Dogs And Pigs

Scripture

Matthew 7:1–6 ESV

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see 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,’ when there is the log 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 dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

Intro

Tattoo face in prison

From the outward appearance he belongs their but he is full of the joy of the Lord

“Don’t judge me” is a popular phrase

They are judging that you are judging

So is “We’re not supposed to judge” from folks in the church

Judge not

A plain and equitable rule, whereby God permits you to determine for yourselves in what manner he shall deal with you in the judgment of the great day. ~ John Wesley

Simple rule

Are we trying to help someone off the floor or kick them while they are down?

Maybe we are trying to push them to the ground

Judgement vs. Discernment

Never good enough

Overly critical

Gossip

The objective is to take eyes away from ourselves

Don’t look at the log in my eye!

We want to bring people down below us

Maybe we feel threatened

Our righteousness needs to be better than theirs

Showing partiality

“Prominent” members

Sometimes it’s those “prominent” members who are the most trouble

Leviticus 19:15 “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.”

James 2:1–4 “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”

Acts 10:34–35 “So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”

We hold the worst against one another

Do we want to be looked upon based on our worst moments?

We should all be in the process of sanctification

Everyday we should be growing and becoming more like Christ

Cancel culture

Everyone has faults, no one is perfect except Jesus of Nazareth

To always look at the worst is intended to tear the system down

Always looking at the worst tears the good apart and forces our eyes to the darkness

Matthew 6:22 ““The eye is the lamp of the body.”

Look at one another in the light of Christ

Give each other the benefit of the doubt

Matthew 9:36 “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Luke 7:44–47 “Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.””

Then you will see clearly to take out the speck

We are to watch out for one another

James 5:19–20 “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

Hebrews 13:17 “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

Hebrews 10:24–25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Dogs and pigs

Who is Jesus calling dogs and pigs?

Dogs and pigs were considered to be unclean animals

Proverbs 26:11 “Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.”

2 Peter 2:22 “What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.””

These were false teachers, those leading people away from God’s truth

Dogs and pigs would seem to mean those who are not saved

Discernment is needed

It would take discernment to determine who the false teachers were

A judgment would also need to be made to throw them out of the church

It would take discernment to determine who is saved and who is not

What is holy and what are the pearls?

Attempting to help others makes you vulnerable

To do it right, you have to be in a place of humility

You also need a relationship with them that would provide the discernment needed

Jesus talks about the kingdom of heaven being a pearl of great worth

The kingdom of heaven is holy, set apart, from the world

Don’t give what is holy to the world to be trampled on

We are to guard what is holy

Aren’t we supposed to sow the seeds of the kingdom?

The message begins with repentance

Don’t waste time on those who only want to argue

Luke 10:8–12 “Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.”

1 Corinthians 5:9–13 “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.””

This seems harsh but it is the message Jesus preached. We have to be careful how we are making judgments, who we determine to be the dogs and the pigs. The Pharisees were high society in those days and Jesus called them a brood of vipers and that their father was the devil. We can also get this suffering complex and think we are high and mighty because people don’t like us. Live with compassion, live with truth, and seek those who would hear gospel.

So what

Know that everyone is of high value to God

Jesus died for the sins of the world

The first person on the chopping block is me

Look at your own faults before looking at others

Don’t waste time with people who only want to argue

Pour your life into those who are hungry