Questions:

1. Test your Bible memory: how many of the blanks can you fill in for Exodus 20:7: You shall not take the _____ of the Lord your God in ____, for the Lord will not hold him _____ who takes his name in vain.
2. TRUE or FALSE: The Third Commandment is primarily about how people speak God's name.
3. The Hebrew word nasa can be translated as to lift, to carry, or to ______.
4. Which of the following is NOT an action mentioned in the text regarding the Lord's name?
5. Praise
6. Exalt
7. Curse
8. Trust
9. Match the Psalm reference to the action or description related to God's name (Psalm 7:17, Psalm 29:2, Psalm 34:3, Psalm 61:5, Psalm 33:21)
10. Fear His name
11. Exalt His name
12. Trust in His name
13. Praise His name
14. Give glory to His name
15. The text suggests that bearing God's name includes:
16. Speech
17. Lives
18. Actions
19. All of the above
20. The Third Commandment, understood more deeply, calls people to reflect on:
21. Only their words
22. The weight of the name they carry
23. How to avoid speaking God's name
24. The pronunciation of God's name
25. The name “segullah” means God’s _______ possession.

Discussion:

1. Why is the translation of “take” as “bear” in the Third Commandment significant?
2. What does it mean to bear God's name “in vain”?
3. Why does the sermon emphasize that bearing God’s name encompasses more than speech?
4. What does the term “segullah” reveal about our identity in relation to God?
5. Why might believers forget they’re bearing God's name?
6. What deeper truth does the bumper sticker story illustrate (bumper sticker that read, “My boss is a Jewish carpenter. A bold and true statement of faith, except he drove like a maniac”)?
7. How do Jesus’ teachings about salt and light relate to this commandment?
8. The Bible provides examples of faith (Hebrews 11): men and women who have demonstrated bearing the name of God.
9. Read Genesis 14: How does Abraham in Genesis 14 honor and bear God’s name?
10. What aspects of Abraham’s behaviors in Genesis 14 point forward to the likeness of Jesus Christ?
11. Test your Bible knowledge:
12. There are many examples in Scripture and history where people have borne God’s name and suffered for it—often because their lives reflected His truth in a world resistant to it.
13. Why were these Biblical characters falsely accused of dishonoring God, even while living lives that reflect His character with integrity? Joseph(in Genesis), David, Daniel’s friends, Stephen, Jesus
14. Discuss in your groups the application of this commandment and how we can follow the example of the Biblical heroes and most of all the person and work of Jesus Christ in honoring God’s name.

Sermon Outline

This morning, we turn our attention to the Third Commandment, and everything in our worship thus far has pointed us toward its central theme: the name of God. My prayer is that this time together will be a blessing as we reflect on the profound relevance of this commandment for every aspect of life and deepen our understanding of the significance of God’s name. 

The Psalms show us again and again how the name of the Lord is to be cherished. We praise His name (Psalm 7:17), give glory to His name (Psalm 29:2), exalt His name (Psalm 34:3), fear His name (Psalm 61:5), and trust in His name (Psalm 33:21). His name is our defense (Psalm 20:1), our deliverance (Psalm 54:1), and His name is proclaimed to the ends of the earth (Psalm 48:10). Psalm 23 reminds us that He leads and guides us for His name’s sake. 

God’s name is holy. It is weighty. It is not just a label—it is inseparable from God Himself. As we read and reflect today, we will see how the Third Commandment reorients us to honor and uphold the name of the Lord in every area of our lives. 

Our message this morning is titled "Bearing God's Name." But you might wonder why use that phrase for a sermon on the Third Commandment? Doesn’t the commandment say, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain”? Why substitute “bearing” for “take”? 

The answer lies in the original Hebrew. The word translated “take” in most English versions is the Hebrew word nasa (נָשָׂא), which means to lift, to carry, or to bear. What it does not mean is to speak. There are other Hebrew words that clearly mean to speak—Moses spoke, God said, Jeremiah declared—each with distinct Hebrew terms. But nasa isn’t one of them. 

This is important. The Third Commandment isn’t about how we speak God’s name, it’s about how we carry it. As God's people, we bear His name in the world. That includes our speech, but it also includes our lives, our actions, our witness. 

So, this morning, we’re invited to hear the commandment anew: Do not bear the name of the Lord your God in vain. Verse 7 could be faithfully translated that way. This deeper understanding calls us to reflect not only on our words but on the weight of the name we carry. 

Exodus 20:7 – ⁷“You must not bear (or carry) the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless the one who bears (or carries) his name in vain. 

The logic of the Third Commandment is this: you bear the name of God—so do not bear it in emptiness, or in vain. This command doesn’t stand on its own; it follows naturally from the progression of the First and Second Commandments. Without that context, it might seem abrupt, but in reality, it builds upon a deepening stream of thought. 

The First Commandment declares, “You shall have no other gods before me.” It calls us to exclusive allegiance to the Lord, our Creator, Redeemer, and Savior. The Second Commandment follows, commanding us not to make any graven images for ourselves. In the ancient world, idols were considered conduits through which the divine acted—physical objects thought to channel spiritual power or presence. An idol was more than decoration; it was believed to mediate supernatural influence. 

But God’s people are forbidden from making such images. Why? Because when we turn to the opening pages of Scripture, we discover something profound: God makes images. And what is the image God has made? Humanity. We are His image-bearers. 

One theologian puts it this way: 

To make our own images for worship is to reject our calling and our dignity as God's imagers. – David Mathis The Second Commandment for Today 

That’s why the Third Commandment is so significant. We bear the name of the Lord as His representatives in the world. We must not act with empty lives, shallow worship, or negligent witness. Remember, God is a jealous God—jealous for His name, yes—but also jealous as a bridegroom is for his bride. His jealousy is not rooted in insecurity, but in love. He longs for His people not to diminish their own dignity or lower their calling by identifying with false images. When we embrace lesser representations, we forget who we truly are. 

Unlike the idols of the nations—lifeless wood and stone that claim to channel the divine—our God, Yahweh, chooses to work in and through His people. He doesn’t dwell in carved images; He dwells in those who bear His name. We are His image-bearers, His representatives, the hands, and feet of Christ in the world. 

This truth is grounded not only in the Third Commandment but also in the covenant moment of Exodus 19, just before the Ten Commandments are given. There, at the foot of Mount Sinai, after their deliverance from Egypt, God invites the people into relationship. He doesn’t impose Himself, He asks, “Will you be My people?” And the people respond, “Yes, we will.” 

In response, God declares something remarkable: “You shall be My treasured possession.” The Hebrew word used here is segullah—a term that signifies something deeply cherished, a unique treasure set apart. That’s who we are to God—His segullah. And to bear His name is to live in the dignity, responsibility, and joy of that identity—not in vanity or forgetfulness, but in faithfulness. 

In the ancient Near East, a segullah is someone who is specially selected as the ambassador of the king - one who can be trusted to represent the king’s interests. – Carmen Imes From Servitude to Servant 

We are sent into the world to bear the name of Christ—to be His ambassadors, His representatives wherever we go. That’s the heart of the Third Commandment. It’s not simply about avoiding misuse of God's name in speech; it's about carrying His name with integrity in every aspect of our lives. As God’s treasured possession, we are called to reflect His character and presence in the world. 

But do we actually see anywhere in Scripture where God places His name explicitly upon His people? Yes, one clear example is found in the book of Numbers, immediately following one of the most well-known blessings in all of Scripture: the priestly benediction, also known as the Blessing of Aaron. 

Numbers 6:24-26 – ²⁴The Lord bless you and keep you; ²⁵the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; ²⁶the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. 

The next verse states: you will place my name on the people. 

Numbers 6:27 - ²⁷“So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” 

As the people receive the blessing, God’s name is placed upon them, and we also are those who bear that name. This idea is vividly illustrated in the role of Aaron, the high priest. In Exodus 28, we are given a detailed description of the garments Aaron was to wear as he ministered before the Lord. 

At the center of his chest was the breast piece of judgment, adorned with twelve precious stones. Each stone was engraved with the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Scripture says that Aaron nasa’s—he bears—the names of the tribes over his heart whenever he enters the Tabernacle. In doing so, he brings the people into remembrance before God. He carries their names into the presence of the Lord. 

But that’s not all. On his head, Aaron wore a turban with a gold plate fastened to it like a crown. Engraved on that plate were the words: “Holy to the Lord.” So, while he bore the names of the people over his heart, he also bore the name of God on his forehead. 

Aaron, as high priest, carried both identities—the name of the people and the name of God. He stood in the gap, representing the people before God and bearing God’s holiness before the people. This foreshadows our calling in Christ: as a royal priesthood, we bear His name and are called to reflect His holiness in the world. 

By looking at Aaron, every Israelite is reminded of their calling as a nation...That calling is to bear Yahweh’s name among the nations. That is, to represent him well. – Carmen Imes Bearing God’s Name Why Sinai Still Matters 

The people of Israel were called to bear the name of Yahweh wherever they went—to represent Him faithfully in every place He sent them. This is the heart of the Third Commandment: You bear God's name, for His name has been placed upon you—do not carry it in vain. It’s not merely about speech; it’s about identity and representation. 

So, what does it mean to bear the name of the Lord in vain? One way to think about it—without diminishing the weight of the concept—is through a modern-day analogy. Consider how companies use endorsements. A public figure or celebrity might be chosen to represent a brand, to wear its logo, speak its message, and essentially carry its name. The goal is influence—drawing people toward the company’s product or mission. 

But when that individual acts in a way that contradicts the company’s values or tarnishes its image, the endorsement backfires. The name they carried has been misrepresented, even damaged. 

In a far more serious and sacred sense, this is what it means to bear God's name in vain. When we claim His name yet live in a way that distorts His character, we misrepresent the very God we were called to reflect. The Third Commandment reminds us that our lives are meant to point to Him—and we must not do so carelessly. 

As an example, Samsung, was endorsed by LeBron James. They spent lots of money on LeBron James being an endorsement for Samsung, and that was going very well until he tweeted that one day my phone just erased everything it had on it and rebooted. One of the sickest feelings I ever had in my life. All of a sudden Samsung's going OK you're bearing our name, but this isn’t going well. He got a very quick phone call from Samsung. He took down that tweet very quickly, and replaced it with something that said, I got everything back. Who knows if that's true, but the point is, Samsung was paying LeBron James to bear their name, but in a way that wouldn't be in vain. 

Another example, the most famous soccer players in the world is a man named David Beckham. David Beckham bore the name of a product called Brill Cream. He is a good-looking guy, with good-looking hair. So would you please bear our name for Brill Cream, and it worked, their sales went up because David Beckham was representing their name and bearing their name until he shaved his head. All of a sudden, he's not bearing their name very well anymore, he’s bearing their name in vain. 

Consider how modern endorsements illustrate what it means to bear a name well or in vain. At one point, Samsung invested heavily in LeBron James as a spokesperson. Things were going smoothly until he tweeted that his Samsung phone had suddenly erased everything and rebooted—calling it one of the worst feelings of his life. Almost immediately, Samsung contacted him, the tweet was deleted, and he followed up saying everything had been recovered—whether true or not, the damage control was swift. Why? Because he was bearing their name in a way that risked harming their reputation. 

Another example is David Beckham, one of the most famous soccer players in the world. He once endorsed a hair product called Brylcreem. His image—handsome and stylish with great hair—boosted their sales. But that changed when he shaved his head. Suddenly, he could no longer represent the brand’s image. He was still associated with them, but now in a way that conflicted with their identity. In essence, he was bearing their name in vain. 

These examples help us understand the weight of the Third Commandment. Just as companies care how their name is represented, God calls His people to carry His name in a way that reflects His character and glory—not in vain, but with integrity and honor. 

The core idea of the Third Commandment is that we bear God’s name, and we are not to bear it in vain. In a way, we're all like cars with a Jesus fish on the bumper. Take my dad, for example. He had a bumper sticker that read, “My boss is a Jewish carpenter.” A bold and true statement of faith, except he drove like a maniac. Every trip felt like a Formula One race. I remember saying, “Dad, you’ve got a Christian bumper sticker, but you’re cutting people off and speeding through traffic! I’m not sure this is sending the right message.” 

That’s the point. Bearing God's name isn’t about what we say, it’s about how we live. Yes, our speech should honor the Lord, but the Third Commandment is broader than our words. It encompasses our whole life. Everything we do is to be brought under the lordship of Christ because we bear His name. 

We are His segullah—His treasured possession. We are His representatives in the world, the vessels through whom He chooses to work. To bear His name is a sacred calling, and we must not treat it lightly or carelessly. Our lives are meant to reflect His character, not contradict it. 

To bear his name in vain would be to enter into this covenant relationship with him, but to live no differently than the surrounding pagans. - Carmen Imes Bearing God’s Name Why Sinai Still Matters 

Individuals are encouraged to conduct themselves in a manner that upholds and brings distinction to the name through their actions. According to the apostle Paul... 

Colossians 3:17 – ¹⁷And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 

One of the great privileges of preaching is having the time to sit with the text—to marinate in it throughout the week. While you may be hearing this message for the first time, I’ve had days to let it soak into my mind and heart. And in that time, I’ve found myself returning again and again to this question: Lord, what does it really mean to bear Your name? 

What does it mean for every word I speak, every action I take, every thought I entertain, to reflect Your glory rather than distract from it? Where in my life am I bearing Your name in a way that lifts You high—and where am I falling short, living in a way that might bring glory to something else? Lord, I bear Your name—help me, by Your Spirit, not to do so in vain. 

Jesus echoed this very calling in the Sermon on the Mount. He said, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they place it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” He also said, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, it’s no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” 

Jesus is saying the same thing the Third Commandment tells us: we bear God’s name. We are to shine His light. We are to preserve His truth. And we are to do so in a way that makes His name known—not in vain, but with clarity, boldness, and faithfulness. 

Matthew 5:14-16 – “You are the light of the world...let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. 

You bear my name. You are my segullah. You are sent out as my ambassadors. God forgive us that we would ever believe for a second that it is our light that shines. It's the light of the presence and the power of the almighty God who resides within you. You are his dwelling place, and he shines as you in the world are acting in accordance with the will of God. As you are kind, gentle, faithful, and full of joy when you are giving even a cup of water to the least of these, you do it before others that they may see and not give glory to you or your name, that they would see and give glory to your father who is in heaven. 

What motivates us to bear God’s name? Let’s imagine, for a moment, that we’re someone like David Beckham—a world-famous soccer player—and a company like Brylcreem approaches us saying, “Would you represent our brand?” We might politely decline… until they offer $10 million. Suddenly, Brylcreem seems a lot more appealing. 

So, what’s the real motivation in that situation? On the surface, it may be about the product, but ultimately it’s about self. He bears the company’s name because it benefits him. 

But for believers, it’s entirely different. We don’t bear God's name for personal gain or recognition. It's not about our glory, our platform, or our image. We bear His name because He first bore something for us. 

The only reason we can carry God’s name is because Christ carried our sin. Isaiah 53 tells us that the Servant of the Lord—Jesus— “will make many to be accounted righteous.” How? “Because He bore their iniquities.” He lifted them, carried them, and took them upon Himself. 

We bear His name because He bore our guilt. Our motivation isn’t self-promotion—it’s gratitude, reverence, and love for the One who gave everything to make us His own. 

Isaiah 53:10-12 – My servant, shall make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities...He poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many and makes intercession for the transgressors. 

Jesus poured out His soul unto death. He was counted among the transgressors, and He bore their sin—our sin. Even now, He lives to make intercession for those same transgressors. The only reason we can bear God’s name is because Christ first bore our sin. 

When we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, our sin is imputed to Him—placed upon Him—and He bears it on the cross as the full weight of God’s judgment is poured out on Him. But the gospel doesn’t stop there. As we trust in Him by faith, His perfect righteousness is imputed to us. We are covered in His holiness, and the very Spirit of God comes to dwell within us, sealing us as His people. 

It is because of this grace—undeserved and overwhelming—that we now bear His name. Not for our glory. Not to make much of ourselves. But out of gratitude, out of love, out of a deep awareness of what He has done for us. It’s no longer about you. It’s no longer about me. We bear the name of the One who bore our sin. 

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