Who Gets to Judge?

Matthew 7:1-6

Who Gets to Judge?

Intro: What do you think when you see other people? Especially because ones that are different in any way from you.

A lot of times, we see people that give us pause and may test our patience. Other times we interact with people that we see sinning or getting ready to sin and we say something and they respond like we are the ones who are doing wrong.

We make judgments or decisions about people based on looks, physical traits or statements that are oftentimes, snapshots in time.

Main Point: God judges the righteous and the wicked, but it is our duty to apply the Gospel to our lives and help others understand the message as well.

I. What is the Standard? (1-2)

Judge not, that lest you be judged or that you may not be judged. This statement that Jesus opens his next sermon section with has been used by people, especially in our day and age to say, to try and backwards apply and justify their sins and the fact that if you judge them, then you are just as wrong. The question is, is that true? Is Jesus saying don’t judge anybody ever? And are we condemning ourselves if we point out someone’s sinful behavior?

Or is Jesus warning us that we should be measured on how we tell people that they are falling away from God and His standard? The larger context of chapter 7 is the golden rule that Jesus brings up in verse 12, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. This section of his sermon is all about how do you treat others? And the same idea, said in slightly different ways, one broad and one a little more specific bookends the section.

So what is the Standard that we should judge others? First it is important that we understand the word judge. The Greek word used here can mean a few things; to analyze and evaluate or to condemn or avenge. It is the first set, the analyzing and evaluating, that we should apply and not the condemnation or criticizing that often comes across as we speak.

Why the analyzing and evaluating? Because we have been equipped to do so. We have a brain and cognitive faculties to think and express ourselves in a great many manners. We have language to express our thoughts and feelings and we have actions that also demonstrate those same thoughts and feelings.

We have all fallen short of the glory of God. We are children of Adam and Eve.

We also know that it is not our standards that we should be evaluating our behavior or other people’s behavior. But it is God’s expectation of man that we should be in tune with. And what does God show man?

A lot of Grace. God is the only one that has the power to condemn men and women to a punishment. He is the only judge that matters.

Isaiah 33:22 For the LORD is our judge, The LORD is our lawgiver, The LORD is our king; He will save us-- We see God’s Judgment rendered against His people when he Exiles them in the Old Testament. We see God’s final judgment in Revelation

We on the other hand as mankind have no such ability.

James 4:12 says 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?

Now once we know what is Godly and ungodly, we can analyze and evaluate and warn people that their behavior is violating that standard. This is what God has been doing in His sermon the whole time. If you listen to his language, he calls people out for being hypocrites or being like the Gentiles and he warns the audience to not be like them.

In verse 2 Jesus cautions us that the standard we use against others will be used against us as well.

TS: So Jesus is here commanding his followers not to be characterized by judgmental attitudes

And one of the best ways to ensure we do that is to know how we are applying the standard.

II. How Are you Applying the Standard(3-5)

Jesus moves to a short illustration to drive his point home. 3 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? 4 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? 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.

If you have ever been on an airplane and you get the safety briefing, they tell you in the case of a lack of oxygen, a mask will fall from the ceiling and then you put the mask on using the band, put it over your head. And then they say something that may seem odd to some, especially if you have kids. “Put the mask on yourself first. Before you help the person next to you. The airlines are telling you to take care of yourself before you worry about someone else.

Why, because if you put your mask on, you have a better chance of living and then you will be alive to help the person next to you.

So the same thought process applies; make sure you are correct with God before you try to tell other people how to live. If you are living in sin, it is harder for someone to take you seriously when you have analyzed their life and give them Biblical instructions.

Does this mean you have to be perfect and have no flaws before you tell someone that they are sinning or about to sin? Not in the least, But it should mean you have examined yourself and are self aware of what you do. And what you have done in your life. Because when people push back and say don't judge me, that is what they are talking about. It is the same thing as they don’t want to take money advice from some who is as broke as they are. We would rather take money advice from a rich person who presumably knows how to make and keep money.

But we have something they don’t at that point in the conversation, God. If you are a Christian, you are aware of what God’s saving grace has done for you, how he has turned your life around and, yes we still struggle with whatever problems we have in our flesh, but God has removed that burden from your life.

We are a new creation in Christ. And we want to tell everyone about this new life.

But not everyone wants to hear our message of Good News that God has come down to earth and died to make the world right. To fix the problem created by Adam and Eve’s disobedience.

III. Keeping the Standard (6)

After giving the instruction and caution us to not judge but then in verse 6 Jesus gives us the instruction “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.”

This statement may seem harsh, but it is a reality that we must understand “The dogs described here are wild scavengers. The pigs best represent unclean animals for Jews. Both are natural opposites to what is holy or, like pearls, of great value. Both “dogs” and “pigs” were regularly used as names or words to describe the Gentiles within ancient Judaism”

Jesus is not telling us to not preach to anyone who we think won't hear the message, but at some point we stop preaching to them because we know or realize that giving them the Gospel message may be the equivalent to trying to feed your kid their vegetables or medicine. We know it is good for them, but they do not want to eat it. And force feeding them the peas or cream corn does not work either.

Application

How should we help spread the Gospel message without coming across judgmental?

1) Do it with self-reflection/Humbly

We should not be afraid to call sin a sin but we should be able to recognize and call out the sin in our own lives first.

James 4:10-11 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law.

2) Do it with Grace

I have the tendency to be very sarcastic/snarky/direct/blunt which really comes across like I very harsh and unloving. I know this and I try to work on it. Sometimes I do a good job of keeping it in and other times I fail. My mom always told me that it is not what you say, but it is how you say it that matters to people.

Colossians 4:6 ESV Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Paul is instructing us to speak with grace because the words spring from your heart which is hopefully full of grace.

The saltiness comes from the idea that our speech should not be boring or just churchspeak or christianese, but when we analyze or evaluate what we see, then we know how to communicate the problem and solution in an intelligent, thoughtful manner, that is full of content. Charles Spurgeon was once criticized by a woman who thought he was too witty.Spurgeon replied madam, if you knew what I didn't say, you wouldn't say that

3) Do it Purposefully

Along with this thoughtful speech, we don’t just stick the gospel message into the conversation, but it should permeate everything we say.

4) Do it to Restore the person

The key here is repentance and restoral. Point the person or yourself back to Jesus. He is the only person that can restore the sinner. You must repent and truly be sorry for

It is better to be judged now and able to repent of your sins then it is to stand in front of the Judgment on the last day.

Paul and Peter had an issue when Peter did not want to eat with the Gentiles after some of the other jewish people showed up at dinner. In Galatians 2:11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Paul confronted Peter, but Paul did it with Grace, but he did it eloquently and forcefully Because he knew Peter’s conduct was not in step with the Gospel. Peter presumably took the correction in stride and repented of his sin. He took his medicine in a sense, in order to get better.

Ephesians 4:32 ESV

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Other people may not respond too kindly to that kind of public confrontation.

5) Know Not Everyone will Appreciate It

Later on in Matthew’s Book Jesus sends out the Apostles and gives them some commands on how to proceed. Starting in Chapter 10 verse 13 Jesus says “And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

So instead of forcing the issue, because a lot of times we aren't trying to evangelize complete strangers, we are talking to people that are our friends, and most importantly family. We have to be able to read the terrain and see how the person is responding.

If their hearts are hardened, then they will not respond positively.

Aggressive evangelism gets converts and counts them, but we are never able to count those turned away from the gospel for the numbers of the offended are never tallied.

Unfortunately you know that the one person you want to be saved is not counted.

So pray for guidance from God on how to talk to your son or daughter or grand son or neighbor, father, mother. whoever you want saved.

Pray for them that God would use you but more importantly that the Holy Spirit would work on them. And get them to see the light.

And the answer of who gets to Judge is easy. Not us. We should never enter into a conversation because we are judging and so that will tear down that weak defense.

Conclusion

So when we see people who are different than us, remember that they really aren't.

They were where you were before your conversion. But you and them may be struggling with the same sin. And you can help that person, by telling them about the Good News of Jesus Christ.

But we have to be mindful that God controls all things including a person’s conversion.

Force feeding them messages won't make to go down any easier and so there has to be a point where we realize it is not in our hands. So we do not have to be afraid of messing up and making that person reject God. They have already done that themselves. But God’s grace overrides our mistakes and draws people to himself.

So be encouraged to share the message of Jesus, but do it from a loving and humble place.

Closing Scripture 2 Timothy 2:8-13

8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The saying is trustworthy, for:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;

if we deny him, he also will deny us;

13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

for he cannot deny himself.