Sermon: Why Does God Forbid Us to Take His Name in Vain?

 

 

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01312016WhyDoesGodForbidUsToTakeHisNameInVainDonRuhl

 

Purpose: To show what our marriages should illustrate

The Marriage of the Lamb 

Finally! Something beautiful in heaven!

Revelation 19.1–10

Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • January 31, In the year of our Lord, 2016

Scripture Reader and Reading: Mike Crisp – Ephesians 5.29–33

Song Leader and Song Suggestions: Phil Joseph – Songs on Love or the Church

Prelude: 

  1. A couple of weeks ago, 
    1. I taught that marriage illustrates our bond with Jesus.
    2. If we can see how our bond is with Him,
      1. we can improve our marriage bonds.
      2. If we can improve our marriage bonds,
        1. we can appreciate our bond with Him.
        2. Now see how the Book of Revelation pictures Jesus and the church.
  2. Much of the Book of Revelation has 
    1. pronouncements of judgments against the enemies of God’s people and
    2. the suffering of God’s people.
      1. Chapters 8 and 9 show the trumpets of judgment against His enemies.
      2. Chapter 11 shows the world persecuting God’s two witnesses.
      3. Chapter 12 shows the dragon persecuting the woman of God.
      4. Chapter 13 reveals the rising up of two beasts who threaten the church.
      5. Chapter 14 shows three angels announcing judgments.
      6. Chapters 15 and 16 reveal the bowls of wrath.
      7. Chapter 17 shows a harlot riding a beast and both persecute the church.
      8. Chapter 18 reveals the fall of spiritual Babylon.
    3. With those judgments past and
      1. Babylon fallen,
      2. it is time for good news.
        1. Chapter 19.1–10 reveals such good news
        2. that heaven cannot contain itself.
  3. Again, God showed John a woman. 
    1. In chapter 12, a woman fled into the wilderness, but
    2. chapter 17 showed that she became a harlot.
      1. However, 18.4 issued an invitation to God’s people,

        4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues” (Rev 18.4).

        1. Many obeyed that command/invitation, and
        2. once again they became part of the pure woman of God.
      2. Revelation 19.1–10 is about those people.

Persuasion: 

  1. Revelation 19.1–5 – Praise God! He Judged the Harlot! 
    1. 19.1 – Praise Belongs to God

      1 After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!”

      1. For the 20th time, John heard a loud voice.
      2. Look at the praise of God offered by heaven.
        1. They began, “Alleluia” or Hallelujah, Hebrew: Praise Jehovah.
        2. They then ascribed four qualities to God:
          1. salvation,
          2. glory,
          3. honor, and
          4. power,
            1. which God showed
            2. by defeating the great harlot.
    2. 19.2 – He Judged the Great Harlot

      2 “For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her”

      1. Revelation 6.9–11 shows that dead saints in heaven wanted to know
        1. how long before God avenged their blood.
        2. When He finally did, they understood His truth and righteousness.
      2. God judged the great harlot,
        1. avenging on her the blood of His servants.
        2. She reaped what she sowed.
    3. 19.3 – Smoke from the Harlot

      3 Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!”

      1. They repeated “Alleluia.”
      2. Why were they celebrating?
        1. The smoke of the great harlot’s destruction was endless.
        2. God put her down permanently.
    4. 19.4 – The Elders and the Living Creatures

      4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!”

      1. When God destroyed the great enemy of His people,
        1. the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures
        2. worshiped God.
          1. When something good happens, worship God.
          2. When something bad happens, worship God.
      2. They worshiped Him
        1. by falling down, and
        2. by what they said.
      3. What were the two words that brought worship to God?
        1. “Amen” — truly, or may it be so.
        2. “Alleluia” — praise Jehovah.
    5. 19.5 – Praise God

      5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!”

      1. The command included His servants, and those who fear Him.
      2. Whether small or great, everyone should praise God.
        1. You are not too insignificant to praise God.
        2. You are not too great to praise God.
  2. Revelation 19.6–9 – The Marriage of the Lamb 
    1. 19.6 – Praise God Again

      6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!”

      1. This is the response to the command in verse 5.
      2. Listen to the majestic voice.
        1. It was the voice of a great multitude—intelligible.
        2. The voice was as the sound of many waters—consistent and rhythmic.
        3. The voice was as the sound of mighty thunderings—it had volume.
      3. The great multitude praised God, “Alleluia.”
        1. Why did they praise Him?
        2. They praised Him because
          1. He is the Omnipotent, Almighty God, and
          2. by His might He reigns.
    2. 19.7 – A Reason to Praise God

      7 “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”

      1. All of heaven, and all Christians on earth praise God.
      2. The cause of the celebration was two-fold:
        1. Number one, the time of the marriage of the Lamb had arrived.
          1. What a beautiful picture God has chosen
          2. to show us the victory celebration
            1. of Jesus Christ and His saints;
            2. that of a wedding.
        2. Number two, His wife has made herself ready.
          1. The beauty of a woman on her wedding day
          2. cannot be surpassed.
            1. Her dress enhances her beauty and
            2. the joy on her face models cannot imitate.
    3. 19.8 – The Bride’s Wedding Dress

      8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

      1. She was to wear fine linen,
        1. appropriate for a wedding dress,
        2. clean and bright linen, for
          1. it is holy, because
          2. she is holy,
            1. not fornicating like the great harlot.
            2. What bride wears dirty drab clothing?
              1. She wants what she wears on the outside
              2. to reflect what is on the inside.
      2. The linen was the righteous acts of the saints.
        1. We make the wedding dress for the bride of Christ
        2. by the righteous acts we engage in now.
          1. When you helped someone at the store,
          2. when you called a sick member,
          3. when you greeted a guest and made him feel welcome,
          4. when you listened to a troubled friend,
            1. you added another stitch
            2. to the most expensive and beautiful wedding dress ever worn.
    4. 19.9  The Fourth Beatitude of the Book of Revelation

      9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

      1. What a blessing to be called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!
      2. When you hear the gospel of Jesus Christ,
        1. God is inviting you to have a part in the glory of Jesus Christ
        2. that will be manifested at the wedding supper of the Lamb.
          1. However, you must accept the invitation, because
          2. like all weddings there are people who do not want to go.
        3. In Matthew 22, Jesus compared heaven to a wedding feast, and
          1. He showed that there are people
          2. who just do not want to go,

            1 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt 22.1–14).

            1. Have you chosen to go?
            2. Send your RSVP by obeying it, starting with baptism.
  3. Revelation 19.10 – Worship God

    10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

    1. The angel, or whoever he was, prevented John from worshiping him.
      1. This creature was a fellow-servant
        1. with John and his brethren, you and me.
        2. Any heavenly being we see as much greater than us, but
          1. they see us as their fellow-servants.
          2. You serve with angels, living creatures, seraphim, et al.
      2. We have the testimony of Jesus,
        1. not of angels.
        2. Why then worship them?
          1. Worship God.
          2. Worship Jesus.
    2. Worship God,
      1. because it is all about His Son Jesus Christ,
      2. who is the spirit of prophecy.
        1. Jesus Christ is everything, but
        2. we and the angels are nothing.
          1. The spirit behind all prophecy and
          2. the object of all prophecy
            1. is Jesus Christ.
            2. He is our everything.
            3. He is our all.

Exhortation: 

  1. Now, how about you? 
    1. Make Him your everything.
    2. Make Him your all.
  2. Come join us at the marriage feast of the Lamb. 
  3. Let your marriage illustrate the marriage of the Lamb and His Bride.