Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world so that all may know Christ.
Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church located in Kernersville, North Carolina. This is the first petition in the Lord's Prayer. Hallowed be thy name.
Lord, we love you. And Lord, we thank you for your goodness. And Lord bless us as we look in the name of Jesus Christ, our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Lord, we thank you for your goodness, our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. And Lord, we thank you for your goodness, our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Now we have them up on the screens, our PowerPoints, but I know as things move quickly. And so I wanted you to have everything on paper pretty much. Now this is not a detailed outline.
This is a lot different than my outline, but I want you to have kind of the main things and it gives you a little bit of room to jot down some things if something is said that you want to remember. All right. Hallowed be thy name. First, I want you to notice the petition, and that is exactly what we just said. Hallowed be thy name. Now that word hallowed, if you'll notice, means this. It means to reverence or to respect, but especially to reverence.
Now, I want you to understand that this is a petition because what Christ here is saying is that ought to be a motive of ours or an interest or desire. And our prayer is for God's name to be reverenced, to be respected. So that word hallowed means to reverence, but notice this hallowed be thy name. Now, what is thy name? The best way we can do it is just to give you the different phrases given for Jesus, for God in the Bible.
And I wanted to write these down and I'm going to let you know what they mean. If you have a pen, you might want to just jot these things down so that you understand what does it mean when it says hallowed be thy name? What is thy name?
What are the names? How is God described? You got to understand that God's name is the most important thing to him. He would not let anything happen that would bring dishonor to his name. If there's any part of this Bible that wasn't true, it would dishonor his name, so God's not going to let that happen. If God ever made one promise to you in the Bible and he didn't keep it, that would dishonor his name.
So he's going to keep every promise he's made. Even if he didn't love us, which he does, but even if he didn't love us, he would never let anything happen to us that he's promised because it would dishonor his name. So you and I have to understand for Jesus to say, reverence my name, you got to understand nobody reverences it or respects it more than he himself.
You got that. So thy name, the first we see used in the Bible is Jehovah Jireh. And this is simply the Lord will provide. This is Jehovah Jireh.
The Lord will provide. Second is Jehovah Rapha, which is the Lord that healeth. You say, are these different Lords? No, this is all one person. Is this on? This is all one person.
Apparently, the mic's only working for Brother Traxler back there. This is talking all about one person. And that's our Savior, who we can talk to every day.
That ought to excite you. Not only is he the Lord that provides, but he's the Lord that heals. Some of us, some of you need healing. So you ought to be glad that he's referred to as Jehovah Rapha because he's the healer. Third is Jehovah Nissi, which is the Lord our banner. Fourth is Jehovah Shalom, which obviously you can figure out is the Lord our peace. Then we have Jehovah Ra'ah, which is the Lord our shepherd.
Then we have Jehovah Sedekenu, which is the Lord our righteousness. Now, all these names given are given to reveal to us the character of God. That's how important his name is.
Look at me, folks. Why is his name so important to him? Because his name is the one thing that gives you and me insight of who he is. That's why it's so important.
Why? Listen, and I'm not I'm not getting on something else while I'm here because a lot of people don't understand it, and I would never want to hurt feelings. Now we at this church, and this is going to be a quick commercial, so don't get nervous. We at this church accumulatively use the King James Version of the Word of God. Now there's a lot of people that use different and they really don't understand it. So it makes no sense to get up to a pulpit and blast people for using something else when many of them haven't been taught. They don't know. And why do we act like they're some kind of an idiot or something? They don't know. I mean, they're doing the best that they've been taught, and yet we get up and we become arrogant trying to get on them. But we at this church, we use this for a number of reasons.
And probably upcoming, we'll do a series and just try to update and remind everybody why we do. We're not saying that the person's some heathen because they use something different. We just believe that the King James Version of the Word of God is God's preserved word to the English-speaking people. Which means this, you pull out the Texas Receptus, which people use, and the Westcott and Hort translation, where the other translations were given from, the Texas Receptus is the Greek translation that we get the King James Version of the Word of God from. And so we believe that that was preserved for us, and that's why we use this. Now, if for no other reason, the reason we publicly and try to let people know we use the King James is so that everybody sitting here when I'm preaching, we're all on the same page.
If we all have different versions, then everybody's is going to say something different. And then what I'm preaching might not make sense to you because it doesn't, all these points that you're making preacher, it says it differently here. So it helps us all to have unity, which we're supposed to have in church, so you understand that. So nobody here is trying, but I want you to understand why is it important every reference we believe, every way, every word is written in the King James Version of the Word of God.
Why is that important? Because it's important to God. And every reference of the Lord, and other versions change it, other versions will take where they use Jehovah-jireh, and they'll put in Jehovah-nissi. And they'll take where he uses Jehovah-raha, and they'll put some other use, and you've got to understand the Bible says every jot and tittle is important.
The Bible says don't add one word or take one word away. And so I just want you to understand that why is it so important to God? Because these names, every time you read in the Word of God, it is saying something about our Savior. And that's a big deal. It's describing the one who saved us, the one who created us, the creator of the universe.
It's describing him to us. So it ought to be very important. So we see the petition is hallowed, reverenced, respected, thy name, or may your name be respected is what the petition he's asking for. Now, I want you to notice, secondly, the priority.
Why is this a priority? Why is it a priority for his name to be reverenced, for his name to be respected? Remember, this is this is what he says is our model prayer. So all this has to do with our prayer life.
OK, why is it so important to him? Well, here's the reason it ought to be the priority. Number one, under this, you'll see it's the priority of Christ. Now, let me read you a verse, if I could, if I get the reference right here. OK, John, Chapter 17, this is the prayer of intercession.
Now, listen, I want you to hear this. These words spake Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven. Jesus is praying.
Father, the hours come. Glorify thy son that thy son also may glorify thee as thou has given him. Or he's talking about himself as thou has given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou has given him.
Everybody ought to say amen right there. Jesus is saying you've given power to me so that I can provide eternal life to those that will receive. Verse three. And this is life eternal, that they might know the only true God, the only true God.
That means I don't care who says what on TV. He's the only God. OK, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent. I have glorified thee on the earth. I have finished the work which thou gave us me to do.
Did you hear that? He just said, I've glorified thee on the earth, which means I have finished the work you've told me to do. The whole job of Jesus. Was to glorify the father. You get that?
Now, hear me out. So the whole point of Jesus when he was here on the earth. Obviously, is to provide the redemption for our eternal life, which in turn glorifies the name of God. If it's that important to Christ. It's important.
So why is it why is it a priority that his name be hallowed? You know, this this fancy word we say it's not that fancy, folks. And it's exactly a word like this that people will say. Well, that's why I use something different, a different version, because it makes words where you can understand it. Dear friend, all you've got to do is get a concordance. Nowadays, your phone can tell you what that word means. It's not hard to figure out. You need to be willing to dig into God's word and find out what it says. Why is it important?
Because here's why. Somebody that will translate will might say respected be thy name. Well, that's true, but that doesn't give the whole meaning of what the word hallowed means. It means to be respected, but it also means to be reverenced, respected by others, reverenced by you. So when they translate, oftentimes the word will be used that has part of the meaning, but not all the meaning.
And so I'm here to tell you it's my job to get the word and say, hey, this is what the whole thing means. And why should it be a priority for us that His name is reverenced? Because it was the priority of Christ when He was here on the earth. Second, it's the priority of Scripture. Not only was it the top priority of Christ when He was here, look at me, the top priority of God's word is to glorify the name of God. Everywhere you read, God has to get the glory. If it's the top priority of Scripture, then it should be the top priority.
Say why? Well, this is the Lord. You say, what do you mean? In the beginning was the word. The word was with God and the word was God. OK, so the scripture is God. God is God is His word. That's why we read the Bible.
Why? Because it's just good for us to read the Bible and it'll really calm us down and give us good things. All that's true. But you know why you and I read the Bible every day? Because that's God himself speaking to us.
Let me ask you this. If God came in, you know, God came in human form through Jesus Christ, obviously Jesus the son, we know that. But if if God called you up and say, listen, I want to meet you every day at eleven o'clock right here in the front of Kerwin Baptist Church. Now, just don't miss it. I'm going to be here and I want to talk to you for about 20 or 30 minutes.
I guarantee you, if it was something tangible, we could see. And he said, I need to meet with you every day at eleven o'clock. And this is God.
You'd be here. We know that. Well, God has an appointment every day.
I want to talk to you. So we've got to read, but we don't. So everything he wanted to say to you today, he didn't get to.
Because we didn't read. Does that make sense? Is that a logical way of thinking? OK, so it's the it's the priority of Christ. It was the priority of scripture.
But third, it should be the priority of us. Do you know why you and I were created? To be conformed to the image. Of Christ. You and I were literally created to glorify the father. So why is it important in our prayer that we say, Lord, we want your name to be reverenced even in our prayer? Because his name was reverenced through Christ. His name is reverenced in scripture. And his name was even reverence to our creation. Our whole purpose here is to bring glory to the father. So if we're going to bring glory to the father, our prayers have to bring glory to the father. Everybody following me so far? OK, number three, the plan.
All right. OK, how is this accomplished? Remember, what is the plan for God's name to be reverenced? Hallowed be thy name.
Our prayer is that God's name is reverenced and respected. How is that done? Two ways. Number one, you have to share it.
Number two, you have to show it. Let me explain. His name must be made known if anybody's going to respect it. Have you ever thought about that?
Let me put it this way. People can't reverence what people don't know. People can't respect what someone that they don't know. So in order for God's name to be glorified, if you and I say, hey, Lord, we want your name to be glorified. Well, then let's get out and tell people about them because they can't respect them and they can't glorify him.
And they can't reverence him if they don't know about him. Did you ever notice that just in those three words, four words? Hallowed be thy name.
Let me put it this way. This is it almost gives a missionary emphasis to the prayer. They have to know in quotes the name. In order for his name to be hallowed, they have to know his name. So you and I have got to get out and share his name. You say, well, how do I share his name?
What does that mean? Oh, let me tell you what his name was. His name said he's the Lord that will provide. He's the Lord that heals. He's the Lord our banner. He's the Lord our peace. He's the Lord our shepherd. He's the Lord our righteousness.
You know the way you go out and share them? Share them the names of God. What does the names of God describe? You go out and tell folks, my savior is a healer. He's a provider. He's a shepherd. He's good to me.
Hello. All you got to do is describe to them the way it was described to you in here. And that brings glory to him and they get the word of God. OK, so that means we have to share it.
Sitting on it doesn't do it. We have to share it. Now, if you're saved, you can say, God, I want to glorify your name in my prayer life and my actions.
Now, listen to me. I'm not trying to be mean, but if you don't share his name with anyone else, you're not glorifying his name. You ever thought about that? Let me tell you something else you want to get a little bit deeper in thought. The more you share it, the more you glorify it.
Am I the only one that's excited about that? You ever thought you'd get a whole soul winning message off hallowed be thy name? It can't be hallowed if we don't share it. The more we share it, the more hallowed it is. OK, show it. But you just said you just said share it. You've got to tell people about it. What do you mean?
Show it. This is where it gets really good. This is a good ending to a good message on prayer, Lord willing. Now listen to me. You and I are the only contact that many people ever have with the gospel.
You've always heard it said you and I are walking billboards. You've heard it said you and I are the only Bible some people will read. You've heard that. OK, that's true. Do you know that people's perception of God is usually dictated by the godly people they know? If they know you as a Christian and you're dishonest, blowing your temper all the time, that's what they think about God.
Now listen to me. They won't respect his name if they don't respect you. Get this for his name to be hallowed and respected. People have to respect you that are called by his name. So for us to say, Lord, I want your name to be reverenced, Lord hallowed, be thy name. Be careful how you say that.
Because if you really and if I really want his name hallowed, respected, reverenced, I've got to tell people about it and I've got to show them Christ through me. Now you all say, well, you know what? We're failures and all that.
Listen, you can say what you want to. People don't expect you to be perfect. Now there's always one nut in the crowd. Not in this crowd.
No, no. There's always some person that's just out there. But I'm going to tell you something. As much as you and I want to use this as an excuse, people don't expect us to be perfect.
But I will tell you this. They can spot a hypocrite. And they can spot somebody that sure preaches it to others but doesn't live it themselves. And that is a walking billboard of God to them. And dear friend, I'm here to tell you they are not going to respect God if they can't respect you. In fact, the only people I know of that expect people to be perfect are Baptist. Am I lying?
I'm picking obviously. Dear friends, listen to me. Our first petition in the Lord's prayer is for God's name to be reverenced. And people aren't going to reverence his name if they don't know him, if they cannot reverence you, who they do know.
If you're the godly example in their life and they can't respect you, it's going to be awfully hard for them to respect God. You say, well, I don't know about that preacher. Listen to me. You're talking to somebody that's been in the ministry long enough and I have preached in more Christian schools than some of you have been in restaurants. And I'm going to tell you something. I have watched so many kids leave Christian school and go off the deep end.
I'll tell you why. It's not because they just couldn't respect God. It's because they couldn't respect the people that represented God. Now, there are some kids just decided to do wrong. They're just going to blame everybody and everything for it.
But that was their decision. But kids can see when people are hypocritical. They can see it. Dear friend, if we want people to reverence God, we have to reverence God and then people will reverence us.
Does that make sense? Hallowed be thy name. It's so important. Father, we love you. You've been so good. Lord, I want to thank you personally that you are the one that has provided for me.
You're the one that's healed at different times. You're the one that gives peace in my life. You've been a great shepherd. You have displayed righteousness to me. Lord, I want to thank you for being who you are. And Lord, there are lots of times in my life where I'm sure I am not a good representation of your name. And Lord, I apologize if there are some that don't follow you because they saw me. Lord, I'm sorry to not represent you like I should have at times in my life.
And Lord, I know there will be times in the future where I might fail. But Lord, I want your help to be a good representative of you. Because, Lord, your name deserves to be respected and reverenced and cherished. So, Lord, we're asking you tonight to allow us the opportunity to hallow your name. May we share it.
May we show it. Break our hearts in two. Sometimes blind us to the truth. Our Father knows what's best for us. His ways are not our own.
So when your pathway grows dim and you just can't see Him, remember you're never alone. God is too wise to be mistaken. God is too good to be unkind. So when you don't understand, when you can't see His plan, when you can't trace His hand, trust His heart. He sees the master plan and He holds our future in His hand.
So don't live as those who have no hope. All our hope is found in Him. He sees the present clearly, but He sees the first and the last. And like a tapestry, He's weaving you right here to someday be just like Him. God is too wise to be mistaken.
God is too good to be unkind. So when you don't understand, when you can't see His plan, when you can't trace His hand, trust His heart. He alone is faithful and true. He alone knows what is best for you. So when you don't understand, when you can't see His plan, when you can't trace His hand, trust His heart.
Trust His heart. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin broadcast today. God bless you. You're welcome. You're welcome. You're welcome. You're welcome.
