You
Good evening, everyone. Welcome to church
Good to see you all in the house of God this evening
Can I get you to grab your hymnals and turn to him number?
165 in number 165 I worship the king
Number one six five and when you found it, can I get you to stand please?
Oh
All right, let's open in a word of prayer
Dear Heavenly Father just want to thank you that we can be gathered in your house this evening Lord
just pray that you
Be with us during this service Lord
And I just pray that you help us to learn from this the sermon that is to be preached in Jesus name. Amen
you may be seated and
Can I get you turn now to him number 44?
Him number 44 will work till Jesus comes
number 44
Oh
All righty final hymn before the Bible reading
Can I get you to turn now to to him number 255 in number 255 come and dine
He's mad
Oh
All righty good singing
Time for the bubble reading can I get you to turn now to Psalm chapter 20 Psalm 20 and brother Matt will be coming up for the
bubble reading
Psalm 20 to the chief musician a son of David
The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble the name of the God of Jacob defend thee
Send thee help from the sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Zion
Remember all thy offerings and accept thy burnt sacrifice
sealer
Grant thee according to thine own heart and fulfill all thy counsel
We will rejoice in thy salvation and in the name of our God. We will set up our badness the Lord fulfill all thy petitions
Now know I that the Lord saveth is anointed
He will bear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand
Some trust and chariots and summon horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God
They are brought down and fallen, but we arisen and stand upright
Save Lord let the king hear us when we call. Let's pray
do you got a thing today and
For the service, please be with us cameras preachers with us and let us all learn something. She's never a man
All
Right so we're there in Psalm 20 and look at verse number 7
It says some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we
We reverend what are you trusting?
What are we going to do when we need it when we have a time of of?
We need a time of help. You know when things are going different
Challenging and and we're going through trials and difficulties
Hey, do we trust in the might of man in the might of armies the might of chariots or in horses?
It says no, but we will remember
The name of the Lord our God the name that's interesting isn't it you know many times as you read for your Bible
You know we understand that our dependency our trust our hope is in the Lord God
But there are so many times the Bible just refers to the name of the Lord
What did it say we will remember we will bring to remembrance what the name of the Lord our God?
It says there in verse number eight they hey those that trust in chariots and horses in the strength of man
They are brought down and fallen, but we brethren are risen and stand upright
What's going to help you when you're having a time of difficulty?
When you've when you've you know when you're cast down, and you need to be lifted up
You need to remember the Lord's name say Lord your name. You know Lord. I'm gonna uphold your name
I'm gonna remember your name the name of the Lord Jesus Christ the name God Almighty the name Jehovah
There are many names that the Lord God presents himself as and they all carry a special meaning
We are to remember his name
so
You know one of the things that you know I want us to remember that as Christians. Why we called Christians
Well to be a Christian is to be a Christ follower
But we carry the name of Christ don't we you know to say that we're a Christian we say we identify with Jesus Christ
We wear the name of the Lord as it were by our titles and
So we ought to represent that name that mighty name of our Lord God
We are to remember the name of the Lord our God now
We are continuing our series on the Ten Commandments this Wednesday, and we are up to commandment number three
You don't need to turn they'll just read to you what commandment number three is it says in Exodus chapter 20 verse number seven?
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain
Interesting we're not to take the name of the Lord in vain so the title for the sermon tonight Brevin is
God's name in vain God's name in vain was a mean
So to have his name in vain to to take his name and make it vain of course
What is vanity vanity is emptiness worthless useless?
You know we can take God's name and make it worthless make it useless
We do have that ability now
We often think about when you think of that command
We do think of what it would just read there that shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain
But then the second part of that verse is quite interesting it says
For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain
So if we take God's name in vain God's not going to hold you guiltless
He's going to claim that you're guilty that you're worthy of judgments if you take his name, and you lower it to nothing
There's strength in the name of the Lord God there's power in the name
That's you know we think about in the New Testament of course the name of Jesus Christ's power in that name
Salvation is through that name
You know it's one thing to go in and to preach the gospel
And you know if we went out knocking the doors
And you know we told ask people if they're sure of going to heaven they gave you time to give the gospel you explain
They're a sinner you explain that they're on their way to hell
You explain that God sent his son and that his son died in their place
Death bear resurrection and all you need to do is trust in the son, and then you say well the son's name is
Fred
Call upon the name of Fred and thou shalt be saved
Listen that person could understand what happened, but he hasn't got the name of Christ
He's not trusted in Christ
There's power in the name of Jesus Christ their salvation in the name of Christ
There's no point of you believing in some Fred who died on the cross of your sins that would be some other gospel
That would be some other Christ
Salvation must be in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we have to be careful with this commandment
God's not going to hold us guiltless if we take God's name, and we lower it to nothingness
You know to vanity then you're not you're not guiltless
You're guilty and God will hold you accountable for what you've done to his name
And so when I realize man government hold him guiltless that take up his name in vain I realize my this is so important
So important that we don't do such thing you know if we lower his name it offends the Lord God
There is strength there is might in the name of God not only should we remember our Lord God?
But we should remember his name bring it to remembrance as we need his power and strength to get through life
Now I will get to turn to
Please turn to Matthew chapter 6 turn to Matthew chapter 6
Now while you're turning to Matthew chapter 6 I
Want you to think about how important the name of God is to him
While you're turning to Matthew 6, I'll read to you from Exodus 34 verse 14
Exodus 34 verse 14 this is what God says to Moses. He says for thou shalt worship no other God
For the Lord whose name is jealous is a jealous God
What do we learn we learn that God is jealous
Okay, and of course. It's it's righteous to be jealous
What does it mean to be jealous that that which belongs to you? You don't want that for anybody else?
It's righteous. It's good to be jealous for the things that belong to you
Don't let anyone take what belongs to you what God has given you and make it and destroy it
You know I mean you know my family belongs to me
You know and God's given me a wife she belongs to me
It would be you know it would hurt me if someone came along and tried to destroy my family
Right or if my wife spending time with some other man
I ought to be jealous about that because she belongs to me and I belong to her and so of course the Lord
God is jealous what so when you think about that what does that mean?
It means that our worship our praise belongs to him that we belong to him our bodies have been purchased with a price
You know this body is the temple of the Holy Ghost we belong to him brethren God wants to use us
You know God wants us to be a channel that he can use and do great works through us
We belong to him and so of course we don't want to
Give ourselves to this world
We don't want to give ourselves to the devil or give ourselves to some other God we want to give ourselves to God
Alright, we're called Christians. We want to walk in the steps of Christ
But not only is God jealous. What did it say in that verse whose name is jealous?
Whose name is jealous?
And it's capital J another name for God is jealous
Say what is God's name or whatever his name is jealous?
You know therefore God is jealous about his name
God does not want us to take his name and make it worthless
You know he wants us to uphold and uplift his name
Understand how important it is to be thankful for the very name of our Lord God
So yeah, our God is not only a jealous God, but his name is jealous
We have to be careful about how we use the name of our Lord God
Now wait to look at Matthew chapter 6 verse number 9 because the disciples asked Jesus how to pray
You know and and Christ gives them the example of how to pray
And I want you to think about how Christ is praying to his father
How Christ honors the name of his father it says there in Matthew chapter 6 verse number 9
Matthew 6 9 after this manner therefore pray ye our father which are in heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Hallowed be thy name Christ says
What's it mean to hallow something? It sounds like Halloween?
It's kind of it does have the same root word, but the word hallow means holy it means separated
Jesus Christ says to the father your name is different your name is special your name is set apart
From everything else he he honors the name of his father
Say what is the father's name the father? That's his name
That's his name right our father which art in heaven. That's his name hallowed be thy name
So brethren when we come and we pray we say the heavenly father dear father
Think about what you're saying when you pray
Think about who you're speaking to whose name is jealous as well our jealous God
Hey our prayer ought to go to the right God Jesus Christ in the fire in the father
It should be going to the Lord God, but when we speak of his name
You know one of the bad habits that I have and a lot of Christians have it just it just happens in churches as we're praying
Lord no Lord is a name of God. It's one of his name. It's not just a title. It's his name
Lord Lord Lord Lord Lord Lord Lord Lord Lord Lord Lord, you know someone's talking to me
It's just Kevin Kevin Kevin Kevin Kevin Kevin come on come down I
Think sometimes we can be in danger of using the Lord's name in vain when we simply go before God and we pray
You know when you think about is using his name are we really you know thinking about what we're saying
Are we honoring his name are we Halloween his name?
I think we have to be careful, and I I have to change this about the way I pray
Sometimes I'm praying and I'm just thinking what's the next thought that I have to to bring to the Lord God
And I say Lord, and I say Lord kind of like um
What's the next point Lord? You know what we're gonna be careful?
You know am I upholding his name or am I using it as a placeholder?
You know these things we know III think as Christians we use them we take the Lord's name in vain many times
And we don't even think about it
Because often when you think about the Lord's name in vain
You think about you know how people just walk around and say oh my god
And that is taking the Lord name in vain that is of course
But there are many ways times that we just use the Lord's name, and we don't think about what we're saying does it carry meaning
Do we are we honoring his name? You know is that how do we have a heartfelt love toward God when we use his name?
You
Know we sing hymns don't forget. We're singing to the Lord many times the name is mentioned
You know glory to his name
Glory to his name
Are you sure you want to say that are you thinking about the words you're saying or?
Are they just empty words that are coming for your mouth because we're at church, and we're singing our songs
We've got to get through the songs to get to the service to get sorry to the sermon
Okay, it's a sermon to get to the end of the service, and then we can go home
Whatever it is, but you know we really think about the name that we're we're giving glory to and we sing from our hearts I
Think sometimes we can sing and go for the motions our hearts not there
We're just doing it because we know we need to sing and we're up. We're saying his name, but it means nothing to us
Is that taking the Lord's name in vain I say yes, I think it's him you know it's important
I'm not trying to you know there. I think we all have an area that we can fix in our lives in this
I know I can and we need to be careful because God says he's not gonna hold us guiltless
You know I just as I'm thinking was working to on this sermon. I just thinking you know how much
How much chastisement?
How much judgment have I received?
Where I just did not think and I've used the Lord's name, and it just meant nothing
How many times have I come to church and sung of the name of Jesus and you know my heart just wasn't there
I was just going for the motions
How many times you know does this does happen or as I said just praying Lord Lord Lord?
But am I really asking the Lord? I'm just using as a placeholder to get some of my next points
Again, I just don't want us to be judged and chastised
Unnecessarily, I think all of us can be a little bit more careful when we use the Lord's name
Okay
Hallowed look at look at Matthew chapter 6 verse number 9 after he says hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come
Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven
God's will in heaven is different to to you know the trash on the earth
They were the name of the Lord. It's a it's it's a name that is above all things
It's a it's a heavily name
It's a name of my God of my Savior and am I am I lowering that name to just be any other name
You know one of the problems amongst South Americans Hispanic countries that the name of Jesus Jesus
Is often used just as a regular person's name?
Like it's you know be rare
It's so rare for us as an english-speaking country to know someone named Jesus like just a regular person named Jesus
But in South America, it's so common like everyone's like Jesus or a middle names of Jesus or something like that
And I'm just thinking man. That's that's a very special name
That's a name that is above every other name, and we're just using it as a common now
You know I'd strongly encourage you to think about you know the names that you give to your kids
You know you don't want to give your children the name of Jesus
Because it's the name of our Lord and Savior. I don't want to use that name in vain
Anyway
To be hallowed is to be holy hallowed be thy name we see the example of Jesus
He came to set us the example don't forget
He lifts up he Hallows
He honors the name of his father
And we ought to be doing the same thing when we go to God in prayer we lift up the name of God
Should we think about what we're doing?
We're speaking that name. I don't want to use it in vain. I don't want it to be nothing and empty and worthless
Gotta be careful about how we use the name of the Lord
I'll quickly read to you from Isaiah 42 verse 8 Isaiah 42 in verse number 8. It says I am the Lord
That is my name. I
Am the Lord that is my name
Yep, Lord capital L. Capital capital capital R. Capital D. Lord Jehovah
Okay, that is his name, then he says and my glory will I not give to another
Neither my praise to graven images
Now thankfully you know we're not a type of church that has graven images and idols and statues
I've already preached on this last week about the idols the idol worship
But you know what God says that he is the Lord that is his name
He's not going to share his glory with another. You know he's not going to share his glory with statues and images
But then you go to the Roman Catholic Church, and what they say well that statue is Jesus
Don't they that's what they say
Well that they're taking the glory of God the name of God, and they've given it to a piece of wood a
piece of gold a
Piece of nothingness that he's taking the Lord's name in vain
Saying that statue is Jesus. We just use the Lord's name in vain because that's a piece of wood
It's nothing it can't speak can't hear can't see it can't walk it can't answer your prayers, and you're calling that Jesus
and
So there's another problem with those statues in the idols brethren is that you're taking the glory of God the special name of God
And you're giving it to
Nothingness you're giving it to vanity
Think about that you know how we can take God's name and making it nothing
Say well, you know we don't do that pastor Kevin. You know we don't have statues
We don't walk around say well. This is a Jesus over here, and yeah
I understand that but you know when we think about the the names that we use for God obviously God's name
Lord we saw as a name Jesus
and
The one of the problems in our society
You know at least in the english-speaking world is that we have these
sayings
you know one of the things that disgusted me going to a Christian school a
Christian school expecting people to be Christians to love the Lord is how many times people would just say oh my god
Especially the young girls oh my god, not something happens, and they're surprised oh god
Who are you speaking to?
Are you speaking to the Lord and of course they're not speaking to the Lord?
What are you doing? They're taking the Lord's name in vain?
God's not gonna hold them guiltless
You know you turn on the TV some Hollywood movie
That's all they do all they do constantly is take the Lord's name in vain
And we get entertained by these things
You know one of the things that
When someone gets saved
When someone wants to clean up their life, you know sometimes you got to clean up your your words clean up your language
You know if you're used to just cussing
You know usually you start to realize I need to change this about myself, and it's not easy
I mean I I was I was never someone that had a filthy mouth or anything like that
So it's you know I never had the challenge, but I've seen people that want to clean up their their mouths
I just seen it how hard it is for them because it's so common
It's just so it's part of their their nature so part of vocabulary to say words or to use the Lord's name in vain
And then to realize man. This is horrible
So sometimes instead of using the Lord's name in vain like oh my god. They're using you for euphemism
Okay, so becomes. Oh my gosh. Oh
My gosh like I still get to say it when I'm surprised you know I get that out of me a little bit. Oh my gosh
What's that mean?
Gosh is a euphemism. It means it's a word in the place of
Meaning the same thing, but just sounds a little bit nicer
gosh
To me it's no difference now. You're taking God's name and making it into something that is less powerful than that name I
Think we have to be careful, and I'm saying even within my own family. We have to be careful about the euphemisms that we use
You know are these just words in the place of the Lord's name
But what for what purpose exactly?
You know if we want to use the Lord's name, let's use the Lord's name, but let's hallow it. Let's lift it up
Let's honor that name
Instead of lowering it to you know a word or phrase just to express our emotions
To express when we're surprised, and you know when you know how people do that
What a golly I?
Didn't know that was a euphemism for God
golly
That's the same thing
You're just saying God in a more cuter sense I?
Had no idea that's I'm saying to you like I look at these things like a man
How many times have I truly taken the Lord's name in vain and then I'm lowering it to some other word
That carries a similar sound
And
I think I'm right with God. I think I'm just doing just fine using these other words
What about this one goodness gracious goodness gracious? Did you know that was a euphemism?
Who's gracious?
Who's out who's gracious for by grace are you saved isn't God gracious?
So if you're like oh, we can't you know we don't use God's name in vain so instead of God being gracious
We'll say goodness is gracious
We're surprised, and we know we have to be careful
I had no idea once again that goodness was in the place of God because God is good
So we all we've got to be careful with God's name. Let's call it goodness. Well. Why don't we just not say it at all?
Why don't we just be careful with God's name?
Because I know it's lost some meaning I guess you know some of these words
I didn't realize was associated with the name of God, but that's how it is. That's our society
That's this is how we speak sometimes
People get surprised oh Lord all right shocked oh Lord or Jesus
Hey, I hate that I hate that when I hear people say Jesus
Wait are you speaking to Jesus?
You're just shocked you can't control your emotions
You know
You can't keep your mouth shut and honor that name that saved me
They offers you salvation
So say well, maybe not Jesus what about gee gee
Well you just short in the name of Jesus another euphemism geez
You know the one that surprised me the most
Because of the famous crocodile hunter
You know that all the late crocodile hunter
I should say that you know was from the Sunshine Coast or at least these zoos on the Sunshine Coast
Crikey what does Crikey mean does anyone know what the euphemism? What's it? What does it represent?
Christ
Instead of him just going Christ
Crikey
Hahaha, you know Aussie slang it's a euphemism for Christ
You're taking his name
Okay, and you're loaning it to just rubbish
It's
Nothingness vanity
Thou shalt not take the name of the law died the name of the Lord thy God in vain
It's commandment number three. I think we're important think about it
We've done this so many times
You know we've really messed up
I know I've messed up so many times again out of ignorance, and I do believe God you know we know God is merciful
We know Lord the Lord God is long-suffering
But I just think that man Lord you've gone so long and I've used your name so many way
So many different ways that I didn't know Lord. Well. Maybe you've punished me. Maybe you chastised me
I don't know along the way, but I think we have to be careful I
Mean we should be careful as Christians. We should have control over our mouths anyway
You know we should be slow to speak all right swifter here
We should be careful about the words that come at our mouth
When you get emotional and heated and fired up, we're gonna be careful because the Bible says we ought to be temperate in all things
We're gonna have self-control
Okay, and sometimes. Yeah many of these words
It's just because we lack self-control
We've been taught by our world and society to just let go you're emotional just tell the world
Just say God's name in vain get that out of you
You
Know what as I thought about this I think I'd rather just cuss
No, I'm saying it's okay, but I think I just rather drop the f-bomb than to drop the name of God in vain
That is profane in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and look I don't even want to drop the f-bomb
I don't want to speak with those words
But it's even worse to take God's name and to lower. It's nothing
God's not going to hold you guiltless
Okay, so
You know I hope this touches your heart a little bit. I hope you think about what I'm saying
Because I think we can all improve our language
They say well pastor Kevin, I'm so you know when I get emotional it just comes out of my mouth
You know can I just what do I do?
Shut your mouth. Yeah, shut your mouth learn to close your mouth
You don't always need to express your disgust or your surprise
again temperate in all things
Learn some self-control
Tell your mouth shut up
Shut up before you say something stupid or before you say something as bad as taking the Lord's name in vain
There are other words you can use if you can't help that what about Wow
Find something amazing something a surprise Wow
That's amazing
That's awesome
You're serious. You're kidding
How about we you know if you're having a hard time?
We've controlled that mouth, and you want to say something just don't take the Lord's name in vain, please I
Don't want to see you punished by the hand of God
And I want this church new life at the church we come in the name of Christ
We're here because of his name
We come to honor and exalt the name of the Lord God
Be careful about the words how you speak
Now of course I've used
Examples as I'm preaching behind this pulpit where the Lord's name is taken in vain
And I'm trying you know I'm not trying to do the same
I'm just trying to teach that we should be careful about these things
Okay, be careful about the way we speak
Can you please turn to Leviticus chapter 19
Leviticus chapter 19 and
verse number 12
Leviticus chapter 19 and verse number 12
How else can we take the name of the Lord God in vain?
You know I think again. We're trying to think outside the box right we want to be careful with the name of our Lord God
Leviticus chapter 19 and verse number 12
Leviticus chapter 19 verse number 12 it reads and you shall not swear by my name
falsely
Hey don't make promises empty worthless promises and say I swear to God
Something else I observed growing up in school all right someone did something wrong
And even if it's whether they're lying about it whether it's on the truth I swear to God
Guys know I'm talking about
Bible says hey don't swear by my name falsely
Look at this neither shall thou profane the name of thy God. I am the Lord that is his name
So look if you swear by the name of God falsely you profane the name of thy God
You know I think about you know this is why I'm so careful when I preach
So careful, I want to make sure that before I say something. I know the Bible says it I
Don't want to come behind the pulpit and say thus saith the Lord and
Then preach heresy preach lies
Because what are you doing? You're swearing by the name of God falsely. You're saying God said this and you're lying
We have to be careful as preachers about what we speak
You know sometimes I think man is this a weakness of mine because I just I just want to be extra careful
But not I want to be care. I you know what I'd rather be extra careful
I don't want to preach falsely in the name of God say something that he never said
There are too many preachers that do that. I want to be different
You know everything that I teach I want to make sure that it's in your Bible that these are the words of God
You know in Jeremiah 29 20 Jeremiah 29 verse number 9 God says to Jeremiah for they prophesy
falsely unto you in my name I
Have not sent them saith the Lord
So what what's what's the deal with false prophets they prophesy falsely unto you in my name?
They say this is what God wants you to do
God is his name. This is what the Lord wants in your life
The Lord's name
They prophesy falsely
God says I have not sent them saith the Lord
What about your marriage vows I
Remember when I got married
And we said our vows
The pastor said well, you know before God and these witnesses
Before God and his weaknesses and I made those vows to my wife
Right in richer in poorer in sickness and in health
Till death do us part
Before God I made those vows
Okay, so what does that mean
Before in the name of God I said those vows
God be my witness witness
What did it say getting livid because 1912 and you shall not swear by my name falsely
Hey when I made those vows it's not to be it's it's true
I've got to keep those vows
Does that mean I'm gonna have a perfect marriage and we're never gonna argue and never gonna have conflicts of course not
But even in the face of conflicts and arguments, I'm gonna stay true
I'm not gonna profane God's name because again if you swear by my name falsely it says no
I shall now profane the name of thy God. I am the Lord
You know what if you desire to get divorced and you get divorced and you break those vows you've profaned the name of the Lord
Because it's very likely on your wedding day you said before God
I'm gonna keep to this truth
You know before God I'm gonna honor these words
And so everyone that gets divorced they've taken the Lord's name in vain he meant nothing when they said those vows
And God's not gonna hold you guiltless
Okay
Can you please turn to Philippians chapter 2 turn to Philippians chapter 2
And I'll read to you from Acts chapter 4 verse 12 Acts chapter 4 verse number 12
The Bible says neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under
Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved
It's a name of God that saves us. It's the name of Jesus
That's
What I said to you yeah, you can teach people the gospel what you call him Bob
You call him Frank you call him, Yeshua. They're not gonna get saved
Because it's by the name of Jesus
That is a name that saves us
So let's be careful when we speak the name of Christ
We speak the name of the Father
Let's pause for a moment just a brief moment in your mind before I say God's name
Does it carry meaning?
You know am I uplifting his name?
Or am I taking that name and lowering it to nothing to vanity to emptiness could I be accidentally profane in the name of God
Philippians chapter 2 verse number 9
Philippians chapter 2 verse number 9 says wherefore God also have highly exalted him and
Given him a name which is above every name
Amazing
That at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and
That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father
Wow a name above every name
Jesus and
How often do people just go out there?
Jesus
Either prophesying falsely in that name or again just as a way to express surprise
You know an emotional response
Man, it's a name above every name at the name of Jesus every knee should bow
I've already bowed to that name
There are many times. I've gone to prayer and I've bowed my knees
said in Jesus name
I'm gonna bow to that name, but we're all gonna bow one day of
things in heaven even in heaven the heavenly hosts they bow down to the name of Jesus and
things in earth
everybody on this earth one day is going to bow to that name and
Things under the earth that would be hell
Even the souls that are sent to hell even the souls that we have rejected Christ
They're not gonna get far from the Lord one day. They're gonna also gonna bow before that name and
They're gonna say that Jesus Christ is Lord
To the glory of God the Father
When we honor the name of Christ when we bow our knees to the name of Christ it glorifies the Father
All
Of creation will one day one day bow to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
So I want to give you some other thoughts, can you please go to Proverbs chapter 18 Proverbs chapter 18 and verse number 10
Proverbs chapter 18
I
Brethren when you find yourself in in hardship in trials and difficulties
Be careful
Don't be like this world that yells the name of God
Okay, God almighty
Or Jesus stop. Yes. You know what I want you when you go for difficulties. I do want you
to appeal to that name
but not in vanity
The Bible says in Proverbs 18 verse 10 Proverbs 18 verse 10
The Bible says the name of the Lord is a strong tower
The righteous runneth into it and is safe
Again the thought yes, we run to God when we need help
But it says we ought to run to his name. His name is a strong tower
So brethren when you're going through difficulties and hardships and trials
Do call on the name of God
Absolutely, but not as as vanity like this world does of surprise and shock. No you go before God. God help me
In Jesus name. I need your help
You know, you know my father which art in heaven hallowed be your name
Lord you deserve all glory your name deserves all praise and I need your help right now Lord
I'm going through difficulty. I need a strong tower. I need a place of safety and protection
in Jesus name and
mean it
Careful about his name
Careful how you use it. It is a strong tower. It is a place that we can run to there's power in the name
Please go to Psalm 61 Psalm 61 and verse number 8
Psalm 61 and verse number 8
Psalm 61 and verse number 8 reads
So will I sing praise unto thy name
forever
That I may daily perform my vows
You know what just to get through our day the things that we're committed to the things that we have to do
One of the things that's going to help you accomplish your day get through the day. It's just sing. Praise to the name of God
forever
Again just a reminder when we sing hymns we come to church and we sing make sure you're thinking about who you're singing to
Before you say the name am I meaning this or am I just going through the motions
I'm not criticizing anybody here. I don't know. I don't know what your life is like obviously
I don't know all I can say is I know what I was like
Going to you know as a child as a teenager going to church
Singing the hymns meant nothing to me many times just get through and sing the hymns can't wait for church to finish
So
Surely not you pastor. Yeah, even me how many times did I sing the name and it meant nothing?
You know it was just vanity just emptiness. It's crazy when you think about how many mistakes we've made
How many sins we commit we can't even keep track could you imagine salvation was repent of your sins?
Can't be done can't be done
Praise God we have a merciful God hey, but there's power in the name. Let's be careful with how we use his name
So whether we read from
Psalm 61 please go to Psalm 10 go to Psalm 10 actually go to Psalm 9
Psalm 9 verse 2 just some other thoughts here some 9 verse 2 I
Will be glad and rejoice in thee
I will sing praise to thy name. O thou most high
You see how often the Bible speaks of it, and you know
You know what I'm saying is true. How many times yeah, we don't sink to the Lord and yeah, but to his name
God wants to make sure that we're exalting his name
That we're actually praying and singing to the right God the only way you have the right God is by the right name
For who shall shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved so important we have the right name
Psalm 10 verse 7 Psalm 10 in verse number 7
We don't want to take his name in vain it says here about the wicked it says his mouth is full of cursing and
deceit and fraud
You say well my mouth is not like that my mouth is not full of deceit and fraud and cursing
look at this under his tongue is mischief and
vanity
speaking vanity is
lumped together with mischief deceit cursing and fraud
So if we take God's name in vain and we use it as
Nothing, we're lumping ourselves
amongst the rest of these words
cursing deceit fraud
mischief
We've got a Psalm 12 Psalm 12 in verse number 2
Psalm 12 in verse number 2
Again this thought of taking God's name in vain again about the wicked it says they speak vanity
Everyone with his neighbor with flattering lips and with a double heart
Do they speak?
This is about a backstabber
Have you ever been a backstabber to God?
With flattering lips glory to his name
But you know in your heart. You're not even meaning it
Right with a double heart
Do they speak so you're singing the words by means nothing I?
Mean how is that different to just be in a backstabber to a friend or a neighbor?
How is that different? It's not different I?
Think we have to be careful
I'm glad I'm going for the Ten Commandments because I think hey there are some things that maybe we've just missed a little bit along
the way and we need to get this right I
Don't want to speak to God with flattering lips, but I got a double heart
You know acting like a backstabber toward God. I don't want to be that way
Look at Psalm 31 verse number six Psalm 31
We
Don't want to take God's name in vain
But then it says in Psalm 31 verse 6 I have hated them that regard line vanities
but I trust in the Lord I
Have hated them
people
That regard line vanities
You know what when someone says God's name in vain you ought to not just hate the sin, but hate them for doing it
When you're watching some Hollywood movie, and it's oh my god, and you know it's God's name to be taken in vain
You're to hate that actor you had to hate that movie
But I trust in the Lord
Man you know
You know one of the things that churches are afraid to preach on is when God allows us to hate certain individuals
People say well God hates the sin, but not the sinner isn't that what they often say which is not in your Bible
Was it Gandhi that said those words?
Gandhi okay, we're quoting some
False prophet instead of God's Word, but this is one time that we can hate certain people
hate people that take God's name in vain I
Don't want to hate you for taking God's name in vain
You're my brother in the Lord
I'm your pastor. We ought to love each other. We're brothers in the Lord. We're to honor the name of God
But yeah, you know what line vanishes. I have hated them that regard line vanishes, but I trust in the Lord
So I want us to be very very careful with how we speak God's Word I
Got so many passages to turn to where can we go if you go to state?
Let's see go to Psalm 139 get a Psalm 139, please
and
While you're turning to Psalm 139, let me just read to you from Isaiah chapter 1 verse 10 you get a Psalm 139
I'll read to you from Isaiah 110
That's amazing what God says to Israel here in Isaiah 110
In verse number 10 it says hear the word of the Lord
ye rulers of Sodom
Who's he speaking to?
Say but well may he's speaking to Sodom. No, he's not he's speaking to Israel
God calls Israel
Sodom you rule of the Sodom give ear unto the law of you our God ye people of Gomorrah
Sodom and Gomorrah is Israel. That's what you are
Okay, Israel. You're just as bad as Sodom and Gomorrah
Verse number 11 why is it saying that to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifice is unto me?
Because you're doing all the sacrifices
Okay, but what's the purpose?
What's the meaning it means nothing God says?
Sayeth the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of lambs and the fat of fed beasts and
I delight not in the blood of bullocks or of lambs or of he goats
When you come to appear before me who have required this at your hand to tread my courts
So when he says when you tread your courts they come into God's house they come into the temple
God's house is the local church in the New Testament
So whatever we're reading about here Brethren we can apply it to the New Testament Church
When we tread his courts don't forget where two or three are gathered in his name. There is Christ in the midst of us
this is God's house when we meet for church Brethren and
They come in that they doing the our sacrifices they're doing the offerings
Don't forget when we sing we're offering ourselves our sacrifices of praise from our lips
We to offer sacrifices when we come to God's house
Okay, but then God says in verse number 13 as I 113
Bring no more vain
Oblations he says your sacrifices are vain
Stop bringing vain oblations
All right now God's not saying stop sacrificing just stop bringing the ones that are vain
So they're going for the motions once again. They're offering the sacrifices, but it means nothing to them. I
Don't want church to be this way for us. We just means nothing
Well, it's Wednesday night. We better be at church
Place your heart in it. Do you love the Lord?
Are you sure you're coming to sing praises to honor him to lift him to exalt him?
It
Continues their incense is an abomination unto me the new moons and Sabbaths
the calling of assemblies I
Cannot away with it is iniquity even the solemn meeting
It is iniquity sin even the solemn meeting even church attendance time can be iniquity
If we're offering sacrifices that are vain vain oblations
Verse number 14
Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth
So hold on God you told the Israelites to do the feasts you told the Israelites off the sacrifices
God says I hate at all
Because it means nothing to you. It's vanity. It's worthless
They are a trouble unto me I'm weary to bear them and
When you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you yay when you make many prayers
I will not hear your hands are full of blood
That's full on so God calls them Sodom and Gomorrah. You're no better than them
look obviously
In the time of Israel, we're talking about people under the old covenant. There were many people that were unsaved. Of course there were
Okay, now the difference with the New Covenant praise God praise God, you know that we're all saved
If you're part of the New Covenant, you have to be safe to enter in
Okay, so obviously we're not comparable to Sodom and Gomorrah in that sense
Okay, but I still want you to take the thought and the principle there that we don't want to come to church and offer our
Sacrifices of praise it just means nothing
Because God's gonna hate that
It doesn't honor him
How many times do we come to church and we hear the name of God we speak the name of God
Be careful how you use his name
Let's make sure we're lifting it. We're proclaiming
We're honoring we're loving the name of our Lord God
I'm going to turn to Psalm 139 verse number 19 better hurry up
Psalm 139 verse number 19
I
Think that's some other interesting points here verse number 19 says surely
Thou will slay the wicked Oh God
Depart from me therefore ye bloody men
So the wicked here being called the bloody man because the idea of bloody men that murderers a horrible people
For look at this verse number 20 for they speak against thee wickedly and thine enemies
Take thy name in vain
Who takes the name of God in vain the enemies of God the bloody men the wicked men?
These are the people that take God's name in vain and
Then verse number 21 do not I hate them Oh Lord
That hate thee so what do we learn there if you take God's name in vain you hate God
Is that right and thine enemies take thy name in vain do not I hate them Oh
Lord that hate thee and
Am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee I?
Hate them with perfect hatred. I count them mine enemies
So another group of people that we're allowed to hate not just a sin for the people are those that take God's name in vain
Don't take God's name in vain
Let's be careful me too me too
Okay, please say God's name boy. We don't want to lump ourselves again with these people
enemies of God haters of God
Because they do that why should we do what the haters of God do?
Let's go to another passage Proverbs chapter 30 Proverbs chapter 30, please in verse number 7
Proverbs chapter 30 and verse number 7 I
Started with the thought that we carry the name of Christ everywhere that we go
we're a Christian we're saved by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and
So we're representatives aren't we we're ambassadors we know this truth with soldiers with children of God
Proverbs chapter 30 verse number 7 reads two things have I required of thee
Deny me them not before I die
Look at this remove far from me
vanity and lies
But if you've got a hard time and you know that you you just oh my god
You know that you take God's name, and you just throw it in the mud. You know what this is a good prayer to have
This is a good prayer to have
Remove far from me vanity
God help me, and I know again. It's hard
You know people are girl. You know thank God. I grew up in a Christian home because I
don't know what my parents would have done if I'm taking God's name in vain but
So many of us have and then you're trying to work your mouth and your tongues the hardest thing to control
It's a little member remember, but it kindles a great fire the tongue
It's hard to control who's going to help you just go to God
Remove far from me vanity and lies
Look at this give me neither poverty nor riches
feed me with food convenient for me look at verse number nine lest I be full and
deny thee
you know when when we're too full when we're just way too blessed and
In Australia, we're already too blessed. We're already too rich
Honestly
Visit the rest of the world and you'll know you're a very rich person
but anyway
this is the danger lest I be full and deny thee and deny thee and
Say who is the Lord?
Or lest I be poor and still and take the name of my God in vain
When you're too wealthy when you're too full you forget the Lord
but look
We don't want to be too poor either
We don't want to get to the point that we're poor and then we end up still in
Because if we do that we take the name of the Lord God in vain
So how is that possible?
Because you're a Christian
You take the name of God with you everywhere you go. You're a representative of a safe person
you're a Christian you're a Christ follower and
Then when you go out and still
You destroy your testimony, and you destroy that name of Christ
You know your behavior honors the name of the Lord or it dishonors the name of the Lord
If you go out there and you commit theft
You get caught you get embarrassed your testimony gets ruined. Oh
these Christians
Yeah, you've taken God's name in vain by your behavior
You see this is why we also should just overcome sin
You
Know get you know don't get comfortable in your sins
Well, I'm saved God and my life's better than it was before
But you're still a sinner
so am I
Let's try to get better. Let's be a little bit more Christlike if you want to call ourselves Christians
That's what it means to follow Christ. It means we ought to get better
We ought to read our life or to uphold them of Christ even more so as we mature and grow as Christians
But you get yourself into some major sins like theft you take God's name in vain because you've destroyed it by your testimony
All right one more passage, please let's go to 2nd Timothy chapter 2 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse number 19
2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse number 19 I
Didn't want to end with this thought
Because if you say well my mouth's pretty clean pastor yeah, yeah, but you still sin and don't forget your sin
Can this honor the name of Jesus Christ okay the name of our Lord it says there in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse number 19
2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse number 19 the Bible reads nevertheless the foundation of God's stand offshore
having this seal the Lord knows them that are his look at this and
Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ
depart from iniquity
Do you name the name of Christ of course you do so in church?
We come in the name of Christ we come to honor Christ
So what if you want to name them Christ? What should you do you ought to depart from iniquity?
Brethren when you sin I want you to be disgusted at yourself
I
Say man, I messed up
I'm meant to be a Christian I
Know I'm saved. I'm not gonna lose my salvation praise God, but my life did not honor the Lord right now I
Gave into my wicked flesh. I've
Dishonored the name of my Lord I
Name myself a Christian. I ought to be living a life that is holy and pleasing
Then what do you do? It's a lesson that I've done for the last few weeks
Go and confess it before the Lord he made right with God say God. I'm sorry. Please forgive me
Help me to walk in your paths help me to overcome this sin
You know if there's something that I've not done that that's that's I've messed up now. Help me get that right
Let me fix that Lord
Okay, because I don't want to dishonor your name
We name the name of Christ, and if we do that brethren we ought to depart from iniquity
So you call yourself a Christian we call ourselves Christians amen
I love that name Christian Christ follower named on my son's Christian. Where's Christian oh?
Yeah
It's a good name
Okay, Christ follower, but then how well does your life represent Christ?
Christian
How well does your name or your name represent our Lord Jesus Christ?
So yeah, okay, maybe you got your mouth under control, but hey you know what we still need to consider the iniquity that we have
And we don't want to give the name of Christ a bad name. Okay. Let's pray
Heavenly Father Lord just want to thank you so much Lord for your for your teaching in your word
And Lord I just pray you to help each one of us
Lord even as I pray right now if I name your name Lord that I'm just a bit more careful with how I say it
And Lord we just thank you for loving us Lord for being merciful and Lord
You've promised in your word that when you've taken your name in vain that you're not going to hold us guiltless
So Lord I just pray you forgive us Lord. You know Lord. You know how we fail
you know how Lord sometimes we just overlook things in the Bible and
Lord sometimes we just pat ourselves on the back because we're not murderers when our adulterers Lord
But maybe we've taken your name in vain and for that. We're sorry
Lord we want in your life Baptist Church to be a church that honors you that lifts up your name that
Hallows your name that honors Lord who you are and what your name is and Lord
We thank you for giving the name of Jesus to your son the name above all names and that by that name Lord every knee
should bow and
Lord I pray when you send us to the
Harvest and we preach in the gospel to the lost that we remember the power in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
Thank you so much Lord that we worship the true God the true creator of all things we pray this in Jesus name. Amen
all right brethren, let's take a hymnals and
Let's turn to hymn number 116
116 116 and I've got the wrong
Sorry, I've got the wrong hymn
What's the name Jesus is the sweetest name I know that's what I want to sing
Jesus is
156
Thank You Matthias
Jesus is the sweetest name. I know now. Let's meet it
There have been names that I have loved to hear
But never has there been a name so dear
To this heart of mine
Divine the precious precious name of Jesus
Jesus is the sweetest name I know
And is just the same as his lovely name
And that's the reason why I love him so
Oh
Jesus is the sweetest name I know
There is no name
That we should give such honor and such love
As the blessed name
Let us all acclaim that wondrous glorious name of Jesus
Jesus is the sweetest name I know
And he's just the same as his lovely name
And someday I shall see him face to face
To thank and praise him for his wondrous grace
Which he gave to me
When he made me free the blessed son of God
Jesus
Jesus is the sweetest name I know
And he's just the same
As his lovely name
Jesus is the sweetest name I know