Rapid Fire Round
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This last chapter of Jesus’ sermon on the mount - which we’ll finish next week,
is like a rapid fire question round. All the little sections are related to the wider sermon, but not tightly related to teach other.
So we have 4 somewhat separate points today.
1 - Do not be a hypocritical judge v1-5
1 - Do not be a hypocritical judge v1-5
‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
This is probably one of the most commonly quoted verses (often by accident) by Christians and non-Christians.
Do not judge.
or - you can’t judge me,
Or I shouldn’t judge them.
But actually Jesus doesn’t simply say - do not judge - end of story.
He explains what he means.
For in the same way as you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
So - he says don’t judge, but he also explains our attitude towards others in terms of judgement will somehow be reflected in God’s judgement of us.
And he goes on
‘Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
It’s actually quite a funny image - someone with a huge plank in their eye trying to remove the tiny speck from someone elses.
I wonder if the plank Jesus is referring to might often be our judgemental attitude towards others!
We all have problems we need to deal with before God - so recognise that before you deal with each other.
But while we first need to remove the plank
- we are also to help our brothers and sisters with the speck of dust or even thier own planks.
Jesus is not saying we turn a blind eye to sin,
or ignore problems in other peoples lives,
(which is often what we think when we say ‘we mustn’t judge’
but he is saying we deal with it with an attitude
that accepts that we have received more forgiveness and grace from Jesus,
than we will ever have to show each other.
Else where in the NT we are encouraged to hold each other to account,
to discern critically how we behave and love and live for Jesus.
We are to discipline those who publicly sin and so on.
But we do it all from a position of humility and love - for we are just as unworthy before God.
What Jesus is warning against is harsh judgement of others,
fault finding,
negative and destructive criticism
and actively seeking out other peoples faults.
assuming the worst motives of people,
being very ungenerous when we find their mistakes.
Jesus’ logic is simple
- If you judge people like that clearly you haven’t understood the enormous grace God has shown you
- and if we continue unrepentantly judgemental of others
- then perhaps we have never received the grace of Jesus
- and therefore will be judged by our own measure - before God.
And that can only lead to being refused entry to the kingdom of Heaven.
No instead - we dwell on the mercy show us,
the forgiveness of our own sins all through the death and resurection of Jesus in our place.
- and then that allows us to graciously, lovingly, but rightly
- help one another deal with each others sin,
our specks of dust, or planks of wood in our eyes.
That is not judging - that is loving.
2 - Show discernment in Spreading the Gospel v6
2 - Show discernment in Spreading the Gospel v6
‘Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
This is a fairly stand alone instruction, but perhaps Jesus adds it here as it offers a balance to what he has just said.
We are to be humble and generous in our critical support of one another
But - we are not expected by Jesus to ‘never’ bring about a judgement on others.
For there is something that is worth judging when enough is enough..
The obvious questions are, who are the dogs or pigs, and what is ‘sacred or pearls’.
The pearl or what is sacred seems to fit most simply with an idea jesus will teach on later - the pearl of great price.
‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Jesus has spoken much of the kingdom of heaven already - and so the pearl or what is sacred has to be the keys to the kingdom.
It’s what we call the Gospel - the good news of Jesus
- that he died for our sins when we repent and believe in him as Our Lord.
So who are the dogs or pigs...
Jews held Dogs and pigs as unclean,
- They were not permitted to eat pig - or dog for that matter.
- and they would never think of offering sacred food or fine pearls to such animals!
So, assuming Jesus is not literally talking about animals - he must be speaking about those who are unclean.
In other words those who are not God’s chosen people.
But again - Jesus can’t possibly mean we must not share the gospel with non-Jews!
For that is why Jesus came - for all nations!
So a couple of other NT references help us think about who is in mind here:
Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.
Outside are the dogs, those who practise magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practises falsehood.
In other words these are people heavily and persistently set against the gospel of Jesus.
People who have had plenty an oppertunity to hear and respond to the gospel,
and yet actively and often aggressively reject it.
Jesus demonstrtaes this point when he send the 12 disciples out to spread the gospel,
If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
or Paul the apostle
When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.’
In other words it’s not only ok to move on with the gospel if our work if thoroughly unfruitful,
but we may actually be causing the trampling the Kingdom of God through the mud if we persist in handing it to those who are violently opposed to it and who persistently blaspheme the name of God in response.
It is worth saying that this is the extreme and the last resort in mind here for Jesus.
For we all once stood opposed to the Gospel
- and many of us will testify to the persistent and gracious patience of Christians sharing the gospel many times with us before conversion.
But I wonder if this sort of reminder is incredibly encouraging to the persecuted Christian (which the disciples will all become)
who is beaten or tourtured if they share the gospel with their opressor.
Their judgement will come says Jesus - and it’s ok to move on, or stay silent in such extreme cases.
And in church planting and missionary settings - it’s ok to close a church in an area that has outright rejected Jesus,
or ok to move to a different village if the first will not accept the gospel.
It’s a last resort - yes - but it’s ok to know how wonderful and sacred our message is
- and we serve God almighty, who desires his gospel to reach those who ‘will’ respond in repentance and humility - so we go forwards with it.
If you’re a rejector of Jesus here today, perhaps this is a warning - it’s no light matter to dismiss his offer of salvation. - do chat to me of a Christian you know afterwards if you’d like to think more about his.
3 - Pray v7-11
3 - Pray v7-11
With such high calls as a Christian to not judge,
and to know when to move on from a blasphemous rejector of the gospel,
perhaps it’s not suprising that Jesus moves to his next lesson, and it’s not a new one.
Prayer
At one level Jesus makes a very simple and wonderful promise about prayer
‘Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
There appears to be a sense of progression in prayer form this teaching,
like a child might simply lift his head from playing with a toy and ‘ask’ for something.
And they are given.
But if they’re not given immediately,
perhaps they stand up and seek their parent if it’s important - and they find them.
The parent is not neglecting their duties, but the child has learnt they are to be active in this relationship - and they will find.
But perhaps they don’t find, and the situation is serious, so they knock on the door to their parents room and it’s opened.
It’s a wonderful picture of the certain promise of help for the child who prays,
We ask,
we seek,
we knock,
And we are heard says Jesus.
But, God our Father is no mere human parent!
‘Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Humans are evil says Jesus.
I hope that’s not a suprise to us - but Jesus is clear - we are evil.
We rebel against God, we live for ourselves, we could go on!
But we are evil by our nature.
And yet, by God’s common grace to all humanity,
most human parent know that to give a child a stone to eat - even if it looks like bread is a bad idea.
Even evil humans are afforded enough love from God to have love towards their children!
Oh but how much more our heavenly father loves us
- and will not give us in answer to our prayers something bad - but he will give us good gifts!
That said - it think it’s important to understand the context that Jesus says this as an encouragement,
- Today we are VERY used to our rights - what we deserve, we are owed by people - let alone God - He gave me this life, he jolly well better help me through it!
In that context - we could read these promises as justification of our rights and demands before God!
Ask Seek Knock - and as you demand - it will happen! The Genie in the lamp God!
With that attitude it’s no wonder we are often disillusioned by prayer and the lack of answers we receive!
I’m not getting what i want so why bother - or worse - what’s God’s problem!
But put yourself in a 1st century jewish situation in to which Jesus is teaching.
- life revolves heavily around the sacrificial system - and the great holy of holies that no-one cold go near for ‘fear’ of God!
what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
And as Jesus has just said - we are evil - I surely can’t even approach God let alone speak to him!
In that context ask, seek, knock, has a very different meaning!
Ask -doesn’t mean I get whatever I want , it means ‘what, you mean I have even the permission to ask of God?
Seek - you mean when I feel at a loss I can seek him!
When life is so hard - I have the permission to bang on his door and cry out - save me oh God!
Perhaps in our prayers, we first - need to get our position before God right..
We rarely kneel these days - or lie prostrate on the floor!
But that is the attitude our hearts still need to have.
And Then we enjoy the privileges we receive in prayer despite our evil and lowly nature!
Then when we
Ask Seek Knock - we are not expecting God to give us what we want or deserve
- but what we trust him in his holiness and glory to graciously bestow on his children!
Prayer is an awesome privilege and God will hear and answer us.
We are therefore not praying for our will, but His,
We are seeking salvation and forgiveness and righteousness - not a comfortable life.
After all - we have already been told God knows all our daily needs - we simply pray - give us this day our daily bread!
But the real things of life - storing treasure in the kingdom -, learning obedience and godliness, and the joy and peace of Jesus,
these are surely the things in Jesus’ mind when he says
‘Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
God will hear us when we pray - so pray
Martin Luther puts it like this
The Message of the Sermon on the Mount a. The Promises Jesus Makes
‘He knows that we are timid and shy, that we feel unworthy and unfit to present our needs to God … We think that God is so great and we are so tiny that we do not dare to pray … That is why Christ wants to lure us away from such timid thoughts, to remove our doubts, and to have us go ahead confidently and boldly.’
So finally, an very briefly..
4 - The Golden Rule v12
4 - The Golden Rule v12
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
This is the one rule that actually goverrns all the teaching of Jesus.
NExt time you read Matt’s gsoel - have this rule in mind and ask - how does it impact my attidude towards other..
I think it’s clear as to it’s meaning, but let me end with a quote from John Stott who puts it like this:
Verse 12 is the rule, the Golden Rule. It transforms our actions. If we put ourselves sensitively into the place of the other person, and wish for him what we would wish for ourselves, we would be never mean, always generous; never harsh, always understanding; never cruel, always kind.
John R. W. Stott
Jesus has not treated the repent sinner as we deserve to be treated - it is our call to pass on his loving grace to others.
Pray
Refecltion Questions
Do I judge others or lovingly care for them, how do i need to repent and change in this area?
Am I guilty of taking prayer for granted? What are the important things to ask, seek and knock in prayer?
How can the way Jesus loved me inspire me to treat others? What can I change in my own life in my attitude or treatment of others?