1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:05,200 Will you open your Bibles please at Exodus chapter 20 and verse 7 as we come today to 2 00:00:05,200 –> 00:00:15,520 the third commandment. Exodus chapter 20 and verse 7, you shall not misuse the name of the 3 00:00:15,520 –> 00:00:29,000 Lord your God for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who misuses His name. 4 00:00:29,000 –> 00:00:36,439 The first thing that comes to mind I guess when we hear the third commandment is swearing, 5 00:00:36,439 –> 00:00:43,599 abusing God’s name by using it as an expletive. And that’s appropriate because of course the 6 00:00:43,599 –> 00:00:50,040 way in which we use a persons name says a great deal about what we think of them. And 7 00:00:50,040 –> 00:00:55,439 the way in which God’s name is used in our society or the name of Jesus is used in our 8 00:00:55,560 –> 00:01:00,639 society says a great deal about the way in which he is regarded in our culture. 9 00:01:00,639 –> 00:01:09,360 I have to say this came to me freshly this week when I looked up the name Jesus in my 10 00:01:09,360 –> 00:01:17,680 concise Oxford English dictionary. Two definitions of the name Jesus are given and I want you 11 00:01:17,680 –> 00:01:23,000 to notice the order in which they occur, they’re on the screen exactly as printed in my edition 12 00:01:23,120 –> 00:01:30,120 of the Oxford English Dictionary. The dictionary tells us that the name Jesus is a vulgarity, 13 00:01:31,300 –> 00:01:38,839 it is an exclamation expressing surprise, impatience, et cetera. That according to the 14 00:01:38,839 –> 00:01:45,820 Oxford English Dictionary is its most common use, that’s what they’re defining you see. 15 00:01:45,820 –> 00:01:50,519 But the name Jesus they say can also be used to refer to the founder of Christianity who 16 00:01:50,519 –> 00:01:58,599 they state died around the year A.D. 30. Now it shouldn’t surprise us that those who do 17 00:01:58,599 –> 00:02:06,360 not know the Lord use the name of God as an expletive. But the reality is sadly that too 18 00:02:06,360 –> 00:02:12,220 often the same pattern of speech is sometimes found amongst those who know him and love 19 00:02:12,220 –> 00:02:18,100 him too. And very practically right at the beginning here I want to say a word particularly 20 00:02:18,179 –> 00:02:25,520 to those of us in middle school and those of us in high school. Just listen this week 21 00:02:25,520 –> 00:02:32,699 to how often the name of God is used at school. You are surrounded by the use of it. You will 22 00:02:32,699 –> 00:02:37,639 find it almost every minute. And when your ear gets tuned to the way in which God’s name 23 00:02:37,639 –> 00:02:45,020 is used at school, you will be absolutely astonished by it. You are surrounded by the 24 00:02:45,020 –> 00:02:52,139 abuse of God’s name. And I want to give you this challenge. Particularly those in middle 25 00:02:52,139 –> 00:03:00,880 school, which is where this habit often starts. Don’t copy that habit. It’s natural for people 26 00:03:00,880 –> 00:03:08,059 who do not know the Lord, but it’s not for you. And if you’ve got into the habit already 27 00:03:08,059 –> 00:03:14,419 of saying, oh my God, or saying good God or oh God or whatever, every time you are surprised, 28 00:03:14,580 –> 00:03:23,300 then ask the Lord specifically to give you his help to overcome that habit. And, let 29 00:03:23,300 –> 00:03:30,059 me give you the suggestion, ask someone else to hold you accountable on it too. Christian 30 00:03:30,059 –> 00:03:38,139 people of whatever age do not belong to this world. We are God’s people. We bear the name 31 00:03:38,139 –> 00:03:44,500 of Jesus Christ and therefore, he calls us to speak about him in a way that honors his 32 00:03:44,500 –> 00:03:51,380 name. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. Third Commandment. 33 00:03:51,380 –> 00:03:57,220 Now, the central theme of our series, as you know, is that the 10 Commandments describe 34 00:03:57,220 –> 00:04:03,619 the 10 primary struggles of our lives. And, I think at this point some might reasonably 35 00:04:03,660 –> 00:04:08,940 have the question, does the Third Commandment really make the cut? I mean, after all swearing 36 00:04:08,940 –> 00:04:14,919 may be a significant issue, but does it really qualify as one of the 10 greatest struggles 37 00:04:14,919 –> 00:04:21,119 of the lives of ordinary folk? Well, I want us to see this morning that the Third Commandment 38 00:04:21,119 –> 00:04:27,260 is about much, much more than swearing. I think by the time that we’re done, you will 39 00:04:27,260 –> 00:04:34,239 agree with me that this Third Commandment describes accurately one of the greatest struggles 40 00:04:34,239 –> 00:04:40,279 in which all of us are engaged, one in which we desperately need to call on the help of 41 00:04:40,279 –> 00:04:48,839 Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Lord. Now, our advertising and marketing culture 42 00:04:48,839 –> 00:04:54,260 has got us used to the idea of endorsements. They’re all over the place. Big names get 43 00:04:54,500 –> 00:05:01,500 connected with major products and the synergy of these two things leads to very effective 44 00:05:02,000 –> 00:05:05,399 sales. So for example, just to pick a couple of random 45 00:05:05,399 –> 00:05:10,720 examples that have struck me, we have Andy Roddick, the tennis star endorsing the American 46 00:05:10,720 –> 00:05:16,859 Express card. Very effective series of adverts. You have William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy 47 00:05:16,859 –> 00:05:28,000 vying to endorse Priceline.com. Advertisers use names because big names cause many people 48 00:05:28,019 –> 00:05:33,220 to sit up and take notice. If you can get your product linked to a big name, then you 49 00:05:33,220 –> 00:05:38,820 are on your way to success. Now there is obviously no bigger name in the 50 00:05:38,820 –> 00:05:43,420 whole of the universe than the name of Almighty God. It is not surprising that throughout 51 00:05:43,440 –> 00:05:47,959 history there is been this pattern of many, many people and groups trying to attach the 52 00:05:47,959 –> 00:05:54,040 name of God to their particular cause, to claim the endorsement of God for what they 53 00:05:54,040 –> 00:05:55,359 want to do. 54 00:05:55,359 –> 00:06:05,000 I’m suggesting to you today that right now, that is one of our world’s biggest struggles. 55 00:06:05,000 –> 00:06:13,359 Think about it. We live in the generation where we have seen people who will fly planes 56 00:06:13,399 –> 00:06:18,519 into tall buildings claiming that they do it in the name of God. 57 00:06:18,519 –> 00:06:28,600 This last week we have seen a young woman who strapped Semtex to her own body, went 58 00:06:28,600 –> 00:06:35,720 into a crowded area to take her own life with the intent of taking as many other lives as 59 00:06:35,779 –> 00:06:42,779 she possibly could with her and doing so in the name of God. 60 00:06:43,859 –> 00:06:50,459 And it’s easy to point to Muslim extremists today. But you only have to read the tragedies 61 00:06:50,459 –> 00:06:54,880 of Christian history to realize that the problem comes much closer to home. 62 00:06:54,880 –> 00:06:57,619 Painfully so. 63 00:06:57,619 –> 00:07:03,420 Western history is littered with acts of violence that were done in the name of God. 64 00:07:04,019 –> 00:07:09,459 Perhaps the most notorious, of course, were the crusades where thousands of Muslims were 65 00:07:09,459 –> 00:07:15,260 slaughtered by Europeans who fought under the banner bearing the emblem of the cross. 66 00:07:17,940 –> 00:07:22,239 So it’s hardly surprising that increasingly in our generation many people have noted that 67 00:07:22,239 –> 00:07:27,399 some of the most appalling acts of violence in the history of the world have been connected 68 00:07:27,399 –> 00:07:31,839 with the name of God and therefore have decided that this name is of no use to society. 69 00:07:31,980 –> 00:07:37,179 I think that is what we are seeing happening in France right now. 70 00:07:37,339 –> 00:07:43,279 Where you have this discussion of legislation that would ban the wearing of any religious 71 00:07:43,279 –> 00:07:48,179 emblems or head coverings in high schools in France. 72 00:07:48,179 –> 00:07:51,940 Why is the government moving in this direction? 73 00:07:51,940 –> 00:07:55,739 Because they’re saying we are a secular Republic. 74 00:07:55,739 –> 00:08:02,739 We gather people from very different backgrounds and traditions, and the name of God causes 75 00:08:02,739 –> 00:08:05,359 disruption to social harmony. 76 00:08:05,359 –> 00:08:10,000 So the best way for us to have social harmony in this secular country is for us to distance 77 00:08:10,000 –> 00:08:16,540 ourselves from overt mentions of the name of God or symbols of it. 78 00:08:16,540 –> 00:08:21,459 So I’m suggesting to you that the issue of the misuse of God’s name is one of the most 79 00:08:21,980 –> 00:08:28,779 urgent issues that lies behind all that is being discussed in the United Nations. 80 00:08:28,779 –> 00:08:34,099 Secondly it’s a personal struggle for some of us who are seeking to find something beyond 81 00:08:34,099 –> 00:08:38,919 ourselves but are spiritually confused. 82 00:08:38,919 –> 00:08:41,859 We’ve become confused because of conflicting claims. 83 00:08:41,859 –> 00:08:49,719 The name of God is obviously used and attached to claims that are clearly incompatible and 84 00:08:49,799 –> 00:08:54,119 when people hear so many different claims being made in the name of God the 85 00:08:54,119 –> 00:08:58,700 reaction understandably if many folks is to say, well with all these competing claims 86 00:08:58,700 –> 00:09:04,059 who knows the truth and maybe there’s no possibility of knowing the truth at all. 87 00:09:04,059 –> 00:09:07,080 In the film Vertical Limit. 88 00:09:07,080 –> 00:09:13,099 It’s the story of a group of climbers who go up K2 and they do so in order to rescue 89 00:09:13,099 –> 00:09:15,739 three folks who’ve been caught in an avalanche. 90 00:09:16,520 –> 00:09:21,400 They put their own lives in danger in this hazardous climb and at one point 91 00:09:21,400 –> 00:09:25,739 after a near-death experience two of the climbers who are together take 92 00:09:25,739 –> 00:09:29,840 a short break one of them is a Muslim and he takes out of his pack a little 93 00:09:29,840 –> 00:09:35,659 prayer mat and kneels down and begins to pray his colleague is completely secular 94 00:09:35,659 –> 00:09:43,640 has no religious faith whatsoever and seeing his friend pray he’s provoked to 95 00:09:43,640 –> 00:09:52,719 ask a question do Muslims believe in hell Karim he says? and when he finds 96 00:09:52,719 –> 00:09:58,260 out that they do he looks in despair towards his colleague and he says 97 00:09:58,260 –> 00:10:05,000 you’re all the same you lot, the born-again ones say I’ll go to hell if 98 00:10:05,000 –> 00:10:09,239 I don’t believe in Jesus, the Jews say I’ll go to hell if I do 99 00:10:09,239 –> 00:10:13,520 believe in Jesus, Catholics say I’ll go to hell if I don’t believe in the Pope 100 00:10:13,520 –> 00:10:21,039 and he holds up his hands and horror anyway he’s lost and you see in a world 101 00:10:21,039 –> 00:10:27,380 of conflicting claims that all use the name of God there are a growing number 102 00:10:27,380 –> 00:10:32,140 of people who look at this situation and say well it can’t all be right so maybe 103 00:10:32,140 –> 00:10:36,239 none of them are right so I’ll just do what feels right to me 104 00:10:36,239 –> 00:10:40,219 that of course was Pilate’s problem on the one hand he’s got these Jewish 105 00:10:40,400 –> 00:10:44,260 leaders who are saying this Jesus is guilty of blasphemy and not to be put to 106 00:10:44,260 –> 00:10:50,159 death and on the other side he’s got Jesus saying I am the Son of God and 107 00:10:50,159 –> 00:10:56,520 Pilot of course is a secular Roman politician and so he kind of shrugs his 108 00:10:56,520 –> 00:11:04,419 shoulders and says what is truth and that may be precisely where some of us 109 00:11:04,419 –> 00:11:09,140 are this morning you’re here because you are seeking something greater than 110 00:11:09,140 –> 00:11:14,700 yourself but you’re not sure what it is and you’re confused by so many different 111 00:11:14,700 –> 00:11:23,859 claims you wonder if it would ever be possible to know so this struggle is not 112 00:11:23,859 –> 00:11:28,239 just an international issue it’s a deeply personal issue it’s also an issue 113 00:11:28,239 –> 00:11:34,059 within the church it’s a family issue because we’re confronted even in church 114 00:11:34,059 –> 00:11:38,979 world with so many empty claims that misuse the name of God I mean you think 115 00:11:39,039 –> 00:11:43,460 of the trouble that has been done to Christian ministry through folks who 116 00:11:43,460 –> 00:11:50,919 bear the name of God and have acted in a scandalous way pedophile Priests who 117 00:11:50,919 –> 00:11:58,119 have caused such injury while bearing the name of God evangelists with 118 00:11:58,119 –> 00:12:07,719 financial scandals bringing so much dishonor to the name of Christ think 119 00:12:07,719 –> 00:12:11,700 about the way in which the name of God is so often attached in church world to 120 00:12:11,700 –> 00:12:15,880 empty promises of health and of wealth and of everything that appeals to the 121 00:12:15,880 –> 00:12:21,320 selfishness of our fallen nature with the result that some younger people in 122 00:12:21,320 –> 00:12:24,440 fact a growing number of younger people have come to the conclusion that 123 00:12:24,440 –> 00:12:33,460 Christianity is simply too selfish to be true because that’s what they see and 124 00:12:33,460 –> 00:12:37,340 then you’ve got the whole issue of the presumptuous use perhaps one of the 125 00:12:37,340 –> 00:12:42,679 greatest dangers within parts of the Evangelical Church the presumptuous use 126 00:12:42,679 –> 00:12:51,840 of God’s name you know the lord told me oh the Lord’s told you what does that 127 00:12:51,840 –> 00:12:58,700 mean presumably that you have a direct hotline to God so direct that the 128 00:12:58,700 –> 00:13:02,679 Almighty personally direct you in such a way that beyond all shadow of doubt you 129 00:13:02,679 –> 00:13:06,119 know the mind of God in a particular matter without any need for testing 130 00:13:06,440 –> 00:13:09,859 without any need for the broader reference of the family of God without 131 00:13:09,859 –> 00:13:14,280 any place for listening to other believers that is to claim a level of 132 00:13:14,280 –> 00:13:22,400 authority that God has never given to a human being and it causes many to 133 00:13:22,400 –> 00:13:30,239 blaspheme the name of God because it comes across as a kind of an arrogance 134 00:13:30,239 –> 00:13:37,919 which is exactly what it is the presumptuous use of God’s name claiming 135 00:13:37,919 –> 00:13:43,979 the name of God for what can often turn out to be my pet project can turn out to 136 00:13:43,979 –> 00:13:52,580 be the worst sort of spiritual blackmail and it happens too often within church 137 00:13:52,619 –> 00:14:04,320 world so this is a serious issue for all of us and if really struggling with it 138 00:14:04,320 –> 00:14:11,179 the way in which people use the name of God it’s become a stumbling block to you 139 00:14:11,179 –> 00:14:20,219 then I want you to know today that it is a great offence to God as well God takes 140 00:14:20,400 –> 00:14:26,500 this sin personally it is uniquely personal to him you would of course do 141 00:14:26,500 –> 00:14:31,179 the same how would you feel if someone used your name to justify acts of 142 00:14:31,179 –> 00:14:35,460 violence or empty promises or used it in a frivolous kind of way for all kinds of 143 00:14:35,460 –> 00:14:42,380 stupidity of course it shouldn’t surprise us that God’s name is misused 144 00:14:42,380 –> 00:14:47,820 so much always has been and always will be anything that is of value will be 145 00:14:47,820 –> 00:14:56,739 counterfeited and everything of great value will be counterfeit. It this was an 146 00:14:56,739 –> 00:15:01,679 insight actually that helped C.S Lewis on his journey to faith. He saw at one 147 00:15:01,679 –> 00:15:06,559 point in that journey that perhaps the very existence of all these different 148 00:15:06,559 –> 00:15:10,840 religious stories came from the fact that there was one story that was 149 00:15:11,340 –> 00:15:18,619 true, and once he saw that he was well on his way to faith. God speaks about this 150 00:15:18,619 –> 00:15:23,359 in Jeremiah chapter 14 and verse 14 he talks about Prophets who prophesy lies 151 00:15:23,359 –> 00:15:29,099 in my name they get up they use the name of God these false prophets but all 152 00:15:29,099 –> 00:15:34,260 they’re doing is they’re spouting their own ideas and it’s an offense to me says 153 00:15:34,260 –> 00:15:38,940 the Lord. Jesus speaks about this most powerfully of course in the Sermon on 154 00:15:39,039 –> 00:15:43,739 the Mount Matthew chapter 7 not everybody he says who says Lord Lord 155 00:15:43,739 –> 00:15:47,520 will enter the kingdom of heaven not everyone who uses my name is going to be 156 00:15:47,520 –> 00:15:52,559 in heaven but only him who does the will of the father who sent me there will be 157 00:15:52,559 –> 00:15:56,299 religious kind of people who have made all sorts of claims but have been abusing 158 00:15:56,299 –> 00:16:00,679 the name of Jesus for their own ends don’t expect to see them in heaven says 159 00:16:01,539 –> 00:16:03,539 Jesus 160 00:16:05,280 –> 00:16:18,119 those who use God’s name for their own ends end up disowned by the God whose 161 00:16:18,119 –> 00:16:25,000 name they misused now perhaps the best way to think about this and for us to 162 00:16:25,000 –> 00:16:29,840 get a handle on this is for us to think about the way in which a franchise 163 00:16:29,840 –> 00:16:37,200 works a franchise of course means that you are given the right to use a name 164 00:16:37,200 –> 00:16:42,280 that will bring great benefits to you but the condition is that you 165 00:16:42,280 –> 00:16:47,559 appropriately represent the company who’s name you bear so let’s take a 166 00:16:47,559 –> 00:16:55,020 specific example let’s take the example of McDonald’s now I want you to imagine 167 00:16:55,119 –> 00:17:01,580 that I open a McDonald’s restaurant in Arlington Heights sometimes thought that 168 00:17:01,580 –> 00:17:06,500 would be a fun thing to do to have your own McDonald’s I get the franchise get 169 00:17:06,500 –> 00:17:11,520 the big red and yellow sign it’s up there and we’re in business my 170 00:17:11,520 –> 00:17:19,380 McDonald’s restaurant is open but then after a few weeks it occurs to me 171 00:17:19,439 –> 00:17:26,040 McDonald’s McDonald’s that’s a wonderful 172 00:17:26,040 –> 00:17:37,699 Scottish name but this isn’t a very Scottish menu so instead of serving Big 173 00:17:37,699 –> 00:17:46,939 Macs, I’m going to do a Haggis burger and instead of their breakfast menu I’m 174 00:17:47,040 –> 00:17:53,000 going to do oatmeal and instead of coffee we’re going to have large mugs of hot 175 00:17:53,000 –> 00:17:57,439 tea. Now it’s very possible that I could 176 00:17:57,439 –> 00:18:02,160 actually do a very good trade with my own personal brand of McDonald’s don’t 177 00:18:02,160 –> 00:18:07,199 you think? Well maybe I would maybe not but let’s leave that to one side the 178 00:18:07,199 –> 00:18:14,459 point is what’s going to happen? Well at some point Mr. McDonald himself 179 00:18:14,660 –> 00:18:20,900 whoever that is is going to hear about this and when he does he’s going to send 180 00:18:20,900 –> 00:18:25,000 one of his people down to my restaurant and they’re going to say something like 181 00:18:25,000 –> 00:18:36,359 this, If you carry our name you serve our menu right? And if you don’t serve our 182 00:18:36,359 –> 00:18:43,560 menu we’re going to remove our name from your restaurant and more than that 183 00:18:43,560 –> 00:18:49,979 because you’ve abused our name we’re going to prosecute you to the full 184 00:18:49,979 –> 00:18:56,680 extent of the law. Nobody would be surprised by this would they? You can’t 185 00:18:56,680 –> 00:19:02,540 misuse the name of McDonald’s to do your own thing and you can’t misuse the name 186 00:19:02,540 –> 00:19:09,500 of God like that either. That’s the point of the Third Commandment. Now, I want you 187 00:19:09,859 –> 00:19:18,119 see how uniquely serious this is. Notice from Exodus chapter 20 and verse 7 that 188 00:19:18,119 –> 00:19:26,420 God puts this sin in a unique category. Notice what he says .”You shall not misuse 189 00:19:26,420 –> 00:19:31,979 the name of the Lord your God for.” And we often forget the second bit but look at 190 00:19:31,979 –> 00:19:36,000 what it says. We can’t skip over it. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord 191 00:19:36,800 –> 00:19:44,939 your God for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name. 192 00:19:44,939 –> 00:19:51,839 This is the only one of the Ten Commandments where God speaks like this. 193 00:19:51,839 –> 00:19:59,979 But here he specifically speaks of a lasting guilt. That’s what it says, isn’t it? 194 00:20:00,599 –> 00:20:03,239 We didn’t skip over this. 195 00:20:03,239 –> 00:20:09,699 Don’t expect to be forgiven for this one, God says. 196 00:20:09,699 –> 00:20:14,380 I will not hold you guiltless over this. 197 00:20:14,380 –> 00:20:18,739 Now, you say, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. 198 00:20:18,739 –> 00:20:21,339 Wait a minute. 199 00:20:21,339 –> 00:20:26,979 Are you saying that there is a sin that is unforgivable? 200 00:20:26,979 –> 00:20:32,660 Well, yes. 201 00:20:32,660 –> 00:20:38,099 The Bible speaks very clearly about one sin that cannot be forgiven. 202 00:20:38,099 –> 00:20:43,060 And it concerns the name of God. 203 00:20:43,060 –> 00:20:47,660 And the third commandment points directly to it. 204 00:20:47,660 –> 00:20:52,239 That is why there is this unique statement at the end of the third commandment that should 205 00:20:52,239 –> 00:20:58,099 cause all of us to stop seriously and think. 206 00:20:58,099 –> 00:21:02,839 Misusing the name of God, of course, in the light of all that is revealed in Scripture 207 00:21:02,839 –> 00:21:10,739 includes misusing the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 208 00:21:10,739 –> 00:21:16,800 And the third commandment points directly to two New Testament Scriptures that speak 209 00:21:16,800 –> 00:21:21,239 about a sin for which there is no forgiveness. 210 00:21:21,979 –> 00:21:29,979 Now, every pastor, sooner or later, gets asked a question about these two passages from the 211 00:21:29,979 –> 00:21:30,979 Bible. 212 00:21:30,979 –> 00:21:34,359 So we’re going to look at them together now and you might like to turn to them. 213 00:21:34,359 –> 00:21:38,839 They’re difficult passages, but I want us to see how they connect to the third commandment 214 00:21:38,839 –> 00:21:41,439 and I think that will be helpful to us all. 215 00:21:41,439 –> 00:21:48,400 The first of them concerns the name of Jesus, and this is in Hebrews 6 and verses 4 to 6. 216 00:21:48,459 –> 00:21:54,239 You might like to turn to that, one of the very important statements about blaspheming 217 00:21:54,239 –> 00:21:57,359 the name of Jesus. 218 00:21:57,359 –> 00:21:59,760 And here we read these words in Hebrews 6. 219 00:21:59,760 –> 00:22:04,380 It is impossible – so he is talking about something that is impossible – for those 220 00:22:04,380 –> 00:22:08,459 who have once been enlightened, have tasted the heavenly gift, have shared in the Holy 221 00:22:08,459 –> 00:22:13,020 Spirit, have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, it’s 222 00:22:13,020 –> 00:22:18,839 impossible if they – verse 6 – fall away, it’s impossible for them to be brought back 223 00:22:18,839 –> 00:22:30,859 to repentance because to their loss, they are crucifying the Son of God all over again 224 00:22:30,859 –> 00:22:34,619 and subjecting him to public disgrace. 225 00:22:34,619 –> 00:22:40,520 It’s a difficult verse, but it is making essentially a simple point. 226 00:22:40,540 –> 00:22:45,219 The book of Hebrews was written to a group of Jewish believers who after they came to 227 00:22:45,219 –> 00:22:52,000 faith in Christ were under intense pressure to renounce Jesus and go back. 228 00:22:52,000 –> 00:22:56,400 The book of Hebrews is written to encourage them to stay the course and to honour the 229 00:22:56,400 –> 00:22:58,400 name of Jesus. 230 00:22:58,400 –> 00:23:04,859 The message of The Book of Hebrews can be summed up in 3 words, don’t go back. 231 00:23:04,859 –> 00:23:13,219 Because if you renounce Jesus there is no other way by which you can be right with God. 232 00:23:13,219 –> 00:23:19,000 And in these verses he’s laying this out if you’re turning away from Jesus then you turn 233 00:23:19,000 –> 00:23:23,300 away from all that’s in Jesus then you turn away from the Holy Spirit you turn away from 234 00:23:23,300 –> 00:23:27,359 the heavenly gift, you turn away from the goodness of the word, you turn away from the 235 00:23:27,359 –> 00:23:31,900 powers of the coming age, you turn away from Jesus you lose everything, you turn away from 236 00:23:31,900 –> 00:23:37,339 Jesus you’re back in your sins you turn away from Jesus it will be your everlasting loss. 237 00:23:37,339 –> 00:23:41,260 That’s what he’s saying. 238 00:23:41,260 –> 00:23:52,859 The only repentance that is acceptable to God is repentance in the name of Jesus. 239 00:23:52,859 –> 00:23:56,780 Detach yourself from the name of Jesus and you detach yourself from the possibility of 240 00:23:57,199 –> 00:24:03,560 repentance because repentance can only be in his name, right? 241 00:24:03,560 –> 00:24:06,880 He is the name given by which you may come to God. 242 00:24:06,880 –> 00:24:12,739 Leave the name and you leave all that is in it. 243 00:24:12,739 –> 00:24:17,180 There is no forgiveness without his name. 244 00:24:17,180 –> 00:24:25,420 Renounce him and your guilt remains upon you. 245 00:24:25,420 –> 00:24:27,439 What he’s saying. 246 00:24:27,439 –> 00:24:35,300 Now, turn to the second reference that speaks of this tragic situation, this is the reference 247 00:24:35,300 –> 00:24:39,680 to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit in Mark 3, 28. 248 00:24:39,680 –> 00:24:42,040 You turn with me. 249 00:24:42,040 –> 00:24:47,760 Another verse that often troubles Christian believers. 250 00:24:47,760 –> 00:24:54,160 Mark 3, 28, and again we’ll try to understand the setting and then hear the words here. 251 00:24:54,160 –> 00:24:58,199 What’s happening here is that Jesus has been healing the sick, he has been casting out 252 00:24:58,199 –> 00:25:03,000 demons and the fascinating thing is that not a soul could dispute the authenticity of the 253 00:25:03,000 –> 00:25:04,000 miracles. 254 00:25:04,000 –> 00:25:06,579 Everyone who saw them knew that they were real. 255 00:25:06,579 –> 00:25:12,040 So no one said they didn’t happen, because they obviously did, people saw them happen. 256 00:25:12,040 –> 00:25:14,439 So the enemies of Jesus resorted to another tactic. 257 00:25:14,439 –> 00:25:19,160 They suggested that this power, which was obviously real, was actually the devil’s power 258 00:25:19,160 –> 00:25:21,040 and they said it in verse 22. 259 00:25:21,260 –> 00:25:25,020 He’s possessed by Beelzebub, that means the devil, by the prince of demons. 260 00:25:25,020 –> 00:25:26,359 He’s driving out demons. 261 00:25:26,359 –> 00:25:29,000 Now you see what’s happening here now? 262 00:25:29,000 –> 00:25:33,599 Jesus comes with grace and mercy, and he brings the blessing of God. 263 00:25:33,599 –> 00:25:40,180 Here are a group of people who see the blessing of God poured into people’s lives and they 264 00:25:40,180 –> 00:25:43,920 say, that’s the devil. 265 00:25:43,920 –> 00:25:50,119 Jesus is saying to them in effect, that is the greatest misjudgment you could ever make. 266 00:25:50,119 –> 00:25:55,699 What you have just seen is the work of the Holy Spirit of God. 267 00:25:55,699 –> 00:26:02,920 And if you turn away from the blessing of his work, there is no hope for you. 268 00:26:02,920 –> 00:26:08,699 So in verse 28 I tell you the truth, Jesus says, all the sins and blasphemies of men 269 00:26:08,699 –> 00:26:10,260 will be forgiven them. 270 00:26:10,400 –> 00:26:16,599 Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, for he is guilty of 271 00:26:16,599 –> 00:26:19,579 an eternal sin. 272 00:26:19,579 –> 00:26:30,079 See, forgiveness is possible by embracing the one who forgives. 273 00:26:30,079 –> 00:26:37,479 But if a person will not embrace the one who forgives, how can that person be forgiven? 274 00:26:37,760 –> 00:26:42,859 If someone turns away from the name of Jesus, from the work of the Holy Spirit, and casts 275 00:26:42,859 –> 00:26:49,439 this off as being something of darkness and hardens his or her heart towards it, if you 276 00:26:49,439 –> 00:26:56,000 will not embrace the one who forgives, how can you be forgiven? 277 00:26:56,000 –> 00:26:57,959 And that’s the whole point of the third commandment. 278 00:26:57,959 –> 00:27:01,680 God will not hold guiltless those who abuse his name. 279 00:27:01,680 –> 00:27:06,439 Apart from the name by which we must be saved, we remain in our guilt. 280 00:27:07,119 –> 00:27:12,260 The Bible puts this so clearly in both the Old and the New Testament. 281 00:27:12,260 –> 00:27:17,160 Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 282 00:27:17,160 –> 00:27:20,800 Notice calling on the name of the Lord. 283 00:27:20,800 –> 00:27:25,439 Salvation comes, repentance comes, through the name of the Lord. 284 00:27:25,939 –> 00:27:29,400 Notice it’s in the Old Testament and in the New. 285 00:27:29,400 –> 00:27:34,640 In the Old Testament, Joel the prophet says the way to be saved is to call on the name 286 00:27:34,640 –> 00:27:39,260 of Yahweh, the name we’ve learned that God gave to Moses. 287 00:27:39,260 –> 00:27:41,760 That’s how you’re going to be saved. 288 00:27:41,760 –> 00:27:46,239 You’ve got to come in humility and in faith and embrace him and he will save you. 289 00:27:46,239 –> 00:27:50,459 You’ll be saved by his name. 290 00:27:50,459 –> 00:27:55,000 And Peter on the day of Pentecost takes up that same theme, that same quotation and he 291 00:27:55,000 –> 00:27:57,540 says, look, this is what that means. 292 00:27:57,540 –> 00:28:00,540 It means you have to embrace the name of Jesus. 293 00:28:00,599 –> 00:28:05,420 You have to call on the name of the Lord Jesus in order to be saved, because Jesus is the 294 00:28:05,420 –> 00:28:08,839 one by whom this God has made himself known. 295 00:28:08,839 –> 00:28:10,619 He is God in the flesh. 296 00:28:10,619 –> 00:28:17,300 He’s given his life for us and it’s through him that we find repentance and salvation. 297 00:28:17,300 –> 00:28:19,579 So hear me clearly. 298 00:28:19,579 –> 00:28:26,520 God offers forgiveness to every person. 299 00:28:27,459 –> 00:28:32,439 God offers forgiveness for every sin. 300 00:28:32,439 –> 00:28:34,319 Every sin. 301 00:28:34,319 –> 00:28:46,359 Including denials of Jesus, blasphemies against the Holy Spirit, misuse of the name of God, 302 00:28:46,359 –> 00:28:50,599 including the vilest thing that you can conceive of in your mind. 303 00:28:50,599 –> 00:28:57,319 God offers forgiveness for that too through the blood of Jesus. 304 00:28:57,319 –> 00:29:01,339 There is no sin for which you cannot be forgiven. 305 00:29:01,339 –> 00:29:04,900 But the only way for you to be forgiven is to embrace the one who forgives. 306 00:29:04,900 –> 00:29:11,140 And if you will not embrace his name, if you will not call on the name of the Lord there 307 00:29:11,140 –> 00:29:16,560 is no other way for you to be saved, and in that circumstance your guilt remains. 308 00:29:17,560 –> 00:29:27,599 Now this is serious stuff, folks, because there are some of us who have heard it again 309 00:29:27,599 –> 00:29:32,239 and again and again and again and again. 310 00:29:32,239 –> 00:29:39,839 You’ve heard the gospel, and you’ve got used to sitting in church and pushing it 311 00:29:39,839 –> 00:29:40,839 away. 312 00:29:41,640 –> 00:29:49,420 You’ve got used to the I’m alright Jack kind of an attitude, and to this day you’ve 313 00:29:49,420 –> 00:29:55,300 not come to the place of saying I’m someone who needs Jesus Christ to save me, and your 314 00:29:55,300 –> 00:29:57,900 guilt right now remains. 315 00:29:57,900 –> 00:30:02,560 It’s what the third commandment tells you. 316 00:30:02,560 –> 00:30:10,660 And it will remain unless and until you call upon His name. 317 00:30:10,819 –> 00:30:15,319 Why would you having come to the service of worship today go out through these doors 318 00:30:15,319 –> 00:30:22,260 with your guilt remaining on you when you could embrace Jesus, and be forgiven and begin 319 00:30:22,260 –> 00:30:28,300 a new life in Him. 320 00:30:28,300 –> 00:30:34,140 That’s the invitation of the gospel. 321 00:30:34,140 –> 00:30:39,079 But there is no other way. 322 00:30:39,180 –> 00:30:42,199 Pray if you hear His voice this time. 323 00:30:42,199 –> 00:30:45,319 Don’t harden your heart. 324 00:30:45,319 –> 00:30:48,300 Now, we talked about the struggle. 325 00:30:48,300 –> 00:30:50,280 We’ve talked about the offense. 326 00:30:50,280 –> 00:30:55,520 Lastly and very briefly, a word about the calling. 327 00:30:55,520 –> 00:30:59,199 Because for all those who have embraced the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in humility 328 00:30:59,199 –> 00:31:05,239 and by faith, we have a great calling to live for the honor of His name. 329 00:31:05,760 –> 00:31:11,699 And put very simply, God’s answer to a world that blasphemes His name is a community of 330 00:31:11,699 –> 00:31:15,199 people who honor His name. 331 00:31:15,199 –> 00:31:21,099 It’s put very beautifully in Isaiah chapter 52 and verse 5 where there’s almost an anguished 332 00:31:21,099 –> 00:31:24,239 cry that comes out from the heart of God. 333 00:31:24,239 –> 00:31:27,579 Isaiah 52 and verse 5, this is what God says. 334 00:31:27,579 –> 00:31:32,640 All day long, my name is blasphemed. 335 00:31:33,020 –> 00:31:35,339 Isn’t that awful? 336 00:31:35,339 –> 00:31:42,359 That the Creator would look down on the face of this earth and as He looks at this world, 337 00:31:42,359 –> 00:31:48,819 He would say, Isaiah 52 verse 5, all day long my name is blasphemed. 338 00:31:48,819 –> 00:31:54,040 That’s the truth. 339 00:31:54,040 –> 00:31:55,800 Now what’s the answer? 340 00:31:55,800 –> 00:32:02,359 This is what God says immediately in Isaiah chapter 52 and verse 5 and verse 6. 341 00:32:02,400 –> 00:32:09,380 All day long my name is blasphemed on the earth, therefore he says, therefore my people 342 00:32:09,380 –> 00:32:12,959 will know my name. 343 00:32:12,959 –> 00:32:22,319 See, God’s answer to a world that blasphemes his name is a community of people who honor 344 00:32:22,319 –> 00:32:23,680 his name. 345 00:32:23,680 –> 00:32:31,040 And that’s our greatest calling and isn’t it true that that’s our greatest struggle? 346 00:32:31,040 –> 00:32:41,020 To honor him in everything we do individually and together, to speak and to think and to 347 00:32:41,020 –> 00:32:51,459 act in a way that all things honor him in a world that so despises his name. 348 00:32:51,459 –> 00:32:55,040 That’s our calling. 349 00:32:55,040 –> 00:32:56,439 How are we going to do it? 350 00:32:56,439 –> 00:32:59,400 It’s a great struggle. 351 00:33:00,280 –> 00:33:04,380 Let me suggest just three strategies, very briefly in these last moments. 352 00:33:04,380 –> 00:33:05,819 The first is humility. 353 00:33:05,819 –> 00:33:10,859 Lord, give us humility to do this. 354 00:33:10,859 –> 00:33:14,459 I’m increasingly convinced that one of the greatest dangers for Christian believers today 355 00:33:14,459 –> 00:33:17,660 is that we look like we are proclaiming ourselves. 356 00:33:17,660 –> 00:33:22,400 You know, we know how to do life, come with us. 357 00:33:22,400 –> 00:33:24,619 We’ve got it all sorted out. 358 00:33:25,619 –> 00:33:30,160 And that’s the kind of arrogance that causes other unbelieving people to blaspheme the 359 00:33:30,160 –> 00:33:31,800 name of God. 360 00:33:31,800 –> 00:33:34,060 That’s not what you find in the new testament. 361 00:33:34,060 –> 00:33:39,400 You find a humble spirit of people under the word of God who want to share something of 362 00:33:39,400 –> 00:33:40,900 what they found about Jesus. 363 00:33:40,900 –> 00:33:43,119 Come and look at his claims, come and look at what he did. 364 00:33:43,119 –> 00:33:47,180 Come with us and learn from him. 365 00:33:47,180 –> 00:33:52,040 Our task is not to hit the unbelieving world over the head with a 2×4. 366 00:33:52,160 –> 00:33:58,540 It is to invite people to consider Jesus. 367 00:33:58,540 –> 00:34:00,540 Then integrity. 368 00:34:00,540 –> 00:34:03,760 If we’re to live to honor his name, it’s going to take not just the humility, it’s going 369 00:34:03,760 –> 00:34:05,660 to take a real integrity. 370 00:34:05,660 –> 00:34:12,360 The deepest impressions that are made on people regarding the name and reality of God for 371 00:34:12,360 –> 00:34:18,120 many people will probably come from what they see in you and in me. 372 00:34:18,120 –> 00:34:20,760 That’s true of any name. 373 00:34:20,860 –> 00:34:24,000 Think of a name. 374 00:34:24,000 –> 00:34:25,080 Kennedy. 375 00:34:25,080 –> 00:34:27,439 Kennedy. 376 00:34:27,439 –> 00:34:33,320 Soon as you say the name Kennedy, a great family name, all kinds of impressions immediately 377 00:34:33,320 –> 00:34:37,840 come flooding into all of our minds associated with the name Kennedy and the impressions 378 00:34:37,840 –> 00:34:45,679 come from the actions good and bad of family members who bear that name. 379 00:34:46,179 –> 00:34:51,040 Now you bear the name of God. 380 00:34:51,040 –> 00:34:55,479 We are the family of God. 381 00:34:55,479 –> 00:35:01,840 The impressions that many people have about God Himself will come from the actions of 382 00:35:01,840 –> 00:35:03,860 those who bear His name. 383 00:35:03,860 –> 00:35:09,620 What they see in us, what they hear in us, and if we’re to live for the honor of His 384 00:35:09,620 –> 00:35:12,959 name, it’s going to take not just humility. 385 00:35:13,020 –> 00:35:16,179 It’s going to take the active pursuit of integrity. 386 00:35:16,179 –> 00:35:18,979 This is the biggest struggle of our lives. 387 00:35:18,979 –> 00:35:26,560 To live in such a way that we really commend Jesus in a world that doesn’t know Him. 388 00:35:26,560 –> 00:35:31,399 And the last thing that it’ll take, of course, is love. 389 00:35:31,399 –> 00:35:35,699 Because if you love Him, you will not misuse His name. 390 00:35:35,699 –> 00:35:42,239 And as we cultivate our love for Him more, we’ll be more sensitive to living in a way 391 00:35:42,399 –> 00:35:44,919 that really honorsHim. 392 00:35:44,919 –> 00:35:46,639 That’s of course, the whole point of worship. 393 00:35:46,639 –> 00:35:50,239 That’s why worship centers around the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 394 00:35:50,239 –> 00:35:53,860 It’s always its focus on Earth and in heaven. 395 00:35:53,860 –> 00:35:58,179 That’s why so many of our hymns express the beauty of the name of Jesus. 396 00:35:58,179 –> 00:36:02,739 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer’s ear. 397 00:36:02,739 –> 00:36:07,000 It soothes its sorrow, heals his wounds, and drives away his fear. 398 00:36:07,000 –> 00:36:11,340 Jesus, the name high over all in hell or earth or sky, 399 00:36:11,340 –> 00:36:14,419 angels and men before it fall and devils fear and fly. 400 00:36:14,419 –> 00:36:19,239 I’ll be happy if with my latest breath, I could just but gasp that name, 401 00:36:19,239 –> 00:36:21,439 preach Him to all, and then cry in death, 402 00:36:21,439 –> 00:36:24,139 Behold, behold the Lamb. 403 00:36:24,139 –> 00:36:27,439 Way back in the 12th century Bernard of Clairvaux, 404 00:36:27,439 –> 00:36:32,439 Jesus, the thought of thee with sweetness fills my breast, 405 00:36:32,439 –> 00:36:36,439 but greater far thy face to see. 406 00:36:36,459 –> 00:36:41,159 and in thy presence rest. 407 00:36:41,159 –> 00:36:45,679 We love Him because He has first loved us. 408 00:36:45,679 –> 00:36:47,139 And if we are to live to honor him, 409 00:36:47,139 –> 00:36:51,360 we need that through worship the lens of our souls 410 00:36:51,360 –> 00:36:57,439 will be open to take in a greater knowledge of His glory, 411 00:36:57,439 –> 00:37:02,040 His love, and His everlasting life. 412 00:37:02,040 –> 00:37:05,479 And as you grow to love Him, 413 00:37:05,479 –> 00:37:10,239 it will shape the way that you speak about Him 414 00:37:10,239 –> 00:37:14,080 so that others will come to see that to you 415 00:37:14,080 –> 00:37:17,800 He is so much more 416 00:37:17,800 –> 00:37:21,520 than just a name. 417 00:37:21,520 –> 00:37:23,260 Let’s pray together. 418 00:37:23,260 –> 00:37:28,199 Oh Lord, we feel the weight, 419 00:37:28,199 –> 00:37:33,360 the dignity, and even the glory of this calling. 420 00:37:33,439 –> 00:37:36,639 We cry out to You for the help of your Spirit 421 00:37:36,639 –> 00:37:44,280 that we may live to honor the Name of Jesus. 422 00:37:44,280 –> 00:37:50,300 Some of us recognize today that we are still in our guilt 423 00:37:50,360 –> 00:37:55,739 because we’ve resisted Your claim upon our lives. 424 00:37:55,739 –> 00:38:02,080 We’ve distanced ourselves and been unwilling to embrace Jesus. 425 00:38:02,100 –> 00:38:06,399 But today we can stand at a distance no longer. 426 00:38:06,399 –> 00:38:18,719 Lord, we come—humbled, repentant, believing, thankful— 427 00:38:18,719 –> 00:38:23,179 putting our trust in the Name of Jesus 428 00:38:23,179 –> 00:38:25,879 and asking for the help of the Holy Spirit 429 00:38:25,879 –> 00:38:30,780 to live a life that brings honor to that name. 430 00:38:31,060 –> 00:38:33,379 Let us hear our prayers. 431 00:38:33,379 –> 00:38:36,379 And dear Lord, 432 00:38:36,379 –> 00:38:41,060 in a world that all day long blasphemes your name, 433 00:38:41,060 –> 00:38:44,879 let us be a community of people who live 434 00:38:44,879 –> 00:38:48,219 to honor your name. 435 00:38:48,219 –> 00:38:51,820 For Jesus’ sake we ask these things. 436 00:38:51,820 –> 00:38:52,959 Amen.