JUDGE NOT.

Jay

Sermon on the Mount • Sermon • Submitted 6 months ago • Presented 6 months ago

Matthew 7:1–6

Judge

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This Series SO Far

Today’s Passage:

Matthew 7:1–6 ““Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.”

This week we are going to do the verse breakdown…let’s walk through this and see where Jesus is leading us.

Everyone’s favorite verse.

Matthew 7:1 ““Judge not, that you be not judged.”

Judge = κρίνω (krinō), vb. judge; pass judgment on.

to judge, to condemn, to evaluate - to be or become determined in mind of a fixed opinion or purpose

This is a legal term and in the legal sense, the judge is the one who determines guilt and associated punishment.

The judge is the one with the power to free or to condemn.

YOU AND I HOLD THE POWER TO DO NEITHER

Who’s job is it to convict others of sin?

John 16:7–9 “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;”

Who’s job is it to be judge?

Matthew 25:31–32 ““When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”

So Judge not, that you be not judged

This is the instruction from Jesus…don’t do this!

Judgement is the work of the Lord - it’s God’s work and we have no part in it.

BECAUSE

We don’t know all the facts.

We are prejudiced - biased - tainted.

We are unqualified.

but there’s also a personal reason

Matthew 7:2 “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”

What does this really mean - not talking about end time judgment. If you are saved, you are saved…going to talk about that more in a few weeks.

This is really about giving and receiving grace. Giving and receiving mercy - giving and receiving kindness

BECAUSE

We don’t know all the facts.

We are prejudiced - biased - tainted.

We are unqualified.

And at some point, someone had to look beyond all of our stuff - and even if a person never did, God did…He looked beyond all of the filth of your life and chose you anyways.

You want to receive grace in your life - give it to other people.

You want to receive kindness in your life - give it to other people.

You want to receive mercy in your life - give it to other people.

JESUS GIVES A GREAT ANALOGY TO SHOW WHY WE ARE UNQUALIFIED AS JUDGES -

Matthew 7:3–5 “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

LET’S ACT THIS OUT -

We do this through labels

we label our stuff good…their stuff bad

and we go down our list.

You don’t need to judge people…you need to grow in your faith, live according to God’s Word, share your faith, be a living sacrifice, be a witness. Let God sort out the other stuff.

We also need to give people the space and grace to change

Spiritual Formation is not behavior modification - it’s a heart transplant - cell by cell - Jesus removing our old selves and replacing it with the new - conformed to His image

BUT IT TAKES TIME!

SO, where do we get to the point to take a stand for what is right - stand against what is wrong?

Taking a stand...

Matthew 7:6 ““Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.”

We stand firm on God’s word. What it says is right is right - what it says is wrong is wrong.

We love people - we are compassionate, grace-filled, merciful - remembering the Beattitudes (poor in spirit, hunger and thirst for righteousness, meek, peacemakers)

We are salt and light.

BUT

AND THIS IS HARD FOR SOME OF US...

WE REACH A POINT WHERE WE WILL NOT THROW PEARLS BEFORE PIGS OR GIVE TO DOGS WHAT IS HOLY.

What does that mean?

Matthew 10:5–15 “These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. As you enter the house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.”

JESUS IS SAYING GO OUT AND SHARE THE GOSPEL - DO ALL THE THINGS I TAUGHT YOU IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT BUT AS YOU ARE DOING THAT IF PEOPLE DON’T RECEIVE YOU - MOVE ON

What does this require? DISCERNMENT.

Where do we get that? Being connected to the Vine and allowing Him to be on the throne of our heart!

There we are, back to this heart thing.

SOTM is exposing us - our motives - the why behind the what in our lives, and we need to have right hearts in this area more than any other.

AND WE NEED TO PRAY, LORD, ALIGN MY HEART WITH YOURS. HELP ME TO NOT LABEL PEOPLE AND JUDGE THEM BUT TO SEE THEM THROUGH YOUR EYES. HELP ME TO NOT BE AFRAID TO LIVE OUT MY FAITH, TO BE LOVING< GRACE-FILLED, MERCIFUL, and KIND, but to also know when I am throwing pearls to pigs

THE reason most of us are not comfortable with that is because we feel like doing that is judging someone.

BUT YOU ARE NOT JUDGING THEM IN THIS REGARD…THEY ARE MAKING THE CALL.

Jesus is just telling you that once they make that call…honor it. You’ve done your part - keep moving on.

This also points back to last week and trusting that God is sovereign. If that person is chosen by God, called to be His own, it will happen.

If not, you are giving to dogs what is holy.

Matthew 15:21–28 “And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.”

Jesus lived out this principle…this Canaanite woman obviously pursued Him…she was persistent - she didn’t turn Him away. If so, He would have kept walking.

We have to be like Jesus in this…if a person who doesn’t match our ideals comes to us - we meet them where they are. When we go to others - if they refuse us and don’t receive us - we keep moving because there are others out there who are ready to receive.

And if we get so focused on reaching those who don’t want to be reached, we miss some of those who do want to be reached.

To wrap this up...

Don’t judge - you’re not qualified.

If you do judge - you are going to be handled the same way you handle others.

Freely share the Holy Spirit with those who receive you, but not with those who don’t.

Jesus must be on the throne of your heart for you to do this.

All of the SOTM is about the condition of your heart and who is on the throne of your heart.

If it is Jesus - your life should mirror what He’s teaching in the power of His Holy Spirit.