| What’s
the Big Deal with Taking God’s Name in Vain?
A. One of the first responsibilities of new parents is to ________
their child; we don’t name ourselves. B. By contrast, no one ever named God;
his name is chosen and ________________.
I. Much More Than a Name A. At
the burning bush in Exodus 3, God revealed his name to Moses (3:13-15). 1. ______________ literally means, “I am
who I am” or “I will be who I will be.”
2. “LORD” speaks to God’s self-existence, self-sufficiency, and
supreme sovereignty. B. We quickly
discover that Yahweh is more than just a name; it is God’s
______________. 1. The name appears
almost 7,000 times throughout the Old Testament. 2. It is a name, according to the Revealer,
that is to be held __________ (Exo 20:7a). Literally, “You shall not lift up
the name of the LORD your God for ____________________.” C. Our Creator’s name has deep spiritual
significance. To treat it like something worthless is
_______________—treating something sacred as common (Lev 22:15-16; Acts
24:16). 1. “…for the LORD will not
hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain” (Exo 20:7b). 2. Example: “…the Israelite woman’s son
blasphemed the Name…” (Lev 24:10-16).
D. When God says that we will be held accountable, we should take him
at his word! (Mal 2:1-2) II.
God-Breathed Input for Christians A.
The same principle of honor for God can be found throughout the New
Testament: 1. “To the King of the
ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be ___________ and gloryforever and
ever” (1 Tim 1:17). 2. “Worthy are
you, our Lord and God, to receive ___________ and honor and power, for
youcreated all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Rev
4:11). 3. “________________ and glory
and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power andmight be to our God
forever and ever! Amen” (Rev 7:12). B.
Most certainly there are times when saying or singing “O my God” is
appropriate and honorable. C. “Let your speech always be gracious,
_________________ with salt…” (Col 4:5-6; Matt 5:13). 1. “God” is not a throw-away, empty,
frivolous word to be mindlessly used whenever I’m surprised, excited, amazed,
shocked, or looking to accentuate something like everyone else. 2. “To him be honor…” (1 Tim 6:15-16) in
the way we talk and the way we live. |
