Thoughts After the Sermon, “A Name Above All Names” Exodus 20:7
by Vermon Pierre, Lead Pastor
Some reminders and further thoughts from last Sunday’s sermon, “A Name Above All Names” (Exodus 20:7):
1. “Aseity” is the old time word that describes how God is a self-existing being (it comes from the Latin words a se which means “from himself”). It’s a word that’s worth reclaiming because it reinforces something very essential, namely that God is uniquely and solely God in the fullest sense of that word. He is dependent on nothing. He was never created; he has always simply existed as he is and will always exist as he is. It is because of who he uniquely is that we are called to honor him.
2. Taking the Lord’s name in vain isn’t just about not saying certain things. As was said during the sermon, the third commandment deals with how we represent God. If we represent God in ways other than he has revealed himself to us, than we have taken his name in vain.
3. Here are some of the ways in which we take the Lord’s name in vain:
a) We reduce his name – We make God less than he has revealed himself to be
b) We manipulate his name – God’s name becomes just a prop for us to justify
what we are doing or want to do
c) We dishonor his name – God’s name is in very casual and cheap ways in our
speech, our worship,and through the general way we live our lives.
d) We ignore his name – We don’t acknowledge God as someone we should respect
and honor.
4. A Christian is someone who’s been baptized into the name of the triune God (Matt 18:20). Specifically, this means that as believers bear the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the family name for all who commit themselves to God. It is his name, “Lord Jesus Christ,” that will last forever, and our names will only matter when they are point up to his name.
a) We reduce his name – We make God less than he has revealed himself to be
b) We manipulate his name – God’s name becomes just a prop for us to justify
what we are doing or want to do
c) We dishonor his name – God’s name is in very casual and cheap ways in our
speech, our worship,and through the general way we live our lives.
d) We ignore his name – We don’t acknowledge God as someone we should respect
and honor.
4. A Christian is someone who’s been baptized into the name of the triune God (Matt 18:20). Specifically, this means that as believers bear the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the family name for all who commit themselves to God. It is his name, “Lord Jesus Christ,” that will last forever, and our names will only matter when they are point up to his name.
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