October 11, 2015
Evening Service

Matt. 7:1-6

This morning from chapter 6, Jesus brought us to a fork in the road.  He explained that we cannot have two masters.  We must choose whom we will serve.

Mat 6:24 No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

 

He calls us to a lifestyle of commitment and trust, seeking to put Him first in our lives.  He then promises that if we do, He will take care of everything else.

 

Mat 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.

 

He now continues to explain what a life of being a Christ follower will look like.

 

Mat 7:1-2  Judge not, that you may not be judged.  (2)  For with whatever judgment you judge, you shall be judged; and with whatever measure you measure out, it shall be measured to you again.

·         There is no accident that the topic of judging follows the teaching on wealth and a commitment to serve God above all else.  The teaching here deals with rash, harsh, and uncharitable judgements that lead to thinking evil of someone else.  It is a process of elevating oneself by defaming others.  It was those who were sacrificing greatly judging those who gave to a lesser degree.

·         The lifeboat theory-I deserve to be in more than you.

·         The praying Pharisee and tax collector (Luke 18:9-14)

·         Myself in 3^rd grade.

·         We have no basis to judge anyone on motives, appearance, certain personal convictions, Christian service, or by speaking evil of a fellow believer.

·         This does not however exclude us from making judgment on matters such as disputes between church members, serious offences by believers, basic doctrinal points that are non-negotiable, and whether someone is qualified to serve in church leadership.

·         Some Christians use this scripture to exclude themselves from serving on a jury in a trial.  I don’t believe that is “rightly dividing” this teaching.  A jury trial of our peers actually aligns with the procedure the church is to follow in determining wrong doing in the church (always with 2 or 3 witnesses).

·         The judging Jesus is speaking of here is the same as Paul spoke of to the Roman church.

 

 Rom 14:1-13  And receive him who is weak in the faith, but not to judgments of your thoughts.  (2)  For indeed one believes to eat all things; but being weak, another eats vegetables.  (3)  Do not let him who eats despise him who does not eat; and do not let him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God has received him.  (4)  Who are you that judges another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. But he will stand, for God is able to make him stand.  (5)  One indeed esteems a day above another day; and another esteems every day alike. Let each one be fully assured in his own mind.  (6)  He who regards the day regards it to the Lord; and he not regarding the day, does not regard it to the Lord. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, does not eat to the Lord, and gives God thanks.  (7)  For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.  (8)  For both if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore both if we live, and if we die, we are the Lord's.  (9)  For this Christ both died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living.  (10)  But why do you judge your brother? Or also why do you despise your brother? For all shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ.  (11)  For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God."  (12)  So then each one of us will give account concerning himself to God.  (13)  Then let us not judge one another anymore, but rather judge this, not to put a stumbling-block or an offense toward his brother.

·         This ties in perfectly in how Jesus explains the teaching in verse 3-5.

 

Mat 7:3-5 And why do you look on the splinter that is in your brother's eye, but do not consider the beam that is in your own eye?  (4)  Or how will you say to your brother, Let me pull the splinter out of your eye; and, behold, a beam is in your own eye?  (5)  Hypocrite! First cast the beam out of your own eye, and then you shall see clearly to cast the splinter out of your brother's eye.

·         Each of us will answer to God for our actions.  Any judgement should begin with a look in the mirror.  Jesus uses an exaggeration to make his point.  We judge and cut others down for their small shortcomings when we ourselves are missing the mark by a greater margin.   Jesus refers to this person as a hypocrite.

·         This also demonstrates the principle that one of the greatest ways to impact someone else is to strengthen your relationship with the Lord.  As we are able to grow and mature in the Lord we gain experience and wisdom in knowing how to help our brothers without being judgmental of them.

·         Example of instructions given on airplanes for the oxygen masks.

·         Grow in the Lord and pray that others do as well.

 

 Mat 7:6 Do not give that which is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and tear you.

·         In the Jewish Law dogs and swine were unclean animals and here they are used to depict wicked people.  As we share the gospel message with someone and all we receive in return is abuse and contempt, we are no longer obligated to continue to share the good news with them.

 

Judging or a condemning spirit is not of God.  Jesus makes it crystal clear that a Christ follower is not to display this attitude.  I feel many people avoid attending a church because they feel more judged than loved there.  God help us to love everyone as He does.

 

Lord may our lives be free from a judgmental and condemning spirit and may we be filled with love that never fails.