The Third Commandment: Bearing God’s Name

<p>What does it really mean to take the Lord’s name in vain? Exodus 20:7</p><p>is about far more than misusing God’s name in our speech—it is about</p><p>what happens when people who bear God’s name fail to represent him</p><p>accurately. Throughout Scripture, God’s people fall into two ditches:</p><p>becoming indistinguishable from the world or becoming different only</p><p>to begin to think they are better than everyone else. But Jesus shows</p><p>us another way. He perfectly bears the name of God, moving toward</p><p>sinners with both compassion and a call to repentance. And at the</p><p>cross, he takes the judgment we deserve so that forgiven sinners can</p><p>bear his name with humility and love while still courageously calling</p><p>people to repent and believe the Gospel. This message asks a</p><p>challenging question: When people encounter us, what picture of Jesus</p><p>do they see?</p>