The name Jesus means Jehovah saves. He's giving himself names. He's saying, this is who I am, and my name tells about my personality.
It tells what I'm like. Welcome to Love, Word, Finding, featuring the insightful messages from beloved pastor and Bible teacher, Adrian Rogers. The Ten Commandments were given for our good and welfare because God wants our homes to be vital and victorious. The Third Commandment instructs us not to take the name above all names in vain. Our God is not some abstraction.
He's a person who keeps his word. There is power and protection in his name. Because of this, we ought to praise his name and teach our children not to take the precious name of God in vain. So how do we take God's name in vanity? If you have your Bible, turn to Exodus, chapter 20, and look at verse 7, as Adrian Rogers tells us about the name above all names. Take God's word.
Find Exodus, chapter 20. Look, if you will, please, in verse 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. So it tells us not to take the name in vanity. That infers we are to take the name in victory.
So I want you to listen today as we're talking about the negative. Don't take the name in vanity. And then the positive, do take the name in victory.
All right? Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. By the way, what's in a name? What's so important about a name? Now, in Bible times, when children were born, the parents would pray over those children, and they would give the child a name, and that name would encompass a prayer and a prophecy. And that's the reason we see so many in the Bible who had names that match the character.
It goes all the way back to the parents who named those children. As a matter of fact, Jesus was to be the Savior of the world, and so the angel said, Mary, call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people. The name Jesus means Jehovah saves. Names had meaning in the Bible. And so it's very important that we understand what is in the name of Jehovah.
Now, first of all, there's personality in that name. The God that we serve is not some abstraction, some force, as you might see in Star Wars or something. He is a real person. So he calls himself in this passage the Lord thy God, the Lord thy God. And when he uses the word Lord, he uses the Hebrew word Jehovah. I am Jehovah, or Yahweh as some would give it. Thy God, that's the name Elohim. So I am Jehovah thy Elohim.
I am a person. Let me introduce myself to you and what he is doing by giving himself names. He's saying this is who I am, and my name tells about my personality.
It tells what I'm like. For example, what does the name Jehovah mean? Well, it speaks of the everlasting God who is a covenant keeper. It is God's personal relationship to his people. The God who keeps his word. And what does the name Elohim mean? I am the Lord thy God, thy Elohim.
What does that mean? Well, it speaks of the mighty one. It speaks of his strength and his power.
Now, put them together, and he says, I want to meet you. I am a covenant-keeping God who has power to perform on his word. I am the God who will never break my promises to you.
I am the Lord your God. Don't take my name in vain. There's personality in that name.
And I'll tell you what else there is. There is power in that name. Now, I want you to listen to what David said. We're talking about power in the name. Then said David to the Philistine, thou comest to me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield, but I come to thee.
Now, listen. In the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. And you will remember that David hit him in the head with that stone. Goliath was surprised.
It's the first time anything like that ever entered his head. He hit him right there. He went down, and then David took Goliath's sword and cut off his head.
Now, how did it happen? In the name of our God. There is power in the name of our Lord as well as personality. Jesus said in John 14, verse 14, if you ask anything in my name, I will do it. Colossians 3, verse 17, and whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Everything we ought to do in the power of his name. Go to work in his name. Do your homework in his name. Rear your children in his name.
You say, literally? Well, that's what the Bible says. Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. All right, but not only is there personality in his name, not only is there power in his name, but there's protection in his name. Put this verse down. Proverbs chapter 18 and verse 10, the name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous runneth into it and are safe. Is Satan after you? Head into the name of Jesus. Take refuge in the name of Jesus. And by the way, you can see things from that tower that you couldn't see any other place because you have a wonderful perspective. There is provision in the name.
Listen to this. John 16, verses 23 and 24. Jesus said, and in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily I say unto you that whatsoever ye shall ask the Father, in my name he will give it you. That means anything that you can sign my name to you can have. Anything you can sign my name to, not in your name, not your simple desires, but anything that I have ordered, sign my name to the order slip and God the Father will give it to you. So with that in mind, I want you to think now about two things. First of all, how to teach our children not to take his name in vanity and to teach our children how to take his name in victory.
If you will teach this in your home, you'll have a home that wins. Now, what does the word vanity mean? How do we take God's name in vanity? Well, of course, one thing you need to teach your children is never use profanity.
Never. Pardon me, but that's one of the most ignorant things a person could ever do is to profane the name of God. When you take God's name in profanity, it shows two things, an empty head and a wicked heart.
Both together. You see, somebody has said that profanity is a feeble mind trying to express itself, and that's true. But also, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks and a profane mouth just shows a profane heart. And what profanity is, it is an insult flung into the face of God.
It's so needless, and therefore, it's so excuse-less. Profanity is one way that you can take his name in vanity, but I'll tell you another way you can take his name in vanity, and that's frivolity. And more of us do this than do it in profanity. That is just taking the name of God carelessly or lightly. Ephesians 5, verse 3, but fornication and uncleanness are covetous. Let it not once be named among you as become of saints, and foolish jesting which is not convenient.
What does he mean by foolish jesting? This is the sin that I've heard preachers commit, teachers and deacons. They have little sayings, little witticisms that include the name of God. His name is holy.
Never, ever use that name unless you're serious. Here's a third way that God's name is often used in homes, in vanity, and that's in hypocrisy. I don't believe that anything turns teenagers off more than hypocrisy in the home. When mom and dad teach Sunday school or when they're deacons or pastors or whatever, but they do not live, the name they profess, if you're going to live for God anywhere, live for God in your home. And when you name the name of Jesus, do not take that name in hypocrisy.
Let your yes be yes, your no no, and let your children know beyond the shadow of any doubt that you love the Lord. When you pray in the name of Jesus, don't just forge his name to the end of the prayer. That's a hypocritical prayer. When you praise the Lord, praise him with all of your heart. Do you know, I think that sometimes we are such hypocrites when we come to church, even when we sing, we sing, my Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine, for thee, all the follies of sin I resign. Do you sing that and still keep sin in your heart? We sing, take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold, and we hold it with all our might. We sing, faith of our Father's holy faith, we will be true to thee till death, and think nothing of skipping church if company comes. We sing, all to Jesus I surrender, all to him I freely give. Now if you don't mean that when you sing it, you're in the same category with a man who curses and swears. You are taking the name of God in vain.
Let's just turn it over though, because in the negative there's a positive. How do you take his name in victory? I'd much rather you teach your children how to take his name in victory because when they learn to take his name in victory, they'll certainly be afraid to take his name in vanity.
Now remember Colossians 3 verse 17, whatever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. That's taking his name in victory. Do you know what the last name for God in the Bible is? The last name for God given in the Bible is Jesus. Jesus. And you know what the name Jesus means? It means Jehovah saves. It is the most precious word to me in all of the Bible.
All of the names of God are compressed in that one name, Jesus. Now what do you need to teach your children if you'd have a home that would win? Three things very carefully I want to share with you about taking the name in victory. Three things I've tried to teach my children, and I want you to teach your children. Number one, teach them to wear the name. Teach them to wear the name. Acts 11 verse 26, and the disciples were called Christians, first at Antioch.
When we call ourselves Christians, we are wearing the name Christ, Christ Jesus. I used to, when my children were little, would drive them to school. I always looked forward to taking the children to school and letting them out. I'd try and get my work done, breakfast done, quiet time over. Put the kids in the car. We'd have that special time as I would drive them to school.
And let them out. And just as they would get out of the car, over and over and over and over again every morning I would say to them, children, remember who you are and whose you are. And I didn't mean you belong to me. You belong to him.
Remember, children, remember who you are. You're a Christian and whose you are. You belong to Jesus Christ. You're not your own.
You're bought with a price. We are to wear the name. Secondly, teach your children not only to wear the name, but teach your children to share the name, to share the name. Oh, how I was blessed by this verse. I want you just to turn to it.
It's easy to find. Turn to Malachi chapter 3 and verse 16. This is one of the grandest verses. It just energized me as I looked at it this week on the name of our Lord. Malachi 3 verse 16.
Listen to it. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another. And the Lord hearkened and heard it. And a book of remembrance was written before him, now listen, for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name. God has three books. He has the book of Revelation. That's the Bible. He has the book of redemption.
That's the Lamb's book of life. And then he has the book of remembrance. And God is up there just writing that. He sees us today fellowshipping around the name and God just remembers that. God writes a book of remembrance that those that fear the Lord and think about his name.
Now look what all is involved in this verse. This is the character that we should build into our children to fear the Lord. Oh, when a person takes God's name in vain, it's because he doesn't fear the Lord. The greatest mark of character is the fear of the Lord. The beginning of knowledge is the fear of the Lord. They that feared the Lord.
A nation is on its last legs when it no longer fears God. That's the character and the contemplation that you should teach your children, that thought upon his name. You want to teach your children something wonderful? Teach them the names of God. Teach them that Jehovah Sidkenu means the Lord our righteousness. Teach them that Jehovah Shalom means the Lord our peace. Teach them that Jehovah Shema means the Lord who is present. Teach them the names of God that they might think upon his name.
As a man thinketh, so is he. Psalm 9 verse 10 says, And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee. What a wonderful study for your family devotions, the names of our God.
And then notice also their conversation. They spoke one to another. And what were they speaking about?
Well, they're speaking about his name. When you come to church, you know, we need to share about the Lord Jesus. Not sports, not weather, but the Bible says, Let us exalt his name together. When we come to church, the Bible says in Hebrews 10 verse 25, we're to be exalting one another. You'll come today and somebody will be down, but somebody else will be up. Somebody will have a question, but somebody else will have an answer.
Somebody, friend, will be discouraged, but somebody else will be encouraged. And we exalt his name together. We exhort one another. We sing about our Lord and in our conversation. So many people are putting his name down. Let's teach how to exalt his name. And then the Bible says we are to do it one with another. So teach your children, A, to wear his name, B, to share his name, and C, and finally, to bear his name.
It won't be easy. Did you know that the name of Jesus is hated more than any other name on the face of this earth? More than any other name.
Can you believe that? Love more than any other name, but hated more than any other name. And don't get the idea that when you wear the name and share the name that you won't have any reproach. Here's a verse I want you to put in your margin, Acts, chapter 5, verses 40 through 42. It talks about the apostles. The apostles have been preaching in the name of Jesus. And the Bible says, and when they had called the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council.
Who? The apostles. Departed from the presence of the council, listen to this, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. Did you hear that? They departed from the presence of the council after they'd been beaten, not complaining, but rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
And daily in the temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. Now there's a concerted effort against his name, but you must bear his name. One of the men that I admire deeply is George Beverly Shea. You know George Beverly Shea because he's been the baritone soloist for Billy Graham for so long.
Many, many years ago I was at a breakfast at an Air Force base. I was sitting at the Diaz and George Beverly Shea was sitting right next to me, elbow to elbow. And a man came up and said to George Beverly Shea, he said, would you sing for us? He said, I'd be happy to. He said, could you sing that song, How Great Thou Art? George Beverly Shea is a very humble man.
He said, I'd be happy to sing that song, thank you very much. Then the man leaned in and he said, you know, we have some here today who are not Christians. Could you leave out that verse that says God, his son, not sparing? I was wondering what George Beverly Shea would say. I was eavesdropping.
That's what I was doing. I was leaning in. He said, could you leave out that verse about God, his son, not sparing? And in the sweetest way, George Beverly Shea said, oh no. He said, I couldn't leave that out. He said, that would be to deny my Lord. He said, it's all right. I won't sing.
Well, I love that. Oh, he said, that's all right. You can sing about Jesus.
He said, thank you very much. Then he stood up there and sang about our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. Teach them to bear the name, to unfurl the banner and to march under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. Don't be ashamed of the one who died for you.
Am I a soldier of the cross, a follower of the lamb and shall I fear it on his cause or blush to speak his name? What a name. Bear the name in victory. Teach your children to wear the name. Teach them to share the name.
Teach them to bear the name and never be ashamed of that name above all names. I read somewhere years ago about General William Booth, that great godly man who founded the Salvation Army. He was on his deathbed. His family was gathered around. An attorney or somebody said, there's a document that would make it so much easier if General Booth would sign before he dies. It's a business matter, but if he doesn't sign it, we'll have a lot of legal and technical difficulties. And the family came to him and said, Daddy, Papa, you could do something that would help a lot. If before you go to see Jesus, if you just sign your name here for us.
The old man said, fine. And they put it before him and put a pen in his hand and he signed. Not long afterward, he stepped into glory.
And when they opened that document and looked, you know what they saw? He had not signed his own name. He'd just written Jesus. Jesus, that was the name. That was on his heart more than his own name, was the name above all names, Jesus. One of these days soon, and very soon we're going to see the King. The Bible says that God has given him a name that is above every name. That at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
I'm going to be there at the name of Jesus bowing, falling prostrate at his feet. King of kings in heaven will crown him when our journey is complete. Precious name, oh how sweet. Hope of earth and joy of heaven. Precious name, oh how sweet. Hope of earth and joy of heaven.
What a magnificent day that will be. Now as you've listened today, maybe this has stirred something in your heart and you have questions about what faith in Jesus really means. We have a resource that we'd like to offer you on our website. It's called the Discover Jesus page. You'll find answers there that you may need about your faith, about what it means to place your trust and confidence in Jesus Christ and receive the forgiveness God is offering you right now. There's a response section as well. Would you go there, lwf.org slash radio and click the tab that says Discover Jesus.
We can't wait to hear from you. Now if you'd like to order a copy of today's message, you can call us at 1-877-LOVE-GOD. The title of today's lesson is The Name Above All Names. This message is also part of the powerful series A Perfect Ten for Homes That Win.
For the complete collection, all 10 insightful messages, call that number 1-877-LOVE-GOD or you can order online at lwf.org slash radio or write us at Love Worth Finding, Box 38600, Memphis, Tennessee 38183. Well, thanks for studying in God's word today. What a great lesson.
If we want to teach our children to take the Lord's name in victory rather than in vain, then we need to teach them to wear, share, and bear the name of Jesus. Remind them that we'll be known by our character, our contemplation, and our conversation. We hope you'll join us next time for more timeless truth right here on Love Worth Finding.
We love hearing how this program is making a difference in your life. I want you to listen to this testimony. I came from a very strong Catholic family and growing up, I was always seeking Jesus.
But as I got older, I wasn't feeling fulfilled. For a long time, I searched and listened to preachers online. That's when I found Adrian Rogers. I learned so much from him daily. His messages still ring true in today's world. This ministry is a true blessing. Thank you.
And I want to turn that back to you. Thank you for your support. Thank you for your prayers and keeping this ministry going. We hope each day to equip you to share the gospel with others with this program and resources. And right now, if you'll give a gift to any amount to help us, we want to send you our 2020 Christmas cards featuring an original painting by Lacey Hancock. Request a pack of the 2020 Christmas cards when you call with a gift at 1-877-LIVE-GOD.
Whisper: medium.en / 2024-01-29 07:28:09 / 2024-01-29 07:37:17 / 9