Coffee Mug Christianity pt 5

Coffee Mug Christianity  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  53:29
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What happens when we — when Christians — begin talking about “sin” in our world?
— People get angry, right?
— They begin to yell about how judgmental the church is… about how even Jesus — the one we say is God — told us not to…
What verse do they always quote?
Matthew 7:1 NIV
1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
They use it like some form of “cultural weapon”…
We’ve all experienced it, right? We’ve all had that moment when we’ve been accused of judging…
Why do people do that? Why do they accuse Christians — the Church — of being judgmental?
Well… Because of us, right!
We all know those “church” people… those “super-christians”…
You know the ones… They’re “holier than thou”… They have it all figured out, so their job now is to correct you…
(Beacon Heights story)
(That’s not the only story)
(First Church - Allessa)
“Some Christians seem to feel they are on ‘permanent jury duty’...” — Pastor Jerry Shirley
Even Andy Stanley fell victim to this…
He writes that in college… “I found that I had a need to be the ‘spiritual cop’ of my circle of friends. I was so zealous for Jesus that I felt that I needed to police people’s attitudes and activities…”
He goes on to tell how it got so bad that his friends wouldn’t even tell him what they were doing… because they knew he wouldn’t approve of it…
Look at:
Matthew 7:1 NIV
1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
I find it kind of funny that people who don’t know, or have a desire to know, Jesus quote Jesus in an attempt to shut up people who are trying to live for Jesus…
The problem is, they usually get it wrong!
But… So do most Christians!
This is arguably the most misused scripture in the Bible!
Look at it again…
Does this mean that we are to ignore sin… to turn a blind eye to it… ?
Does it mean that we are not supposed to talk to people about the sin in their lives?
That we are supposed to do like the world says and “accept it” because that’s the only way to “accept and love them”?
You know… because acceptance of people means accepting their “sin”…
The truth is… Jesus himself exposed false teachers… He exposed sin issues in people’s lives… and He admonished them to “sin no more”…
Look at what He said to the woman accused of adultery:
John 8:10–11 NIV
10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Jesus didn’t tell her it was ok! He didn’t tell her that she was “all good,” … That she didn’t have to change…
But… He didn’t condemn her either…
Look at:
Matthew 18:15–17 NIV
15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
How are we supposed to do this, if we do not “judge” sin as sin?
What does “to judge” mean?
Judge — “to form an opinion about [something] through careful weighing of evidence and testing of premises”
Jesus makes it clear… there are some things that our society… our culture… says are right that God calls sin.
We are told to apply sound “Godly” judgment in determining if something is right or wrong in God’s eyes…
(Now… that means that we have to be in God’s Word!)
But… our concern for today is: (this whole passage)
Matthew 7:1–6 NIV
1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “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? 4 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? 5 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. 6 “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.
What exactly is Jesus condemning in this passage?
Look at Matt. 7:1-2
Matthew 7:1–2 NIV
1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
First… Jesus points out an obvious thing that happens…
Look at how “The Message” states it:
Matthew 7:1–2 M:BCL
1 Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. 2 That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging.
Jesus is talking about a “critical spirit”…
A “Critical Spirit” is one that says: “I’m better than you. I’m a better Christian than you. I’ve got it all figured out… and I’m gonna prove it… Here are all your faults!”
It’s an attitude that criticizes and condemns rather than lifting up and encouraging…
Luke 18:9–14 (NIV)
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable:
10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Do you see His point?!?
The Church… Followers of Christ… are not supposed to be critical and condemning.
John 3:17 tells us that Jesus didn’t come to condemn…
John 3:17 NIV
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
So, why do we?!?
A critical spirit is a heart that is wrong!
Let me tell you… you can be technically and theologically right… but still have a heart that is wrong!
We are told to “Love our neighbors.”… to “love our enemies”… to love others with the love God has for us…
A judgmental, critical spirit is the total opposite of that!
I want you to see something…
Matthew 7:1–2 NIV
1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Jesus is talking about a “Critical Spirit”…
A Critical — or Judgmental — Spirit has no place in the life of a Christian…
When we judge others, not only does the world judge us, but so does God.
There are a lot of people out there… who call themselves Christians… who think they have the right to judge other people…
To judge other Christians… to judge non-Christians… even to judge Pastors…
But that’s not true!
We are ALL equal… We are all held to the same standards… We are all called to the same level of holiness…
We are called to walk together in mercy and love!
Now… That’s a lot right?!?
But… that’s not all Jesus has to say here…
Matthew 7:3–5 NIV
3 “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? 4 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? 5 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.
This almost seems like a sarcastic little joke…
Sawdust and planks… splinters and timbers…
Jesus is basically saying “Take the tree out of your life, before you worry about that toothpick in theirs!”
We are supposed to examine our own lives first!
Whether we like to admit it or not, we are all hypocrites!
We all hold a double-standard in some areas… in the judgments we make…
“We are umpires at heart; we like to call balls and strikes on somebody else.” — Michael Green
But…
Before we pass judgment on someone else, we are commanded to look in the mirror!
WHY?????
Because… what we will usually find… is that that fault we see in them… is usually what we see in ourselves!
Our own faults are amplified in others! (think about it)
Why do we judge in the first place?
— we want to feel better about ourselves…
— we elevate ourselves, our ego, by judging others as worse than us… (remember the Pharisee?)
But…
Look what Paul tells us:
Romans 12:3 (NIV)
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
How are we supposed to look at ourselves? (everybody say it)
— with sober judgment.
Remember… We are sinners…
Jesus took our sin away on the Cross… and poured out Grace and Mercy in its place!
Psalm 103:12–14 NIV
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
Look at —
— the woman at the well in John 4.
— the woman caught in adultery in John 8.
— the prodigal son in Luke 15.
Look at your own story!!!!
God has forgiven you… He has poured out Grace on you…
We have received Grace… Mercy…
That’s what they need!
Let me tell you…
The only thing we need to see… is our own faults! (but not in a condemning way)
Abbot Moses states: “They who are conscious of their own sins have no eyes for the sins of their neighbors.”
We need to be so focused on our own sin, that we don’t have time to judge others.
Only then can we see clearly enough to help them!
Matthew 7:5 NIV
5 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.
There is something important I want you to see here…
Matthew 7:6 NIV
6 “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.
Many theologians think this verse seems out of place… Like it oddly stands alone…
It’s often left out… or dealt with individually…
But… Jesus didn’t separate it!
Verse 6 is connected to what Jesus just said.
When we “judge” others… When we are critical and condemn them… When we deem them unfit…
We are literally throwing God’s gift of Grace to the pigs!!!!
Why would we do that?!?
God didn’t pour out His Grace and Mercy on us… in spite of our sin… just so we could throw it away!
He has transformed us!
2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Let me tell you something…
The World passes Judgement and condemnation… Christ gives transformation through Love and Mercy.
Romans 12:1–2 NIV
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Are you being transformed?
Are you allowing the Grace and Mercy of God to “warm your heart”?
Let me tell you something…
satan wants to prevent that…
satan wants us to be bound up in our own judgmental attitudes…
satan wants to distract us by keeping focused on our own sin and the sins of others…
satan wants us to keep judging each other…
and keeping score against each other…
he wants to keep us beat down in our own guilt and shame…
because when we are, we throw the pearls of God to the swine!
BUT… let me tell you something… no matter what satan is telling you… no matter what he is saying about your sins… (listen now)
That’s not who you are!!!
You have been REDEEMED by the creator of the world!
You are a NEW CREATION!!!
We are transformed when we walk with the Holy Spirit!
Let go and Let God!
Many of us here have been beat down by our own guilt…
We have been hiding…
Blaming others… judging them in order to hide our own guilt and shame…
We feel unworthy… unlovable… not good enough… and so we hide behind our own arrogance…
Maybe that’s you…
Maybe you’re sitting here this morning… listening to this message… thinking about all the sins in your life…
How you’ve treated your wife… your parents… your kids… your friends… , and you can’t imagine how you can ever get past those things…
That you’ll never be able to change… to make up for those mistakes…
You hear Jesus say: “Take the plank out of your eye...” But you don’t know how…
Jesus can help you.
Jesus can and will help us with the logs — the sins in our lives!
Christ died on the Cross to take away your sins… to carry your guilt and shame… All so that you could be transformed into something Holy!
He cast your sin as far as the East is from the West…
He gives us a Hope and a Future…
He makes ALL things new…
And He will do it for you EVERYDAY!!!!
— I don’t know what you’re dealing with…
— I don’t know what struggles you have…
— I don’t know the people you’ve hurt… or the people who’ve hurt you…
But I do know Jesus…
And I know that He doesn’t leave us or forsake us…
He won’t deny you…
He won’t condemn you…
He will transform you…
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