24th October 2025

24th October 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Exodus 20:7)


Message (Alan Burke)


When someone is up at court before the Judge there is that moment that the judge will pass the verdict and in most cases it goes one of two ways, yes there might be a mistrial but the verdict is usually that the person is innocent or they are guilty. If someone is innocent they have been declared innocent of the offence that they were accused of committing. It may be that they were indeed guilty, every man and his dog may know for a fact that they did what they were accuses of but in the courts there was not enough evidence to without reasonable doubt declare them to be guilty. On the other hand if the verdict is guilty they are so for they are being declared responsible for that which they have been accused off, the wrongdoing that they had been charged with. No longer are they deemed as innocent but guilty, in the eyes of the law they are responsible for what they have done. Ok from time to there may be an innocent person convicted of a crime they didn't commit but that doesn’t happen all that often, in the main courts get it right. 


In regard to taking the LORD’s name in vain we are told that the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. On one level these words should strike fear into our hearts. Think to the list of that which the Larger Catechism gives of examples of what are the sins forbidden in the Third Commandment in Q113. We looked at it on Wednesday, we’ll think of the last comment “being ashamed of it, or a shame to it, by unconformable, unwise, unfruitful and offensive walking, or backsliding from it.” Are you or have you ever been ashamed of being called a “Christian”, or brought shame to the name of God by your actions in any way? Whether we like to admit it or not all of us have left this commandment in shatters. There is not one of us who are innocent or guiltless, we are guilty, we are each one of us law breakers. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, before him all of us are guilty. 


Even in the smallest sin, the offence is against God, for it against the Holy God for sin is rebellion against him. That for many people is hard to hear, that no matter how good we think we are compared to others, no matter how we may think the scales are weighted in our favour, they are not, we are guilty before the LORD God. Every sin deserves God’s wrath and curse. We have fallen short of the glory of God his infinite perfection and therefore deserve and infinite judgement. Yet in this if we have put our hope in trust in Jesus Christ, if we have repented and believed, then we know that we are united to Christ, although we cannot hope to keep this command we have a saviour who has, his righteousness is imputed to us, given to us. All because Jesus who was innocent, guiltless, Pilate declared it to be (Lk 23:13-16) yet it pleased God that Jesus would go to that Cross to atone for the sin of all those whom he had chosen before the foundation of the world. 


God has not only covered our sin in the righteousness of Christ, but enables us who are by our very nature the enemies of God approach him continually to receive his grace anew. For we come before a God this day who is good and gracious, holy and just, merciful and gracious. He has shown us his unmerited favour towards those who are undeserving in his grace. What God has done is show us his grace, for salvation is not about getting what we deserve but about grace. What we deserve is the wrath of God but when God calls us we receive his grace. All who call upon the name of Christ they will be saved, and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12).


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q1 What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.
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