Biblical teaching from Bay Leaf Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC — a multi-campus church passionate about gospel-centered preaching, disciple-making, and mission. Tune in weekly for sermons that explore God’s Word and encourage you to follow Jesus in everyday life. Whether you’re part of our Falls Lake or 540 campus—or listening from afar—you’ll find truth, hope, and practical application from Scripture.
Episodes
Monday May 18, 2026
Monday May 18, 2026
In this message from Exodus 20:7, Pastor Jared Richard continues Bay Leaf Baptist Church's series through the Ten Commandments by turning the congregation's attention to the Third Commandment: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." Using a word association exercise with names like Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, and Adolf Hitler, Pastor Jared establishes that names are far more than titles — they represent the full weight of a person's life and character. Because God's name, Yahweh, is a revealed, personal, and representative name that encapsulates all of who He is, it carries a holiness that demands our deepest reverence. As Exodus 3:15 declares, "This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations."
Pastor Jared then walks through the many ways God's people misuse His name, going well beyond the obvious offense of profanity. Drawing from the Old Testament, he identifies three ancient patterns of misuse — sorcery, false prophecy, and false oaths — and shows how each has a modern equivalent. The prosperity gospel, for instance, mirrors ancient sorcery by invoking God's name as a tool to claim health and wealth, effectively turning the relationship between God and man into a transaction. False prophecy lives on whenever someone attaches "God said" to their own spiritual intuition or personal agenda, and false oaths persist whenever we use God's name to prop up promises we have no intention of keeping.
Ultimately, Pastor Jared anchors the sermon in the gospel. Every person in the room has broken this commandment and stands guilty before God. But Jesus, who declared in John 12:28 that His aim in going to the cross was to glorify the Father's name, perfectly honored what we have profaned. He was condemned for blasphemy so that blasphemers could be forgiven. Because of Christ, we are now free to hallow God's name as we were created to — calling upon it in worship, prayer, and lives of genuine integrity that reflect the Lord we claim.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Take a moment to fill out our digital connection card here: https://www.bayleaf.org/connect
We hope you enjoy this programming and please let us know if there is anything we can do to be of service to you.
ONE CHURCH. TWO LOCATIONS. ONE MISSION.
Bay Leaf at Falls Lake: 12200 Bayleaf Church Road, Raleigh, North Carolina 27614
Bay Leaf at 540: 10921 Leesville Rd, Raleigh, NC 27613
SERVICE TIMES
Come join us on Sundays at Bay Leaf at Falls Lake (8:30 AM or 11:00 AM) or at Bay Leaf at 540 (10:00 AM)
CONTACT
www.bayleaf.org
(919) 847-4477
#BayLeafLife #Worship #Inspiration
No comments yet. Be the first to say something!