Sermon Tone Analysis

Matthew 7

The twisted Scripture we are covering today is one of the most misquoted verses in all the Bible.

But there is some good that comes from this.

It makes it really easy to know if someone even studies the Bible when they do misquote this verse.

Because, if our world is correct, then we are simply supposed to let people live their lives as they wish without any resistance.

Ask any parent if they can raise a good child with that approach.

Not only is this not possible, to exist without one existence brushing up against another, but as Christians we are not called to keep silent.

Not only are we to preach the Gospel, which is contrary to our sinful nature, we are also to disciple one another.

Discipleship brings with it, accountability, the sharpening of one another, and guidance.

All the things our world calls judgement is what is essential for our growth as Christians.

Which means, our world has hijacked the word, judgement and redefined it.

It is our job to understand what Jesus is commanding us here in light of the rest of Scripture.

Matthew 7:1

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.”

If we are lucky people will quote verse 2 Matthew 7:1-2

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.

2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”

Verse 2 does offer us some important context.

But it is never thrown out there with the purpose of context.

When this verse is quoted, what they are really doing is attempting to make an argument from authority.

They are calling upon the Bible as an authority, for the purpose of supporting their choices without any accountability.

“Who are you to judge me?”

The answer?

I am a nobody.

A fellow sinner who makes his own mistakes.

But if we take a moment to address this fictional interaction, what is happening?

I will be the person who has “Judged” and you be the person who has replied with Matthew 7. I have addressed a sin or an action which is destructive, you reply with, “The Bible says to not judge, who are you to judge me?”

What has just happened?

You have just judged me about judging you.

You have just committed the same wrong doing.

You judged me for judging.

How dare you!

So, we can go in a circle if you like.

I can accuse you of judging me for judging you.

Making me wrong yet again in your eyes since I have judged you for judging me by judging you.

On and on we go until the day we die, to face God who will judge us both.

So, what we will do is read the entire context of Matthew 7:1.

But first, I want to do a little exercise.

Based upon our world’s redefinition of judgement, can we take a look at some of the judgmental things Jesus said?

Matthew 23:27-28

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.

28So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Woe to you is a warning of impending condemnation.

Jesus is warning them that continuing on this same path with lead to eternal damnation due to their conduct.

That is pretty judgmental Jesus.

Then He calls them white washed tombs.

He says that on the outside you look holy and perfect but on the inside you are dead.

This is offensive even today.

To call someone beautiful on the outside but rotten on the inside is offensive.

When the disciples were on the road to Emmaus following the resurrection Jesus appears to them and they do not recognize him.

Just before their eyes are opened Jesus says this, Luke 24:25

25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!

Or what about this zinger?

John 8:44a

44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.

We all have something we have said in the past which we are not proud of.

We have all said something mean to someone else.

But I am sure many of us did not call someone a child of Satan.

From the very mouth of Jesus, the who said, Judge not, it would appear by our culture’s standard, Jesus is pretty judgmental.

If we can simplify this miscommunication; our culture has redefined judgment and confused it with condemnation.

So, here is where our task lies: the truth is the truth no matter how it is taken.

It is our responsibility to do our due diligence in communicating the truth with as much grace and love we can muster.

We need to make sure we are above reproach when speaking the truth.

Jesus rebuked people, Jesus taught people, Jesus said nothing apart from His desire for those listening to be saved.

1. Let’s go back to Matthew 7 and read the verse in its context.

After that I would like to then compare it to James 4 as we go deeper into understanding judgment in the life of a believer.

a. Matthew 7:1-5

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.

2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

3Why 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.

Verse two gives us a very important warning.

For with the judgment, you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

This warning emphasizes our need to extend Grace.

To be slow to judge.

Now, what I mean by that is two-fold and one of the reasons is found in the next 3 verses.

3Why 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.

First, an important point to make here is verse 5, “And then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

This is what is lost, we do not leave the speck in our brother’s eye.

What kind of Discipleship leaves out our need for continuous repentance as believers?

What kind of evangelism leaves out our need for a Savior?

This brings us to the second point, we cannot, with clean hands, call others to repentance when repentance is not active in our lives first.

We cannot call others to fight against sin when we have waived the white flag to our own.

The first thing that must happen is a serious personal reflection.

Our lives as Christians are to be marked with this prayer, “LORD search my heart and examine my life.”

Under the Old Covenant the animal was laid on the altar in sacrifice to God.

In Romans 12 Paul writes exhorting Christians to offer their lives as living Sacrifices.

In light of Matthew 7, we are to lay ourselves upon the altar, on a regular basis.

By doing so, we will be able to address the speck in another’s eye because A) we have humbly brought the plank in our eye to the LORD and B) we will understand what we are calling them to do as well.

We will have lived what we are calling them to do.

We will understand the fear, the frustration, the discouragement, and the joy of laying yourself on that altar.

We will be able to speak with Grace and Mercy.

This must be done, because we are not to leave our brothers and sisters alone with anything in their eye.

We must love people enough to tell them, “This is destructive behavior!

This is pulling you away from God.”

I cannot call you a brother or sister, if you would leave me to my sin.

To be OK with someone walking away from God is no brother.

To leave people alone and left to be damned because you do not want to be called judgmental, is not loving.

b.

This action that our world has deemed the unforgivable sin, to judge, has been redefined.