Sermon Tone Analysis

Exodus 20:7 “ 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.”

Intro: In the Taurus mountains of southern Turkey, lives a certain variety of crane.

These birds tend to cackle a lot, especially while flying.

And, all that noise gets the attention of eagles, who swoop down and seize them for a meal.

The experienced cranes avoid this threat by picking up stones large enough to fill their mouths.

This prevents them from cackling—and from becoming lunch for the eagles.

People have a problem with their mouths too.

It seemed to me that this was an appropriate illustration to begin our study on the 3rd Commandment.

You see, on the front of every face in this room is a large opening called a mouth.

In each mouth is a little organ called a tongue.

The tongue, though relatively small when compared to the whole body, is one of the most powerful forces in the universe.

It must be!

After all, man can split atoms, walk on the moon, construct enough weapons to destroy his world thousands of times over, yet he cannot seem to control his little tongue, James 3:8 “ But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

In James 3, the Bible gives us valuable insight into this little monster that lives in our mouths, James 3:1–12 “1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

2 For in many things we offend all.

If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things.

Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, ful…”

Paul tells us that as Christians, we are to use our tongues for noble pursuits, Eph.

4:29 “ Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

He also tells us in Col. 3:8, that we are to watch our filthy mouths.

I don’t know how you feel about it, but to me, few things are as disgusting, as repulsive and as repugnant as a mouth spewing forth profanity and verbal stupidity.

If you are guilty of using filthy language, then shame on you!

But, I am sure you have good reasons for your foul mouth.

A man named Alex Dunlap has written and published a tract entitled Ten Reasons Why I Swear.

The purpose of the tract was to show how foolish swearing was.

Here are the reasons he gives:

1.

It pleases my mother so much.

2. It is a fine mark of manliness.

3. It proves I have self-control.

4. It indicates how clearly my mind operates.

5.

It makes my conversation so pleasing to everyone.

6.

It leaves no doubt in anyone’s mind as to my good breeding.

7. It impresses people that I have more than an ordinary education.

8.

It is an unmistakable sign of culture and refinement.

9.

It makes me a very desirable personality among women and children of culture and refinement.

10.

It is my way of honoring God, who said, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain.”

Tonight, we have come to the 3rd Commandment.

It deals with something far more serious than just a filthy mouth.

This Commandment discusses the misuse, or profane use of God’s Holy Name.

God’s Name is a Holy Name!

It isn’t to be used unless it is used in connection with His praise or His proclamation.

Sadly, to many it seems, God’s name is no more than a curse word.

A by-word they can throw around at will.

Little Mary, attending Sunday School for the first time one Christmas season, eagerly listened as her teacher told of the birth of God’s Son.

She thrilled to the story of the angels, wise men, the star, and the gifts.

Then the teacher added, “And they shall call His name Jesus.”

She looked over at the person beside her and asked, “Why did they have to name such a sweet baby a swear word?”

It was the first time that she had ever heard His Name used outside of a curse!

You know, kids just repeat what they hear!

“The boy’s mother was furious.

‘Young man, where did you learn to talk that way?’

“The boy hesitated, looked toward his father, and asked, ‘Well, Dad, should I tell her?’ ”

We are literally surrounded by profanity.

These statistics concerning television ought to cause us some alarm.

Did you know:

• In one year’s time prime-time television airs 8,333 acts of violence, 14,313 incidents of sex, and 23,566 uses of profanity.

—Wesleyan Advocate, Jun 1995

• Profanity on television increased by an alarming 45% in the first four years of the 1990s, according to a Southern Illinois University study.

Researchers monitored two weeks of prime-time programming on NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox, and found that words that were once banned are now heard about once every five minutes on prime-time sitcoms.

—USA Today, Mar 2, 1995

To date, swearing in the work place is up 60% as of 2021.

This morning, I want us to look into the 3rd.

Commandment and learn more about this grave matter of taking the Lord’s Name in vain.

With God’s help, I want to preach on this subject, “God’s Last Name Is Not Damn!”

I. GOD’S NAME IS A VENERABLE NAME

God’s Name is often misused and misspoken because it is misunderstood and not appreciated as it should be.

Right now, I want to help us fully understand and appreciate this Sacred Name.

A. The Announcement Of God’s Holy Name—The importance of names in the Bible as opposed to now.

Names in the Bible usually revealed something about the person, his ancestry or his background.

This is especially true in regard to the Name of God.

In truth, God has chosen to reveal Himself to man through His Names.

There are over 300 given in the Bible. 2 are used here and it is these 2 that we will concentrate on today.

1. LORD—When you see this word in the bible, it is the English rendering of the Hebrew word “Jehovah.”

It describes God as the self-existent, eternal One.

It is the Name, “I AM.”

This is the name God used when He revealed Himself to Moses, Ex. 3:14 “ And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”

This Name is used to declare God’s nature, that is unchanging and eternal—Mal.

3:6 “ For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”

James 1:17 “ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

In the Bible, Jehovah is coupled with other words to form compound names for God which reveal more about His nature and His attributes.

Some Are:

a. Jehovah-Jireh—“The LORD will provide”—Gen.

22:14 “ And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.”

b.

Jehovah-Nissi—“The LORD is my banner.”—Ex.

17:15 “ And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah nissi:”

c.

Jehovah-Shalom—“The LORD is peace”—Judges 6:24 “ Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovah shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.”

d.

Jehovah-Shammah—“The LORD is there”—Eze.

48:35.

e. Jehovah-Tsebaoth—“The LORD of Hosts”—1 Sam.

1:3 “3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh.

And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.”

f.