“What is it You Want?”

Exodus, 20:14, 17, Matthew 19:4-6

Series on the Ten Commandments

Introduction: Illustration: “Stages of a Cold,” 1001 Humorous Illustrations, p. 24, #37.

A husbands reaction to his wife having a cold changes the longer

they have been married: First year, “Sugar dumpling, I’m really

worried about my baby girl. You’ve got a bad sniffle and there’s

no telling about these things with all the strep going around. I’m

putting you in the hospital. I know the food’s lousy, but I’ll bring

you some meals from Rozzini’s.” Second year, “Listen darling, I don’t

like the sound of that cough and I’ve called a doctor to rush over here.

Now you go to bed like a good girl.” Third year, “Maybe you’d better

lie down, honey. Nothing like a little rest when you feel lousy. I’ll bring

you something. Have we got any canned soup?” Fourth year, “Now look,

dear, be sensible. After you feed the kids, do the dishes and mop the

floor, you’d better rest.” Fifth year, “”Why don’t you take a couple

of aspirin?” Sixth year, “If you’d just gargle or something instead of

sitting around barking like a seal all evening…” Seventh year, “For Pete’s

sake, stop that sneezing. What are you trying to do, give me pneumonia?”

God knows that we can lose interest in what we have in our lives. This morning we finish our series in the 10 commandments with the seventh and tenth commands: “You shall not commit adultery.” And, “You shall not covet…” God knows our nature, our tendency to not be satisfied with what we have, satisfied with the status quo. God knows that we can stray away from our commitments. And even more, God knows that we need boundaries to help guide us in the decisions of life; to give us added wisdom when we might be challenged by the sinful desires of our heart. So God gives to us the seventh and tenth commands!

I. Wanting Another- (Exodus 20:14; Matthew 5:28, 19:4-6; Psalm 37:4;

Philippians 4:8)

a. The Marriage Relationship- The purpose of the seventh

commandment, “You shall not commit adultery,” is to show the importance of the marriage relationship. Jesus helps us to understand this further when He tells us in Matt. 19, vss. 4-6, "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

Adultery is usually thought to be when a man or a woman have sexual relations with someone who is not their spouse. But it can also be when a man or a woman give their heart and/or their mind to another. This command shows the desire of God to see a harmonious marital relationship, and for neither spouse to do anything to undermine this. MARRIAGE is to be a sacred duty; it was not designed to be entered into carelessly or lightly. The Jewish laws of marriage and of purity aimed very high. Even in our day and age where the divorce rate is well over 50%, one of the most hurtful things one spouse can do to another is to be unfaithful.

When God was establishing the covenant of marriage, he gave us the image of 2 people becoming one. Sexual relations is the most intimate of actions where two people are united together. But being emotionally bound together is very intimate as well. When adultery is committed, this act of uniting has been damaged; the commitment of oneness is broken, torn apart. God knows that this is a hurtful, harmful thing, and therefore sets it as a command to all.

Now, if you are hearing this, and you are not married, for whatever reason, it is still important to understand this commandment. Maybe there will come a time when you will be married. Or maybe you have friends who are married. When I do weddings, one of the aspects of the ceremony is called the “Affirmation of the Congregation.” What this is, is an opportunity for those who have come to the wedding, to remember that they are not just there as observers, but as participants. They have been invited because they are friends and family who care for the two people who are getting married. And so I ask them to make a pledge to help support and encourage the married couple in all their days together.

b. The lustful heart- But Jesus, like all other commands, comes along

and takes it a step further. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:28, “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Jesus tells us that adultery is not just in the flesh, in a physical act, but it is in the mind as well. Illustration: “The Amish father and his son.” There is a story of an Amish father and son who were visiting the local mall. They had never been to the mall before, and were amazed by all that they saw; especially the 2 shiny, silver walls that could move apart and then slide back together again. The boy asked his father: “What is this, father?” The father, never having seen an elevator, responded: “Son, I have never seen anything like this in my life. I don’t know what it is.” While the father and son were watching the elevator, an older lady rolled up in her wheel chair and pressed the button. When the doors opened she wheeled herself into the elevator, and then the doors closed. The father and son continued to stare at the elevator for a couple of minutes, when all of a sudden the doors opened again. To their surprise, a beautiful, young woman came walking out. The father, not taking his eyes off of the young woman, said quietly to his son, “Son, go get your mother.”

When we lust in our mind, we let an unclean desire enter our heart as well. This is indeed a challenge, because Jesus tells us that it is not enough just to not commit adultery, but we must not even wish to commit adultery. Jesus taught us that our thoughts are as important as our deeds. The commitments we make are to not just be kept physically, but in our mind and heart as well.

Jesus was teaching that it was not just in our deeds that we would be judged, but we will be judged by our wrong desires. This teaching may send us reeling and lead us to ask the question: “How can we ever be obedient to this?”

Listen to Psalm 37:4, “Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” When we seek God, we desire the things of God, not the things of the world or the selfish desires of our heart. Philippians 4:8 tells us, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”/ The point is to dwell on the things of God.

II. Wanting Other Things- (Exodus 20:17; Philippians 4:12)

Like the seventh commandment, the tenth commandment deals with our inner thoughts and desires: “You shall not covet…”

a. Wanting what you don’t have- This command strikes at the root of

desiring what we don’t have. It deals with inner thoughts of envy and greed. It deals with the feelings of always wanting more.

Illus. “The Perfect Dog,” Chicken Soup for the Kid’s Soul, 1998, via the internet.

There is a story of a dog named Minnie, who was brought to the vet to be put to sleep because her owners didn’t want her anymore. Minnie had thin curly hair that barely covered her body. Her eyes bugged out as if she was always surprised. Her tail looked like a rat’s tail. But the vet kept her, spade her, gave her the shots she needed, and put out an advertisement. The ad said this: “Funny-looking dog, well behaved, needs a loving family.” Not long after, a boy called saying that his grandfather’s 16-year-old dog had just died and they wanted Minnie no matter what. A little time passed and then a car pulled up. Two kids raced to the door and scooped Minnie up into their arms and rushed her out to their grandfather in the car so he could see. Minnie licked his face and seemed so happy. “She’s perfect,” said the grandfather. As the vet walked up to the car, he could see that the old man’s eyes were a milky white color—he was blind!

More often than not, we should not judge what we want by what we see, but by where our heart leads us. Our world is full of things that we don’t have. We are bombarded by advertisers telling us how we need all these things we don’t have. We are led to believe that we have to have all these new items. Maybe we see our neighbor, or a family member, or a friend who has something that we don’t, and we desire it for ourselves. THIS IS THE ATTITUDE OF COVETING!

b. The secret of being content- Here is a challenge for us by the

apostle Paul, in Philippians 4:11-12, “Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

Paul knew what it meant to have a lot, or to not have anything at all. What was it that made him able to be content and not covet?

Well, earlier in the book of Philippians, Paul says in chapter 3, verse 8: “More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” For Paul, there was nothing greater than knowing Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord. What Paul is saying here is that the key to not coveting is to satisfy ourselves in Christ.

Coveting is an attitude of not being satisfied. And this can only be overcome by having a personal relationship with God through Christ. This attitude can only be overcome when we abandon our sinful desires, and seek what God has for us.

Illustration- “Self Inventory, “ Illustrations Unlimited, p. 123. There is a story of a farmer who had lived on the same farm all of his life. It was a good farm, but had become worn down in many ways over the years. Every day he found a new excuse of why he didn’t want to live there anymore. Finally, he decided to sell the farm. So he contacted a real estate agent and listed the farm. The agent quickly put together an advertisement for the farm, and called the farmer to run it by him before she sent it out. Here is what the ad said: “Farm for sale. Ideal location; modern equipment; healthy stock, acres of fertile ground, and on and on the ad went.” When the farmer heard this, he stopped the agent and said to her: “Hold everything! I’ve changed my mind. I am not going to sell. I’ve been looking for a place like that all of my life.”

It is easy to look past what we have. It is easy to lose our attitude of being content because we turn our focus to that which we don’t have. God knows that not being content can entrap us into even greater sin. We see this happen when Eve coveted the forbidden fruit. But if we keep our eyes focused on Jesus, then He can continually remind us of whom He made us to be, and all that we have. He can help us to be satisfied in our lives.

Conclusion: Over the last 5 weeks we have looked at the 10 commandments two at a time. We have seen how the first 4 remind us of how we can love God with “all of our heart and soul and mind and strength.” We have seen how the last six remind us how we can “love our neighbor as ourself.” These commands express to us God’s presence and love. They tell us how we are expected to live. They are there to help lead us out of bondage and into freedom of life with God. They are the way to preserve our faith. As Paul tells us in Romans 3:28- “For we maintain that a man is

justified by faith apart from observing the law.”

The 10 Commandments are not the final word; Jesus Christ is. But the commands are there to guide us and help us to live more in line with how God calls us to live. Let us faithfully seek to follow these 10 commandments each day we have to live. Amen.

"Bringing Back Honor"
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Ten Commandment Series
EXodus 20:12, 15; Ephesians 6:1-4

Introduction: Today is Father’s Day. And every year I face this great challenge. I want to honor all of those Father’s, (and grandfather’s) who are doing a great job. And yet, on the other side of the coin, the reality in our world is that there are many father’s who are absent and not doing a great job. In the United States, the percentage of children with single parents rose from 23% in 1980 to 31% in 2002. In the United States, more than 20 million kids live with a single parent! A large majority of these single parents are mothers.

I want you to think for a moment about a sponge. A sponge is designed to soak up whatever is around it. If a sponge is full, how can you know what is in it? BY SQUEEZING IT. Whatever is in the sponge will come out. In fact, if a sponge is full, all you have to do is push gently on it, and whatever fills the pockets of the sponge will come out.

We are all like sponges. We soak up what is around us. Whatever is in us will come out in the ways we talk and act. This morning, as we continue our series in the 10 Commandments, we look at commands 5 and 8: “Honor Your Father and Your Mother,” and “Do Not Steal.” These commands call us to exhibit behavior that honor others; honoring our parents, and honoring our neighbors. They are a reminder that God calls us to a life of honor.

I. Honoring Parents- (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 3:14-15, 6:1-4;

Matthew 19:19-20)

So, let’s start with commandment #5, “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”

a. Honor- For the family structure to have integrity, there must be

honor. There must be respect for the father and the mother. As Ephesians 3:14-15 says, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.” The family structure has been ordained by God, and the fifth commandment tells us that honor is a part of that structure. When that honor is not shown, there must be discipline.

In a Calvin and Hobbes comic strip, Calvin’s mom shouts out to him: “Calvin, who made this mess out here?” Calvin responds: “It wasn’t me mom! It was..uh..it was..a horrible little venusian who materialized in the kitchen! He took out some diabolical high-frequency device, pointed it at various objects, and…”

In the last frame we see Calvin in trouble, sitting on his bed, and saying: “Mothers are the necessity of invention.”

Kids will get themselves into trouble, and even try to keep themselves from being disciplined. But discipline is important to keep honor in tact. It is not a discipline that harms the child in any way, but one that builds their character and helps them to learn honor and respect. Often times it is the father who brings this idea of discipline to their children. I know that in times when the kids aren’t listening to Tami, all she has to say is “Do you want me to tell your father?” The kids will tend to shape up and listen at this statement. Father’s can help to bring firmness when it comes to discipline. But a firmness that is shown in love.

In those families where there isn’t a father, the challenge for mothers’ is to bring the gentle side of love, with the firm side of love. This doesn’t always come naturally to mothers’, but is important in children’s lives as they learn to show honor.

b. Trust and obey- But along with the aspect of honor, there is a dual

call to obedience and trust. Both parent and child need to come to a place where there is mutual trust. The parent trusts the child to learn from the parent, and begin to make good and right decisions. The child trusts that the parent is seeking to do what is best and has some knowledge and experience to pass on.

Even our firmness, and our ability to discipline, helps to build trust. In our disciplining, we are showing the importance of obedience, listening, and following the rules. As our children learn this, they trust us, because they see that we are teaching them important lessons of life.

But overall, there is trust in God. Both parent and child must put their trust in God. As we believe that God has wisdom, we trust that the parent-child structure God has established, when working right, benefits all. So, children benefit from being obedient to this command, and parent’s benefit by helping their children be obedient to this command.

In trusting in this structure, there will be times when the parents need to ask: “Am I being a good example to follow? Am I obedient to God by being obedient to the commands? Am I a good example in giving honor to my parents?” The example we set will go a long way in motivating our children and grandchildren to be obedient.

A note of caution is given to us by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:4- “And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline of the Lord.” The call for obedience should not be out of authoritativeness, but out of love. It is what is best for the child, the parents, and the family. And giving in to the children’s desires or determination is not helpful.

There is a story of a boy who was tempted by his friends to pick some

cherries from a tree his father had forbidden him to touch. ‘You don’t

need to be afraid,’ the boys said, ‘because even if your father should find

out, he is too kind to hurt you.’ The boy thought for a moment and then

answered: ‘I should not touch them for that very reason; for although he

wouldn’t hurt me, my disobedience would hurt him.’(“Tempted to Disobey,”

Parents and Teenagers, by Jay Kesler, p, 52)

We see in this story the beginning of a child understanding why it is important to be obedient and to show honor by our actions. This is true of our lives as well. We should be obedient to our heavenly Father, because to not, would hurt Him.

c. The promise- At the end of this command, both in Exodus 20:12,

and in Ephesians 6:3, we see that there is a promise attached. The promise says this: “so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” In any generation, it can be seen that the strength of the family life, the marks of the stability of a community or nation, is seen in the obedience of children to their parents. If you want the family to prosper for a long time, if you want an individual child to prosper in their life, if you want a nation to prosper long in its existence, then there needs to be honoring of parents.

And likewise, we as parents must honor our own parents, so that children will see this example. In our doing this, our children will honor their grandparents as well. In this, the family structure will be strong, and parents, grandparents, and children will feel good about their situation and future.

Unfortunately, we see this breakdown in the family structure all too often now. As kids get older, they get more defiant. Without this honor of child to parent, we see a breakdown in other areas as well. I am surprised at the lack of honor that kids and youth show to teachers, coaches, and other adults.

EX. The other day I was walking out to my car from the church office, when all of a sudden a youth came skateboarding around the corner of the bushes, almost hitting me. And what happened next surprised me, although it shouldn’t have. The youth completely ignored the fact that he almost ran me over, and continued to skate over to the water fountain without saying a word! I had a few words for him.

The command “Honor your father and your mother…” is at the heart of honoring and respecting so many other things in life. Now let me remark that teaching your children and grandchildren to honor you doesn’t just come from discipline. It comes from acts of kindness as well. STORY: Benjamin West tells of how he became a painter. It was a day when his mother left him in charge of his little sister Sally. In his mother’s absence he discovered some bottles of colored ink and he began to paint his sister’s portrait. When his mother came home the first thing she noticed was the mess that had been made. But saying nothing, she then saw the portrait and replied: “Why it’s Sally.” She then bent down and kissed him. Benjamin West says of this experience: “My mother’s kiss made me a painter.” (Barclay, Commentary on Ephesians, p. 178)

II. Honor Possessions- (Exodus 20:15; Malachi 3:8, 10; Matt. 19:16-22)

As we learn this basic concept of honor, it then helps us to honor

and respect others. In particular, we are told in the eighth commandment: “You shall not steal.”

a. Robbing others- This command calls us first of all to be concerned

with the possessions of others. It calls us to respect the right of others to own things and to not take from them. When someone is tempted to take something from another, or actually takes something from another, they are not honoring their right to private property. They are saying to themselves and God: “I don’t believe that person has the right to own what they have, and therefore I am going to take it from them and make it mine!”

In our world, there is a need for boundaries, and one of the boundaries God has established is that of personal property and ownership. This command tells us that we are to respect and honor what others have. When people choose to steal, what they are saying is that they don’t agree that the law needs to apply to them. Maybe they don’t agree with the idea of laws themselves. It is true that over the years there have been some laws that seem humorous. Here are a few:

(“Laughable Laws,” Amusing Grace, pp. 437-438, #’s 35-41)

“In Natome, Kansas, it is illegal to practice knife throwing at someone wearing a striped suit.”

“In the Pine Island District of Minnesota, a man must tip his hat when passing a cow.”

“In Alabama, it is an infringement of the law to wear a false mustache in church if it makes people laugh.” “It is illegal in Massachusetts to eat peanuts in church.”

“Michigan law prohibits hitching a crocodile to a fire hydrant.”

When there is a law we don’t like or disagree with, we have ways to seek to change them. But when it comes to the 10 commandments, it is God’s law to us. There are good reasons why God has established these commands. To “not steal” shows basic respect for people, property, and possessions.

And yet, we might want to ask: “Why do people steal?” Stealing usually comes from not having. When someone doesn’t have something they feel they need, they think about stealing. There are times when people don’t have the basics, and so they steal to get the money they need to eat and live. But more often than not, the stealing comes from an attitude of materialism. We live in a world that wants things; Cars, televisions, DVD players, and so on. This materialism leads to jealousy and feelings of wanting what you don’t have. If we were to understand the eighth commandment, it should lead us to an attitude of contentment; to be happy with what we have.

b. Robbing God- This leads us to a second understanding of the

eighth commandment, and that is robbing from God. The Bible tells us that we can steal from God. Listen to Malachi 3:8, 10- “Will anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In your tithes and offerings! Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test…see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing of blessing.” When we tithe, we give 10% of our money, our time, and our talents back to God as a response to his abundant blessings in our lives. But this giving also is given to help those who are in need. In our giving, we make sure the church has the resources to help the needs that exist around us. As a church, we are called to help others.

In the gospel of Matthew, chapter 19, Jesus encounters a young rich man who is battling the dilemma of what it means to do right. So this young rich man asks Jesus this question in verse 16: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus responds back by telling him to keep the commandments.

The young rich ruler answers back in verse 18-22: “¹⁸"Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, ¹⁹honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'" ²⁰"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" ²¹Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." ²²When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”

The young man claimed to have kept the law. In the legal sense he might have, but in the spiritual sense he had not, because his attitude was all wrong. In the last analysis it is obvious to see that his possessions meant more to him than giving to those in need. In this sense he was stealing from God by not sharing out of his abundance.

STORY: Actor Chuck Norris, of Walker: Texas Ranger fame, tells this story: He has a foundation called “Kick Drugs Out of America,” and this foundation is set-up to work with high-risk, inner-city children. The program teaches kids martial arts to help raise their self-esteem, and to instill discipline and respect for themselves and others. One day one of his instructors saw that one of the boys forgot his belt. “Where is your purple belt?” she asked the boy. The boy simply said: “I don’t have it.” The teacher asked the boy again a little more firmly: “Where is it?” This time he said: “My baby sister died and I put it in her coffin to take to heaven with her.”

The teacher later remarked to Chuck Norris that that purple belt was probably the most important possession he owned. The boy had learned to give of his best.

This is an important aspect we can learn from the eighth commandment, that it is more than just not stealing, it is learning to give of our best to others who have need.

c. Robbing ourselves- But there is still a third lesson we can learn

from this commandment which is more subtle in nature; it is the aspect of stealing from ourselves. You might wonder how we could possibly steal from ourselves. We rob ourselves when we spend our money in ways that are unneeded or excessive. We might rob ourselves when we spend more than we can afford. Many years ago, before the invention of the credit card, people rarely bought anything they couldn’t pay cash for. Now, with the credit card, it is so easy to charge things, that they will purchase items that they cannot afford. Because of this, they end up paying on it (and the interest) for years and years.

EX. I remember that I didn’t get a credit card until I was 25 years old. I didn’t want to have the temptation to be able to get things I couldn’t afford. When I finally got the credit card, I made a promise to myself, and Go,d that I wouldn’t charge anything I couldn’t pay off within a few months. Tami and I still have this promise, and I believe we have done well to keep it. In this way, we keep ourselves from feeling stress from the financial pressure that comes from overspending.

When you buy things, do you buy because you need it, or just want it? Do you spend in ways that stretches you beyond your means, or do you seek to live within your means? When we spend beyond our means, we steal from ourselves.

Conclusion: The dictionary tells us that a “person of honor” is one of superior standing. To show honor is to have outward respect towards others.

God tells us that we show honor by respecting of father, and our mother; by treating them with a love and commitment that is deserving of the title of “parent” that has been given to them by God. HONOR is to accept the boundaries of personal property as well. It is to give back to God a good portion of what we have been given, it is to help others in need, and it is to live within our means.

God said it simply enough in commandments 5 and 8: “Honor your mother and your father;” and “You shall not steal.” Let us hear these commands today, and honor God by obeying them. Amen.

"The Holiness of God"
Exodus 20:7-11
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Ten Commandment Series

Introduction: Illus. “Shut Out the Truth,” There is a story of a woman who went to visit a friend about 50 miles from her house. She and her friend had a nice visit, but when it was time to leave she realized she had locked her keys in the car. She decided to call her husband, who had a spare key. The husband was annoyed at the thought of having to bring the key 50 miles, but he agreed to do so. Shortly after the call her friend happened to try the back door, which she found unlocked. The woman rushed to call her husband, but he had already left. “Your husband is really going to be mad now. What are you going to do when you see him?” her friend asked. The woman replied, “What any red-blooded American wife would do,” she replied grinning. She walked over to the car, locked all the doors, and closed the door shut!”

Have you ever done anything like this? Done something that wasn’t quite right, and then tried to cover it up? This morning we look at the aspect of a holy God calling us to actions of holiness. We look at the other 2 commands that teach us to fully love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This morning, as we continue in our series on the 10 commandments, we look at commands 3 and 4: “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord…” And, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”

I. The Holy Name of the Lord- (Exodus 20:7; Matthew 5:33-37)

Quote: “There is nothing wrong with having nothing to say—

unless you insist on saying it.” (Illustrations Unlimited, p. 476)

Sometimes in life we speak because we think we have to say something. In our culture it is quite uncomfortable, for many, to sit in silence and not be in conversation. But like this quote tells us, it is better to not say anything, unless you have something important, or helpful, or encouraging to say. Likewise, there are times when we should not speak because when we do, we might take the Lord’s name in vain.

a. Moses- Last week we talked about how the Israelites had been

freed from their slavery from Egypt. This freedom took them out into the wilderness where they waited while Moses met with God to get the 10 commandments. During this time of waiting, the people had Aaron make for them an idol that they could worship. Moses was quite upset about this when he returned with the 10 commandments, and I’m sure the people were quite humbled when Moses read the first 2 commands: “You shall have no other gods before Me…” AND “You shall not make for yourself idols.” The people had done both!

As Moses continued to read, they heard the third command: “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord…” This third commandment is about reverence. It is to understand our place and God’s place. God is the holy God; the creator of all things; the giver of life; the One who sustains us, and the world we live in. This commandment instructs us to respect God’s name as holy. It is a name that is above all other names.

So, the way we show our respect and worship of God is to respect God’s name. We need to treat God’s name with honor in the way we speak God’s name and the way we speak about God. Do you use God’s name with reverence?

1. The obvious way that we take the Lord’s name in vain is by

using the name of God as a swear word. Even the phrase “O my god” is taking the Lord’s name in vain. Example- When the kids were younger, they liked some of the music from “The Backstreet Boys.” We had a tape of their music, and on one of the songs there was a part where they said this phrase “O my….” Every time that part came on the tape, we would turn the volume down on the song. This helped to teach the kids that they shouldn’t speak this phrase. Even still, whenever they hear someone say it, they look at me and Tami with shock.

In Hebrew, the word for vain is “shaw.” This word has a broad meaning: it could mean iniquity, falsehood, vanity, or emptiness. But simply put, it means to show disrespect. To use God’s name in vain means to take God’s name lightly. It is not in keeping with God’s name for a holy purpose.

In Exodus 5, Moses relays God’s instructions to Pharaoh of releasing His people from slavery. Pharaoh scoff’s at the authority of God’s name when he says in verse 2, “…‘Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go.’”

C. S. Lewis once said: “We want, in fact, not so much a Father in heaven

as a grandfather in heaven—a senile benevolence who, as they say, ‘likes

to see young people enjoying themselves’ and whose plan for the universe

was simply that it might be truly said at the end of each day, ‘a good time was had by all.’” (…the Tardy Oxcart, p. 233)

For most of you this statement may be going too far, but the truth is, whenever we take God’s name lightly, we do not give God the honor, praise, and worship He deserves. We need to have the same respect as the Jews had for God’s name. To them it was so holy that they didn’t use the name “Yahweh” for God. In fact, they didn’t even write it as a rule. Instead, they called God Jehovah. We have lost this understanding in our society, and even in much of the church, that God’s name is holy!

2. Secondly, we take God’s name in vain by making a

profession of faith in God, and then not living up to it. When we say that we are a Christian, do our actions make our words credible? When we say that Jesus is our Savior and Lord, then we need to seek to be changed people. If our lives don’t show our faith, then we take God’s name in vain. How often have you heard people claim to be a Christian, but then their lifestyle in no way matches this statement. They dishonor God by living like the world, and not by God’s standards!

b. Jesus- Another way that we take the Lord’s name in vain is by

swearing falsely. When we make a promise, or a commitment, and then don’t keep it, we take God’s name in vain. As Jesus said in Matthew 5:33-37, 33"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' 34But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”

Have you ever said to someone: ‘I will call you,’ OR ‘I will pray for you,’ OR ‘Let’s get together soon,” and then forgot to follow through on this? Have you ever made a commitment to someone, or even to the church, and then not followed through on this commitment? When we make a promise, or give our word, or make a commitment, it is like saying: ‘I swear to God I will do it. I promise in God’s name I will do it.’ When we don’t uphold this promise, we profane God’s name by not living up to our word.

The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said: “Learn to say no; it will be more valuable than to be able to read Latin.” (Illustrations Unlimited, p. 476)

I know in our day and age reading Latin isn’t important. But in Spurgeon’s time it must have been. Sometimes the best thing we can say is “No.” Sometimes the best thing we can do is to not make the commitment or the promise in the first place. If we limit our promises and commitments, then we will be more able to keep the ones we make.

EX. This year I have said “yes” to 3 commitments. One is being the Moderator of the Evangelism Committee for the Presbytery. By being moderator, I am also on what is called “Council.” This adds extra meetings and duties to my schedule. Along with this, I agreed to help coach Tyler’s baseball team. This commitment can take 4 or 5 days of each week. Even more, I am the President of our condominium complex. As we have gotten to almost halfway into the year, I realize now that I am over extended. But I will honor my commitments, because I gave my word! Next year I will not be president or moderator of the committee. I will learn to say “no.”

How about you? Where are you over extended? Where do you need to

say no? If you are already committed, then finish this commitment. But figure out your priorities, and then say yes to that which God is calling you to do, and no to that which keeps you from fulfilling God’s call on your life.

II. The Day of the Lord- (Exodus 20:8-11; Matt. 22:37; Hebrews 4:9-10)

We next move to the fourth commandment, which again says: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”

a. Focus on God- Illus. “Too Much Prayer?” There is a story of a

very bright five-year-old named Johnny. One day he told his daddy he wanted a baby brother, and asked if there was any way he could help make it happen. His dad looked at his son, thought for a moment, and then replied: “I’ll tell you what, Johnny. If you pray every day for 2 months for a baby brother, I guarantee that God will give you one!” Well, Johnny was ecstatic at this thought and went off to his bedroom to start right away. He prayed every night for a whole month, but then he began to get skeptical. He talked to some people, and found out that what he was doing had never happened before in the history of the neighborhood. You don’t pray for 2 months, and then all of a sudden have a baby brother. So, he quit praying………After another month, Johnny’s mother had to go to the hospital. When she came home, he was called into his parent’s bedroom. To Johnny’s surprise, right next to his mother, was not just one little baby, but two. Johnny’s dad looked at his son and said: “Now aren’t you glad you prayed?” To which Johnny said: “Yes, but aren’t you glad I stopped when I did?” (More Hot Illustrations, p. 163)

The purpose of the fourth commandment is for us to focus on God; to remember God. There are many ways that we can remember God:

It can be a purely mental act, where we think about God in our mind. OR, it could be an activity such as reading the Bible. OR, it could be praying each day. OR, it could be listening to Christian music. OR, it could be memorizing scripture.

But in this verse, the word “remember” is a verb, in the emphatic imperative tense. What this means, is that this word remember conveys the sense of observing or remembering without lapse. It is to hold this remembering as a continuing priority. So the Sabbath becomes a day that helps us to remember.

Just as God’s name is to be set apart as holy, as more important than any other name, so the Sabbath is to be a day that is set apart as holy, as more important than any other day. It becomes that special day that draws us back into the focus of who God is and what God’s will is.

Now, you might want to ask: Why shouldn’t we keep every day as holy to God? And my answer would be: We should! And yet, we can’t set every day apart as a day we focus on God. God has given us a call to live our lives, and to work, and to be in relationship with others. God knows that we need other focuses in our lives as well. So God only asks of us one day that is to be totally focused on Him. The other days we should remember God as being an important part of our lives, but not in the same “setting apart” as we do on the Sabbath.

So the first purpose of this day is to focus on God.

b. Keep things in perspective- The second purpose of the fourth

commandment is to help us to keep things in perspective; to keep our priorities in order. The less time we spend in worship, the easier it is to let other things in life gain priority over God. Thomas Watson said: “The busyness of the week-days makes us forgetful of God and our souls…When the falling dust of the world has clogged the wheels of our affections, that they can scarce move towards God, the Sabbath comes, and oils the wheels of our affections.”

There is much to do in life; much that keeps us busy; much that diverts our thinking about the things of God. Being in worship at church, and giving a day to God keeps our minds in perspective about the things of God and His place in our lives. It helps to strengthen our commitment to the Lord as well.

“The Blind Man and the Elephant,” (…The Tardy Oxcart, p. 442)

The Blind Man and the Elephant, It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined, Who went to see the Elephant~(Though all of them were blind), That each by observation~Might satisfy his mind.

The First approached the Elephant, And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side, ~ At once began to bawl:
"God bless me! but the Elephant ~ Is very like a wall!"

The Second, feeling of the tusk, Cried, "Ho! what have we here?
So very round and smooth and sharp? ~ To me 'tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant ~ Is very like a spear!"

The Third approached the animal, And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands, ~ Thus boldly up and spake:
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant ~ Is very like a snake!"

The Fourth reached out an eager hand, And felt about the knee.
"What most this wondrous beast is like ~ Is mighty plain," quoth her;
"'Tis clear enough the Elephant ~ Is very like a tree!"

The Fifth who chanced to touch the ear, Said: "E'en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most; ~ Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant ~ Is very like a fan!"

The Sixth no sooner had begun About the beast to grope,
Than, seizing on the swinging tail ~ That fell within his scope,
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant ~ Is very like a rope!

And so these men of Indostan Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion ~ Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right ~ And all were in the wrong!

So oft in theologic wars, The disputants, I ween, Rail on in utter ignorance Of what each other mean, And prate about an Elephant, Not one of them has seen!

-John Godfrey Saxe

During the week we see God in our own way, in the context of the world we live in. But when we come to worship on Sunday, to give the Lord this day, to hear the Scripture, sing the songs, pray the prayers, indulge in the sermon, and rejoice in the music, our perspective again becomes clear and we see who God is and what a holy day this is!

c. Rest- The third purpose of the Sabbath is for rest. We have the

privilege of sharing in God’s rest. Thus the Sabbath is a regular reminder of the eternal covenantal relationship that is the ultimate purpose of creation. We see how in the creation, and the exodus, both emphasize humanity’s dependence on God. To rest on the Sabbath day is to remember that God’s people, as a part of God’s created order, remain totally dependent on their creator.

Even for us today, although the day of the Sabbath has been changed from Saturday to Sunday, to honor the day of Christ’s resurrection, it is fulfilled in Christ. And so, through Christ we gain entrance into God’s own rest, and we can come into the Lord’s presence and before His holy throne.

Hebrews 4:9-10, “So then, a Sabbath rest still remains for the people

of God; for those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labors as

God did from His.”

When we don’t take time to rest, when we work too much, we begin to lose many things in life: enjoyment, time with others, loss of energy, and so much more. But even more than the Sabbath being a day to rejuvenate our bodies, it is a day to rejuvenate our spirits. It is not just stopping routine activity, but setting the day apart to be with God, and to fully experience God’s presence and love in our lives.

Conclusion: What a blessing we have to participate in the holiness of God by revering the name of God and setting it apart as holy, and by having such a special day as the Sabbath to remember our Holy God and draw upon the rest and focus of that special day. How do we love the Lord our god with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength? By keeping His name holy on our lips; by keeping our promises and commitments, by dedicating the Sabbath not just as a day for rest, but as a day to truly become one with God, and seek to serve Him this day. Let us draw close to God this day in holiness! Amen.