The 2nd Commandment Our Help Is The Name Of The Lord
Series: The Ten Commandments
June 22, 2025
Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
The First Sunday after Trinity 22-June-2025 Sermon Text: Genesis 15:1-6/The Second Commandment Sermon Theme: “The 2nd Commandment: Our Help Is In The Name Of The Lord!” I. God Reveals Himself In His Name! (Vs.1) II. Fallen Man Misuses God’s Holy Name! (Vs.2-3) III. God Blesses Us With His Name! (Vs.4-6) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Episode Notes
The First Sunday after Trinity 22-June-2025
Sermon Text: Genesis 15:1-6/The Second Commandment
Sermon Theme: “The 2nd Commandment: Our Help Is In The Name Of The Lord!” I. God Reveals Himself In His Name! (Vs.1) II. Fallen Man Misuses God’s Holy Name! (Vs.2-3) III. God Blesses Us With His Name! (Vs.4-6) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. “Psa 124:8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.” We speak back the words given us by the only true and living God in the divine service. Last Sunday we confessed the “name of the Lord” through the Word of the Spirit of Truth as we confessed with the Church of all ages the Athanasian Creed. Today God the Holy Spirit breathed forth renewing saving faith as we confessed the “name fo the Lord” in the Nicene Creed.
1700 years ago the Christian Church gathered at Nicea. Bishops, pastors, theologians gathered from all over the Christian world summoned by Emperor Constantine. After the nine year bloody and severe persecution of Christianity under Emperor Diocletian congregations were divided. The faithful who suffered disdained those who to avoid suffering had dropped a pinch of incense before the statue of Diocletian. In north Africa the popular bishop of Alexandria mixed Greek gnostic philosophy with God’s written Word. Bishop Arius taught that Jesus wasn’t the eternally only begotten Son of the Father from all eternity. He denied Jesus is of one substance with the Father. This false teaching is still echoed by Jehovah Witnesses.
The Holy Christian Church at Nicea followed Jesus’ example recorded by St. Luke on Easter afternoon: Luk 24:25-27 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! (26) Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" (27) And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. And again that evening, Luk 24:44-45 Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." (45) And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.. At Nicea they searched the Holy Scriptures - God’s written Word - the Old and New Testament - as the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of Truth - led them to clearly confess Jesus as Lord and God. Nicea was a pouring forth of God the Holy Spirit in clear, concise, confession of God’s saving Name! Every time we confess the Creeds of Christendom the Holy Spirit revives us in the one saving faith of the Holy Christian and universal Church (catholic) of all ages. Where the Holy Spirit truly revives the Church - the creeds will be confessed. The Holy Spirit through St. John alerts us, 1Jn 4:1-3 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (2) By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, (3) and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” Pentecostalism may claim to have a ‘spirit’ but it isn’t the Holy Spirit. We believe, teach ,and confess: “9 In a word, enthusiasm inheres in Adam and his children from the beginning [from the first fall] to the end of the world, [its poison] having been implanted and infused into them by the old dragon, and is the origin, power [life], and strength of all heresy, especially of that of the Papacy and Mahomet. 10 Therefore we ought and must constantly maintain this point, that God does not wish to deal with us otherwise than through the spoken Word and the Sacraments. 11 It is the devil himself whatsoever is extolled as Spirit without the Word and Sacraments. “ (S.A. Part.3,Art.8, Para.9)
Therefore turn from the world’s popular spiritual lies and learn from Abraham to boldly confess: ““The 2nd Commandment: Our Help Is In The Name Of The Lord!” I. God Reveals Himself In His Name! (Vs.1) II. Fallen Man Misuses God’s Holy Name! (Vs.2-3) III. God Blesses Us With His Name! (Vs.4-6)
I. Abram was a pagan engaging in popular idolatry of the Chaldeans. He didn’t find God. The Lord God found and called him through His Word of promise in Christ Jesus preached by faithful Shem. God the Holy Spirit preaches, Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "AND TO YOUR SEED," who is Christ.”
The historically accurate written record of the Holy Bible records Abram’s call in Genesis 12, his journey to the land of Canaan, then to Egypt when famine struck the land. Abram lied to Pharaoh that Sari was his sister to protect himself. The Lord plagues Pharaoh and he sends Abram and his wife packing back to Canaan. Genesis 13 Abram inherits Canaan through God’s promise. His nephew Lot separates with his numerous flocks choosing the fruitful Jordan River valley where the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah polluted the land. Genesis 14 records the first war after the Flood. Abram rallies the militia of his household and with 318 armed men rescues Lot and all those taken captive. The prophet/king Melchizedek of Salem brings bread and wine to bless Abram. Read Hebrews 6 &7 to learn how this points to Jesus. Now history records: (vs.1) The word of the Lord comes to Abram - He seeks us out with His Name! The path of salvation is only from God through His Word to us. We don’t find Jesus - He finds us through His Name! (LSB pg. 321, 2nd Cmt, W.D.T.M.1st 6 words)
We learned from the 1st Commandment that there is a God and He is not us. Today we learn God has a Name. We don’t name God - He reveals His Name to us in His Word. He tells Abram “I AM” God is Yahweh - He Who Was, and Is, and Is To Come! God the Creator is above and beyond all our creation! We sing with David, Psa 8:1 O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens! Satan’s spiritual lie to our first parents was that they could choose their own path to find God apart from His revealed Name. This lie is trumpeted by false teachers saying that all paths lead to the same God. All non-Christian religions are united in worship - listen to the Spirit of Truth testifies, 1Co 10:20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.
Fear and Love God - the Only True God - The Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! (LSB pg.323 L.P.1st Pet. W.D.T.M?) God’s Holy Name - reveals the only living God to us in Christ Jesus! God is Love! He takes away our fear as He shields us by the Holy Spirit and rewards us with forgiveness, life, and salvation through the only saving Name of Jesus! We love Him for He first loved us perfectly in Jesus!
II. Beware of abusing the Holy Name of the Lord Creator of heaven and earth! (Vs.2-3) Abram was 75 when the Lord God called him to the Faith in Jesus. The years passed and no heir was born to Abram - he remains childless. His only heir is Eliezer of Damascus - the same name translated as the beggar Lazarus in today’s gospel. Abram’s faith in God’s Holy Name is being tried in the furnace of childlessness. Just as Lazarus - whose name means, “Whom God helps” is tried by sores and poverty.
Fallen man abuses God’s Holy Name! (LSB pg. 321, 2nd Cmt, W.D.T.M?) Satanic spirituality leads our fallen fleshly reason to think that if we have God’s Name we have power over Him. We think we can command God to curse those who have wronged us. We protect our sins by using God’s holy Name to cover our lies as we swear to God that we are telling the truth. We mix God’s Holy Name with demons to gain power for ourselves over others, with the lie that riches are life. The greatest misuse of God’s Name is to cover false teaching - man made thinking - masquerading as Christianity. We deceive with God’s Name placed upon us in Holy Baptism as we live in our hypocrisy. 1Jn 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? We are much like the rich man clothed in purple, feasting sumptiously, ignoring the begging Lazarus’ the Lord God places on our door steps. We deceive ourselves saying we have no sin for our lack of showing mercy - they’d probably only waste the scraps I’d give them from my table!
Repent of misusing God’s Holy Name! (LSB pg.323 L.P.1st Pet. How...?)
Pray! Pray! Pray!
III. Our God blesses us through His Name! We have Moses and the Prophets - Listen to them! They fix our eyes on Jesus alone! Through the written Scriptures God the Holy Spirit opens our lips to declare “our help is the Name of the Lord!” Listen! (Vs.4-5) God didn’t send Abram Adam or Noah risen from the dead - the Word of the Lord came to him! God’s Word comes to you every Sunday here in His Church! Listen to Jesus! The Father breathes His Word of Promise of Jesus into your ears in Holy Baptism and the Holy Spirit opens your lips to breathe it forth in prayer, confession, and thanksgiving!
Every morning, every evening as you speak the Name of the Triune God and trace the holy cross upon your heart - rejoice! (Vs.6) You are a child of Abraham! Gal 3:5-9 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (6) just as Abraham "BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." (7) Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. (8) And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." (9) So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. (LSB pg. 321, 2nd Cmt, W.D.T.M?)
The Lord, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, blesses you with His Name - that you may bless your fellow sinner/saints. Call upon God’s Name in every trouble. When news flashed war last night - did you immediately call upon God’s Name? Did you pray for Iranians and Americans? Did you praise God for His loving your from before the foundation of the world in Christ Jesus? Did you give thanks to our God who rules the world through both the kingdom of the left wielding the sword and the kingdom of the right preaching the Gospel? “Help us to do this dear Father in heaven!” Rejoice! God has blessed you with His Name - He preserves you - as He did the beggar Lazarus - until you breathe your last surrounded by God’s Holy angels to bear you home to rest until the day of the resurrection of the body and the life of the world to come!
Bless the beggars laid at your doorsteps with acts of mercy, but above all speak to them the Name of the Lord - tell them of Jesus - listen to them- then pray with them and for them. Amen.
Sermon Text: Genesis 15:1-6/The Second Commandment
Sermon Theme: “The 2nd Commandment: Our Help Is In The Name Of The Lord!” I. God Reveals Himself In His Name! (Vs.1) II. Fallen Man Misuses God’s Holy Name! (Vs.2-3) III. God Blesses Us With His Name! (Vs.4-6) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. “Psa 124:8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.” We speak back the words given us by the only true and living God in the divine service. Last Sunday we confessed the “name of the Lord” through the Word of the Spirit of Truth as we confessed with the Church of all ages the Athanasian Creed. Today God the Holy Spirit breathed forth renewing saving faith as we confessed the “name fo the Lord” in the Nicene Creed.
1700 years ago the Christian Church gathered at Nicea. Bishops, pastors, theologians gathered from all over the Christian world summoned by Emperor Constantine. After the nine year bloody and severe persecution of Christianity under Emperor Diocletian congregations were divided. The faithful who suffered disdained those who to avoid suffering had dropped a pinch of incense before the statue of Diocletian. In north Africa the popular bishop of Alexandria mixed Greek gnostic philosophy with God’s written Word. Bishop Arius taught that Jesus wasn’t the eternally only begotten Son of the Father from all eternity. He denied Jesus is of one substance with the Father. This false teaching is still echoed by Jehovah Witnesses.
The Holy Christian Church at Nicea followed Jesus’ example recorded by St. Luke on Easter afternoon: Luk 24:25-27 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! (26) Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" (27) And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. And again that evening, Luk 24:44-45 Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." (45) And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.. At Nicea they searched the Holy Scriptures - God’s written Word - the Old and New Testament - as the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of Truth - led them to clearly confess Jesus as Lord and God. Nicea was a pouring forth of God the Holy Spirit in clear, concise, confession of God’s saving Name! Every time we confess the Creeds of Christendom the Holy Spirit revives us in the one saving faith of the Holy Christian and universal Church (catholic) of all ages. Where the Holy Spirit truly revives the Church - the creeds will be confessed. The Holy Spirit through St. John alerts us, 1Jn 4:1-3 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (2) By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, (3) and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” Pentecostalism may claim to have a ‘spirit’ but it isn’t the Holy Spirit. We believe, teach ,and confess: “9 In a word, enthusiasm inheres in Adam and his children from the beginning [from the first fall] to the end of the world, [its poison] having been implanted and infused into them by the old dragon, and is the origin, power [life], and strength of all heresy, especially of that of the Papacy and Mahomet. 10 Therefore we ought and must constantly maintain this point, that God does not wish to deal with us otherwise than through the spoken Word and the Sacraments. 11 It is the devil himself whatsoever is extolled as Spirit without the Word and Sacraments. “ (S.A. Part.3,Art.8, Para.9)
Therefore turn from the world’s popular spiritual lies and learn from Abraham to boldly confess: ““The 2nd Commandment: Our Help Is In The Name Of The Lord!” I. God Reveals Himself In His Name! (Vs.1) II. Fallen Man Misuses God’s Holy Name! (Vs.2-3) III. God Blesses Us With His Name! (Vs.4-6)
I. Abram was a pagan engaging in popular idolatry of the Chaldeans. He didn’t find God. The Lord God found and called him through His Word of promise in Christ Jesus preached by faithful Shem. God the Holy Spirit preaches, Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "AND TO YOUR SEED," who is Christ.”
The historically accurate written record of the Holy Bible records Abram’s call in Genesis 12, his journey to the land of Canaan, then to Egypt when famine struck the land. Abram lied to Pharaoh that Sari was his sister to protect himself. The Lord plagues Pharaoh and he sends Abram and his wife packing back to Canaan. Genesis 13 Abram inherits Canaan through God’s promise. His nephew Lot separates with his numerous flocks choosing the fruitful Jordan River valley where the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah polluted the land. Genesis 14 records the first war after the Flood. Abram rallies the militia of his household and with 318 armed men rescues Lot and all those taken captive. The prophet/king Melchizedek of Salem brings bread and wine to bless Abram. Read Hebrews 6 &7 to learn how this points to Jesus. Now history records: (vs.1) The word of the Lord comes to Abram - He seeks us out with His Name! The path of salvation is only from God through His Word to us. We don’t find Jesus - He finds us through His Name! (LSB pg. 321, 2nd Cmt, W.D.T.M.1st 6 words)
We learned from the 1st Commandment that there is a God and He is not us. Today we learn God has a Name. We don’t name God - He reveals His Name to us in His Word. He tells Abram “I AM” God is Yahweh - He Who Was, and Is, and Is To Come! God the Creator is above and beyond all our creation! We sing with David, Psa 8:1 O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens! Satan’s spiritual lie to our first parents was that they could choose their own path to find God apart from His revealed Name. This lie is trumpeted by false teachers saying that all paths lead to the same God. All non-Christian religions are united in worship - listen to the Spirit of Truth testifies, 1Co 10:20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.
Fear and Love God - the Only True God - The Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! (LSB pg.323 L.P.1st Pet. W.D.T.M?) God’s Holy Name - reveals the only living God to us in Christ Jesus! God is Love! He takes away our fear as He shields us by the Holy Spirit and rewards us with forgiveness, life, and salvation through the only saving Name of Jesus! We love Him for He first loved us perfectly in Jesus!
II. Beware of abusing the Holy Name of the Lord Creator of heaven and earth! (Vs.2-3) Abram was 75 when the Lord God called him to the Faith in Jesus. The years passed and no heir was born to Abram - he remains childless. His only heir is Eliezer of Damascus - the same name translated as the beggar Lazarus in today’s gospel. Abram’s faith in God’s Holy Name is being tried in the furnace of childlessness. Just as Lazarus - whose name means, “Whom God helps” is tried by sores and poverty.
Fallen man abuses God’s Holy Name! (LSB pg. 321, 2nd Cmt, W.D.T.M?) Satanic spirituality leads our fallen fleshly reason to think that if we have God’s Name we have power over Him. We think we can command God to curse those who have wronged us. We protect our sins by using God’s holy Name to cover our lies as we swear to God that we are telling the truth. We mix God’s Holy Name with demons to gain power for ourselves over others, with the lie that riches are life. The greatest misuse of God’s Name is to cover false teaching - man made thinking - masquerading as Christianity. We deceive with God’s Name placed upon us in Holy Baptism as we live in our hypocrisy. 1Jn 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? We are much like the rich man clothed in purple, feasting sumptiously, ignoring the begging Lazarus’ the Lord God places on our door steps. We deceive ourselves saying we have no sin for our lack of showing mercy - they’d probably only waste the scraps I’d give them from my table!
Repent of misusing God’s Holy Name! (LSB pg.323 L.P.1st Pet. How...?)
Pray! Pray! Pray!
III. Our God blesses us through His Name! We have Moses and the Prophets - Listen to them! They fix our eyes on Jesus alone! Through the written Scriptures God the Holy Spirit opens our lips to declare “our help is the Name of the Lord!” Listen! (Vs.4-5) God didn’t send Abram Adam or Noah risen from the dead - the Word of the Lord came to him! God’s Word comes to you every Sunday here in His Church! Listen to Jesus! The Father breathes His Word of Promise of Jesus into your ears in Holy Baptism and the Holy Spirit opens your lips to breathe it forth in prayer, confession, and thanksgiving!
Every morning, every evening as you speak the Name of the Triune God and trace the holy cross upon your heart - rejoice! (Vs.6) You are a child of Abraham! Gal 3:5-9 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (6) just as Abraham "BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." (7) Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. (8) And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." (9) So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. (LSB pg. 321, 2nd Cmt, W.D.T.M?)
The Lord, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, blesses you with His Name - that you may bless your fellow sinner/saints. Call upon God’s Name in every trouble. When news flashed war last night - did you immediately call upon God’s Name? Did you pray for Iranians and Americans? Did you praise God for His loving your from before the foundation of the world in Christ Jesus? Did you give thanks to our God who rules the world through both the kingdom of the left wielding the sword and the kingdom of the right preaching the Gospel? “Help us to do this dear Father in heaven!” Rejoice! God has blessed you with His Name - He preserves you - as He did the beggar Lazarus - until you breathe your last surrounded by God’s Holy angels to bear you home to rest until the day of the resurrection of the body and the life of the world to come!
Bless the beggars laid at your doorsteps with acts of mercy, but above all speak to them the Name of the Lord - tell them of Jesus - listen to them- then pray with them and for them. Amen.
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