"THE LANGUAGE OF THE FAMILY"
EXODUS 20:7; MATTHEW 12:33-37
INTRODUCTION:
Paul Dickson has written a book entitled, What’s In A Name? In that book he shares some of the most unusual names he’s come across. How would you like to have any of these for your name? Cletus Clodfelter, Rotten Earp, Jinglebells Kaplan, and Boomfa Umfumpa. Can you imagine? "Hey Boomfa!" I could add another cruel name to his list. I actually know of a preacher, an associate minister in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, who’s last name is Odor. His parents gave him the first name of.. Ivan! Ivan Odor! It’s no wonder he always uses his middle initial, Ivan C. Odor. Dickson, also writes that some people seem to be destined to certain occupations by their names. Joe Bunt became a baseball coach. Dan Druff became a barber. Two men with the last names of Goforth and Ketchum actually became partners in a police force. Would you feel secure hiring a plaster contractor by the name of Will Crumble?
What’s in a name? Well, God says there is a great deal of importance to a name when it’s His name. Today we look another commandment that we need to apply as individuals and as families. It’s printed in your bulletin.. Let’s read it together out loud.. "You must not use the name of the Lord your God thoughtlessly; the Lord will punish anyone who misuses his name."(NCV) Now, this commandment certainly forbids profanity. We’re not to use the name of God or Jesus Christ as an obscenity. But is that all God is referring to? Let’s study this 3rd commandment and make sure that we understand what it means, that we comprehend the ways we can break it and then apply it to our lives and the lives of our families so that we can bring God glory and honor by properly using His name.
I. AN EXTENSIVE DEFINITION: UNDERSTANDING THIS COMMAND
What does it mean to use the name of God "thoughtlessly" or, as the NIV says, to “misuse the name of God” or as the K.J.V. reads: (“not take the Lord thy God’s name in vain.”) In his book, These Ten Words, Roy L. Honeycutt says this verse could be translated literally as, "You shall not lift up the name of the Lord, Your God, with emptiness or frivolity." In other words we are never to use the name of God without the honor it is due. We know that God’s name is important to Him if for no other reason than because of the way the Lord’s prayer begins.. "Our Father who are in heaven.." what? "Hallowed be Thy Name." or as the Living Bible has it: “We honor your Holy name..”
Now, why is God so sensitive about His name? Well, the Bible tells us that a name reveals at least 3 things that helps us answer that question. (1) It reveals His reputation. You’ve heard people say, "He’s really making a name for himself." What are they talking about? His reputation. And when I say certain names you automatically associate a certain reputation with them. When I say, "Elvis" you think of a certain reputation. When I say "Bill Clinton" you may associate another reputation. That’s true of Bible names too. Out of all the babies that have been born to our church none of the girls have been named "Jezebel," and none of the boys "Judas." Why? Reputation. (2) It reveals His character. What you are cannot be separated from what your name is, once it is identified together. In fact, in the Bible, they often would name their children after certain character qualities like honesty, justice, salvation. Many times in the Scriptures when God changed their life they were given a new name to describe their character. Abram was changed to Abraham which meant "father of many." Jacob, after he had wrestled with an angel had his name changed to Israel which meant "to strive with God." In the NT Simon was changed to "Peter" which meant bedrock. God made those changes because it described an attribute of character. (3) It reveals His authority. When a police officer stops you what could he say? "Stop in the name of the" what? "the law." Why? Because he represents the authority behind the law. If you are eating dinner this week and somebody calls and your wife says, "It’s Bill Jones..." You say, "Tell him I’ll call him after I finish eating." But if she says, "It’s George W. Bush.." and it’s really President George Bush, I don’t care what you think of his politics you are probably going to answer the phone. Why? Because that name represents the authority of the President of the United States. Well, God says, "When you misuse my name it is a big deal! Because when you use it flippantly, or without the meaning that it is intended, you are defaming My reputation, My character and My authority."
So, we can understand why God is sensitive about our use of His name but notice that He is also very serious about the punishment that comes to those who misuse it. Look at the last of vs: 7- "..the Lord will punish anyone who misuses His name." In Lev. 24 there’s a story of what happened shortly after Moses received this command. Two young men get into a fight in the camp and one young man misuses the Lord’s name in front of witnesses and the people grab him and bring him in front of Moses. Moses puts this man, who had used God’s name in vain, in custody and waited for God to tell him what to do. Lev. 24:13 - Listen to this: "Then the Lord told Moses- take the blasphemer outside the camp. Let all those who heard him put their hands on his head.(That’s for witness identification.) And the entire assembly is to stone him. Say to the Israelites if anyone curses his God he will be held responsible and anyone who blasphemes the Name of the Lord must be put to death." Now, that’s awful severe isn’t it? What was God trying to prove? Why is this so serious?
People say, "I say it but I don’t mean anything by it." That’s just the point. When you say it God wants you to mean something by it. And I can think of 3 reasons why it is important to use the name of God correctly. 1) Because when you do it shows proper respect for God. Psa. 8:1- "Oh, Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your Name in all the earth!" Psa. 111:9- "He provided redemption for his people.. holy and awesome is his name." God’s name represents the Creator of the Universe. Paul, talking about the Son of God said, "God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth." (NLT) You see, the name of God and Jesus must be used with the utmost respect. In fact, the Jewish scribes copying Scripture so revered the name of God that when they came to the name they would stop, put down their pens, go bathe and put on clean clothes before they would write it. “There’s just something about that name.” Don’t take it or use lightly.
(2) Another reason why we should use God’s name correctly is because when we do we demonstrate our maturity. It’s the weak person who thinks that misusing the name of God impresses others, because it takes discipline to control your speech. Especially when you’re angry or frustrated. The mature person thinks before he speaks. James 3:2- "All of us make a lot of mistakes. If someone doesn’t make any mistakes when he speaks, he would be perfect. (that’s the Grk. word which means mature) He would be able to control everything he does." (GW)
(3) When you use God’s name properly it also enhances your testimony. Look at what Jesus said in Mt. 12:34-35- "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him." In other words the most ready expression of what really is going on inside your life is how you talk. Your mouth is the billboard of your heart. Tim Lahay did a study and found that the last words recorded by most airline pilots just before they crash is profanity. You’d think that if a person knew he was going to die, their last words would be a prayer, but out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
Parents, it is especially important for us to understand how our using God’s name correctly enhances our testimony because our kids are listening to our speech. A Sunday School teacher asked her class: "Does anyone know where the Lord lives?" One little boy said, "He lives in our bathroom." “Why would you think that?”asked the surprised teacher. "Because every morning Daddy goes to the bathroom door and says,`Good Lord, are you still in there?" Now, we laugh at that but we need to be aware that others outside and inside of our own family can in many ways measure our relationship with God and Jesus Christ by the way we use His name. Our words are not only a testimony of who we are but of whose we are.
II. AN EASY TRANSGRESSION: HOW WE BREAK THIS COMMAND
So, it becomes very important that we understand the ways in which we use the name of God thoughtlessly or in vain. How do we break this command? I see 3 ways.
(1) The clearest violation is in the use of profanity or cussing. The word "profane" from the Latin means to "make ordinary". To profane God’s name is to take something which is uncommon and Holy and make it common and empty. We misuse God’s name when we use profanity to express irritation. Or when we use it as an expletive to vent our anger. I heard about an old farmer coming home late for dinner and his wife asked, "What happened honey, did the wagon break down?" He said, "No, on the way home I offered a ride to the preacher and from that time on the mules didn’t understand a command I gave them." And America is becoming the most foul mouthed country in the world. Today they make sure they add profanity to movies because if it is rated "G" it won’t sell. I’m astounded at some of the famous foul mouths of our day that are paid big bucks, some because they are profane.. Eddie Murphy, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal and people think it’s hilarious.
Now, I want to go over for you the kinds of expressions which in our society are used all the time which I understand to be very clearly and categorically forbidden by the One who made us. And I’m going to say these words with fear and trembling, but I don’t want anyone to misunderstand what we are talking about. When you hear someone say "God damn" or "by God" or the like. Those phrases uttered out of the context of worship & used merely as expressions of irritation or used just impulsively, are blasphemous according to Scripture. And there are other phrases, ones that may be a little softer, that still profane God’s name. Like, "Oh, my God" or the one that is the most common, just, "God." That’s using His name thoughtlessly, without meaning, it doesn’t show God’s name the proper reverence. And neither is saying, "For Christ sake" or "Jesus Christ" or "Jesus." Thomas correctly identified Christ after the resurrection by falling to his knees and saying, "my Lord, and my God." And whenever we refer to Him this commandment is saying do so in a reverent way.
Now, as long as we are stepping on everybody’s toes how about the use of slang and off color jokes. Our penchant for the “dirty” story or joke should be eliminated. Eph. 5:4- "Dirty stories, foul talk, and coarse jokes- these are not for you. Instead, remind each other of God’s goodness, and be thankful." (NLT)The verse is pretty plain isn’t it? And how about the words society identifies as vulgar: the casual word for excrement, the one used that refers to sexual relations, are out of place on our tongues. Someone once said: "If you are wondering about a word just ask yourself, would I use that word in Church? If not then don’t use it anywhere.
(2) When we make empty vows or evade the truth. In Jesus’ day people were masters of evasion. If they did not swear to something in God’s name they felt that they could break their oath. So they would swear by heaven, or earth, or by their own heads, and they would feel quite free to break such a promise because they had not actually included God’s name. But Jesus told them, “You can’t keep God out of any promise because God is truth.” William Barclay says, "All promises and pledges are made in the presence of God, and He expects us to keep our oaths whether we explicitly mention Him or not. He is saying: Tell the truth. You shouldn’t have to underscore that you are telling the truth by saying, "I swear to God" or "I swear on a stack of Bibles." Jesus says in Matt. 5:37- "Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Your word is enough. To strengthen your promise with a vow shows that something is wrong." (NLT) If you claim to be a Christian then you are to be the kind of person whose conversation is so honest and whose character is so true that you don’t need any other vows to get people to believe you. Lev. 19:12- God says: "Do not make a promise in my name if you do not intend to keep it. That brings disgrace on my name."(GN) When we make a promise and do not keep it we make light of God’s name for remember, His name stands for His character and His character is truth.
(3) When our actions, as Christians, misrepresent God’s name. Jack Cottrell writes, "We misuse God’s name anytime we act as God’s representatives or speak it in a irreverent or hypocritical way." Since as Christians we wear His name through the name of His Son we are always representing Him, we are displaying His character. When our praise is counteracted by our sins, when we come to Church and confess Christ with our lips on Sunday, but live any way we want through the week we’ve taken, because we have worn, God’s name in vain. It’s hypocrisy to talk or sing of the love of God and then live as if we do not know Him. That makes the name of God empty.
III. A PRACTICAL APPLICATION: APPLYING THIS COMMAND
So how can we do better in respecting God’s name? Probably everyone in this room could say, along with me, "I’ve got some work to do, I’ve got a ways to grow." George Barna found in a survey that 66% of Americans admit to taking the Lord’s name in vain on a regular basis. So, let me close by suggesting some practical ways that we can make sure our language and that of our families do not misuse the name of our God.
(1) Reverence God’s name continually. Make a commitment right now, to the best of your ability, to always use Gods name with reverence, with awe. Psa. 29:2- "Give to the LORD the glory his name deserves." (GW) Now, some of you may practice profanity so frequently that it’s just become a natural part of your speech pattern. What we need is someone who will lovingly, consistently, confront us when we slip up. We need to be accountable. Because one of the most sobering passages in all the Bible is Matthew 12:36- "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken." You see, we need to get some help in this area because one day we are going to stand in front of the Creator of the Universe and be held accountable for the words that have come from our mouths!
You might ask, "What has this sermon got to do with our families?" Well, that’s where our speech patterns start! The #1 place where we need to clean up our language is in our homes. So maybe today we need to say to our mates and to our children, "Look, as for this house we’re going to honor God and His name with our talk so let’s help each other." And then when they remind you don’t get angry and cuss them out! Be thankful.
Now, we also need to be discerning, as best we can as to the ways we make ourselves vulnerable to this habit. Phil. 4:8- "And now, dear brothers and sisters.. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (NLT) By the way, that’s one of the biggest reasons, that our family has drawn the line and don’t go to "R" rated movies. Does it bother you to hear someone repeatedly use the Name of our God in meaningless derision? I mean, not every "R" movie has gratuitous sex in it. Not every "R" movie has graphic violence in it. But almost every "R" movie has excessive profanity in it. And I have trouble paying to hear my Lord’s Name desecrated. You may say, "Yea, but I can listen and it doesn’t brother me." Okay, but apparently by this command, it bothers God.. so shouldn’t it bother us? And I know some of you are in an environment that it is very difficult because you hear it all the time. I can empathize with you.. remember I was a Law enforcement officer for 12 years. That’s why it is so important for you to ask God to help you block those words out and at the same time don’t deliberately thrust yourself into situations where you know profanity is going to be a problem. Reverence God’s Name continually.
(2) Represent God’s Name clearly. Psa. 107:2 says, "Let the redeemed of the Lord, say so!" (NASB) If somebody ridiculed your mother, your wife or your child, you’d speak up, you’d protest. Yet we sit back and say nothing when people blaspheme the name of God or Savior. Now, we have to be careful. The Bible says, "speak the truth, in love," and it is not our goal to alienate people. But maybe we need to say, "Oh, do you know the Lord, too?"- or- "I don’t want to come off holier than thou, but that name is really important to me." -OR- something tactful like.."If you don’t clean up your act garbage mouth, you’re going straight to hell!" Tony Campolo says, "Hey, do you like your mother-in-law? If not would you use her name, the one you’re using really means something to me." I think the best thing to do is get the person off by themselves, away from the peer pressure and just explain to them that misusing the name of God or Jesus really hurts you and you’re trying real hard to discipline your own speech and would they mind helping you out. But we need to understand that there are certain words that incur the wrath of God and if we care for people we should be concerned for their relationship to Him and look for ways to do our best to lovingly confront. Represent His Name clearly.
(3) Repent of the misuse of God’s name humbly and contritely. Some of us just need to get down on our knees and apologize to God. Say, "Oh my Lord and my God, I didn’t understand how important this was and I’m so sorry for misusing Your Name." If you’ve never accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, He wants to give you a new heart a new tongue and a new life, and will if you’ll just come to Him in repentance. If you’re already a committed follower of Christ and you are careless with your speech, He wants to change you, he wants to grow you into something beautiful. Simon Peter confessed that Jesus Christ was Lord but at Jesus’ trial he swore and denied the Lord. And then he went out and wept bitterly. And Jesus Christ forgave Him. And He will forgive you too, every evil word that you have spoken He’ll wipe them clean. Isa. 66:2 says, "I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word."(NLT) You can go out of here and say, "I think that was a big to do about nothing." Or you can go out of here today and say, "I tremble at the Word of God."
You see, there is bad news, good news this morning. The bad news is God is keeping track of all of our words and one day we are going to have to give an account for them. But the good news is we can be saved by our words too. Rom. 10:9 says: "If you use your mouth to say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved."(NCV) That’s what the words in the Bible are for. John 20:31- But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.."(NCV)
Charlton Heston was once asked if any of the character’s that he played in the movies had changed his life. Heston who played Moses in the 10 commandments thought for a moment and said, "You know, you can’t walk barefoot down Mt. Sinai and be the same person you were when you went up." And you can’t hear this 3rd commandment and not be convicted and say, "Lord, God, I have sinned." But the great news is, that the God you may have cursed, loved you so much that as He hung on the cross He did not curse but said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Don’t let the name of Jesus be your favorite swear word. Let Him be your personal Savior. For "There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them!" (Acts 4:12 - NLT)
I’d like for all of you to repeat Psalm 145:1 with me- Would just repeat after me.. Let’s close this morning by saying to our Creator:
"I will exalt you, my God / I will praise your name / for ever & ever!”
