"HALLOWED BE THY NAME"

MATTHEW 6:9

A. THE NAME OF GOD
  1. Stands for His majestic Being:
    1. Angels recognize His majesty - Isa. 6:1-13
    2. He is surrounded by a thick cloud, unapproachable by sinful beings - 1 Tim. 1:17; 6:15, 16
  2. His Name stands for His character:
    1. He is holy, just, and good - Rom. 7:12
    2. His Name reveals His nature - Ex. 34:6, 7
  3. It stands, also, for His relationship and His attitude to men and toward men:
    1. He is our heavenly Father - Rom. 8:15; Isa. 63:16
    2. We are His children - John 1:10, 11; Rom. 8:14-16; 1 John 3:1-3
    3. He has begotten us in Christ Jesus our Lord unto a lively hope - 1 Pet. 1:3; 1 John 5:18
B. "HALLOWED BE THY NAME"
  1. Since the Name of God stands for His majesty, His character, and His glorious works:
    1. We are to reverence or hallow it -- "holy and reverent is his name" - Ps. 111:9
    2. Angels covered themselves when they mentioned His Name - Isa. 6:1-14
  2. How we hallow the Name of the Lord:
    1. When we do not use His name in vain - Ex. 20:7; Deut. 5:11. How sad it is to hear persons use the name of the Lord carelessly and with disrespect.
    2. It is a great sin to use God's name in vain or disrespectfully.
    3. That brings reproach upon our claims to be His children - Isa. 29:23; 48:11; 52:5
    4. We hallow the name of our heavenly Father when we obey His voice and do His holy will - Luke 6:46; Matt. 5:16
    5. Said Jesus, "Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" Luke 6:46
    6. Only the doer of the word is blessed, and not the hearers only - Jas. 1:22, 23
C. THIS PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER COVERS
  1. Our attitude toward God our Father:
    1. One has reason to fear that we do not take the reverent approach to Him.
    2. Too many persons use that Holy Name thoughtlessly. Some use it so carelessly that it dishonors Him.
  2. If angels cover their faces when the name of God is spoken of, and when they speak softly in His presence, how should we use it in holy reverence and fear!
  3. The name of God is revered:
    1. By those who love and adore Him.
    2. By all who have become partakers of His nature - EXAMPLES -
      1. "Thy name be magnified" - 2 Sam. 7:26
      2. "We will sing praises to thy name" - Ps. 9:2; 18:49
      3. "Blessed be thy glorious name" - Neh. 9:5
      4. "How excellent is thy name" - Ps. 8:1, 9
  4. If this is the attitude of God's people, we will truly say to our heavenly Father in heaven, Hallowed Be Thy Name!
  5. But the name of God is either magnified or reproached by our words and deeds:
    1. It is magnified or revered when we live such lives that all who know us will glorify God in heaven - Matt. 5:16
    2. That was our Lord's deep desire, that His Father might be glorified in His life and through His ministry - John 17:1
    3. The name of the Lord is dishonored or reproached when we misrepresent Him before men - Ps. 69:9; 74:18 EXAMPLES -
      1. Moses and Aaron became guilty of the sin of disrespect by the people - Num. 20:12
      2. Herod, too, was guilty of the same sin - Acts 12:23
      3. Nebuchadnezzar fell into the same sin - Dan. 4:30, 31 Let us ever be on guard lest we become guilty of the sin of disrespect for the Holy Name of our Father which is in heaven.


    Design © John Bryant 2011