Kingdom Dwellers judgment
Kingdom Instructions for Kingdom Dwellers • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 29:53
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A few quick thoughts to start
A few quick thoughts to start
Don’t judge me! Bible says that! Have you heard that or something similar before? Today as we look at our passage may we try to come to a better understanding of what Jesus means when He said “Do not judge. . . “
1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
Mt7:
“Judge not that you be not judged. . .”
“Judge not that you be not judged. . .”
What did Jesus mean when he made the statement?
May we keep into consideration the problems Jesus has already addressed. The Pharisees were already challenging Jesus teaching and were judging Jesus and the disciples by the letter of the law, Jesus is about the spirit of the law.
Is
Pharisee’s judged to make themselves look better, they were taking on the role of playing God as they condemned people for not following the teaching of the elders and the law of Moses.
The Luke parallel (Lk6:37-38) brings to light that God is the judge and that is true, but today people are judging us right now and we better be careful how we judge, the kind of judgment we use when it comes to others.
People use that phrase “judge not that you be not judged” often times when someone is pointing out sins or faults.
The impression is given in this a passage that we should never make moral judgment in what we see in others, but is that what it means? We will have to continue to look at this.
Does this mean there should be no judgment at all?
Tolstoy had this to say, “In the gospel of St. Luke, chapter 6, verses 37-39, these words come immediately after the commandment not to resist evil, and to return good for evil. After the words, ‘Be merciful, even as your Father in heaven is merciful,’ we read, ‘Do not judge, and you shall not be judged; do not condemn, and you shall not be condemned.’ ‘Doesn’t it mean that we are not only never to condemn our brother in word – i.e., speak evil of him – but that we are not to institute courts of law for the condemnation of a fellow-creature to punishment?’ I said to myself; and no sooner did this question arise, than both my heart and my reason answered in the affirmative.” = = = that was Tolstoy’s belief is there is to be no judgment except God’s by God’s hand not man’s, was this a right view? May we allow the scripture to speak for itself here today.
Many have misused Jesus words and His teaching
Often misused for Jesus even teaches in this passage that there are times to use judgment (uses example of dogs and pigs).
Some take it again meaning no judgment at all, including church discipline, no pointing out sins of another in hope of repentance.
No judgment would mean we accept whatever is being taught is true, even if we think someone is teaching in error we could not point it out to them.
Judgment needs to start with self before turning eyes outward.
We will develop this more as we go along today.
In this passage keeping in context Jesus is still teaching the kingdom dweller in which He has already called into account their character, their influence, their righteousness, piety and ambition, now comes to some conduct within personal relationships.
A good summary of these verses is:
“Do not judge others until you are prepared to be judged by the same standard. And then, when you exercise judgment toward others, do it with humility.” - Stuart Weber
There is a word that all of the commentators use and I think I will give it and the definition regarding judgment.
Dictionary result for censorious /adjective severely critical of others. synonyms: hypercritical, overcritical, severely critical, disapproving, condemnatory, condemning, castigatory, denunciatory, deprecatory, disparaging, unforgiving, reproachful, reproving, censuring, captious, fault-finding
One commentator called this section the disciples respect. And it comes from self awareness first and then respect for others for knowing own shortcomings and faults first. It would bring in a manner of love, respect, mercy and grace in dealing with others since we need that for ourselves first.
Dictionary result for censorious /adjective severely critical of others. synonyms: hypercritical, overcritical, severely critical, disapproving, condemnatory, condemning, castigatory, denunciatory, deprecatory, disparaging, unforgiving, reproachful, reproving, censuring, captious, fault-finding
Dictionary result for censorious /adjective severely critical of others. synonyms: hypercritical, overcritical, severely critical, disapproving, condemnatory, condemning, castigatory, denunciatory, deprecatory, disparaging, unforgiving, reproachful, reproving, censuring, captious, fault-finding
In Jesus teaching the kingdom dwellers he is teaching them not to censorious of others that judgment needs to start within first.
OK, now may we look at the passage together then go from there.
1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
3 “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? 4 “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?
5 “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. 6 “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.
5 “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.
Helping others starts with judging self
Helping others starts with judging self
May we remember what Jesus said back in Mt5:20 regarding righteousness and as a kingdom dweller we are to be different than the world. This started with getting the right assessment of ourselves and that started back in Mt5:3-11.
20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Look at Jesus instructions in this passage
Do not judge (Mt7:1)
1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.
By the measure you judge you will be judged.
1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
So there is going to be judgment, we are going to do it, but the manner, or measure you judge, be ready to be held to the same measure hence why Jesus gives more instructions.
Take logout of your eye first, then help brother (Mt7:5; Lk18:9-14; Mt6:23-23)
5 “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.
Jesus has always meant for us to help our brother, the one who is of faith, that is who He is addressing, believers, disciples. That is why you see a distinction made in Mt7:6 and that is for another day.
Insert plank in your eye picture already saved on computer
We need to get right first, get log out of our eye first.
As ridiculous as the illustration maybe Jesus is making a valid point. How can you help someone get something out of their eye when you cannot even see out of your own? We need to fess up to our own sins, shortcomings before we can help someone with theirs.
The Pharisees were good at looking at the sins of others, but refused to look at their own.
9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’
13 “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14 “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Getting the plank, log out of our own eye (spiritually)
Kingdom dwellers should judge themselves so that they can help others look good.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
Kingdom dwellers cannot judge the heart, only the actions; God will judge the heart (Rom2:16; Col3:22-25)
16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
God knows and will judge the secrets of the heart
22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. 25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.
God will will reward the service from the heart.
It is good to exercise judgment, but not OK to have a judgmental attitude. One is an action that should be carried out with right motives the other is a negative character quality.
Kingdom dwellers should not have a critical spirit about u but to seek to have a discerning spirit (Rom2:1; Rom14:10-13; 1Cor4:5 and 1Cor5:12)
1 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.
Get the plank out of your own eye so as not to condemn yourself.
10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God.”
12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.
(insert picture stumbling block)
We will give an account to God; so be sure not to judge and place a stumbling block before your brother.
5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.
May we not pass judgment on the heart for God knows the motives of men’s hearts. And the Lord will make, bring all things to light.
So in your judgment remember what Jesus says in (v.2)
2 “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
So in short if you judge harshly, you will be judged harshly, but if you judge generously you will be judged generously.
When we judge ourselves honestly and appropriately before God and have removed the things before us that blind us (the plank, the log) hen we can hep others and not be hypocrites.
5 “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.
Discerning judgment
Discerning judgment
Jesus implies there are times when we must make judgments, after we have taken the plank, log out of our own eye by self examination, judgment.
5 “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.
When we have done that then we are able to help others who maybe overtaken by their own faults and we can help to restore, in face we are commanded to (Gal6:1-2)
1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
The spiritual is the one who has properly judged himself and there is no plank, long in their eye anymore and the judgment (discernment) they use is for restoration and must be done with mercy and love.
When discerning (judging) it must be done with mercy and love (Jm2:13)
13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
Said in the negative to show the importance of the positive.
Judgment of self gives ability to discern and help others
Judgment must be done between those who are worthy and those who are dogs and swine (Mt7:6; Mt10:12-15; Act13:42-46)
6 “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.
This means there are some who are not worthy of that which is holy
Some are like dogs and swine
People who are hostile to the gospel message that are enemies of the cross.
Look at Jesus instructions to his disciples
12 “As you enter the house, give it your greeting. 13 “If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace.
14 “Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. 15 “Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.
Mt10:1
42 As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath. 43 Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God.
Act
44 The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming.
46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.
What started off good, then turned to negative, in fact they ran Paul and Barnabas out of town
May we remember not to be censorious. There is one Lawgiver who is able to save.
11 Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?
Jam4
(lead to encouragement) (encouragement slide)
May we be a people who refrain from such judging but one who is apt to remove beam, plank, log from own eye so then can help others with mercy and grace. (check time and expand if have time)
(encouragement slide 2) prayer (exit slide)
/senˈsôrēəs/adjectiveseverely critical of others.