8/6/2019 09 - Do Not Dishonor the Name of God - BFG

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Do not misuse or dishonor the name of God

Review: The last few weeks we talked about:

1. The Ten Commandments. God gave the Ten Commandments.2. You shall have no other gods before me. Joshua challenges the people to chose,

but for him and his household they would serve God.3. Do not make idols in any form, nor shall you worship or sever them. The

Israelites made a golden calf to worship.

Review:

Lets review the story from last week. The story of when the Israelites made a golden calf to

worship. This story illustrates the truth taught in the second of the Ten Commandments.

Lets review by retelling it as a group. We want to retell it as faithfully as we can to the

story from the Bible. We do not want to add to it or leave out anything important. Who willget us started?

God spoke the Ten Commandments to Moses:

1. There is only one God; you shall have no other gods.2. Do not make idols in any form, nor shall you worship or sever them.3. Do not misuse or dishonor the name ofGod.4. Keep one day of the week as a holy day to honor God.5. Honor your father and mother.6. Do not murder.7. Do not commit adultery.8. Do not steal.9. Do not lie.10. Do not covet other people or their things.

Background:

The third of the Ten Commandments is: Do not misuse or dishonor the name ofGod.The

events in todays story occur during the time after Jesus lived on the earth. The first leadersof the church were used by God to perform miracles in the name of Jesus and others

wanted to harness the same power.

In our American society, Gods name is openly misused and dishonored. Although there are

many events in the Bible that describe times when the name ofGod is misused or

dishonored, the level of disrespect given to the name ofGod is much more common in oursociety today. This commandment is broken numerous times each day in our own hearing.

The Bible is very clear that we are not to misuse or dishonor Gods name.

8/6/2019 09 - Do Not Dishonor the Name of God - BFG

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Do not misuse or dishonor the name of God

Seven sons of Sceva - Acts 19:13-16

Paul and other leaders in the early church were used by God to perform many miracles.

They would use the name of Jesus when they did these miracles as a way to attribute thepower and glory to God. God did extraordinary miracles through Paul (Acts 19:11). Paul

preached in the synagogue in Ephesus and the miracles God did through Paul were widely

known in the region.

There were seven sons of a Jewish chief priest named Sceva who went around the region

driving out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of Jesus, like Paul had done, on those

who were demon-possessed. They would say things like; In the name of the Jesus whom

Paul preaches, I command you to come out.

One day one of the evil spirits answered them and said; Jesus I know, and Paul I know

about, but who are you? Then the demon-possessed man jumped on them andoverpowered them all. He gave them all such a beating that they ran out of the house naked

and bleeding.

This concludes this story from the Bible.

Retelling the story

Lets review this story by retelling it as a group. We want to retell it as faithfully as we can

to the story from the Bible. We do not want to add to it or leave out anything important.

Who will get us started?

Questions:

The questions and discussion about the Ten Commandments should be focused beyond theevents that tell the story of how God gave them to Moses and address the fact that they

were given by God for his people to follow. A foundation should be laid for obedience to thecommandments.

What is the third of the Ten Commandments?Do not misuse or dishonor the name ofGod.

Why do you think Paul used the name of Jesus when he was used by God to performmiracles?

Paul wanted to give the credit to God.

Why do you thing the seven sons of Sceva, the chief priest, used the name of Jesus when

they tried to drive evil spirits from a person?

They though it would give them the same power.

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What are ways you have seen or heard the name ofGod misused or dishonored?

Do these things happen often?

How should we respond to these ways that the name ofGod is misused or dishonored?

Memory verses

Lets review the memory verses, Matthew 22:37-39

Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your

soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. Andthe second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.

Deuteronomy 6:5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and

with all your strength.