“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
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. —Colossians 3:17
Introduction:
“We cannot break the ten commandments. We can only break ourselves against them.” — Cecil B. DeMille
- We misunderstand the 10 commandments when we think of them as rules to obey rather than lighthouses built to keep us from wrecking our life.
- We misunderstand the 3rd commandment when we think it is about our “OMG’s” rather than our entire life!
The 3rd Commandment’s 3 Key Words:
- “Name.” God’s “name” encompasses everything about who he is.
- Psalm 8:1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
- The Bible gives us many names for God, reflecting different aspects of himself. (Depending on how you count them, there are hundreds!)
- Jehovah Jireh: God our Provider (Genesis 22:14)
- Jehovah Rapha: God our Healer (Exodus 15:26)
- Jehovah Nissi: God our Banner (Exodus 17:15)
- Jehovah Shalom: God our Peace (Judges 6:24)
- Jehovah Raah: God our Shepherd (Psalms 23:1)
- Scripture uses many names for Jesus, reflecting different aspects of his deity and role:
- Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6)
- Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6)
- Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6)
- Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)
- Immanuel: God with Us (Matthew 1:23)
- Lamb of God (John 1:29)
- King (Matthew 27:37)
- Bread of Life (John 6:35)
- Living Stone (1 Peter 2:4)
- God is serious about his “name.” Lucky us!
For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself. —1 Samuel 12:22
Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness. 7 Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. 8 Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make known his mighty power. —Psalm 106:6
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. —Philippians 2:9-11
“Take.” As Christians, we “take” God’s name.
if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. —2 Chronicles 7:14
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God… —John 1:12
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. —2 Corinthians 5:20“Vain.” Our actions bring honor or dishonor to God’s name.
“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…’” —Matthew 6:9
To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. —2 Thessalonians 1:11
For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” —Romans 2:24
“You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: 8 “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” —Matthew 15:7
How can the 3rd commandment keep our lives off the rocks?
- Remember what God has done for us in his name.
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” —Acts 4:12
Resist using God’s name to advance our own agenda.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ —Matthew 7:21
“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. —Matthew 5:33
- Recommit daily to the high honor of bringing honor to God’s name!
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. —Colossians 3:17