To Judge or Not to Judge

Good morning. Welcome to CCC both in person and online via our live stream and/or YouTube later in the week!

This morning we continue on with our Sermon on the Mount: Are you In or Out sermon series with Matthew 7:1-6.

This morning we will deal with some very real and applicable truths that Jesus speaks very plainly about but truths that are misunderstood and misused everyday by very well intentioned Christians who think they are doing what God wants them to do but are in fact doing the opposite of what God wants them to do.

Most of your Bibles probably have Do Not Judge as a subheading prior to this section of scripture. Those are helpful, subheadings, but they are also put there by man not God so take them with a grain of salt as they are not scripture.

To judge or not to judge? that is the truth we will wrestle with this morning.

You may be thinking Pastor Josh what is there to wrestle with, this is a straightforward command....I am glad you are here this morning as I pray God will teach you through His Word

Let’s turn to

Matthew 7:1-6

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“Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use. Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a beam of wood in your own eye? Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye. Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.”

I have heard and even said myself and I would bet if you were honest you have heard and said “Who are you to judge me?”

If you have set in a church or Bible study you have heard that you are not to judge in fact we just read Do not judge in verse 1 of Matthew 7.

We need to look past our inadequate English language here to get to the truth.

Judge is a word that has many different meanings and that is no different here.

The Greek word translated judge here is a verb that means to distinguish, decide, condemn, and punish

Judge in the English language means those things plus a person who judges.

I believe, scripturally, judge has two main meanings, condemn and punish and discern or distinguish.

So which judge are we talking about here? I believe that scripture teaches scripture so let’s turn to scripture to find out.

Luke 6:37-42

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“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over—will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” He also told them a parable: “Can the blind guide the blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. “Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye, but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,’ when you yourself don’t see the beam of wood in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the splinter in your brother’s eye.”

Here we have the same conversation just with more details included.

Rabbit trail for just a couple of minutes.

Many will use truths like judge not or be judged yet at the same time the Bible tells us to judge fruit or examples like this where Matthew includes details that are different than Luke as reasons to point to the Bible as flawed or having contradictions.

The Bible is perfect in fact in John 1:1 we read that Jesus is the Word and the Word is Jesus. Jesus was perfect so then is the Word.

By the way since Jesus is the Word and the Word is Jesus when you put your Bible down on the table or desk and never read it,

ignore it,

or you sleep in

or make excuses to not be in the secret place you are not doing that to the Bible but to Jesus Himself.......I pray that changes how you see and commit to the secret place!

What do we do then when we are faced with these questions.

Study.

God chose the men to write the Bible based upon the skills and talents He gave them.

Each one of us could see the exact same thing and if asked to write it down there would be many different writings.

Some are detailed oriented and some are not.

Some would paint a big picture while others would focus on certain aspects of what happened.

Luke here includes more details that when combined with Matthew help paint the full picture.

Luke is showing us this is a heart issue just like forgiveness and giving.

When do we not judge?

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That is a great question and the question that is driving this message this morning.

The do not judge that God is speaking of deals with His job.

He judges.

He condemns.

He punishes.

God is God and YOU are not.

Look at the example Jesus gives in both Matthew and Luke.

He says you are telling your brother or sister what to do,

how to do it,

and holding them accountable via punishment or condemnation

when they have a little piece of dirt in their eye

......the whole time you have a beam in your eye.

You are telling them what they need to fix

what they need to do better

what they need to start or stop doing

and the whole time you are doing thing same things they are and and even worse things

Fix yourself bro then worry about others. That is what Jesus is really speaking too here.

Who are you to assign punishment

Condemn someone

Belittle someone

Think less of someone

Hate someone

For sinning just as you sin

This isn’t the only time Jesus speaks of this truth

John 8:7-11

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“When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center. When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”

The one without sin throw the first stone.

You, my friend and I are not without sin so who are we to be casting stones.

These religious leaders were looking to kill her for her sin but ignored their own sin.

I wish the Bible told us what Jesus was writing in the dirt....some say it was scriptures......others say it was each of their sins showing them they were just as guilty as this lady.....I guess we will find out when we get home to heaven.

That is what Jesus is teaching here....

I am big enough to handle it,

you ask God to search your life for sin and I will search everyone else’s

Romans 14:10-12

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“But you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God. So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.”

You and I and everyone else who has lived, is living, and will live will stand before God in judgement.

I believe this is another truth Christians get wrong. You…yes you Christian will stand in judgement. God will judge every word you have spoken

....every deed you have done

.....He will judge your heart and motives.

You will stand before God in judgement the difference between Christians and non-Christians is Jesus already paid our price and Christians will not face the punishment we deserve where non-Christians will be thrown into hell for their sins.

This judgement belongs to God.

As a child of God,

a Christian

because we know everyone will stand in judgement and only Christians will not be eternally punished we love,

we teach,

we give grace and mercy in an effort for them to realize their need for Jesus!!!!

God will judge....let Him be God......

Love everyone.....give grace and mercy to everyone and let God sort them out!

God goes further in

James 2:12-13

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“Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

This is one reason as a Christian you should battle each and every second of every day to do what God commands you to do in His Word.

This is one reason why you go to church.

This is one reason why you go to bible studies

This is one reason why you take every thought captive

This is one reason why you live what you believe

This is one reason why you study and apply the Word of God so you may walk as Jesus walked on this earth to draw people to Him

because you know you will stand in judgement so it is time for Christians to start living this way!

When Do You Discern?

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I felt like I couldn’t just focus on the do not judge portion because as Christians we are called to discern or distinguish which by definition is judging.

This is another reason you must be in the Word truly studying it so that you see the whole truth not just a quick truth,

not just depend upon someone to teach you truth,

not just depend upon sermons here or online on Sundays.

In fact that is one reason I give you a notes sheet every week. I want you to go home and dig into the scriptures.

I want you to spend time each day in your secret place searching the scriptures used here on Sunday mornings.

I hear so many times in terms of secret place time

Where do I start

What do I read

What do I study

Start with the notes from each Sunday

Read the verses again that were used on Sunday

Dig into the ones that jump out at you as you re-read them

It takes work to move from milk to meat.

It takes work to mature in Christ

He provides the means you provide the work......get into God’s Word

God calls you to be in the Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to teach you every single day!

We will dig into this scripture in a couple weeks but I wanted to mention it here as a time that you discern as a Christian.

Matthew 7:15-20

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““Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.”

Before we look at judging others fruit we must start with our own

This goes beyond judging other’s fruit as well.

You must judge your own fruit.

Sitting here on Sunday mornings is not fruit in and of itself.

The fruit you see on Sunday mornings are those who have commited to do what God gifted them to do.

These men who get up and do the announcements and communion each week is fruit

Those called and who answer the call to help in the back is fruit

Stephanie and Melody and Barb and Monty getting up here and leading worship is fruit

Get plugged into a ministry

If we don’t have a ministry in the area you are gifted in by the Holy Spirit come see me

I posted on groupme and facebook this week about my desire to see a strong Children’s ministry here....that takes work

That takes you getting out of your pew and saying here I am Lord send me

That takes you listening to the Holy Spirit who is calling you to be a part

That takes someone asking God to show them their fruit and realizing they are not doing what God has called them to do.

By the way God usually doesn’t call the equipped He equips the called.

If God is laying something on your heart,

a ministry,

helping in the back,

helping lead worship,

helping by greeting people,

helping by manning the nursery so we have one each and every Sunday,

by being part of a team that creates a true Children’s ministry

Pray for those in Texas in the aftermath of the school shooting. There are many things that I think about as a result of this terrible act but one is who was ministering to and teaching those kids about Christ.

God has called you to more than salvation....what is your fruit?

It is not just our fruit we are to judge

God just told you to judge.

Be on your guard....

judge what you hear....

judge what you see....

judge those around you......

Here is the difference.

Here you are distinguishing do they match the Word of God or not.

You are not judging them but their fruit.....

You’ll recognize them by their fruit.

Even if you find bad fruit you are not judging the person.....you cannot condemn someone to hell only God can do that.

Even here the prior truth applies…how can you judge fruit if you are never in the Word.

I have help Kenny and Jefferson and my Grandpa Ed cut wood in the past.

Those three can look at a tree and tell what kind of tree it is and if it is good for burning for heat.

I look at a tree and can tell you the differences I see in the trees but have no idea what kind of tree it is and if it should be used to burn for heat.

Now the flip side to that is a casual fan watching a football game and sees a good play happen just sees the result.

A coach will see missed assignments that stopped it from being a great play.

What is the difference in these examples......knowledge…knowing the truth.

If you do not know the Word of God how can you distinguish if someone’s fruit doesn’t match?

Our enemy is great at presenting ideas and words and situations and circumstances that appear on the surface or a quick glance to be Godly when in fact they are evil

He twists the Word so the Christian who just casually reads the Bible or who just listens to sermons when convenient but never dedicates time to the study of God’s Word can be deceived into going against God and His Word

Church we see this playing out all over the place.

We have pastors who claim to be pro-choice pastors.

Pastors who support abortion....murdering babies in the mothers womb. How can that be?

They are deceived.

They are lost.

They are not judging by fruit but by popular opinion.

They are wolves in sheep's clothing.

Not judging them but for sure judging their works.

Within this passage in Matthew 7 in order to live out the truth of verse 6 you must judge or discern

Matthew 7:6

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“Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.”

You must be a fruit inspector and when you truly find evil fruit don’t be naive in how to handle that situation.

Proverbs 9:7-9

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“The one who corrects a mocker will bring abuse on himself; the one who rebukes the wicked will get hurt. Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke the wise, and he will love you. Instruct the wise, and he will be wiser still; teach the righteous, and he will learn more.”

Proverbs 23:9

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“Don’t speak to a fool, for he will despise the insight of your words.”

These two scriptures are clear judge by the fruit. When you share the Gospel with a mocker or a fool their fruit will tell you it is time to move on.

Still pray for that person. Still be prepared to give the reason you live how you live…JESUS....still be willing to speak when the Holy Spirit says speak but move on to fertile ground.

Now What…how do you apply today’s message?

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First you realize that you have no room to judge in terms of condemnation and punishment. Only God can do that.

You realize that since you will stand judgement you must live sold out for Jesus

You realize that you must ask God to search your heart to see the beam that is in your eye but that you cannot see

You commit to being in God’s Word everyday no matter what you feel, no matter what you think, no matter how tired you are you commit to being in God’s Word daily to study it and conform to it

You use that knowledge that God gives you through His Word to distinguish the spiritual warfare around you and respond according to His Word.

This morning I want you during this song to ask God to search your heart. Who are you truly?

We all know those people that are always finding the negative with situations or people....why is that because they are living a life full of judgement and are looking for those things.

We all know those people who are always finding the positive with situations and people…why because that is what they are looking for.

Who are you? Judgmental, worldly, sinful person or Loving, caring, full of grace and mercy Christian because of the grace and mercy Jesus showed you on the cross