Fear and Revere God
Well, good morning, everybody.
Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? I heard that on the commercial ones. Can you hear me? Now? Hey, we've been talking for the last several weeks about how to filter are followership and dab. Look at this next slide here because I worked really hard on this alliteration. How many are impressed by that? How many like alliteration? We are focusing on filtering are falling. What does that mean? If you look at this next slide, it's really the idea of we want to filter our lives, through the big ideas of the Bible. We want to make sure that what comes out on the other side is people who are radically transformed by the power of Jesus Christ and filter alive through the Ten Commandments, which we've been talking about here this month. And next month. We went to filter alive through the Beatitudes, which we talked about during the fall. We want to filter our lives through the love chapter 1st Corinthians 13, which were going to talk about here in a few months, in Galatians. 5, 22 and 23. That is how we are transformed by the word. I've got Spirit and the word of God working together on our lives. Can you say a big? Amen to that. And we have got to be so, so devoted. And so clear on the fact that it's God's mission, that we become more like, Jesus Christ. And we don't just float through life. Nobody floats into maturity. Nobody stumbles into being just like, Jesus, it take proactive devotion and commitment where we say literally every day. Lord Jesus Christ of God work in my life by your spirit transform me help me can form into your image. Make me more like you. So I live like you love like you and Lead like you and I believe that with all of my heart today. We're going to look at the toward the end of the message at commandment number three. As we filter our life through the Ten Commandments. We're going to do it through a commitment number 3, which is all about, not misusing the name of the Lord, Our God in vain. You do all of this comes down to being very very clear about about our Biblical worldview. And you know, I had a guy come up to me last week after the sermon say you don't thank you for making me think and that's that's really what I wanted to challenge us. All to do is to think deeply and think thoroughly about what we believe and why we believe it. I don't want to only tell us what to think that's part of it, but I want to try to challenges on how to think, how do I think it to me? It all comes down to living in the center of these three circles and I've been talking about it and I like to just kind of review and let's go ahead and look at those circles. If we have them there for us, you know, to me the center of the three circles is all about living loving and leading but the big circle in the left is biblical morality. That's the Ten Commandments. That's the AP attitude, what we talked about in the fall we're talking about right now, but that's not all. We don't just use our morality legalistically as a billy club to beat on. That don't believe like we do know there's something called biblical purposes. And that's the great commandment love God's love your neighbor and the Great Commission go into all the world and make disciples you and I are here on purpose for a purpose and that is to reach people for Jesus. That's why we're here. You thought you were here for some other reason know. We're here to advance God's kingdom. Can I hear a big amen to that? And so biblical purpose, so important, but we need to do it with Biblical virtues. What that means is we need to be all about loving other people. We got to figure out how to do that. Well, how do we live? Like, Jesus. Love Like Jesus and Lead, like Jesus 1st Corinthians 13 through the spirit. So many passages talk about about loving it. So we want to live in the center of these three circles. Being grounded in God's word is absolutely vital. I mean, if we are going to weather the storms of life with the waves and the Winds of Life beating hard on as we have, got to have a runner called a Biblical worldview. If you don't like this one, come up with your own. That's that's anchored deep in scripture. But I love this one here for myself and I wish it upon you in a certain way. The direction of our entire church. We need to have a Biblical worldview that serves as a writer. So we don't just make up stuff on the fly in a wheel in a day and age, where people are kind of making up all sorts of things people come up with their own purposes. Our own values friends. There's one gospel. There's one Kingdom. There's one Jesus. There's one Lord, that's it. And that's all we don't make it. Well, I have this value over here. I want him fighting for this, cause over there. No, it doesn't work. That way. We anchored cheap and God's word and God been. But his holy spirit moves us forward from that basis, you know, I was thinking the other day, you know, was a pasture. There are three groups of people that, that I addressed all the time there people that listen, but don't really hear, I mean, their present, but, you know, they don't fight here. What's going on? There's stuff going on, but they're not quite hearing it. Secondly, there's people who here, but don't really care to employ it, or apply it. And then, the third Group, which is everybody at, BCA are people that here, listen here, and care so much that they want to put it in the practice. Give your fellow brothers, sisters, a big hand, for being a group 3, everybody's in group. PCA, or at least we want to be, don't lie. We want to listen. We want to hear what God is saying, and we want to go full bore and putting it into practice because they're really passionate about that. So, developing a Biblical worldview periodically. I like to As I read the New Testament, read some writings from the early church, like some of the tree ancient Creed's like the Apostles Creed or the Nicene Creed, or from the early church, fathers a little bit. You know, those first, first Christians that were just in in the middle in the throes of persecution. They were trying to figure it all out and they didn't have the written scriptures like we do and they were trying to protect God's truth by boxing out heresies. Aryan, aryan is Amanda gnosticism where two big heresies at the early church spot and I'd love to just kind of capture the essence of the early church and how devoted they Works to the pure gospel and the truth of God's word. We need to understand that. Back in that day. There was lots of scripture twisting. People came up all sorts of ideas and heresies and is also that way today. People are taking a sliver of scripture and then running with it all over the place. You need to ask yourself. We all need to ask ourselves. What is God say, what does it mean? And how can I apply it? Purely in with a devoted devoted heart? The end of the day, we want to live love, and Lead, like Jesus, like never-never for Rick. Warren said, this developing strong biblical convictions takes time, and it takes commitment. And I agree with that wholeheartedly. I would say it this way, in the context of our series living loving and leading, like Jesus requires waiting for profoundly deep in God's word. We live passionately each day, fulfill his purposes and intentionally leave first with love, empathy and humility. I want to take a few minutes and just kind of showed the spotlight on this whole idea of what does it mean to live love and Lead like Jesus. You know, there are three words in the New Testament that start with the letter, i that I think have a lot to say to you and me about how weak and more faithfully and devotedly and effectively live out the purposes of Christ. And the first word is the word imitate. We are to imitate who we were to imitate Jesus Christ. What does it say in Ephesians 5? Follow God's example, therefore is dearly loved children and walk in the way of love. Just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. Follow, God's example, that's the new international version. But the ESV says, the imitators instead of following examples would be imitators of God. The new King James version says, be imitators of God. The authorized version say, be imitators of God. The New Living Translation, says imitate God. We are to be like, and we are to imitate Jesus. I know that's not a new thought, but it's an important thought underscore about 45 times here today. My life needs to reflect Jesus. I'm the president and represent Jesus Christ and how I speak, How I Live, how I act that way, relate how I behaved, 11-1 follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ, and then noticed a couple of the other translations imitate me as I also imitate Christ, be followers of me, even as I am a follower of Christ. We are to imitate Jesus when people look at you and speak of you. What do they say about you? Do they say that person is really serious about Jesus that person lives loves and leaves like Jesus, that person is the real deal. You know what?
Quite a few times in my life. I have had people say to me, has anybody ever said to you? You look like this actor that actor. I mean it's happened, many times. And what I want them to say is that I look like one of these cats on screen right here.
My buddy, Jason Bourne, Jack, Reacher Ethan Hunt mission impossible. And of course, the Suave James Bond, that's that's what I want them to say. Because those are my favorite movie. She know the good guy takes out all the bad guys, you know, good going to wins over evil. That's what I want to hear. But what they say is I look like this guy. Michael Keaton.
No, I take that as an offense because he's a lot older than me. And so when people say I look like you and they basically say that I am really a lot older than I am but that aside, you know, I hear that all the time and it happened again just a few weeks ago. When is the bank had my mask on went to the teller, you know, transacted some business and he said, hey Has anybody told you that you look like an actor? I've gone up to Here Comes I said, what will Who? And then I said to him, how in the world, did you figure that out? I got this mask on. You said, well, you just showed me your ID. I really got a kick out of that one cuz I wasn't thinking about my idea. I was just figuring out how good they got to look through my mask and see who I look like. Well, the point is not so much any of that. The point is spiritually, speaking. Who do we look like? Who do we represent? Who do we reflect? Who do we imitate?
Do people say? They remind me a lot of Jesus. I read the scripture and wow, there's serious their devoted. They're committed to living it out. They're the real deal.
Who do you look like? Do you live? Love lead like Jesus? Evaluate yourself, think deeply and what area of your life do you need to conform to the image of Christ in and imitate him better. We all need to grow that is for sure. Every one of us are on the road now. Must have arrived. Where do you need to reflect Christ? More imitate Christ. Is it in your conversation? Maybe it blew up at your spouse. This past week. Is it other relationships or you have treated people with disrespect? Is it, your thought life? Is it in? Your finances? Is it at work, you know, you can add to that list as well as I can. Where do you need two more Faithfully imitate Christ? The second I word is image Bears. We talked about this interesting Lee last week, when we talked about building a Theology of life. And, you know, we looked at commandment number 6, where it says, Thou shalt not murder. And I said if you zoom in, it says murder. But if you zoom out, it's all about life. And we talked about all sorts of scriptures that deal with life. And one of them was this right here and every single person that's ever been created Bears, the image of God and has incredible value facts and respect life. Ruby image bears. Do genesis 5:1 when God created Mankind and meet him in the likeness of God. Genesis 9/64 in the image of God has God made mankind. Then I find this interesting James chapter 3. It says we have been Created in God's likeness. And then he goes on to say. So why don't you talk like it? That's the passage on the tongue and James goes into DLC into detail saying, you know, you're speaking in a completely different way than a Christian should. You are a Christian. You are price light. You should act like it. You should speak like it. Pronounce Theologian j.i. Packer said, image bearing really means representative likeness. I like that. Representative like we are to represent and have a like this with Jesus Christ, Our behaviors. Our beliefs are conduct or character or speech or attitude. Here's the reality. And that is this that our image. If you look at these arrows that pop up here, our image was lost. And stained in the fall back there. In Genesis 3, God made man in his own image. Just took a few chapters Genesis 3. Man sends bum, kind of messed things up. But all is restored in Jesus Christ. Can I hear a big amen to that? And it's going to be perfected when we get to heaven. In fact, hopefully, we're being Sanctified and, and we're conforming adding transformed in this life until that day. We go to heaven, and we're becoming more like him. That's the idea that we grow, and become more and more like him, and I like what it says in Romans 8:29. It says, we are to be conformed to the image of his son. Jesus said in Matthew 5, be perfect. As your heavenly father is perfect. Perfect. Not as in you. No notion or mistake, but perfect. As in mature growth becoming more like Jesus. The third eye word is influence. We are to be Salt and Light. We are to be Witnesses ambassadors. Representatives of Jesus. Where to be a bridge that people can cross to Faith. Not a barrier. A blockade.
Influence. We're here on purpose for a purpose and that is to reach people who are far from God to influence them for Jesus Christ to compel them to come, not repel them from coming. There's a couple of scriptures that I think about often on this and that is Colossians chapter 4, verses two through six. Devote yourself to prayer being watchful, and thankful, and pray for us to process you in class and fork. That God may open a door for a message saying, pray for us at the door will be opened so we can proclaim the mystery price, so we can tell people about Jesus. And then he goes on to say, pray that we Proclaim it clearly. And then he says be wise in the way you act. Toward Outsiders. What that verse really really shaking because I think it's extremely profound and many Christians. Just kind of fly right over that. We're here on purpose for a purpose and we need to be wise in the way. We Act without The Outsiders or people outside the faith. We need to be conscious aware thoughtful of people outside the faith. And that should compel us to live our lives in a very circumspect fashion to where we are thinking. How can I help people find Christ? If they just read my life.
Instead of blowing up at people screaming at people, you know, demonstrating road, rage, all sorts of whatever else. It's a very thought-provoking thought here. Make the most of every opportunity, let your conversations always be full of grace season with salt. So, you may know how to answer any of everyone? That is a very compelling scripture, to me with regard to fulfilling our purpose. And that is to be an influence for Christ. There's another passage in there are many others. But classes chapter 3 is really interesting because it says several things here. You see it on the screen. It says, set your mind on things above, get your mind moving in the right direction. Get your mind, right. And then it says, take off the the sinful nature. You know, what can I use as put on certain clothes, take off certain clothes, put off the sinful nature, get get rid of that stuff, you know, envy and greed, and hatred, get rid of that stuff. Clothe yourself with compassion kind of those patients and whatever you do weather in word or deed, do it all in the name of Jesus. Spring glory to the name of Jesus Christ. Represent the name of Jesus be a good servant for Jesus represent him. Well drop people to him and that is a great verse. It serves as a Segway, the Commandment number 3, do not misuse the name. Do not take the name in vain. What does that mean? It is smoked. Fundamental and foundational sense. It means fear and Revere. God always.
Let's explain that. Let's unpack that just a little bit. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord. Your God for the Lord will not hold anyone Guiltless. Who misuses your name. So we want to filter our lives through commandment. Number three. We're filtering. Our lives are the Ten Commandments, and Beatitudes love chapter. And then what comes out the other end is people who've been transformed by the word of God in the spirit of God. What's in a name, you know, in our culture, it's a little different. You go to the Old Testament. They have these various names and, and, you know, they're very spiritual courage, and wisdom and love, and goodness and Justice, you know, I had to do a little at a logical study on the word Rob. I don't know how potent that is. But the back in the Old Testament time. They had these names that really connected them with their person and no more. Is that true than with God himself. The titles that the names of God Are Not Mere titles in the Old Testament, they speak about his person's character. His work is power. And over again, as we read these names were reading about his nature, is being his person and we're reminded every time we look at a name of God. We need to fear in Revere, need to fear in Revere. We must be in awe of his majesty. I think you and I, and everybody quite frankly in this culture needs to turn up the thermostat on the r m, a w e, r m. When it comes to God, we need to be in more. We need to fear in Revere, not fear. Like we're in a corner, huddling shaking shivering. But we, we fear isn't respect. We we Spears in Revere. God, there is one God and we're not it. There's one God and His Almighty. There's one guy, and he's the Majestic one. And if we truly fear and Revere him, we are going to be humbled. And we are going to be better situated to live love and Lead like Jesus than ever before. Predecir in Revere. God Bible says a lot about the name of the Lord. Look at a few of these scriptures. Proverbs 18:10. The name of the Lord is a fortified Tower. Homemade Lord, our Lord. How Majestic is your name? So 9:10, those who know your name trust in you? How about Jesus in The Lord's Prayer? Our Father in heaven Hallowed, Be Your Name over and over again. We see references to the name of God. If you take the third commandment and you look at it and its present kind of more negative prohibition. It says, do not misuse, do not use or take the name of the Lord God in vain, but if you want to put in a positive way, I would say fear and Revere almighty God at all times and always in all things here in Revere. How do we do that? Well, I've listed a few things here on the screen recognize his lordship. Over our lives in creation recognize his lordship. He is Lord. He is Lord. He is he is King realize his majesty overall reaffirm. Your commitment to live your life to glorify him. Powerful start. To understand what it means to fear in Revere majan, if we prayed this everyday, imagine if this became kind of our Mantra. I want to recognize your lordship. I want to realize that your Majestic and King over all. I want to reaffirm my commitment to you and all things and it always Taking God's name in vain. Can be described as follows you. No, it goes beyond swearing and cursing. And all those things which which is a part of it, for sure, but going to be on that because that's about the limit of what many people think about when they think of this commandment. I would say taking his name in vain misuse and misusing God's name is when we disrespect dishonour and disobey him. And refused to follow his teaching.
Choose to not obey.
Another illustration. For example, is to be flipping insincere and take him at his word lightly. That's no big deal. Whatever. God says, I'm not no big deal. If I get around to it. I'll get around to it. He says do this. I might he says, don't you know, I might do it anyway. Taking it lightly insincerity. Here's another one to misappropriate, his name for my purposes or causes. now, that It's something. I see a lot in society today.
Regardless of a person's political view, you got one person on this side. One person, that side regardless of persons, any illogical few yet. One person on this side. One person on that site, you know, different philosophies different, this different that you will get both size appropriating God's name to Devan their side and they're Polar Opposites. They can't both be right. They both can be wrong, but they can't both be right. And people take God's name lately, and they use it any, which way they want to advance their cause. That is misusing God's name. It Grieves, the heart of God. Kauai or use his name to perpetuate half-truth or untruths. Takes God's name in vain.
Where did represent God as Christians wear little Christ? Where to reflection imitate him. Represent him present him to a lost and Dying World. We bear his name. We bear the image of God. People need to see Jesus in a like one commentator said, taking his name in vain is to falsify who God is and what he stands for, indeed. Each person should actively reflect God's nature in their actions, speech, thoughts and plans all of life. And I would say to that that's what living loving and leading like Jesus is really all about.
Misusing taking his name in vain.
So ask this question. Does my life show respect devotion? Worship honor. Do I fear and Revere him? Do I need to turn up the all m in my life? The off thermostat. To where I humble myself and Revere and fear him more than ever before. To recognize his majesty to be an all of his lordship. To be just flattened by his grace and mercy. Understand, he is the god of the universe to the creator of the cosmos.
I can't help it think of the Old Testament names of God. When I read the third commandment, many of you will recall these names, l means the mighty strong God, another Hebrew name for God is Elohim. Which means the Creator God, El Shaddai, I the ultimate power over all God. How about Jehovah Jireh? You know what? That means our provider, anybody ever needed? God's provision. Like all of us, Jehovah Rapha the Lord, who healed anybody ever needed? God's healing maybe even you need it now. He is our healer. How about Jehovah, Nissi the Lord. Our Banner got a deliverance and salvation. Anybody ever need to be saved delivered. You better believe it. How about you go by the kaddish, the Lord, who sanctifies makes holy, he purifies and makes us wholly. Engrossed us into the image of Christ about your home is Shalom. He is our peace. Anybody ever been overwhelmed by stress and chaos and uncertainty and needed the peace of God that passeth? All understanding. How many are glad our God is a God of Peace. At the name of God. How about Jehovah? Tsidkenu? The Lord? Our righteousness. Jehovah. Rohi. The Lord. Our Shepherd. I shall not want. Jehovah shammah. The Lord is there. When people are church, family are going through cancer. We got people, our church family going through all sorts of Heartache, pain and challenge. God is with you friend. He's with you. He's behind you lie beside, you was in front of you. He's in you, he cares about you. Jehovah shammah. I think of the three on these he's omniscient. He knows everything. I'm not present. He's everywhere at once omnipotent. Our God is all-powerful. I think of names of God, like he is infinite and eternal, there's no beginning and no end. He's eminent and Transcendent. He's above everything. He's also as close as a one-on-one relationship. He's both Abba Father that very intimate name in the New Testament where he's like our spiritual father or closing of the most wonderful Earthly. Father. You can imagine x a whole lot. And on the same hand, he's also a consuming fire. Both. I think of the names of Jesus. He's the bread of life member the Iams. I am the bread of life. I am the light of the world. I am the door. I am the Good Shepherd. I am the resurrection and the life. I am the way, the truth and the life. I am the vine. You are the branches.
Our God is an awesome God. He must be feared and revered as such. And I think, every single one of us would do well. And I invite you to join me turning up the i m spending some time at the close of the service and throughout this week or you just stand sit or lay in the presence of God and say, Lord. I am in awe of your majesty. I'm stirred by your Wonder. There is no one greater than you.
Your name is an everlasting name. Your kingdom is forever. Turn up the r m, just a bit. Ask God to help you. The impacted by.
You're fresh awareness of his awesomeness, where it humbles you to live love. And leave like Jesus, like never before. We represent him. Let's pray. We do it. Authentic Lee. Well.
What is with our hearts and heads? We thank you for a god of love and a god of mercy of God of Grace. We thank you for all you've done for us and what you did on the cross. When you died for our salvation. Today. Lord, we say thank you and we want our lives. To be a thank you letter to you for all you've done for us by how we live love and Lead like you, we want to represent you. We want to imitate you. We want to filter Our Lives. Prescription The Ten Commandments and the love chapter it when we want to be authentically. Genuine image bears. Reflecting Jesus Christ in our thoughts or actions are attitudes our conversations.
With every head bowed and every eye closed. How many would say Pastor out? I'm not a Christian, but I want to commit my life to Christ. I want to get on the Jesus Road and I want to follow him and put him first in my life. Maybe known the Lord in the past. But you slipped away, or maybe you're here today for the first time and you want to commit your life to him. Would you just raise your hand? Nobody look around? Just raise your hand hole up there for a moment. I want to pray for you and these closing moments today. I want to commit my life to Christ. I want to put Christ first in my life.
God bless you, for those of you that are watching online. I invite you to commit your life to Christ. And with those here you at home, just simply pray, Jesus. I commit my life to you. I want to follow you, authentic Lee. I want to be faithful and true and putting you first. In my life. I want to live love and Lead like you come into my life or give me mice. And I want to be a follower of Jesus. I want to imitate you Lord. Thank you for dying for me. Thank you for your mercy. Thank you for your grace. I'm in awe of your power in your Wonder. Magnify your name. Great is the Lord.
Loving kind and true.
Do here today?
And if you were honest, you say, you know, I've been a little bit, a little bit, flipping a little bit inconsistent, little bit Unfaithful in my followership and I need to step up my game. But several people talk to me about that. Very thing, after the first service today. Would you just recommit your life here and now to Jesus and just say Lord? I'm only and I want to be a fervent followers of Jesus through and through go ahead and surrender areas of your life that need to be committed to him, talk to about areas where there's been a gracious. Backsliding. Tell him, you want to put him first in your thoughts, your attitude, your actions, your words.
If you're a follower of Christ, join me, join me and turning up the on M. Say Lord, I wanted.
Spend more time worshipping you and honoring you and glorifying you. You are magnificent and Majestic in all powerful and true. Our God is an awesome God.
Got to pray your blessing on everyone. As we get ready to leave this place in the moment. Give us a great week. Maybe being credible, imitators of you and influence. Many people to find their way to Christ and we pray to Jesus name. Amen. Amen. We stand together. We're going to sing a closing song and are proteins going to come forward. If we could agree with you, in prayer on any issue. Please come forward with love to pray with you. Let's sing. And then will be dismissed.