AM Sermon preached at Central Christian Church
#4 in God’s Top Ten Sermon Series (10 Commandments/3rd Commandment)
“There IS Something About That Name…”
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The game show is Jeopardy. The contestant says “Alex, I’ll take Occupational Dialogue for $100.” Alex, the game show host then explains to the contestant, “See if you can guess the occupation of this first person from this job-related quote.” Think you can handle it? How about we give it a try?
Here’s your first job-related quote….
“Would you like fries with that?”
Fast-food restaurant worker/someone who works at a drive-through
“After your miter the boards, you’ll nail them together with a galvanized #10.”
Carpenter or construction worker.
“With the recent fluctuations in commodities I wouldn’t advise that move.”
Stock broker/investment counselor.
“Man, I can’t wait for Spring Break!” Junior High or High School Teacher
“Considering the frequency of infections, a tonsillectomy is in order.” Doctor
Just one more…
“He’s broke free! Touchdown! And the Bears win the Super Bowl!”
I hope that’s what I hear from next week’s sports caster.
Seriously now---we can tell a lot about a person by the things we hear them say. And please don’t take offense in what I’m about to say but instead understand I say it with a burden on my heart---The fact is when we hear someone in anger say “Jesus Christ” or when we hear someone say in a moment of surprise or shock “Oh, my God” or when we hear someone tack the word “damn” onto God’s name with regularity so it’s G-D this and G-D that---it really does tell us a lot about that person, doesn’t it? It’s lets us in on the fact that they do not really know, love and respect God.
Years ago audiences were shocked when Rhett Butler in the Movie Gone With The Wind used profanity to let his former lover know he didn’t care what happened to her. And frankly folks, we’ve come a long, long ways since then. We can hardly read a novel, watch a movie or television show or even walk through a mall without hearing someone blurting out some profanity spattered with God’s name.
Mike Breaux suggests that people who regularly swear and drag God’s name into their gutter talk fall into one of three categories. [SLIDE] He says they’re either uninformed, uncontrolled or unsaved. Mike says uninformed people use God’s name in profanity. He says some people just don’t know that it’s wrong. Every parent can relate to this idea because we’ve been through one of those moments when our little girl or little boy proudly threw the new word they learned on the playground into one of their comments. And for some unknown reason they always seem to do it when company’s present. I remember my brother telling me how he and a handful of students had been asked to join one of Lincoln Christian College’s professors for dinner. At one point during the meal this professor’s young son chimed in with something like “Pass me the blanking butter, please” After his Dad picked his jaw up from the floor, he asked his son “WHAT did you say?” The boy proudly repeated himself. “I said, ‘Pass me the blanking butter.’” The prof said, “That’s what I thought you said. “Come with me. We’re going to have a little talk.” After that talk that young boy knew that that word he’d used was not acceptable to his father.
The fact is, the use of God’s name in profanity is so common these days---that there probably are a lot of people who really have no idea as to how wrong it is. They just hear it in swearing so much that they figure it’s okay to throw some of the most popular God-condemning phrases into their everyday conversations. But they are so-o-o wrong as we’ll soon see when we look closely at the third commandment.
Besides the uninformed, Mike says another category of people who mix God’s name in with profanity is the uncontrolled. A lot of people will admit they know its wrong to swear using God’s name but then they’ll go on to say something like---but sometimes I just can’t help myself. Something will happen that will tick me off and I just blurt it out. I know I shouldn’t and I feel bad when I do it. It’s just something that happens and I can’t seem to get a handle on it. People who fall into this category can perhaps take a little comfort from the fact that Bible agrees that it’s hard to control what comes out of our mouth. James 3--- And to those people who struggle with occasionally trash talk with God’s name I would ask are you working at doing it less and less? Are really trying to close the damper on the profanities that come from your mouth? If you’re not you should be. Because when you make those occasional slips of the tongue they let you know you’ve got some real heart issues deep down inside of you. Jesus said “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45 If you’re one of those people who knows its wrong to use God’s name in profanity, but you find yourself doing it anyway you need to go to God in prayer and not only ask Him for forgiveness, but also ask Him to change your heart, to transform it, to do a heart surgery removing whatever it is in there that would spill itself out into the world in vulgar speech.
Mike adds that a third category of people mix God’s name in with their swearing----and it’s the unsaved. Mike’s pretty emphatic about it---stating that the ongoing calloused cursing of a person is proof that they don’t really know, love and respect God.
If you didn’t know before today that it’s wrong to drag God’s name into your swearing, consider yourself informed. If you know its wrong to mix God’s name into your profanities and yet you’ve been making excuses for your occasionally doing it anyway---OR if you don’t really care what God says about your speech and you’ve decided you’ll keep throwing God’s name around in your swearing and cursing---today, consider yourself---warned.
Here’s how the third commandment reads---- 7 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” Exodus 20:7 NIV
That same verse in the New Living Translation of the Bible reads like this….
7 “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.” New Living Translation
Notice that last phrase---- The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [BLANK SLIDE] Many react, “Aw come on---what’s the big deal? So we misuse His name. Shouldn’t God just let that go? I mean after all when we were little kids we learned to say, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” Yeah most of us did say that when we were little kids----but boy were we naïve. Today we know, don’t we---that words can pack a terrible punch----we know don’t we that sometimes words really do hurt us deeply? Whether or not God is hurt deeply when we curse using His name I don’t know. What I do know is that God is very protective of His name. This is the first commandment which God has given us that includes a threat of punishment.
What I’m about to do may make some of you lick your lips and wish for a taste. You see up here on this stand I’ve got a glass of ice and a two liter of Mountain Dew. You might have recognized the bottle from its familiar colors and logo. (open bottle and fill cup with soda-----then take a nice long sip) Ah-h-h. Mt. Dew, a long time favorite of mine. There’s something next to the name on this bottle though that I’m sure you can’t see from where you’re sitting. It’s the little circle with the letter “R” in it behind the name Mountain Dew. That little circle with the letter “R” tells us that the name Mountain Dew is a registered trademark. What that means is that name is protected by copyright laws. Those laws don’t allow me to take a little water, add some sugar and food coloring to it, put it in a green plastic bottle and slap on a label that says Mt. Dew and then try to sell it. That little circle with the “R” in the middle of it means that if another company wanted to play off of the success of Mt. Dew by coming up with a product that kind of looks and tastes like Mt. Dew----they’d better not name their product Mt. Dew. That’s why the Wal-Mart generic is called “Mountain Lightning” and not “Mt. Dew.” We know that if I tried to pass off a cheap imitation or if Wal-Mart or any other company out there produced a soda and tried to call it Mt.Dew---the Pepsi Company’s lawyers would hit us with a copyright infringement lawsuit.
Remember the big stink raised over in Saint Louis this past year when a woman had all of her homemade shirts confiscated by the Cardinals organization? If memory serves me right the shirts the woman was selling had a picture of a cardinal going potty on a tiger. The woman said that neither the cardinal picture nor the tiger picture she used were the copyrighted logos the teams used and that she was merely exercising her right of free enterprise. Representatives of the Cardinal organization strongly disagreed and had feds come in to shut down her booth.
C.R. Smith was one of the founders of American Airlines, and he once made a stopover in Nashville, Tennessee. When he did, he found two desks in the American Airlines corridor of the airport. On one, a phone was ringing away. Sitting at the other, with his feet propped up, was a man reading the newspaper.
Smith walked up to him and said, “Your phone is ringing.”
“That’s reservations. I’m maintenance,” the man replied.
Furious, Smith walked over to the desk, picked up the phone, and began talking to a man who urgently needed to get to California. Smith rattled off the schedule from memory to the man and hung up. The man from maintenance couldn’t believe it!
“Say, that was pretty good!” he said. “Do you work for American?”
“Yes, I do,” Smith answered. “And you used to.”
James Emery White coments-----It’s important to learn what to take seriously – and who. Nothing should be taken more seriously than God, and giving God His proper respect starts with His name, because His name represents who He is.
(James Emery White, You Can Experience an Authentic Life, p. 29-30)
Listen, if we can understand why companies would be protective of their names, reputations and copyrighted materials----then surely we ought to be able to understand some of God’s concerns for His name and His reputation.. [SLIDE] God knows that when people hear a name it makes them think of all that that name represents.
If you don’t think its true try this on your preschool children or grandchildren…. Say to them----Let’s go out for lunch. I’ll name some different places where we can go eat lunch---and you can choose---do you want to go to Olive Garden? Or would you like to go to Subway? Or do you want to go to Applebees? Or Red Lobster? Or McDonalds? Or St. Louis Bread Company?” GO ahead and try it---list for them all of your favorite restaurants that have a more adult–oriented atmosphere and somewhere along the line throw in the name McDonalds. Chances are they’ll never hear whatever options you say after you say McDonalds. And why is that? It’s because when you mention the name McDonalds your kids will immediately think of Happy Meals, the playroom, Ronald McDonald and the fun they’ve had in the past.
God doesn’t want His name misused because when it’s mentioned He wants people to immediately think of all that He is---He wants people to think of His loving nature, His power, His holiness and righteousness, His willingness to forgive. God doesn’t want people to hear His name and immediately think bad things about Him. God doesn’t want people to get the idea from us that He’s in the condemning business when He’s in the saving business. [SLIDE] God especially doesn’t want people rejecting Him because others have given Him a bad name.
If you want to get a better idea of just how serious God is about people not misusing His name, check out Leviticus 24. In that chapter you’ll find the story of a couple of guys who in up in fight----as they’re dukeing it out one of the men swears---he ties God’s name to some profanity. The fight is broken up----and the guy who swore using God’s name was arrested. The people ask Moses, what should we do about this man’s swearing? Moses asks God for directions. And God says 13 Then the LORD said to Moses: 14 "Take the blasphemer outside the camp. All those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the entire assembly is to stone him. 15 Say to the Israelites: ’If anyone curses his God, he will be held responsible; 16 anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death. The entire assembly must stone him. Whether an alien or native-born, when he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death.
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I’m really thankful that I live in a different time that that guy. I know there have been times in my past when I threw together conglomerations of swear words and stuck God’s name in the middle of them. I’m thankful that we no longer live under the law of Moses, but we are now covered by grace. Yet even though God’s not at this time having members of the church stoned to death for taking His name in vain---the fact remains Leviticus 24 reminds us that God is serious about this misusing of His name business. And that’s why we need to understand that swearing or cursing that employs the name of God is not the only thing involved in this 3rd commandment.
I think this third commandment is perhaps the least understood commandment and the one most broken by Christians. [SLIDE] For you see there are two primary ways to break this commandment---the first is with our lips. We’ve already hit on the fact God doesn’t want us to use His name in cursing or swearing. But this commandment runs much deeper than that. The misuse of God’s name isn’t limited to profanity. We misuse God’s name with our lips when we use it as an exclamation point of surprise. I was watching a commercial the other day, I think it was for the Publishers Clearing House. The commercial showed the reactions of several different winners of their million dollars sweepstakes. When this one woman opened her door and the prize team greeted her she just stood back and cried out in a loud voice “Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God.” I really don’t think she was attempting to pray and I don’t think she was really thinking about God as she kept saying His name over and over. She was using the name of God as a means of expressing surprise. Instead of saying “Wow this is incredible! I can’t believe this is happening to me” She just kept on saying “oh my God.” What she did was misuse the name of God.
The King James Version brings us a little closer to understanding why using God as an exclamation point is a misuse of His name. It reads, “ [SLIDE] 7Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” The word vain means empty. The idea---it’s wrong to say God’s name without giving thought to Who He is. It’s wrong when you’re caught off guard to say “Oh my God…I can’t believe it.” Or “Good Lord, how did that happen?” or “Lordy, Lordy would you look at that?”
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It’s a misuse of God’s name when you use it to promote your own personal agenda. Throughout history folks, people have done some horrendous things and claimed to have done them in the name of God. Televangelists have tried to intimidate people to give to their ministries claiming that God had told them to raise a certain dollar amount. During that time known as the Dark Ages many people were tortured and killed by Catholic church officials who claimed they were acting in the name of God. I once had someone tell me that they felt it would be okay if they divorced their wife because they said, “after all God wants me to be happy.” Using God’s name in those ways, using it to promote your own agenda or to try to endorse personal sin is a flagrant misuse of God’s name.
And get this folks, it’s wrong to sing in church “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus---there’s just something about that name” while at the same time failing in your heart to acknowledge that there IS something about that name. It’s wrong to be singing “Blessed Be the Name” while thinking about what and where you’ll be eating for lunch. God doesn’t want us to misuse His name with our lips.
[SLIDE]
But neither does God want us to misuse His name with our lifestyles. This is where we really get into the heart and spirit of this commandment. The Hebrew words used in this command involve the concept of carrying. Where the NIV version reads “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord,” and the KJV reads, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain,” the idea is this we’re not to take God’s name upon ourselves----and then not act like we belong to Him.
The book of James speaks somewhat to this idea. [SLIDE] James 2:14 says,
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
Put another way, what good are words if they’re not backed up by reality? What good is our talk if it’s not backed up by our walk? What’s the point in worshiping God with our mouths if we’re not going to worship Him with our lives? After all, if you’ve given your life over to Jesus, you bear his name. When you call yourself a “Christian,” you’re saying that you are His representative. Your actions can either positively or negatively effect His reputation.
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Everyone has heard of Alexander the Great, one of history’s most cunning and powerful conquerors. He was an incredible leader, and fearless in battle. Riding his horse, Busephalis, he would often charge right into battle alongside his men. He was courageous beyond compare — a visionary and a warrior.
The story is told that one day Alexander held court on the battlefield following a war. His authority was unquestionable, and he passed judgment on the actions of his soldiers. Those who had fought valiantly were given honor. Those who held back or deserted were often the recipients of his harsh punishment.
Then a young man was brought before him, barely out of childhood. Alexander asked the boy’s name. The officer nearby said, “His name is Alexander, sir.” Instantly the general’s countenance softened, and he seemed flattered that the young soldier bore his name. The officers nearby relaxed, assuming that Alexander would show leniency to the young man, whatever his crime. Alexander asked what charges were being brought against the boy, and was told, “He is guilty of cowardice. In the heat of battle, he fled.”
Suddenly Alexander’s expression changed, and his face became an intense grimace. Looking at the boy, the general asked, “What is your name?” The lad replied, “Alexander, sir.” The general asked again, “What did you say was your name?” And again the lad replied, “Alexander, sir.” Then the emperor leapt off his throne and grabbed the terrified soldier, bellowing in his face, “Either change your behavior or change your name!” (Story is credited to J. David Hoke)
I remember as a youth that on several occasions before I left to attend some event my Dad would say to me, “Remember, you’re a McCormick.” And I knew what he meant. That was my Dad’s way to saying to me, behave yourself and don’t do anything that would bring any disgrace to our family.
When we wear the name but don’t act like a member of the family of God, we’re guilty of misusing God’s name and of breaking this third commandment----because this commandment not to misuse the name of God is more than a prohibition against cussing —It’s a call for authenticity and sincerity in our relationship with the Lord. It’s a challenge for us to remember whose we are and how we got that way. It encourages us not to do anything that would bring shame to the name while at the same time it invites us to do those things that would bring glory and honor to God.
That’s why instead of cussing and swearing along with the rest of the world---we should “Set and example….in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” That’s why instead of dragging God’s name down into statements of profanity we should do our best to “Give the Lord the glory due His name.” Psalm 29:2.
God’s name isn’t like any other name. When we abuse it in our speech or misuse it in the way we live it’s an indication that we’ve got a problem in our heart.
One last illustration and then we’ll be offering our time of decision. To most of us names are important. We parents wouldn’t have dreamed of naming our son “Adolf,” “Judas” or “Osama.” We’d never name our daughter “Bathsheba” or “Jezebel.” We wouldn’t be as thoughtless in naming our children as was the former Governor of Texas, Jim Hogg, who gave his two daughters the names “Ima” and “Ura.” No we wouldn’t do those things because we place value upon names. It’s kind of like when Lori and I got married. It meant something special to me that not only could I give her my last name but she wanted to have it. Let me end this morning’s message by reminding you of this God, loves you so much that He wants to give you His name----the question is do you want to accept it with all the joys and responsibilities that come with it?
As we sing our decision hymn----think on the things that have been shared this morning. Maybe during this time of decision you’ll want to talk to God so you can ask Him to forgive you for the ways you’ve misused His name. Maybe you’ll want to bow your head and humbly say to God, “I’m so sorry. I never knew how much this name thing meant to You.” Or maybe you’ll want to pray “Forgive me. I knew it was wrong to swear like that but I did it anyway. Help me to stop making excuses and change my heart so the things that come out of my mouth will be things that honor You instead of anger You.” Perhaps for years you’ve been playing at church and simply going through the motions but you’ve never really given God your heart---and today you’re wanting to do that. Or maybe you’re a Christian and you’ve been coming to Central for a while and you’re wanting to place your membership here. I invite you as we stand and sing to come to the front and share any decision you have made this morning.
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NOTE TO THOSE WHO READ AND OR CHOOSE TO MAKE USE OF ANY OR ALL OF THIS SERMON: I am sharing this sermon with the hopes it will be an encouragement to others. I apologize for any blatant typing errors! If you find any I’d appreciate hearing from you so I can correct them. I try to give credit where credit is due, noting writers and or sources to the best of my ability. I have for years been drawing from a wealth of sources including this website. I recognize that my mind and writing processes are fallible. I may occasionally fail to properly identify a source. Please do not take offense if you see anything of this nature. I never intend to plagiarize. Having said that I want you to feel free to draw from my message. When appropriate I hope you will give credit as I do. But most of all I hope Christ will be lifted up and God will receive the glory in all things.
