Matthew 7:1-6, "Living in the Light of Eternity"

“Living in the Light of Eternity”

How quickly we can defame and slander someone else. Often we may not even be aware of our motives in judging others. Possibly, we judge others out of our self-righteousness. Judging others gives us a sense of superiority. We may judge to injure someone who has injured us or maybe we want to be the center of attention and proclaiming some gossipy news we think helps us to fit in or looks good to others. A virulent means of judging is the social me-dia. Unbelievable statements are made under the cover of the anonymity of the internet. Judging is a cultural norm in our society.

I. Judgment Day is Coming –

A. Jesus is teaching the doctrine of the last judgment –

1. We will be judged for every idle word –

2. There is a day when God will judge the secrets of men –

B. Revilers and defamers do not stop to think about the judgment seat of God.

1. They think they are free to say whatever they want –

2. The abuse of is for unbelievers to judge anyone who holds to a moral position or a doctrine that is true. The demand is to be free from any moral correction.

II. Examine Yourself First –

A. Irony of a person with a beam in their own eye trying to do surgery on someone with a speck in their eye

1. They refuse to evaluate themselves in the same area they judge others –

2. Evaluating others requires humility on the evaluator’s part

B. Correct your own behavior before, or at least at the same time as correcting others

1. Our concern is the praise of God –

2. We are not the lawgiver but we live under the authority of the law and the Lord who gave the law

Lord who gave the law

III. Correction is the Glue to Community –

A. Remove the speck from your brother’s eye

1. Confront and correct him –

2. The church has the responsibility to judge – behavior and doctrine

3. In the process of reconciliation, Christ is present

B. Christ is not present when we act as if we are the lord, judge, and executioner

1. We are to personally make discernment –

2. Correct a fool and he will hate you –

3. Answer a fool according to his folly and you will become like him –

C. Christ died to bring reconciliation –

1. Judgmental slander denies the person and authority of Christ

2. Reconciliation reveals the presence of Christ – to help someone reconcile with God is to wash that person’s feet –

with God is to wash that person’s feet –

Live your life under the eye of the Judge who is the Savior.