Children’s Sermon: Taking Your Children’s Name in Vain – Third Commandment

Purpose: Use this children’s sermon on the third of the Ten Commandments to show kids how holy God’s name is.

Scripture: Exodus 20:7

Needed: nothing

Children’s Sermon

Tell your students a funny story about something that went wrong, but insert their names in the places where people sometimes take God’s name in vain. You could say something like the following.

I was driving down the road when I heard a big pop. “Oh, (name of a student)!” I yelled in surprise. I pulled over on the side of the road and got of my car. “(Name of another student)!” I shouted angrily when I saw that one of my tired had blown. While I was changing my tire, another car drove by. The person in the car pointed at me and laughed because I was having a bad day. When he was passed, I saw that their bumper stick said they were a follower of (name of a third student), but they sure didn’t act like it.

Ask students, What did you think of my story? Did you think it was funny how I used some of your names the wrong way?

Did it remind you of how people sometimes use someone else’s name the wrong way?

Sometimes, people say “God” or “Jesus Christ” when they’re not really talking about God or Jesus. That’s not very respectful. Sometimes, people say they’re a follower of Jesus, but they don’t like a Christian should. And that’s not showing respect to Jesus either.

God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are all special. They deserve our respect. We shouldn’t use their names the wrong way or say that we follow them if we don’t really mean it.

In fact, that’s number three on God’s Top Ten rules. The third Commandment says…

(Read Exodus 20:7 , quoted here in the NIV.)

“You shall not misuse the name of theLordyour God, for theLord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name.”

God says that He will punish us if we use His name in the wrong way, so let’s all remember how special God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are and only use their names respectfully.

Closing Prayer

Lord, You are a holy and awesome God. You are the most special person there could be. Help us to show You respect by always using Your name in the right way. Amen.

You can also find this children’s sermon for Kindle or in print in my book, Children’s Sermon about the Ten Commandments.