Exodus 20:7; Matthew 5:33-37; July 20, 2025; Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
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In our house, there’s a show whose name we no longer say out loud.
We call it either: “the show that shall not be named” (which, admittedly, is not very original), or “that faceless program” – also not original, as it’s a play on the name of a religious cult in the show called “The Faceless Men” who worshipped “The Many-Faced God.”
Now, if you have absolutely no idea what I am talking about, fear not… you are in good company.
But for those who are not lost, and are interested, the name of the show of which I speak is none other than: “Game of Thrones.”
At whose name, there should only be an audible groan, from now to forever, onward into eternity.
For what was once a great show turned into a frustratingly bad show. A very bad show. With horrible writing decisions. Non-sensical character arcs. And behaviors that weren’t associated at all with its characters, their histories, or their names.
All the same, there are unfortunately still some decent scenes and quotes worth revisiting. And one of my favorites, applicable to today, is from the character by the name of Tywin Lannister who famously said: “It’s the family name that lives on. It’s all that lives on. Not your honor, not your personal glory – family.”
It’s the family name that lives on. Beyond your actions and your life, your family name will continue. For good or for ill.
My friends… what is your family name known for? What has it been known for? Has it changed over time? With births, deaths, weddings, unions… arrest warrants, PTO comments, chants and screams from the soccer pitch?
Are people drawn to your family name, or repelled by it? Oh, here come the Russos again…who invited them over?
Or, perhaps instead of derision, are people just outright indifferent to your name, as if it’s a name that matters not at all? The Blanks? Who cares about them; what have they ever contributed to society, to church?
Yes, as you could guess, what we are talking about today, my friends, is names. And specifically, the family name into which we’ve all been adopted. Christ’s own. Christians. God’s people. Children of God.
And what we have done, or haven’t done, to bring good reputation or disrepute to that name. To God’s name. The Divine.
Our third Commandment today bluntly states that: “You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God.” – Exodus 20:7
Or as it is elsewhere repeated, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.”
Or, as it was once said to me by a friend: “do not sully the Lord’s name, in your vain… either in advancement of your own glory; or at the expense of your own dishonor.”
Sully, by the way…how bout that name, huh? Some who hear it today will likely think of that airplane pilot who heroically saved all those people in the Hudson. The one they made a movie about. But what about folks way back in the 16th century from whence the phrase originated, when sully meant to tarnish a name and reputation?
Indeed, there is much behind a name. Context and Perspective. And sometimes a duality therein. Yes, yes. No, no. Where the same name can draw or repel, or sometimes both, depending on who’s talking or who’s asking, and when they are talking or asking.
See then, we make a mistake with this Commandment, if all we boil it down to is a simple proclamation against uttering God’s name out loud at inappropriate times. This Commandment is not really about saying, “G_d damn it!” Or screaming, “Jesus!” when you stub your toe. Though perhaps it’s best not to do either.
Rather, instead of swearing or profanity, this Commandment, IMO, is most concerned with something else. Something worse. Or as Terence Fretheim suggests: this commandment is about “protecting God’s purposes from being brought into disrepute within the world.”
Protecting God’s purposes from being brought into disrepute within the world.
How have we protected God’s purposes, my friends? Better yet, how have we promoted and lived according to these purposes, bringing not disrepute to the name of God, but glory and honor instead?
For instance, when someone we play a round of golf with, or watch a Phillies or Eagles game with, says something racist or sexist or derogatory or belittling… do we laugh along, join in, and add our own joke? Do we silently nod our head and quietly acquiesce?
It’s hard to accept, but I think one way we blaspheme against God’s name is when we do nothing at all. And certainly, when we join in, partake, and get our rocks off.
When instead, my friends, we are called to protect, correct, and promote. Promoting the Gospel for the sake and honor not only of God’s name, but for those whom God has named as God’s people. Which, and here’s a hint, is all people!
So, what could we have done differently, and what will we do differently the next time? When we are afforded the chance to testify to God’s good family name rather than sully it.
My brothers and sisters, we break the third Commandment, when our behaviors, ideologies, practices, and policies hurt God’s world and help to create injustice within it. We make wrongful use of God’s name, when we claim by association that God would be for any such abuse or systemic imbalance.
James, by name the brother of Christ, warned us back in our Call to Worship today, writing: “is it not they/is it not we who blaspheme the excellent name of God (James 2:7)” …when we oppress rather liberate, and deride rather than celebrate?
When we do these former things, oppress and deride, acquiesce and goose-step, we take the excellent name of the Lord in vain, and render it as bad as Voldemort’s, such that God becomes known to the rest of the world as: “He Who Shall Not Be Named”
I have a friend who rolls his eyes every time he hears just the mention of the name, Christian. Because all he’s ever known of this name is a group of people who text or tweet “thoughts and prayers” rather ever doing anything meaningful about what they are supposedly thinking or praying about.
These platitudes, especially from people claiming to associate with God’s name often bring more harm than good. And turn off the masses, the “unchurched” from ever wanting to step into one, let alone worship the Son of God whom we claim to serve in name.
Jesus, by name, that Son who is here to save, tells us in our Gospel text from Matthew today that it’s better not to make any oaths at all. For in so doing we open ourselves up to swear falsely in vain.
And what he means is that it’s better just to let our actions speak for themselves. We shouldn’t need oaths or promises. Or Facebook posts saying who we stand with. We should just be doing it. In general. All the time. Being activists in God’s name, rather than co-conspirators in satan’s and the deity of silent compliance.
My friends, we should be saying yes, yes, to the Gospel; testifying in action, witnessing with conviction, and living in accordance with the Commandments, which today, and all of our days, call us to make good and right use of God’s name.
Thereby, protecting God’s purposes from being brought into disrepute within the world; and helping to ensure that God’s family name will continue on in both honor and glory.
Amen?
Amen!
