Look at verse 7 of Exodus 20. Thou 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. This'll be our scripture here
for this morning. This'll be our text. But before
we begin, let's have a word of prayer. Our God and Father in heaven,
we thank you for the day. Lord, we thank you for this opportunity
to gather together. Lord, pray that you would bless
us with your presence. Lord, that you would take this
thy word. Lord, apply it to our hearts.
Lord, cause us to think on thee and look to thee in all things. Pray for our families. Lord,
pray that you'd watch over, protect, and keep. Lord, we thank you
for your many, many blessings. But above all, we thank you for
the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's in his name we pray
and give thee thanks. Amen. Now, here we read again, Thou
shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. What does it mean? What does
it mean to take God's name in vain? Why don't you just think
about that? Think about that for a second.
TO TAKE HIS NAME IN VAIN. NOW, I'VE WORKED IN A FEW DIFFERENT
SETTINGS. I'VE WORKED IN A GARAGE. I'VE
WORKED A LITTLE IN CONSTRUCTION, WORKED IN SCHOOL, WORKED IN A
PRISON FOR A LITTLE BIT OF TIME. AND ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION,
I'VE HEARD GOD'S NAME TAKEN IN VAIN. CURSING HIS NAME, SWEARING
BY HIS NAME. AND THESE ARE A COUPLE OBVIOUS
OBVIOUS EXAMPLES. I READ THIS. JOHN GILL WROTE
THIS. HE SAID TO USE THE NAME OF THE LORD GOD IN VAIN IS TO
USE IT IN A LIGHT AND TRIFLING WAY THAT SHOWS NO REVERENCE OR
AFFECTION FOR HIM. HE SAID WE OUGHT NOT EVER MENTION
HIS NAME BUT IN A GRAVE AND SERIOUS MANNER. TO USE HIS NAME IN NO
OTHER WAY BUT IN AWE AND IN MAJESTY. AND I LOOK THIS WORD UP, THIS
WORD VAIN IN MY CONCORDANCE. AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE THREE WAYS,
THREE WAYS IN WHICH WE USE GOD'S NAME IN VAIN. We're all familiar with the more
common ways God's name is used in vain, but in the many different
places, there's no limit to where we go where God's name's not
used in vain, but I fear that in most cases, God's name is
used in vain in the pulpit. In so-called churches, by so-called
men professing to preach the gospel, I believe more than anywhere
else, THAT'S WHERE GOD'S NAME IS USED IN VAIN. TO USE GOD'S
NAME IN VAIN IS TO TREAT IT AS NOTHING. TO TREAT HIS NAME AS
IT IS NOTHING. IT'S TO TREAT HIS NAME AS A LIE. TO LIE ABOUT WHO HE
IS. AND THEN THIRD, IT'S TO TREAT
IT AS WORTHLESS. IT'S TO SAY THAT HE IS WORTHLESS. NOW, THE FIRST ONE, THE FIRST
DEFINITION THERE IS TO TREAT GOD'S NAME AS NOTHING. NOW, WHEN
WE REFER TO THE LORD, AND I KNOW THIS FROM HEARING YOUR PASTOR
PREACH, When we speak of the Lord, we speak of the Lord Jesus
Christ, His full name. You know, to do otherwise is
to treat Him as no different than anyone else. It's to treat
Him like just any, just common. His name declares who He is. It declares His deity. He's God. He's God in human flesh. IT DECLARES
HIS DOMINION. HE IS LORD OVER ALL. WE READ THIS THAT HE IS GOD OVER
ALL, BLESSED FOREVER WHEN WE SPEAK OF HIS NAME. AND WE CAN
NEVER PRAISE HIM TOO MUCH. WE CAN NEVER SPEAK TOO REVERENTLY
OF HIS NAME OR GIVE HIM A HIGH TITLE IN WHICH HE DOES NOT DESERVE. Holy and Reverend is his name. How a man can take that title
to himself is beyond me. Holy and Reverend is his name. Men say this, men say, Jesus
did this, or Jesus did that, or just ask Jesus. Like he's some kid that just
lives down the street from them. He's the Lord Jesus Christ. When they do this, when men do
this, they treat his name as it's nothing. They take it in vain. He is Lord. Look at a few passages of scripture
with me. Look at Philippians 2. Philippians chapter 2, beginning with verse 10. Philippians
2, verse 10. That at the name of Jesus, every
knee should bow of things in heaven, things in earth, things
under the earth, and that every tongue should confess THAT WHO? THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, TO
THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER. LOOK OVER AT CHAPTER 3 AND VERSE
20. HERE WE READ, OUR CONVERSATION
IS IN HEAVEN, FROM WHENCE ALSO WE LOOK FOR THE SAVIOR, THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST. WHAT IS IT TO TAKE HIS NAME IN
VAIN? WELL, IT'S TO TREAT IT AS IT
IS NOTHING. BUT LISTEN TO THE BELIEVER. TO
THE BELIEVER, HE IS EVERYTHING. ISN'T THAT WHAT THE SCRIPTURES
DECLARE THAT CHRIST IS ALL? COLOSSIANS 3, VERSE 11, WHERE
THERE IS NEITHER GREEK CIRCUMCISION, OR UNCIRCUMCISION, BARBARIAN,
SITHIAN, BOND, OR FREE, BUT CHRIST IS ALL AND IN ALL. MEN TREAT GOD AS NOTHING AND
THEMSELVES AS EVERYTHING. IF YOU LISTEN CLOSELY YOU'LL
SEE REAL QUICKLY THAT'S WHAT MEN ARE SAYING. CHRIST DID A
LITTLE BIT, Or they'll even say he did great things. But still,
his work is completely, that's what they say, it's dependent
on what man does. That's to treat his name as nothing. That's to treat him as he is
nothing. Men treat God as nothing. They
treat themselves as everything. They look to their nationality,
their outward works. BUT BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW,
WE READ THIS. WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES DECLARE?
BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW SHALL NO FLESH BE JUSTIFIED IN HIS
SIGHT. CHRIST IS ALL IN REGENERATION. CHRIST IS ALL IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. HE'S ALL IN SANCTIFICATION. HE'S ALL IN ACCEPTANCE IN CHRIST.
HE'S ALL IN LOVE. HE'S ALL IN REDEMPTION. WHAT
DO THE SCRIPTURES DECLARE? Well, second, what is it to take
God's name in vain? It's to lie about who he is. When we lie, we fail, we fail
to tell the truth. And men lie on God time and time
again. They say things like this, he
loves everybody. They say, that's what they say. I've yet to see that in the scriptures.
But listen, the scriptures declare this, Jacob have I loved, Esau
have I hated, right? Look at, turn with me to Romans,
Romans chapter nine. Romans 9, look beginning with
verse 9. For this is the word of promise. At this time will I come and
Sarah shall have a son. And not only this, but when Rebecca
also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac, for the
children being not yet born, neither having done any good
or evil, THAT THE PURPOSE OF GOD ACCORDING TO ELECTION MIGHT
STAND, NOT OF WORKS, BUT OF HIM THAT CALLETH. IT WAS SAID UNTO
HER, THE ELDER SHALL SERVE THE YOUNGER, AND IT IS WRITTEN, JACOB
HAVE I LOVED, AND HE SAW, HAVE I HATED. THE SCRIPTURES DECLARE
THAT GOD IS ANGRY WITH THE WICKED EVERY DAY. OVER IN PSALM 7, Verse 11, and I wish, I wish
that men would quit lying about God and just read the scriptures. Lying about God, lying about
who he is, is taking his name in vain. And we read this, thou
shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. And until a man's eyes are truly
open, Because what we want to hear, we're content with hearing
lies until the Lord crosses the path, until he reveals the truth
to us. Not a lie, but the truth. And
that truth, that truth found in his word, tells the truth about God, about
who he is, the eternal God. The God of creation, the God
of sovereign mercy, the God of righteousness, the God of unchanging
grace. The scriptures declare who he
is. They tell the truth about God. They tell the truth about
man. What do the scriptures declare?
There's none righteous. No, not one. There's none that
understand it. There's none that seek after
God. And then the truth about the
Lord Jesus Christ, about who he is. He's not a beggar, as
men would portray him. He's God. He's God in human flesh. He's the Messiah, the victorious,
conquering, and successful Savior, who came to accomplish a purpose,
and he accomplished it. He did what he said he would
do. So to use God's name in vain
is to lie about who he is. And then third, it's to say that
he's worthless. To say that he is worthless. Turn to Psalm 115. That's what
men do. Now, I'm confident that as you drive
around and we see these silly signs out in front of buildings,
you'll never have anybody write, God is worthless. I'd be surprised
to see that. But by what men say, they say
he's worthless. Look at Psalm 115. BEGINNING WITH VERSE ONE. NOT
UNTO US, O LORD, NOT UNTO US, BUT UNTO THY NAME GIVE GLORY
FOR THY MERCY AND FOR THY TRUTH'S SAKE. WHEREFORE, WHEREFORE SHOULD
THE HEATHEN SAY, WHERE IS NOW THEIR GOD? NOW, HOLD YOUR PLACE
THERE. HOLD YOUR PLACE THERE AND TURN
TO THE BOOK OF DANIEL. at Daniel 3. Where now is their God? And listen to what we read here. Daniel chapter 3, look at verse 14. You all remember that account
of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Look at verse 14 of Daniel 3. Nebuchadnezzar HE SPAKE UNTO
THEM. YOU REMEMBER THAT. THAT LAW WAS
MADE THAT NO OTHER GOD WOULD BE WORSHIPPED. BUT AT THE TIME
WHEN THAT MUSIC WOULD START PLAYING, THEY WOULD TURN AND THEY WOULD
WORSHIP THIS IDOL. AND LISTEN, LOOK AT VERSE 14,
NEBUCHADNEZZAR SPAKE AND SAID UNTO THEM, IS IT TRUE, O SHADRACH,
MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO, Do not ye serve my gods, nor worship
the golden image which I've set up? Now, if you be ready, that
at what time you hear the sound of the cornet, the flute, the
harp, the sacrament, the psaltery, the dulcimer, and all kinds of
music, you fall down and you worship the image which I've
made. Well, it'll be okay for you guys if you do this, but
if you worship not, you'll be cast the same hour into the midst
of a burning fire furnace, LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAYS HERE. DOES HE THINK THEY'RE GOD'S WORTHLESS? HE SAYS, WHO IS THAT GOD? WHO IS THAT GOD THAT SHALL DELIVER
YOU OUT OF MY HANDS? THAT'S WHAT MEN BY NATURE THINK
OF GOD. HUH? WHO IS THAT GOD that shall
deliver you out of my hands. And I'm gonna stop there, but
you gotta read that verse 16. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
they answered and said unto the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we're
not careful. We're not careful to answer you
in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we
serve, he's able. He's able to deliver us from
the burning, fiery furnace, and he will. WHETHER HE DOES THAT
OR NOT, WHATEVER TRIAL HE LAYS IN FRONT OF US, WHATEVER MAY
COME, WHAT DOES HE SAY HERE? HE WILL. HE WILL DELIVER US OUT
OF THY HAND, O KING. BUT IF NOT, BE IT KNOWN, WE'LL
NOT SERVE THY GODS, NOR WORSHIP THE GOLDEN IMAGE WHICH YOU'VE
SET UP. NOW, TURN BACK TO PSALM THERE. beginning with verse 3 or verse
2. Wherefore should the heathen
say, where now is their God? Listen to verse 3. Our God, our
God is in the heavens. Our God's in the heavens. He
hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Their idols are silver
and gold, the works of men's hands. They have mouths, but
they speak not. Eyes have they, but they see
not. They have ears, but they hear not. Noses have they, but
they smell not. They have hands, but they handle
not. Feet have they, but they walk
not. Neither speak they through their throat. They that make
them are just like them. They're just like them. So is
everyone that it trusteth in them. The God men speak of in
our time, for the most part, is an idol. It's a worthless God, a God with
a little G. The fool has said this, what'd
he say? In his heart, no God, no God. God for me and you know you you
look you look down through there at that description Ears have
they but to hear not knows what what's being spoken our time?
God needs man To do all these things for him, but not the true
God Not the God of not the God of heaven not the God revealed
in his words The God men speak of is completely
dependent on man, but not the God of the Bible. Psalm 115.3,
what did we read there? Our God is in the heavens. And
what has he done? Whatsoever he hath pleased. That's not a worthless God, is
it? No, that's the true God. He's
done whatsoever he hath pleased. His providence is undisturbed. His throne unshaken and His purpose
unchanged. He's sovereign in creation and
providence and salvation. That's the God of the Bible.
That's the God we worship. Back to Exodus 27. Exodus 20,
verse seven. Thou shalt not take the name
of the Lord thy God in vain. To treat him, to treat him as
nothing, to lie about him, to lie about who he is, or to say
that he is, that he's worthless. And listen to the rest of the
verse here. For the Lord God will not hold him guiltless that
taketh his name in vain. What does that mean? He'll not
look at him as innocent. He'll not be counted just and
righteous, but rather he'll be found guilty, guilty, a transgressor
of the law. Aren't we thankful? Aren't we
thankful that Almighty God's been pleased to reveal his son
to his people, that he's a merciful God? Oh, he's just, right, but
he's merciful. Just like Daniel told, but what
a horrible thing. You know, what a horrible thing
to be found GUILTY. TO NOT BE FOUND GUILTLESS. IN
CHRIST, OUR SINS TAKEN AWAY. HE LOOKS UPON US IN THE PERFECT
RIGHTEOUSNESS OF HIS SON, CLOTHED IN HIS BEAUTY. BUT FOR THOSE
THAT WOULD TAKE HIS NAME IN VAIN, THOSE THAT WOULD TREAT HIS NAME
AS NOTHING, THOSE THAT WOULD LIE ABOUT HIS NAME, ABOUT WHO
HE IS, THOSE THAT WOULD SAY HE'S WORTHLESS, JUST LIKE DANIEL TOLD
KING BELSHIZER, You've been weighed into balance and found one, yeah. All right, well that's a short
Sunday school, but that's, I believe those are three things that we
can keep in mind, to not take his name in vain. We think about
maybe some of the things that's said about our God on the outside. But let's be mindful, never treat
his name as nothing. To lie about who he is or to
say he's worthless. All right.