Specks and Stakes

fushigi

strapping machine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEaaIEdzPA8

What’s the first thing his coworker should have done?

Judging others can get you in just as much trouble.

Matthew 7:1–6 NASB95

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at 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,’ and behold, the log is 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 what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

There is a parallel to the begining of chapter 6, when Jesus is pointing out how outward acts of righteousness can be misleading

In the same way, disciples should avoid external evaluations of individuals altogether

Luke 6:37 NASB95

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.

Paul seems to allude to this teaching of Jesus in Romans

Romans 2:1 NASB95

Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

James likewise talks about this same thing:

James 5:9 NASB95

Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.

Judging assumes a divine prerogative

300 Illustrations for Preachers Steinbrenner: The Secret Samaritan

To many baseball fans, George Steinbrenner was the emperor of the “evil empire”: the New York Yankees. He fired more people than most will ever hire. But to Rick Cerrone, former public relations director of the Yankees, George was someone entirely different. He says, “Not a lot of people know this, but he would hear of a story, read about someone in the newspaper who was having a hard time, and he would find them and help them, without getting any credit. He picked up random people’s medical bills. He was a very magnanimous, generous person.”

I would have never thought this about Steinbrenner if I hadn’t read Cerrone’s quote. I’m reminded that I often am guilty of pigeonholing people and judging them unfairly. Am I the only one, or do you struggle with the same thing?

Matthew 7:1 NASB95

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged.

There seems to be an implication of the future Judgment and how the final judgment belongs to God alone, and those who seek to judge others now usurp God’s position

The graphic language of Jesus’ teachings so far challenges its hearers to a radical personal commitment to God’s kingdom and righteousness that should scare them into taking care of it themselves.

But just in case his hearers are too dense to grasp that point, He makes it explicit in this passage

You dare not assume God’s perogatives by withholding forgiveness or judging

Disciples are instead objects of God’s evaluation, and God evaluates most graciously the meek

who recognize God alone as God and judge

Right Beliefs about judging are inadequate

Even early rabis taught to not judge your neighbor until you have been in his situation

The issue is not failure to discern, but hypocrisy in judging others for your own faults

In the marketplace, we see this image of measuring used

you would measure out to others the appropriate portions of what they were purchasing

leading to the jewish saying

By the measure by which a man metes is it measured to him

which jesus is likely referencing when he says

Matthew 7:2 NASB95

“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.

Measuring Cups

You blind yourself by rationalizing away your guilt

300 Illustrations for Preachers Wife Going Deaf?

A man thinks his wife is losing her hearing. A doctor suggests that he try a simple at-home test: Stand behind her, ask her a question from different distances, and see when she can hear it. The man goes home, sees his wife in the kitchen facing the stove, and asks from the door, “What’s for dinner tonight?” No answer. Ten feet behind her, he repeats, “What’s for dinner tonight?” Still no answer. Finally, right behind her he says, “What’s for dinner tonight?” His wife turns around and says, “For the third time—chicken.”

Jesus taught us to look at our own shortcomings before we blame others.

Matthew 7:5 NASB95

“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.

A splinter or woodchip in your eye might make you blind, but a plank imbedded in your eye would certainly make you blind

the image probably borrowed from a carpender’s workplace is graphic

consider the absurdity of one’s walking around with a thick roof beam protruding from your eye, totally ignorant of your impossibly grotesque state

Just as you wouldn’t want a blind person leading you around a pit, you wouldn’t want a blind eye surgeon operating on your eyes

Only someone who sees well is competent to heal others’ source of blindness,

Thus, you must “pluck out” any impediments to your sight

Even when you are right, you shouldn’t impose the truth on others against their will

Matthew 7:6 NASB95

“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

The dogs here are likely the Gentiles and the pearl the gospel of the kingdom

Matthew 15:26 NASB95

And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

The saying might be warning Jesus’ disciples against giving miracles to those who are unwilling to be a part of the family

Just as Jesus demands faith and submission rather than bestowing his power like magic

If that is the case, then this saying forces you to press in to become a true disciple

Dogs here could also refer to the wicked or oppressors more generally

it was also commonly known that stray scavenger dogs, which were common in Jewish Palestine, growled at those feeding them as much as at passing strangers

Clearly these are people who do not value what disciples have to offer

like swine who find what looked like peas or acorns to be inedible instead

Swine proverbially lack appreciation of value

What are YOUR planks?

300 Sermon Illustrations from Charles Spurgeon The Burden of Sin like a Heavy Bucket (John 17:15)

Did you ever try to pull a bucket up a well? You know that, when it is full of water, you can pull it easily so long as the bucket remains in the water. But when it gets above the water, you know how heavy it is.

It is just so with you. While you are in sin, you do not feel it to be a burden. It does not seem to be evil. But if the Lord once draws you out of sin, you will find it to be an intolerable, a heinous evil.

Romans 12:1–2 NASB95

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 8:5 NASB95

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 3:18 NASB95

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.

1 John 1:6–7 NASB95

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

James 5:16 NASB95

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Luke 6:37–38 NASB95

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”

Ephesians 4:31–32 NASB95

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Ephesians 5:1–6 NASB95

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

1 John 2:6 NASB95

the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

1 John 3:1–3 NASB95

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.