Judge More, Not Less!
Notes
Transcript
The Golden Way (v12-14)
The Golden Way (v12-14)
...don’t treat people like [you] want to be treated, but instead, how THEY want to be treated.
And here’s a hint. You won’t know until you ask them.
This is the essence of loving your neighbor as yourself.
Note that this not optional, or recommended; rather a rule to follow and what SHOULD be common and expected of believers.
This is for OTHERS, not merely brothers
I’ve seen a LOT of violation across political divides lately
I’ve seen a LOT of violations in my life across racial divides
I see a LOT of violations in current times against several groups, e.g. LGBTQ and Muslim
The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
While this IS about loving our neighbors, this does NOT mean we can or should violate other scriptures to accomplish this.
but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
This Golden Rule then requires us (even beyond direct evangelism) to interact, to dialogue, to love everyone that God has put in our lives, oh and God gets to define love.
Keep the Questions Coming (v7-11)
Keep the Questions Coming (v7-11)
Abuse of this text
Abuse of this text
This is NOT a proof text for name it and claim it
This does not mean that if you haven’t received that the problem is a lack of degree of faith
This takes away our excuses
This takes away our excuses
“I have asked and prayed and nothing has happened, so I have given up.”
Prayer is about bringing us in line with God’s will, not changing His Holy mind and prerogative.
Do you think you can cajole God into being better than He is?
Do we believe that God is giving us a stone or a serpent? (v9)
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
This text does speak of God’s generosity toward us
This text does speak of God’s generosity toward us
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
God commands (not merely suggests) us to ask and seek (this includes prayer, thoughts, meditation, and ultimately desire and trust, but it is about seeking HIM, and asking in accordance with His perfect will.
Judge More, Not Less (v1-6)
Judge More, Not Less (v1-6)
The opening verse of ch 7 is one of the most abused texts in the Bible, but in context (along with the rest of the Bible) requires judging, it just requires that we judge rightly, righteously, which is to say judge biblically.
The term judge in v1 means to condemn (we would say being judgy)
There is a warning in v2… beware
There is a humbling reminder in v3-5
airline masks - put yours on first
3 instances of mandatory judgment in church life:
3 instances of mandatory judgment in church life:
every single motion at business meeting
every time someone presents for membership
every sermon I (or anyone) preach
3 texts that require us to make judgments
3 texts that require us to make judgments
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. “ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.
If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
The measure (7:1) with which we ought to judge is God’s Word. as such we will boldly, but graciously stand against sin and humbly strive for righteousness.
If we are using the measure of the Word, then we can seek from God wisdom and we will find it; also we will see that we should seek Christ first, and lives of holiness and find that we will never be turned away by God.
We will then be informed in our understanding, and oriented in our hearts to love our neighbors as ourselves (not seeking to condemn them)…this is the narrow way that leads to paradise. THAT is the historic witness of the churches of Jesus.