Series: Realities

Title: giving & taking

Teacher: Jacob Bender

Date: October 4, 2015

scriptures: Mark 12:29, Malachi 3:6-15, Psalm 119:36, Matthew 7:21-23, Matthew 25:32, Matthew 25:41-46, Ephesians 4:28, Luke 12, Acts 5:1-11, 2 Samuel 13

The word “vain” is the Hebrew word “shav’” and it means “to not be real.”

Most people think that the third commandment is telling us to not swear. Or to not say “God – blank”

But the third commandment literally says “You must not take the name of the Lord in unreality.”

You use his name in a way that makes it not real.

There is something about the name of God, is there not?

And man, there is something about the name of Jesus.

Something powerful. Something everlasting. Something that just makes you feel, in the darkest hour of your darkest day, like there is light. When it feels like everyone everywhere has abandoned you… that Someone still has your back. Someone still cares. God’s name can heal, it can redeem, it can provide, it can bring peace.

It is incredibly powerful.

But because of its incredible power, it also can be incredibly manipulated. If that wasn’t the case, then it would not be in the ten commandments.

It is a name that carries weight. A lot of weight.

But throughout history, various religions and religious leaders have misrepresented that name and have used it for selfish things. Wars have been started in the name of God. People have been killed. People have been robbed. People have been hurt. All, in forms of manipulation by people taking the Lords name in vain.

If you use the name of the Lord for selfish reasons, you are stealing. You are taking his name, and manipulating it for your purposes. You are not associating it to the power that it has, and that is why so many will be crushed by it.

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