Do Not Take the Lord’s Name in Vain
When I was a child I was very careful not to break the 3rd commandment, “Do not take the Lord’s name in vain.” I thought using any name referring to God in a profane manner was how this would happen, but now as an adult I have begun to realize that the intention was less in what words we say and more in the actions we take.
Last week at a local coffee shop I witnessed an altercation between a barista and a customer that deeply disturbed me. A group of ladies had chosen a local coffee shop to gather for a bible study, which was evident by the books they had laid on the table. While I was waiting for my coffee, I witnessed as one of these women proceeded to the counter to share her dissatisfaction concerning her drink. The customer belittled the young barista and humiliated her for a simple error. The young barista apologized and offered to remake the order, but I guess that wasn’t enough. The customer refused to accept her apology, tipped over her coffee in the direction of the barista, and then walked back to her table to rejoin her companions. As an outside observer I wondered what led to this action by the customer. Had this been a reoccurring issue? Had the barista been rude? I did not know, but as a pastor I was deeply concerned by this customers actions because here she was identifying herself as a Christian, and yet acting in such a way that Jesus Christ never would have.
To take the Lord’s name in vain does not require a word to even be uttered. We take the Lord’s name in vain anytime we, as Christians, do or say anything in conflict with who God is. Last week, in worship, we discussed that our job description, as found in Mark 12:28-34, is to “love the Lord our God, with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and second is to love our neighbors.” In the corporate world if you were to fail to live up to your job description you’d be fired! Luckily for us our God is a forgiving God and does not desire to fire us. Instead, we are to remember this the greatest rule to live by and be aware of actions in our lives that lead us astray.
In the Gospel of Mark, following the previously mentioned passage, we come to a warning from Jesus to beware of scribes (Mark 12:38-40). Jesus says that theses scribes, who are the most educated in the Law, are the worst examples of taking the Lord’s name in vain. Fully aware of their high status in the temple, they use it to glorify themselves instead of God. This warning true then is just as true now. I believe the greatest threat to the future of the church is not a growing number of unbelievers, but instead it is the believers who have taken the Lord’s name in vain and profaned the gospel with their actions. These actions are contrary to Jesus’ command to love God and our neighbor.
I invite you to join us this Sunday in-person or online as we continue the discussion, “Beware of Scribes”, at both the 8:30 and 10:45 AM worship services. I hope you will join us as we learn how we can become more effective at our job of loving God and our neighbor.
In God’s grip,
Pastor Chuck Church
