Integrity & Rest, 15 September 2024
15 09 24 Filed in: Sermons | Words of Life: Jesus on the Ten Commandments
Integrity & Rest—Commandments 3-4
Words of Life: Jesus on God’s Top 10
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
September 8, 2024
Exodus 20:7-11
Series Big Idea: Jesus had much to say about God’s Top Ten list.
Big Idea: Our words—and actions—re-present God…and we need rest.
Last Sunday we began to look at Jesus’ response to God’s Top Ten list, the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mt. Sinai and recorded for us in Exodus chapter 20 as well as in Deuteronomy 5. The first two dealt with faith and trust—no other gods and no idols. These are surprisingly challenging to follow with so many people and things vying for our attention, affection, and affluence.
Today we’re tackling two subjects—integrity and rest—which seem to be increasingly rare and, therefore, counter-cultural in our society today.
What’s your name? Do you know its origins? My name, Kirk, means “church dweller” which is rather prophetic, don’t you think?!
Your name might be the single word that gets your attention more than any other. Although many children today are named after celebrities, movie characters, or even brands, in biblical times one’s name was usually very significant. There are even examples of God changing someone’s name to better reflect their character or destiny, such as Abram to Abraham. The third commandment—not suggestion—says,
“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (Exodus 20:7, NIV)
Some of you may recall it in the King James Version:
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. (Exodus 20:7, KJV)
Some have interpreted this to mean don’t swear or don’t use God’s name with a swear word. I keep waiting for someone to stub their toe and say, “Oh Buddha!” or “Oh Taylor Swift!"
If we are flippant about the name of the LORD, we violate this command. The abbreviation OMG seems to stem from such a remark, unless one is truly praying. Anytime we diminish the respect or personhood of God, we break this commandment. It could even convey we doubt who He says He is since the names of God reflect His character.
We are not to speak God’s name when taking an oath. Jesus said,
“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:33-37)
If only politicians could answer questions with a simple yes or no!!!
The third commandment can be translated “you shall not pronounce the name of the Lord.” As a result, Jews generally refuse to speak the original Hebrew name, Yahweh. It literally means, “I am who I am” or “He who causes to be,” reflecting God’s self-existent and eternal nature. Jews usually substitute the holy name Yahweh for Adonai (Lord) or HaShem (the Name).
We need to take God seriously, including the use of His name. You wouldn’t like your name slandered, the subject of gossip, misquoted, or associated with lies. If you call yourself a Christian, you need to re-present Jesus well. We’re not perfect, but when we sin, we need to own it and seek forgiveness. It’s an issue of integrity.
Our words matter, but the third commandment involves much more than speech. Followers of God take His name with them wherever they go. It’s like the speedster going 90 on I-75 with a Jesus bumper sticker on their car. It’s not a good reflection of God. Everywhere Christians go, they re-present Jesus to the world, for good or bad. The literal translation of this verse says we are not to carry the name of the LORD in vain. Jesus said,
He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
“ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. (Mark 7:6, quoting Isaiah 29:13)
The high priest back in the day would carry on his breastplate the names of the sons of Israel and on his forehead the holy name of God. He was identified with God, and his actions were connected to God. The third commandment is about verbal blasphemy, but perhaps even more about the hypocrisy of our actions. To misquote Bon Jovi, some of us “give God a bad name,” and that’s not ok.
Now for what is probably the most radical of the ten commandments in our culture…
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. (Exodus 20:8)
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. (Exodus 20:9-10)
Why?
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:11-12)
This is a command to rest.
The Hebrews had been slaves in Egypt, possibly working every day. Some of you know the feeling! It seems like the most common response when I ask people how they are doing is…busy! Everyone is so busy! I must admit things in Findlay are a little slower than in Toledo (I’m still not used to going 25 miles per hour on my commute which used to include a stretch of 50 mph!). But we are so busy…work, soccer, show choir, band practice, class, tutoring, volunteering, …throw in a few hours of social media and binge-watching tv and who has time to rest?
Since COVID, I’ve seen some small improvements. Meijer used to be open 24/7. Black Friday used to bleed into Thanksgiving, giving employees no rest.
In a moment, I want to hear from you and answer questions you may have. I’m not an expert in this, but I have learned a thing or two over the years. Here’s the radical challenge. Are you ready?
Take 24 hours each week for nothing but joy and delight.
Sabbath or shabbat is a day without work of any kind. It’s a day to rest and be present with God. It is a holy day. Some of you may remember when most businesses were closed on Sunday…like Chick-fil-A still does. From a business perspective, I think they’re doing ok!
Sabbath is trusting God can do more with six days than you can with seven.
There are mountains of research showing the value of rest…stress reduction, improved sleep, mental clarity, emotional well-being, and increased productivity (sharpen the saw). Even the earth needs rest, which is why many farmers practice fallowing, leaving a field unplanted for a season.
The sabbath—originally Friday at sundown until Saturday at sundown, now commonly Sunday because of the day of Jesus’ resurrection—is to be a holy day, a day set apart, a different day. Because my vocation involves work on Sunday, Saturday is my sabbath. With very few exceptions, I do not work on Saturday.
Am I tempted? Sometimes.
Do people understand? Most of the time.
Did I make an exception to speak at the men’s retreat last night? Yes.
Could my sermon use some polishing? You be the judge!
The purpose of the sabbath is not to be legalistic. The Pharisees were critical of Jesus, not for breaking the sabbath, but rather their interpretation of the sabbath. Jesus said,
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27)
In other words, sabbath is not to be a burden, something on your checklist, or a religious activity to inspire pride. It’s a gift. It’s God saying, “Be still and know that I am God.” The joy of the LORD is to be our strength, and devoting 24 hours (not just one!) to delighting in our Creator and His creation is something we need. I can only imagine how quickly burnout, anxiety, and heart attacks would decline in our culture if we would simply begin our week with a day of rest.
Did you catch that? We often work in order to rest, but God rested on the seventh day, meaning Adam and Eve’s first full day of life was the sabbath. They worked after resting rather than the other way around.
Can I garden? If it brings you joy and delight.
Does it have to be Sunday? It’s not for me!
Sabbath is practiced around the world. When we were in Germany, we were told to do all shopping on Saturday since most every business is closed on Sunday. The entire nation has a day of rest (like maybe we used to in this country).
Israel shuts down during shabbat. It wouldn’t surprise me if only the ER was open.
One more thing…the penalty for breaking the sabbath in the Old Testament? Death by stoning (Exodus 31:14-15, Number 15:32-36)!!!
So What?
Our words—and actions—re-present God…and we need rest.
Words of Life: Jesus on God’s Top 10
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
September 8, 2024
Exodus 20:7-11
Series Big Idea: Jesus had much to say about God’s Top Ten list.
Big Idea: Our words—and actions—re-present God…and we need rest.
Last Sunday we began to look at Jesus’ response to God’s Top Ten list, the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mt. Sinai and recorded for us in Exodus chapter 20 as well as in Deuteronomy 5. The first two dealt with faith and trust—no other gods and no idols. These are surprisingly challenging to follow with so many people and things vying for our attention, affection, and affluence.
Today we’re tackling two subjects—integrity and rest—which seem to be increasingly rare and, therefore, counter-cultural in our society today.
What’s your name? Do you know its origins? My name, Kirk, means “church dweller” which is rather prophetic, don’t you think?!
Your name might be the single word that gets your attention more than any other. Although many children today are named after celebrities, movie characters, or even brands, in biblical times one’s name was usually very significant. There are even examples of God changing someone’s name to better reflect their character or destiny, such as Abram to Abraham. The third commandment—not suggestion—says,
“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (Exodus 20:7, NIV)
Some of you may recall it in the King James Version:
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. (Exodus 20:7, KJV)
Some have interpreted this to mean don’t swear or don’t use God’s name with a swear word. I keep waiting for someone to stub their toe and say, “Oh Buddha!” or “Oh Taylor Swift!"
If we are flippant about the name of the LORD, we violate this command. The abbreviation OMG seems to stem from such a remark, unless one is truly praying. Anytime we diminish the respect or personhood of God, we break this commandment. It could even convey we doubt who He says He is since the names of God reflect His character.
We are not to speak God’s name when taking an oath. Jesus said,
“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:33-37)
If only politicians could answer questions with a simple yes or no!!!
The third commandment can be translated “you shall not pronounce the name of the Lord.” As a result, Jews generally refuse to speak the original Hebrew name, Yahweh. It literally means, “I am who I am” or “He who causes to be,” reflecting God’s self-existent and eternal nature. Jews usually substitute the holy name Yahweh for Adonai (Lord) or HaShem (the Name).
We need to take God seriously, including the use of His name. You wouldn’t like your name slandered, the subject of gossip, misquoted, or associated with lies. If you call yourself a Christian, you need to re-present Jesus well. We’re not perfect, but when we sin, we need to own it and seek forgiveness. It’s an issue of integrity.
Our words matter, but the third commandment involves much more than speech. Followers of God take His name with them wherever they go. It’s like the speedster going 90 on I-75 with a Jesus bumper sticker on their car. It’s not a good reflection of God. Everywhere Christians go, they re-present Jesus to the world, for good or bad. The literal translation of this verse says we are not to carry the name of the LORD in vain. Jesus said,
He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
“ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. (Mark 7:6, quoting Isaiah 29:13)
The high priest back in the day would carry on his breastplate the names of the sons of Israel and on his forehead the holy name of God. He was identified with God, and his actions were connected to God. The third commandment is about verbal blasphemy, but perhaps even more about the hypocrisy of our actions. To misquote Bon Jovi, some of us “give God a bad name,” and that’s not ok.
Now for what is probably the most radical of the ten commandments in our culture…
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. (Exodus 20:8)
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. (Exodus 20:9-10)
Why?
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:11-12)
This is a command to rest.
The Hebrews had been slaves in Egypt, possibly working every day. Some of you know the feeling! It seems like the most common response when I ask people how they are doing is…busy! Everyone is so busy! I must admit things in Findlay are a little slower than in Toledo (I’m still not used to going 25 miles per hour on my commute which used to include a stretch of 50 mph!). But we are so busy…work, soccer, show choir, band practice, class, tutoring, volunteering, …throw in a few hours of social media and binge-watching tv and who has time to rest?
Since COVID, I’ve seen some small improvements. Meijer used to be open 24/7. Black Friday used to bleed into Thanksgiving, giving employees no rest.
In a moment, I want to hear from you and answer questions you may have. I’m not an expert in this, but I have learned a thing or two over the years. Here’s the radical challenge. Are you ready?
Take 24 hours each week for nothing but joy and delight.
Sabbath or shabbat is a day without work of any kind. It’s a day to rest and be present with God. It is a holy day. Some of you may remember when most businesses were closed on Sunday…like Chick-fil-A still does. From a business perspective, I think they’re doing ok!
Sabbath is trusting God can do more with six days than you can with seven.
There are mountains of research showing the value of rest…stress reduction, improved sleep, mental clarity, emotional well-being, and increased productivity (sharpen the saw). Even the earth needs rest, which is why many farmers practice fallowing, leaving a field unplanted for a season.
The sabbath—originally Friday at sundown until Saturday at sundown, now commonly Sunday because of the day of Jesus’ resurrection—is to be a holy day, a day set apart, a different day. Because my vocation involves work on Sunday, Saturday is my sabbath. With very few exceptions, I do not work on Saturday.
Am I tempted? Sometimes.
Do people understand? Most of the time.
Did I make an exception to speak at the men’s retreat last night? Yes.
Could my sermon use some polishing? You be the judge!
The purpose of the sabbath is not to be legalistic. The Pharisees were critical of Jesus, not for breaking the sabbath, but rather their interpretation of the sabbath. Jesus said,
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27)
In other words, sabbath is not to be a burden, something on your checklist, or a religious activity to inspire pride. It’s a gift. It’s God saying, “Be still and know that I am God.” The joy of the LORD is to be our strength, and devoting 24 hours (not just one!) to delighting in our Creator and His creation is something we need. I can only imagine how quickly burnout, anxiety, and heart attacks would decline in our culture if we would simply begin our week with a day of rest.
Did you catch that? We often work in order to rest, but God rested on the seventh day, meaning Adam and Eve’s first full day of life was the sabbath. They worked after resting rather than the other way around.
Can I garden? If it brings you joy and delight.
Does it have to be Sunday? It’s not for me!
Sabbath is practiced around the world. When we were in Germany, we were told to do all shopping on Saturday since most every business is closed on Sunday. The entire nation has a day of rest (like maybe we used to in this country).
Israel shuts down during shabbat. It wouldn’t surprise me if only the ER was open.
One more thing…the penalty for breaking the sabbath in the Old Testament? Death by stoning (Exodus 31:14-15, Number 15:32-36)!!!
So What?
Our words—and actions—re-present God…and we need rest.