You oughta have more respect, mister. If you say stuff like that to him again ... I'm gonna lay you out.

The following are some quotes and points made from Sunday's sermon at Providence Church on Matthew 6:9b, part of the Sermon on the Mount series.

"hallowed be your name"(ESV)

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“God has often forgiven sinners, but He never forgives sin; and the sinner is only forgiven on the ground of Another having borne his punishment.”
- Arthur W. Pink, Attributes of God, 46

“All contempt for his glory is duly punished, either on the cross, where the wrath of God is propitiated for those who believe, or in hell, where the wrath of God is poured out on those who don’t.”
- John Piper, Desiring God, 296, n.7

“God’s holiness is manifested at the cross. Wondrously and yet most solemnly does the atonement display God’s infinite holiness and abhorrence of sin. How hateful sin must be to God for Him to punish it to its utmost deserts when it was imputed to His Son!”
- Arthur W. Pink, Attributes of God, 46

HOW IS GOD’S NAME HALLOWED?

A. When sinners repent of their sins and honor the Holy One with their faith and obedience.

B. When God’s people respond rightly to Him.

1. in Worship – Responding to who He REALLY is, ascribing worth to Him (worship = Worthship). We must never forget worship is about God, not us.

2. in Prayer – We must balance “Our Father” with “Hallowed by Thy Name” - We could use a little less “What I’d really like dad is to borrow the car keys. See you later, can I have them please?”

3. in Evangelism – We’re telling everyone how special God is and what He’s graciously done for a rebellious world. It’s not that we’re so enamored with humanity, but we're consumed with extolling His greatness, regardless of whether seeds planted or watered bear fruit in our presence.

4. by Holy living ... and not our lips only.
Jesus in Matt 15:8-9 (quoting Is 29:13) ... “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

Luther’s catechism:
Q: How is God’s name hallowed among us?
A: When both our doctrine and our life are truly Christian

“for God’s name to be hallowed means a burning desire that the whole world may bow before God in adoration, in reverence, in praise, in worship, in honour and in thanksgiving. Is that the thing that is always uppermost in our minds whenever we pray to God?”
- Martyn Lloyd-Jones

*See also "The Holiness of God and His People," which I presented at the 3rd Annual Fellowship of Reformed Churches’ conference: 'The Character of God in Everyday Life,' 11/2007, Fort Worth, TX.
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