SF690 - HOW TO QUIT PLAYING GOD - DEVELOPING A FAITH THAT WORKS (James 4 11-12)
HOW TO QUIT PLAYING GOD
Developing a Faith That Works
James 4:11-12
Introduction
Ever been guilty of judging others?
We all do this, we form opinions based on…
Ø Their dress
Ø Where they grew up
Ø What church they attend.
Ø Where they live.
Ø Where they go/went to school.
James says that we play God when we judge other people.
Anytime I judge you, anytime you judge me, we are playing God. It is only God's responsibility to judge other people.
I want us to look at…
Why do we judge other people,
Why we should not judge
How to break the habit of judging other people.
1A. Why We Judge Other People
1B. We Judge Others in Order to Excuse Our Own Sins
(Romans 2:3 NIV) "So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?"
It will take attention away from our sin
It will lessen the seriousness of our sin
2B. We Judge Others Because it Feeds Our Pride
Proverbs 26:22 (GN) "Gossip is so tasty. How we love to swallow it."
By nature we like to hear gossip
Ø It is a self-righteous attitude of putting other people down, being critical, and being judgmental.
There are many different kinds of slander/gossip.
Ø Slander in the first degree -- "Do you know what that guy's doing?" You share it -- a statement of judgement on them.
Ø Slander in the second degree -- "I'm sharing this with you so you can pray about it with me."
We judge other people because we think it is going to put us in a better position.
Suppose one person is twenty million dollars in debt and you are only ten million dollars in debt. Just because someone else is more in debt that you are does that lessen your debt? No. But we think that's true.
2A. Why We Should Not Judge Other People
There are seven places in Scripture where it says it is wrong to judge
1B. It is Wrong to Judge Others When I am Guilty of the Same Sin
(Romans 2:1-3 NIV) "You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. {2} Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. {3} So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?"
2B. It is Wrong to Judge Others When it Blinds Me to My Own Sin
(Matthew 7:3-5 NIV) ""Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? {4} How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? {5} You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
3B. It is Wrong to Judge Others Based on Their Outward Appearance
(John 7:24 NIV) "Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.""
(1 Samuel 16:7 NIV) "But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.""
4B. It is Wrong to Judge Others Before I Hear All the Facts
(John 7:50-51 NIV) "Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, {51} "Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?""
There is always more than one side to a story.
Ø There are three sides to a story: your side, their side, God's side
5B. It is Wrong to Judge Others based on Their Outward Religious Practices
(Colossians 2:16 NIV) "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day."
Religion does not necessarily indicate relationship
(Romans 14:1-3 NIV) "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. {2} One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. {3} The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him."
Do not use non-essentials as a basis for judging others
(Romans 14:13 NIV) "Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way."
(Romans 14:20 NIV) "Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble
Put others first!
6B. It is Wrong to Judge Others If it Involves Character Assassination (11)
Anything that causes me to speak evil about another Christian is wrong.
(Ephesians 4:29 NIV) "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
7B. It is Wrong When I try to Judge Other's Motives
(1 Corinthians 4:5 NIV) "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God."
Nobody really knows what is in someone else's heart.
The Story of the Paper mache Turkey…
Of course, you can imagine the outcome and the man's thoughts when he removed the wrappings from the turkey and his children crowded around wide-eyed with anticipation. The young man, when he learned what his friends had done, searched for days for that man who he had unwittingly cheated but unfortunately he was never found. The point is obvious. The poor, defrauded man, from his vantage point, would never understand the young man's actions. To this day, I'm sure the incident stands out in his mind as an example of man's inhumanity to man. Yet from the young man's point of view, his motives were pure.
3A. How to Break the Habit of Judging Others
1B. Remember I will be Judged by the Same Standards I use
(Matthew 7:1-2 NIV) ""Do not judge, or you too will be judged. {2} For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
2B. Remember I am Directly Accountable to God (12)
(Romans 14:12-13 NIV) "So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. {13} Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another…"
3B. Remember How Merciful God has been to Me.
(James 2:13 NIV) "… judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!"
(Matthew 5:7 NIV) "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."
Matthew 18:21-35 - The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
Ø We take advantage of God's grace
Ø The longer you are a Christian, the more you take it for granted.
The Christmas Bonus
Kind of like the boss who gives everybody in the company a $350 Christmas bonus. Everybody praises the boss. The second year he decides to do it again -- a second $350. By the third Christmas you've already spent the money and thinking What is he going to do this year? If he didn't give it you'd be upset. We become conditioned to be ungrateful.
If God's been gracious with us we need to be gracious with others. The most forgiving person is the most forgiven person
Application
"The Wrecking Crew"
I stood on the street of a busy town
Watching men tearing a building down
With a ho heave ho and a lusty yell
They swung a beam and a side wall fell
I asked the foreman of the crew
"Are those men as skilled
As those you'd hire if you'd wanted to build?
Ah, no, no indeed,
Just common laborers are all I need
I can tear down as much in a day or two
As would take skilled men a year to do
And then I thought as I went my way
Just which of these two roles am I trying to play?
Have I walked life's road with care,
Measuring each deed with rule and square?
Or am I one of those who roam the town
Content with the labor of tearing down?
HOW TO QUIT PLAYING GOD
Developing a Faith That Works
June 22, 1997 - James 4:11-12
Tim McGhee
1A. Why We Judge Other People
1B. We Judge Others in Order to _____ Our Own Sins
Romans 2:3 "So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them, and yet do the same thing, do you think you will escape God's judgment?"
2B. We Judge Others Because it Feeds Our _________
Proverbs 26:22 (GN) "Gossip is so tasty. How we love to swallow it."
2A. Why We Should Not Judge Other People
1B. It is Wrong to Judge Others When I am _______ of the Same Sin (Romans 2:1-3)
2B. It is Wrong to Judge Others When it _______ Me to My Own Sin (Matthew 7:3-5)
3B. It is Wrong to Judge Others Based on Their ____________________ (John 7:24)
4B. It is Wrong to Judge Others Before I Hear All the ___________ (John 7:50-51)
5B. It is Wrong to Judge Others based on Their Outward _________________________ (Colossians 2:16; Romans 14)
6B. It is Wrong to Judge Others If it Involves __________________________ (James 4:11; Ephesians 4:29))
7B. It is Wrong When I try to Judge Other's _________ (1 Corinthians 4:5)
3A. How to Break the Habit of Judging Others
1B. Remember I will be Judged by the _____________ I use
(Matthew 7:1-2 NIV) ""Do not judge, or you too will be judged. {2} For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
2B. Remember I am __________________ to God (12)
(Romans 14:12-13 NIV) "So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. {13} Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another…"
3B. Remember How ___________ God has been to Me.
(James 2:13 NIV) "… judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!"
(Matthew 5:7 NIV) "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."