Ten Commandments - 3: Do not misuse the Name of God


Sermon Notes: Ten Commandments - 3: Do not misuse the Name of God

In Bible times and in many cultures still in our world today, names mean something. God feels so strongly about His Name that He puts this command in at Number 3 in the Top Ten things that He commands us to do in our lives. God’s Name is so precious, so sacred, so Holy, so special, because it represents to us who God is (His identity) What He is like (His character) What is important to Him (His priorities). God takes the abuse and the misuse of His Name very seriously and so should we. God’s reputation, God’s honour, God’s respect, God’s Glory are the real issues here for us.

This command comes to us with a health warning as God warns us of the consequences of damaging, disrespecting and dishonouring His Name, that He will hold us accountable.

1: We dishonour and discredit God and God’s Name by using it as an empty, meaningless swear word.

Is that all Jesus has become – a swear word. It’s frightening how much the names of God and Jesus are used this way, often without people even conscious they’re doing it. It should really concern us when God’s Name is used in these ways. God never intended for His Name to be used in this way! What is in our hearts will come out of our mouths when we are under pressure, so we need to be very careful and alert. Damaging, taking God’s Name in vain should always concern us, at all times.

2: The passion and the driving force in Jesus’ life was that His Father’s Name should be honoured and glorified through His life in this world.

‘Father in Heaven, may you and your name be honoured, glorified, magnified, lifted High above all other things in Heaven and on earth.’

‘Our Father who art in Heaven hallowed (Holy) be your Name.

It is the passion and driving force of Jesus’ whole life that His Father be honour and His Name and reputation be glorified by His people’s lives and actions.

3: We Honour God’s Name when our lives at home and at work to back up what we profess with our lips in our Worship on Sundays.

There are no perfect Christians. Indeed, genuine Christians struggle continually with that gap in our lives between where they are and where they want to be and want to be like. John Newton wrote ‘Amazing Grace’ and he showed and expressed in that hymn what he wanted to be, once used to be, and how now by God’s grace reaching into his life where he was able to say he was now. People decide what God is like by looking at those who claim to be His followers, and it is important how we live, talk and behave as we seek to follow after Jesus. Colossians 3:17, ‘And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father.’

4: We honour God’s Name when we really grasp and believe the Power that is in the Name of Jesus and begin to Pray and witness, believingly.

In Acts 3:16, ‘The Name of Jesus has healed this man and you know how lame he was before. Faith is Jesus’ Name has caused this healing before your very eyes.’

The Name of Jesus carries Power and Authority. In a society that misuses God’s Name, let’s throw them a Jesus life-line, that cannot only transform their lives, but change the way they speak and live.