to be turned off by God because of how

Loosely we use his name. how we address his name, how we apply

his name and how we speak on behalf of his name is crucial to

understanding this third commandment Is there any other

way we can do this? There's an example of this in

scripture being played out and it's tucked in a book that you

wouldn't think is in there and automatically, everybody knows

what book were talking about. It's in First Kings First Kings.

Okay maybe there's something. I don't know about go ahead.

What is it? Where the prophet of God went

and condemned jeroboam and God told him to stay it like don't

eat or drink in Israel and another Prophet came and said

I'm also a prophet of God but you know what?

Listen to me and lie here and rest and when he came out, got

sent a lion too. Devour that profit.

Yeah, that's it. That's First Kings 13, I

believe. And that's a tricky tricky tax

concerning this Prophet that was sent by God and he was told to

not, go back the way he was, he came in and to not stop.

He was supposed to just give his message and go back and then

somebody comes in and tells him otherwise and he believed that

man's word rather than his understanding what God spoke to

me, and it's a whole mess. And that is that is an example.

We can explore the one I had in mind is actually found in the

Book of Leviticus. 24:10 let's turned it together.

Leviticus 24:10

Leviticus chapter 24. Verse 10.

Leviticus 24 · chapter mention

Now, an Israelite woman's son, whose father was an Egyptian

Went Out Among the people of Israel.

And the Israelite woman son and a man of Israel fought in the

camp verse 11 and the Israelite woman son, blasphemed the name

and cursed, then they brought him to Moses.

His mother's name was Sheila met.

The daughter of debris of the tribe of Dan and they put him in

custody to the will of the Lord should be.

Your to them, then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, bring out

of the camp, the one who cursed and let all who heard him lay

their hands on his head and let all the congregation Stone him.

Wow. And speak to the people of

Israel saying, whoever curses his God shall bear his sin.

Whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to

death. All the congregation shall Stone

him. The Sojourner, as well as the

native. When he blasphemes the name.

He should be put to death. Don't lift up your hand.

Don't respond. How many of us in here,

honestly? Feel Comfort uncomfortable with

that story. How many of us just read that

right now and your thoughts went automatically automatically to

this question. That's a little bit extreme,

isn't it? That's a little bit.

Over-the-top wouldn't you think? But I want to challenge you with

this thought. That we are so saturated in a

culture of Dishonor. We are so surrounded by people

who speak with such vulgarity. And blasphemy in our music in

our movies and our conversations, you can do, you

can be, you can be sitting, I was just in the barbershop just

sitting beside somebody just hearing it was on the phone,

just hearing the vulgarity coming.

Just it just everywhere to the point where we become so

normalized, and it becomes, so, Part of our day that when God

brings the seriousness of taking his name in vain to this story.

All of us are shocked. You know, you understand what

I'm trying to say, God has a different perspective on his

name than most people do today. And because even the people of

God can be subconsciously trained to understand the

normality of cursing and taking his name.

So lightly, when we come to the scriptures and see what God

demands of us, it's almost offensive to us.

It's almost offensive to us. That's not just true for the

third commandment. That's true of any sin here.

Here's evidence for it right now.

Homosexuality is a sin. The Bible declares that

homosexuality is an unnatural desire.

Now, as I'm saying that right now, what's going on in your

heart? Because even among the people of

God, if you were to address a sin, what the scriptures

revealed to be sin. An alarm goes off.

There's a set where you perk up and you go, did he just say

that? Did he just say that?

So bluntly, did he just say that?

Just like that, he should have came in a lot softer than when

he just said? Do you understand what I'm

saying? When the Bible is so clear about

it. And I know there needs to be a

wisdom and there needs to be an understanding of how to address

these things in love. But what I'm trying to say is,

we are trying to remove even the sting of sin because we are

being affected by our culture. So we pillow, even the preaching

of God's word to make sure that nobody's stirred and at nobody's

uncomfortable. When the very poor Commission of

the gospel and of sin is supposed to make you feel

uncomfortable. To bring you to a place of

realizing that God has a different standard and here's a

disservice that we do when we try to remove what God wants to

say. So clearly we bring people to a

place where they think, well, it's not that big of a deal.

It's not that big of a deal. So if the preacher who

represents God doesn't make it a big deal, then maybe it's not

that big of a deal my life. I remember, Sitting in a room

with leaders in a Q&A. And they were interviewing

younger pastors. That were just ordained to be

pastors. And they were giving these

younger people questions, concerning our culture and

everything else. On one of the questions is, how

do we address this problem of homosexuality and the moderator?

As we were discussing, as people were, they were going back and

forth, he wouldn't even call it a sin.

That when it came to addressing it was, there was so much

hesitation, so it was replaced with an unhealthy way of living.

And not the way God designed it. And guess what?

That's because we've allowed our minds to be saturated with what

the culture says, rather than what the word of God says.

I am not an advocate for bashing people, even in their sin

because Jesus didn't do that. Nevertheless, we are not to take

on the perspective of the world concerning sin.

We are to take on what God says about Sin.

So we come to something like this and we go, that's a little

bit extreme. And you know what?

That's okay. I'm not saying it's a sin to

think that But let's understand why this is happening.

Notice with me here, that this is in the Book of Leviticus.

This is something concerning the instructions given to the

people. At the birthing stage of a

Nation. This is not something down the

road. This is in the developmental

stage of them growing as a people.

And God does it in more than one way where he makes it abundantly

clear of what he's expecting from his people.

And we see here that this person blasphemes God, like directly.

So in this fight, with this other Israelite there seems to

be an altercation and this man apparently wants to get at this

person by cursing, his God And there seems to be that in that

truth because his father was an Egyptian, he was part of that

mixed multitude that came up. So maybe his father was in a

Believer and and Yahweh or maybe his father had that practice and

that just affected him as a child.

No matter what angle you look at it.

He tries to curse the name of God and when he does curse, the

name of God, God puts his foot down.

Why? Isn't phraseology.

So easy to mimic. That terms and slangs and words

can so be contagious within a short.

You know, somebody comes in here and they say statement and it

can just spread like wildfire no.

Right? And some of us can give examples

of that or maybe you hang around with somebody so long and you

appreciate that person, subconsciously, you just begin

to develop their phraseology, you began talking like them and

maneuvering like them. Okay, this is what God's doing.

I'm not going to let this person infect the rest.

I'm not gonna let this individual curse my name and so

make that a common thing amongst the others and it become a

habitual normal thing, like it is today and so I'm going to

make a statement. My name is Holy, My name is

Holy. And I'm not going to develop a

people and raise a people that will when they're frustrated

curse. My name like it's nothing.

And so, he makes this bold example, out of this man.

Which I find so fascinating, because you don't even know his

name. look at it with dresses and is interested in how The

Israelite woman's son. The Israelite woman, son, the

Israelite woman's son. Why?

Because if you're not going to honor God's name, God won't even

recognize yours. That's what I believe is

happening, right there. Does he want to give him the

name and wants to just show? My name must be revered.

Because when you assault my name you assault my character, you

assault my reputation. For there is no other name.

Given among men under Heaven given among men by which we must

be saved. It is the access through the

name of Jesus that we can come to God In Prayer.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower, right?

Is it? No wonder that.

Satan the prince of the power of the air has made the name of

Jesus. Presented with such blasphemy

filth and Venom. So that when that name is

presented and when that name is heard, it would be defiled

because it's associated with so much junk in this world.

Do you see that Satan is is literally attempting to assault

his name so that when you hear his name you wouldn't think

about the power that he has. You want to think about his

salvation, you want to think about his goodness, it would

just be something that you expressed some frustration.

It would be something that you say, because you Just express

yourself that way, becomes something.

Casual The devil knows what can happen when people understand

the name of Jesus rightly. So he wants to try to Mar it,

drag it in the dirt defile, it and God is fighting for the

glory of his name. and we, as people have to honor that He

says, here through this. It's not a light thing, but we

talked up to this point and we're almost done here.

We talked up to this point about how the lord's name in vain is

something that's done through speech.

But we have to understand. That you and I could be a people

that are squeaky clean and not taking the lord's name in vain

that we don't address it falsely that we address it with

Holiness, all those things. And all of those things can be

absolutely pointless and Effectiveness based on another

thing. And what's that?

The way we live The way we live. I'm going to read something to

you in Romans, Chapter 2. You can turn there if you want.

Romans 2 · chapter mention

Romans chapter 2 verse 21, While You Preach against stealing,

Romans 2:21

the, you steal is talking to the Jews.

You, who say that? One, must not commit adultery.

Do you commit adultery? YooHoo abour.

Hide Idols do you rub temples you who boast in the law

dishonor, God by breaking the law for, as it is written, the

name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles, because of you.

Right there. He's addressing the Jews for

living as hypocrites. And they're hypocritical living

is bringing blasphemy to God's name to the onlookers of

supposedly. The people of God, he's saying

you Jews are saying how your righteous and you have a law and

you're not living according to law and the Gentiles around are

looking in and they're saying, wait a minute but you're living

contrary to what you're preaching.

And look at this, we think that This only affects us know, God's

name is violated in that. Do you see the depths of the

dangers of hypocrisy? No wonder.

Jesus came on the scene and the harshest Tony had was concerning

hypocrites. Not towards the prostitute.

Not towards the adulterer, not towards the tax collector.

The ones that had this portrayal of righteousness and Jesus says,

listen, you're Hypocrites, you have greed in.

You you're filled with dead men's bones, you clean the

outside of the cup. But inside the cup, it's filthy,

you take God's word and you were Masters at twisting it for your

own gain. You don't honor your parents.

You say that you're taking this money for the temple when you

have to honor your parents and providing for them in there.

Old age and he addresses these things through and through and

it's no different for us. The any inconsistency in our

lives, because we represent the name of Jesus Christ, anything

in our lives. That's inconsistent with his

character or his lordship over. Our lives is an extension and a

very weighty way of taking the lord's name in vain And so, it's

beyond the tongue. It's in our character.

It's in our responses is in the way we just live.

If you have the King James version, this is a great

Advantage. But even in different

translations, that has the same understanding, Proverbs Chapter

Proverbs 30:8

30 verse 8, Paul, can you read verse 8, 2 verse 9?

Please give me neither poverty, nor riches feed me with food,

convenient? For me lest I be full of denied.

Me and say, who is the Lord, unless I've imported steel and

take the name of my God. Dang.

So we know this wonderful prayer.

We're agar says, what he goes. Lord, I'm going to pray this

way. I'm not going to pray that I

would be Filthy Rich, so that I would just abandon you and my

walk with you because I'm just becoming so materialistic and

driven by the things of this world.

But Lord, I'm praying that I would not even be poor as well.

Why less? I in my poverty begin to steal

and when I steal bring your name in vain And he is fee is says,

or profane your name? It's not based on what he's

saying, is based on how he's living Based on his dishonesty

based on the secret, the secrecy of his life of taking something

that does not belong to him. And all that is an assault to

the person that we represent. so he says here that it goes beyond

speech, it goes into the way, we deal with one another, the way,

the deal with finances, the way we deal with situations and

circumstances that in it all, take this to your heart in it,

all God's reputation is being demonstrated through your life

and so it's this constant awareness by the power of the

Holy Spirit. And through the meditation of

his word day and night that I would realize that I'm not

representing myself, but I've been bought with a price.

I've been bought with a price and so in all my dealings,

ultimately the name of God, the name of my savior.

It's written on my forehead. and when people see in me,

ultimately Testify the one I serve, now, It's understandable.

Yes, we make mistakes and all those things, but this is for

the ones that feel like they can live in hypocrisy and I God will

not hold him Guiltless. He will And this is why God is

once again hammering in the New Testament against this idea of

living one way professing to know God Titus 1:16 by denying

Titus 1:16

them by their works, it can't it can't work.

Does anybody know the root word for hypocrite?

That's good acting, right? Yes.

Well, it's it has to do with acting.

Yes. So, in ancient times when it

came to acting, resources were not like what we have today.

And so what would people do an actor would come up?

And he would take a mask and we place it on his face and he

would act as a certain character.

But once again, because of resources or even just because

of the genre, the play that person would take off the mask

put on a another mask. And play as another character.

That's where that word comes from.

That's exactly what hypocrisy is.

It's displaying you yourself one way but in a moment you can

switch and become something else.

All it takes is you stepping into work.

Your somebody else all. It takes you stepping into

church or someone else. All it takes is you stepping

into home and who you were in church?

Hallelujah. Praise God.

Arms High. Preying on your knees weeping

and prayer. You step into home.

You're a different person that's hypocrisy.

That's hypocrisy and that is greatly connected to God's name

being represented. So here we sit with this

commandment. Knowing that, yes, Jesus

fulfilled it for us and there was no deceit found in his

mouth, it was no deceit. Found in the mouth of Jesus and

his even his speech was transferred to our account in

righteousness. So that when we stand before,

God, you have never taken the lord's name in vain.

But because, as Believers, we are called to be holy as he is

Holy in. This law is written on our

hearts. Can you imagine I hope you feel

the weight of this. That not only in my speech.

Can I take his name in vain? But in my actions, I can take

his name in vain. What is that supposed to produce

in you and me especially in light of James 3.

What is James 3 talk about? Yeah, who can control this

tongue? Nobody's able to control this

tongue. Except one person.

Jesus. So it brings us to this place.

God Almighty, I need your help. I need you.

Lord help me be aware that in every moment of my day.

I'm representing you. People know that I'm a Christian

people know that I've committed myself to the local church.

People know that I've given my life to the lordship of Jesus

Christ and they're watching me help me.

Be consistent, help me know that in all my dealings with her

privately or secretly your name. You reputation who you are.

Displayed through me. Is that hand?

And we go back to Exodus 20. verse 7 and he says something

concerning Those who do not take this command.

Seriously, he says what? For the Lord will not hold him

Guiltless. Who takes his name in vain.

there are two ways that looking at that, we have to understand

that God is able to bring about retribution, to those who take

his name in vain, in this life, There's that famous story of the

Titanic that you probably heard that you not.

People are debating whether it was the captain or one of the

workers of the ship who said this statement.

But before this, this ship was launched.

The Titanic somebody made this bold, Proclamation, not even God

himself can sink this ship. And we know what happened there.

And you can even hear different stories concerning even

biblically. We see.

Leviticus 20 forward. God, can't step in for the sake

of the honor of his name. In his wisdom knowing that this

would bring glory to him. He will bring that person to

guilt and condemnation because of taking his name lately.

But there is one thing for certain concerning, those who

take his name in vain, That there is a time in which he will

judge every man. What did Jesus say in Matthew

Matthew 12:36

12, verse 36, I tell you on the day of judgment, people will

give account for every careless word, they speak.

Every careless word that has been spoken, has been recorded

in heaven. And secret one-on-one alone and

public behind the pulpit. Every word will be taken into

account. Even the ones that were just

loose with. And that to me, brings much

comfort. You probably looking me like,

are you serious? I don't even remember what I

said. 10 minutes ago. Now, I'll tell you why.

It brings me much joy. because when I'm in a room and people

use the name of Jesus, so carelessly Or perhaps you're

watching something. And innocently.

Not knowing somebody goes on and just trashes the name of Jesus.

Or the celebrities that come and speak of their success in bold

leave. And say, I remember when I heard

one person said this will boldly and one of the awards show said

I'm not thanking Jesus for this. Because so many people are in

the habit of doing so. Every politician.

Every false teacher, every great leader throughout the ages.

All of those who have taken that precious, holy righteous name

and if attempted to squander it and to defile it and to pull it

out of the hearts of people as something to be treasured, every

single, one of them will declare with their mouths that he is

Lord and they will give an account and they will realize

how foolish they were for declaring his name to be solo.

And To squash it and try to put it in the dirt, they will

realize they made a great mistake when they stand before

him. And they will realize that he is

the name above every other name. So, that brings us to this place

to say Lord, while people want to ruin that name.

When people want to take that name and Associate it with so

much filth and garbage and wickedness may, I represent it.

Well, May I speak to you about you in the fear of you help me,

understand the wonderful balance that you Lord.

Our Father by your also King. And Lord.

More importantly though it is important made my life

demonstrate the consistency of the fact that you are the Lord

of all. And let the world do what it

wants to do. One day, they will pay for it.

One day, Jesus is name, will be exalted in the Earth, right?

Be still and know that I am God I will be exalted in Nations.

He says that and we can take joy in that the third commandment

deals with God's desire and passion for his name.

May we have that same passion Let's pray.

Lord, we say tonight. How beautiful is your name?

That Lord, At The Mention Of The Name of Jesus.

Even a whisper can bring so much peace.

Can offer so much hope. And is the name by which we are

saved. Teachers that a whole bad name.

Teach us how to meditate on that name.

Teach us how to Faithfully Proclaim your name.

Lord, may we be, we be brought to a place where even the

mention of your name Stills are spheres.

Sanctifies our thoughts. And brings us to a place of holy

reverence to you. And father, we address you and

say how do it be your name. There is none like you.

You are set apart. You are transcended.

There is none like you and God, we recognize your name as such.

And father we ask by the power of your spirit.

That you would teach us how to speak and live in a way that

brings honor to the name that we represent.

And Lord, if there is any inconsistencies in our life.

That would make others that are looking at us.

To question the god that we serve, forgive us and Lord, by

your spirit, from head to toe, bring us to a place.

Where people would want to know the name that we live for God.

We need your help in all these things.

We thank you that in Jesus. They are fulfilled and they've

been transferred to our account. But Lord, in living this life

representing you. We not only say that you are the

only god of Our Lives. We not only say that we will not

make you into something that fits our idea of who you should

be a wee in the third. Commandment say help us help us

treasure and value and uphold the name of Jesus help us And

more soft in our hearts to such a degree again.

We ask that the name of Jesus would never lose its charm.

That it would do something to our faith.

And that would bring us to a place of wanting to even rejoice

and worship you. And so, Lord even tonight.

We sanctify your name. We bless your name.

And what we sing to you. In response to the Glorious

name. In your name, we pray.