Judgment of Others
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Review: We are working our way through the sermon on the mount. We are in the last chapter of the sermon. Tonight’s passage is a popular one. It’s also one that is often misused.
Text:
1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. 3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
Opening Story/Illustration: I remember when I was a kid in youth group, My church went through a transition and hired a new youth pastor. He was new and honestly, wasn’t very good and his job. He came in to a youth group that had about 75 or 80 kids in it. One night we had youth service and there were a lot of people there..I mean a lot more than normal. We had worship and one of the girls asked to get up and say something. We thought she was going to pray or have a word from God or something. She gets up and she reads the first verse of our text and then says something about feeling judged and she grabs like 75% percent of the room and they walk out the door together trying to make some sort of statement.
Looking back, she probably had a right to feel the way she felt about some things and probably was being judged a little.
But she was also probably feeling conviction from God about some stuff she was doing and didn’t want to change.
Transition to points/discussion: This text we read tonight poses a lot of questions.
What does Jesus mean by saying this?
Do we not have a right to judge anyone for anything at all?
Do we have a right to call things right and wrong?
Should we never say anything when someone is clearly doing something that’s wrong?
How do we handle texts like this? We let scripture speak and interpret Scripture.
Jesus is not saying that we should just let people do anything they want and we aren’t allowed to call them out or challenge them when they are doing wrong. How do we know?
The word here “Judgment” can me to analyze and evaluate as well as to condemn or avenge. Believers are clearly called to analyze and evaluate. It’s when that turns into condemnation that Jesus has the problem.
Jesus himself called out people who were doing wrong.
13 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.
- We should test the spirits and call out those who are teaching falsely.
1 Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.
Paul calls out false teachers and sinners within the church
1 I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother. 2 You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship. 3 Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit. And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on this man 4 in the name of the Lord Jesus. You must call a meeting of the church. I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus. 5 Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns.
The problem Jesus has is when we try to play God. To Bring criticism, harsh judgment, anger, and condemnation on someone.
5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
He has an issue when we try to act like we are better than others.
Here’s the difference:
“You need to get that fixed Or you’re going to hell!”
“I see you’re struggling. I know what it’s like to struggle. Let me help you.”
There’s a difference between correction and warning for the sake of seeing someone changed and condemnation
There’s also a difference between helpful correction and warning and condemning people when we are doing the same things or worse.
Discussion
Discussion
With all that in mind, let’s talk about this passage.
Do you think the church has been and often is judgmental? Why? Why not? How has it been judgmental?
Many accuse the Church of being hypocritical. Why do you think they say this? Where are some places and instances you have seen hypocrisy?
What’s the solution to the churches judgmentalism and hypocrisy? How can we fix the problem?
How do we avoid the opposite error - Allowing people to do anything?
How do we avoid the opposite error - Allowing people to do anything?
Should we judge Christians and non Christians differently? Should we judge new Christians and mature Christians differently? Why?
Should we judge Christians and non Christians differently? Should we judge new Christians and mature Christians differently?
Closing: One of the main thing Jesus is pushing us towards is this - Radical self awareness. That before we go out into the world pointing out all the stuff others are doing wrong, we take a deep look inside ourselves. This isn’t some smug way of telling people they can’t judge us unless they are perfect..It’s humbly looking deeply into our own souls and realizing that we need grace and mercy and help as much or more than anyone else. It’s not making less of my sin and shortcomings, it’s actually making more of it in the right way. It pushes me towards humility regarding my own state and gives me grace and mercy for those around me.
