Be Gracious

Intro

we are into the final leg of our series.

I’ve said along the way that the bigger series BE could really be broken up into smaller sub series. The first part laid the foundation of what true righteousness is, and that there is blessing in it.

The second part looked at how our relationships with others was to be different. Our marriages and our friendships should be different, should be better then the average one.

The third part looked at different disciplines. As followers of Jesus, our appraoch to prayer and money should be different then the rest of the world. Our God is different from other gods, and because we can have a relationship with our Heavenly Father, that should impact every area of our life.

In this final part of our series, Jesus is going to unpack how to not be a hypocrite when it comes to life and faith. He is going to show us how to authentic, and how to identify if someone is being less then authentic.

This morning, we are going to look at the one way hypocrisy sneaks into our life, and I would say that this passage addresses a really important aspect of life in today’s current culture.

Matthew 7:1–2 NLT

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.

Judged by Others

A recent article suggested that Matthew 7:1 has become the most quoted verse in Scripture in the last decade. In fact, to be specific, the first half of the verse, “Do not judge others.” Why? Because if you just quote the first half of the verse and say, “The Bible says...” it can be used as a defense mechanism. I am going to live my life however I want to, and the Bible says to not judge others, so you can’t tell me what I’m doing is wrong because that is judging. I feel judged when you tell me I’m wrong

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Jesus isn’t saying to not judge others. In fact, later in this very passage, He is going to unpack the grounds with which we are to use our God given judgment in life and faith.

Jesus is addressing the kind of judgment that is condemning. One author went so far to say that He was addressing habitual judgment. Jesus is talking about the kind of judgment that looks down on others. The kind of judgment that is condescending.

Why? Well there’s two reasons:

The measure with which you judge people, people will return the favor. If you are a harsh judge of people, expect people to pass harsh judgment back. If you want to hold a high standard, you better be ready to be held to a high standard.

The measure with which you judge others is the measure God will use when you stand before Him in judgment. One author said that when we pass judgment on others, we invite God’s judgment on ourselves.

The other kind of judgment is the restorative kind. It is identifying that there is sin in someone’s life and having the desire to help them overcome.

How do you know if you are using the right kind of judgment? What is your motive? Do you want to help them overcome the problem, or do you simply want to point out that there is a problem?

When you think about it, that’s the judgment you and I experience in our walk with God. When we feel that conviction of the Holy Spirit, isn’t a condemning judgment. It is a conviction that draws us closer to God and allows Him to help overcome.

How do you judge others?

Matthew 7:3–5 NLT

“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

Judge Yourself First

To start, I want to point out the scale of the hyperbole that Jesus is using here. The log that Jesus is refering to would be the beam used in construction at the time to support the floor or roof of a building. We are talking about a monster piece of wood.

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There is a simple version of what Jesus is saying that has probably been taught in every Sunday School class since Sunday School has been a thing. Deal with your own sin before you start trying to help others with theirs.

But let’s unpack this a little more, since you can handle a little deeper understanding. As we just discussed in the previous passage, Jesus isn’t saying not to judge. He isn’t saying that you shouldn’t address the speck in the eye of your brother or sister. That speck needs to be dealt with. That sin or problem that you see needs to be addressed.

Just don’t come at it from the perspective that you have got it all together and never make a mistake. The reason Jesus uses the imagery of the log or beam is because we should be very aware of the sin in our life. We are all sinners in need of a Savior, and we are all in constant need for forgiveness and grace.

So the question is, have we dealt with the sin in our own life, or have we attempted to sweep it under a rug or downplay its significance?

If we have, we still go into a situation of correction humbly because we are both sinners and we both need help.

It is no coincidence that here Jesus talks about the beam, and later He talks about taking up our cross in order to follow Him. You don’t have to live with the condemnation of sin, you don’t have to live under the power of sin, and you can live with victory over sin. But as part of the lifelong journey of being sanctified, you will continue to sin, you will continue to make mistakes, and you will continually have to run to Jesus for forgiveness.

So in light of that, we come to every moment of correction humbly and seeking mutual redemption.

There is one important note I want to point out before we move on. The original language used words like beam and splinter. Though the size may be different, the material is the same.

You will always be more accutely aware of the sin in your life in others. Whatever it is you struggle with, whatever temptation you are trying to overcome; you will recognize it in others. Even if it is a small problem, early stages, your experience has made you keenly aware. The challenge is to not over react when you see it in someone else.

How aware are you of the sin in your own life?

Matthew 7:6 NLT

“Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.

Know Your Audience

Jesus is using another acceptable form of judgment in this verse. We would typically use the good church word discernment here, but it is the same thing really.

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So the teaching that Jesus is giving here can be taken multiple ways.

The first is the most simplistic and ties with everything we have been talking about this morning. When you recognize that someone has sin or a struggle in life, you need to determine how receptive they are going to be to the correction. You can have everything else on the list checked off. Your heart is right, you are ready the walk along side this person, and you have addressed and confessed the sin in your own life. Now you go to the person that you love and want to help, and they tell you to fly a kite. What do you do?

Don’t call them a pig or dog, but just recognize that they are not in a place to receive what you are offering. Do not give what is holy and good to someone who is not ready to receive.

This goes for sharing your faith as well. The worst thing any of us could do is force our beliefs on someone who is not ready or willing to receive. In fact, if we try to share with someone who is not in a place to receive, you could open the gospel to ridicule and actually hurt the cause of the kingdom. So use your good judgment to know how receptive your audience is.

Here is the other layer to Jesus’ teaching, and it ties to where we started. Dogs were and continue to be the most despised of all creatures in the east. Pigs are unclean animals that the Jews would have despised. To refer to someone as a dog or a pig would have been the gravest of insults. Let’s be honest, not much has changed.

If you see someone as less then yourself, you will not share with them something of immense value. Jesus is warning about using improper judgment in reference to others. Our commission is to go and make disciples of all nations. It is hard to make disciples if we see certain people as dogs or pigs. We may not actually use those words, but it does point out an attitude of the heart.

Jesus isn’t really telling us to withhold things from people. He is telling us to see people as they are; image bearers of God Almighty. There may be people in this world that are lost but they are just that; lost, confused, and blinded by the lies of the world. They are not dogs or pigs, but simply sinners like the rest of us in need of a Savior. So do not withhold the pearls of God’s love from anyone simply because you don’t like them.

BE Gracious