Judgment
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
Intro:
AG:
TS: Jesus is the middle of preaching a sermon. It started with the Beattitudes. As His congregation listened, Jesus tells them what people who are in His family look like. His sermon continued as He contrasted real righteousness with religious ritual as He called His disciples to a higher level of living.
Today, Jesus addresses a part of human nature that needs desperate reformation! is one of the best known and most frequently misused verses in the NT. Here Jesus says, “Do not judge.” If you lift that phrase out of its context, you wrongfully conclude that we literally have no business preaching that anything is right or wrong.
“Who am I to judge?” is the often WRONG conclusion. To interpret this in that fashion makes Jesus contradict even Himself in other passages. In fact, a couple of sentences later He speaks of us helping remove sin and error in our brothers and sisters.
RS: Common sense tells us that there will be no real society if no one judged others. In an evil and sinful world, no community can exist for long where nobody is ever held responsible:
no citizen would sit on a jury or call a failed leader to account;
no teacher would grade a student's performance.
And, when you come to think of it, nobody would ever forgive anyone for wrongs he had done; we only forgive people for what we accuse them, and we blame them only after we have judged them.
Today, we want to gain a proper understanding of judgment and why we shouldn’t play Judge and Jury?
Judgement
Judgement
“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.
Judge = means to pass judgment, to make a judgment.
Implied in this context ‘to condemn’ ‘to pronounce opinion on right or wrong’.
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;
Judge not, condemn not, forgive not
Judge, condemn, forgive
This scripture may be one of the most misinterpreted verses in the NT. When people through this verse at us, what is typically meant is –
“Don’t talk to me about my questionable behavior.”
They argue that Jesus forbids any declaration of right and wrong.
We are each unique. God created us this way, and we should celebrate our differences, and our diversity.
They argue that God made us like we are and if we have a pet sin, we are free to indulge in it.
But that’s not exactly what Jesus is talking about here.
Jesus is not lowering the moral standard. Jesus is not saying everyone can just do what they want.
Remember, He spent the first part of his sermon raising the moral bar for everyone.
(You’ve heard it’s ok to divorce your wife - it’s not ok, you hear people pray fancy prayers for others to hear...that’s the wrong motive, etc)
Jesus often raised the moral bar, so as to say even to religious people...you are STILL in need of God.
What is Jesus saying?
As the context reveals, this does not prohibit all types of judging (v. ).
You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
There is a righteous kind of judgment we are supposed to exercise with careful discernment ().
And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’
And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.
When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread.
Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.”
But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?
Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”
But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
There is a righteous kind of judgment we are supposed to exercise with careful discernment ().
Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
Censorious, hypocritical, self-righteous, or other kinds of unfair judgments are forbidden; but in order to fulfill the commandments that follow, it is necessary to discern dogs and swine (v. 6) from one’s own brethren (vv. 3–5).
At issue here is the standard used to judge.
For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.
That puts it all in a new light.
That puts it all in a new light.
He saying - be aware of the standard you use for others, because you shouldn’t use a different standard for yourself
We are held to the same standard to which we hold others.
Thus, we need to ensure we are using the right measuring tool when exercising discernment.
I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
God’s word is truth
God’s word is truth
His word sanctifies us- It makes us holy.
Knowing His word
Living His word
Judging by His word is the only appropriate standard
Specks and logs
Specks and logs
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.
Mt 7:3-5
Think about the picture Jesus painted with His words.
Think about the picture Jesus painted with His words.
Imagine going to the ER for a bit of sawdust in your eye, and the doctor who comes in to help you has a 2 x 4 sticking out of his own eye!.
Too often, we are quick to point out the sin in others and are blind to our own sins.
His advice:
Take Care of YOUR problem first
Take Care of YOUR problem first
Remember that none of us is without sin
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
We must examine ourselves regularly and adjust accordingly.
We must examine ourselves regularly and adjust accordingly.
This should be where we spend the bulk of time in discernment
Spend much more time analyzing ourselves than we do others.
Look for pride, lust, lies, etc.
Examine both our actions and attitudes.
Thoughts and motives
Look in the mirror of God’s word often.
Compare yourself to Jesus and correct all in you which doesn’t measure up.
Hint, for all of us, it will be a long list!
It is noble to care for others and want to call them to repentance, but focus on fixing yourself primarily.
Notice the caution given in Galatians
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.
For each will have to bear his own load.
Watch yourself. Don’t fall into the temptation
Watch yourself. Don’t fall into the temptation
The temptation to pride and condemning the fallen is great
Then help those around you.
Then help those around you.
After we have removed our logs, then we can go on to call others to grow in Christ.
For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,
Implied in this is that we will aide our brothers and sisters remove specks.
Implied in this is that we will aide our brothers and sisters remove specks.
Our aim is never to condemn then, but we do call each other to holiness.
We must guard against heresy
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Wolves!
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
Wolves!
Wolves!
We must push each other in godliness
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
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.
Paul often addressed issues in the churches to which he wrote.
Paul often addressed issues in the churches to which he wrote.
He even named names and specific sins they were publically committing
One last note:
We are to inspect the fruit of brothers and sisters.
We are to inspect the fruit of brothers and sisters.
This doesn’t apply to the lost.
They are lost, we expect them to live as reprobates!
They have no light of God’s grace, how could they do otherwise?
They need to hear the gospel of repentance.
All have sinned and are guilty before God the just judge
Including us
God in His grace and mercy sent Jesus to take our punishment.
He died, so we don’t have to die!
He calls all men to repentance and faith.
For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them.
But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down)
“or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
If we come across as judgmental and condemning to our lost friends and neighbors, we are hindering the gospel
If we come across as judgmental and condemning to our lost friends and neighbors, we are hindering the gospel
Love them!
Tell them the good news!
Puppies and Pigs
Puppies and Pigs
“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.
“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.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
This principle is why Jesus Himself did not do miracles for unbelievers ().
This principle is why Jesus Himself did not do miracles for unbelievers ().
And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
(MSBNASB): his principle is why Jesus Himself did not do miracles for unbelievers (13:58).
This is to be done in respect for what is holy, not merely out of contempt for the dogs and swine.
The holy was to be separate from the corrupt
We cannot try to teach good behavior and morals to the lost.
They aren’t ready to receive it.
Again, call them to repentance and faith, not try to teach Biblical knowledge.
This can lead to an outward conformity to a type of righteousness and is dangerous.
Nothing here contradicts the principle of .
Nothing here contradicts the principle of 5:44.
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
That verse governs personal dealings with one’s enemies; this principle governs how one handles the gospel in the face of those who hate the truth.
Conclusion:
Conclusion: