MELVIN NEWLAND, MINISTER RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK
JESUS, JESUS, JESUS
(This message is primarily a condensation & adaption of an excellent sermon b y Darren McCormick.)
Scripture: Exodus 20:7; Luke 6:45; James 2:14; Psalm 29:2
ILL. The game show was showing on TV. The contestant said “I’ll take Occupational Dialogue for $100.” The game show host tells the contestant, “See if you can guess the occupation of these people from their job-related quotes. Here’s your first job-related quote….”
“Would you like fries with that?” – “Fast-food restaurant worker.”
“After you miter the boards, you’ll nail them together with a #10 nail.” – “Carpenter or construction worker.”
“With the recent fluctuations in commodities I wouldn’t advise that move.” – “Stock broker/investment counselor.”
“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 broken free! Touchdown! And the home team wins!” - That’s what many hope to hear from their next football game sportscaster.
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 tack the word “damn” onto God’s name with regularity, so it’s “G-D” this & “G-D” that. It really does tell us a lot about that person.
ILL, It is suggested that people who regularly swear & drag God’s name into their gutter talk fall into one of three categories: they’re either Uninformed, Uncontrolled or Unsaved; & that Uninformed people who use God’s name in profanity just don’t know that it’s wrong.
The fact is, the use of God’s name in profanity is so common 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 wrong as we’ll soon see when we look closely at God’s commands.
Besides the Uninformed, another category of people who mix God’s name in with profanity is the Uncontrolled. A lot of people will admit they know it’s wrong to swear using God’s name but then they’ll try to excuse themselves by saying, “Sometimes I just can’t help myself. Something will happen that will tick me off & I just blurt it out.”
People who fall into this category can perhaps take a little comfort from the fact that the Bible agrees that it’s hard to control what comes out of our mouth.
And to those people who struggle with occasional trash talk with God’s name I would ask, “Are you working at doing it less & less? Are you 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 reveal that you have some heart issues deep inside of you.
Jesus said “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, & 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 who knows it’s wrong to use God’s name in profanity, but you find yourself doing it anyway, you need to go to God in prayer & not only ask Him for forgiveness, but also ask Him to change your heart, removing whatever is in there that could spill out in vulgar speech.
There’s a third category of people who mix God’s name in with their swearing - & it’s the Unsaved. Evidence of that is their ongoing calloused cursing using the name of God, which shows that they don’t really know, love & 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 it’s wrong to mix God’s name into your profanities & yet you’ve been making excuses for doing it anyway - OR if you don’t really care what God says about your speech & you’ve decided you’ll keep throwing God’s name around in your swearing & cursing - today, consider yourself warned.
Here’s how the third commandment reads, "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 NLT of the Bible reads like this, “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.”
Notice that last sentence – “The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.”
Some may say, “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 & stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.’” Yes, most of us did say that when we were kids – but, boy, were we naïve.
Today we know that words can pack a terrible punch & 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 gave us that includes a threat of punishment.
ILL. Now notice what I am about to do. You see on this pulpit that I have an empty glass & a can of Mountain Dew. You might recognize the can from its familiar colors & logo. (open can & pour some into glass - then take a long sip) “Ah-h-h. Mt. Dew, one of my favorites.”
There’s something next to the name on this can that I realize you can’t see from where you’re sitting. It’s a little circle with the letter “R” in it. That little circle with the letter “R” tells us that the name “Mountain Dew” is a registered trademark. Which means that name is protected by copyright laws.
Those laws don’t allow me to take a little carbonized water, add sugar & food coloring, put it in a green can or bottle & slap on a label that says “Mountain Dew” & then try to sell it.
That little circle with the “R” in the middle means that if another company wanted to take advantage of the success of “Mountain Dew” by coming up with a product that kind of looks & tastes like “Mountain Dew” - they’d better not name their product “Mountain Dew”.
If anyone tried to do that - the Pepsi Company’s lawyers would hit them with a copyright infringement lawsuit.
Listen, if we can understand why companies would be protective of their names, reputations & copyrighted materials - then surely we ought to be able to understand some of God’s concern for His name & His reputation. God knows that when people hear a name it makes them think of what that name represents.
If you don’t think it’s true, try this on your preschool children or grandchildren. Say to them, “Let’s stop for lunch. I’ll name places where we can go - & you can choose which one. Do you want to go to Cracker Barrel? Or Olive Garden? Or McDonalds? Or Applebees? Or Callahans?”
Just try it - list for them your favorite restaurants & some-where along the line slip in the name McDonalds. Chances are they’ll automatically choose 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 & the fun they’ve had in the past.
God doesn’t want His name misused because when it’s mentioned He wants people automatically to think of all that He is. He wants people to think of His loving nature, His power, His holiness & righteousness, His willingness to forgive.
God doesn’t want people to hear His name & automatically 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. God especially doesn’t want people rejecting Him because others have given Him a bad name.
I think this commandment is perhaps the least understood & most broken by Christians. 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.
It’s also a misuse of God’s name when you use it to promote your own personal agenda. Throughout history people have done some terrible things & claimed to have done them in the name of God.
During the time known as the Dark Ages many people were tortured & killed by religious officials who claimed they were acting in the name of God.
And what do you suppose God thinks about you singing “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, there’s just something about that name” while at the same time failing in your heart to acknow-ledge that there is something special about that name? God doesn’t want us to misuse His name with our lips.
But neither does God want us to misuse His name with our lifestyles. This is where we really get into the heart & spirit of this commandment.
The Hebrew words used in this command involve the idea of caring. Where the NIV reads “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord,” & 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 - & then act like we don’t belong to Him.
The book of James speaks about this idea. James 2:14 says, “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 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, when you call yourself a “Christian,” you’re saying that you are His representative. Your actions can either positively or negatively affect His reputation.
ILL. Everyone has heard of Alexander the Great, one of history’s most powerful conquerors. He was an incredible general, & fearless in battle. Riding his horse, Busephalis, he would often charge right into battle alongside his men. He was courageous beyond compare.
The story is told that one day Alexander held court on the battlefield following a major battle, & he was passing 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 harsh punishment.
Then a young soldier, still a teenager, was brought before him. Alexander asked his name. An officer replied, “His name is Alexander, sir.” Instantly the general’s countenance softened, & 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, & was told, “He is guilty of cowardice. In the heat of battle, he fled.”
Immediately Alexander’s expression changed. 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 general leapt off his throne & grabbed the terrified soldier, bellowing in his face, “Either change your behavior or change your name!” (Story is credited to J. David Hoke)
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 because this commandment not to misuse the name of God is more than a prohibition against cursing.
It’s a challenge for us to remember whose we are & how we got that way. It encourages us not to do anything that would bring shame to His name while at the same time challenging us to do those things that would bring glory & honor to God.
That’s why we should “Set an example….in speech, in life, in love, in faith & in purity.” And in that way “Give the Lord the glory due His name.” Psalm 29:2.
INVITATION
