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