Sunday Morning Service

Matthew 7:1-12 (Click title for audio access)

"Righteous Relationships" • 6.13.10 • Sunday Morning Service

Intro.

- We have come to the last chapter of the sermon on the mount. Jesus has dealt with our character, our influence, our relationship to the law, and the proper exercise of our faith.

- Jesus has told us to avoid acting and seeking applause from men for spiritual actions.

- We all desire affirmation from other people and in the same way, we feel that our performance puts us in a place where it is natural to assume and expect certain things about others.

- One might get the idea, after having taken in the Lord's instruction, that one could now look around and get a big head. Perhaps some of His disciples could become a new type of Pharisee.

- In this section of the sermon on the mount, Jesus deals with this concept and it's painful!

Text

• Matthew 7:1 : "Judge not, that you be not judged." : This verse is as popular as it is misunderstood. Every person living in sin uses this verse as their number one defense!

- Nobody can tell them what they can or can't do and they certainly cannot tell them that their action is wrong, because that would be "judging" them.

- Let's understand what this phrase cannot mean. First, it cannot mean that we have no power to distinguish between right and wrong. God has given us His truth and we can affirm that.

- There are actions that God has forbidden in scripture, which are never negotiable. If I see a Christian participating in something sinful, I would be wrong not to call them out!

- Second, it cannot mean that we have no power to discern lame attitudes and actions. Jesus has just spent a good deal of chapter 6 marking out the attitudes of hypocritical people.

- Later in this chapter, there will be a need for proper discernment.

- One might argue that Jesus says this because He is God and thus omniscient. He can look at people and judge their attitudes. Unfortunately, He tells us not to be like those who are acting.

- That assumes our ability to notice and make a "judgment call." With that out of the way, what does this word mean and what is the spirit in which this is to be taken?

- The word translated "judge" can also be translated "condemn" and is so in other passages.

- The idea is that we are not to come to a final conclusion about people, so as to assume that they are condemned or hopeless.

- This word covers evaluation, criticism and looking down the nose at. If you tell me that you don't have a problem with this, I'll tell you that you are guilty of being a liar!

- Each of us shares in this sin. Jesus commands us not to judge.

˚ "We break this command when we think the worst of others. We break this command when we only speak to others of their faults. We break this command when we judge an entire life only by its worst moments. We break this command when we judge the hidden motives of others. We break this command when we judge others without considering ourselves in their same circumstances. We break this command when we judge others without being mindful that we ourselves will be judged." David Guzik

- Don't allow yourself to consider what has or has not been determined about another person. We are not to act that way toward another.

- Why is that the case? There are several reasons that I would propose to you. First, no matter how closely you look, there is no way for you to know everything about another person.

- You do not see what happens when they are alone. You don't see them outside of the context that you know them from.

- Aside from that, you and I will never be privy to their attitudes and what God is doing secretly in their hearts.

- Second, you have no idea what they do or do not know biblically. Have they learned that truth yet? Have they come to realized how offensive that action is?

- There were several groups in the book of Acts who taught about a relationship with God, but were unaware that God's Spirit had already come.

- In the same way, the Christian journey is one of discovery, repentance and grace. It's unfair to come to a conclusion with so much time left in a person's life.

- Third, coming to conclusions about people reveals a fatalism that is unbiblical. It takes God out of the equation and He is the entire equation.

- John 5:22 tells us that God has committed all judgment to Christ! Not some for Him and some for me! All judgment is in His hands.

- When we judge others we are saying, "God, this person is beyond your reach!"

- This type of thinking blasphemes the Holy Spirit, who was capable enough to change our lives! That is not a position that any of us wants to be in.

- Jesus commands us not to judge in order that we might not be judged. What does that mean? This will become clear in a moment.

- For now, we'll know that Jesus is not talking about avoiding God's judgment by not being judgmental ourselves. Nobody will get a free pass.

- Non-Christians and Christians alike, will stand before Jesus, either for condemnation or reward, depending on a person's relationship to Christ.

• Matthew 7:2 : "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." : When we act judgmentally toward others, they will have the right to judge back in the same way.

- This is the human consequence. Those who are subject to our critical, judgmental ways, will use that same standard against us!

- On the stage of judgment before God, the judgments that we have adhered to will prove our own culpability.

- Saying it another way: If I stand up to criticize and evaluate, I am acknowledging that I know what should or should not be done. That counts against me!

- Jesus uses a simile to reinforce His point. Your judgment acts as a measuring stick. That same stick will be used on you. Jesus tells us the point of this in the next verse.

• Matthew 7:3-5 : "And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." : Please note the context: Jesus is talking about our view of other brothers. This is a person that you are family with.

- This refers to natural family, those who are close like family and the family of God.

- When we belong to Christ, we know that there are no step-sons or grandchildren. Believers are all children of the Lord and therefore, brothers and sisters in the bloodline of Christ.

- Jesus is saying "look at your life first!" He calls us first to self-examination. This illustration is certainly one of the more powerful pictures in the Bible.

- We use our eyes to see, but often our eyes are unable to see what is happening right in our own eye! Have you ever seen something in your own eye?

- I have never seen anything in my eye, but I have felt it's presence!

- Jesus is telling us that judging others helps us to ignore our own issues, and they are glaring. - There is indeed a speck, a twig, perhaps a piece of straw, in your brother's eye. But how can you not see the 2x4 in your own eye? That 2x4 is a bunch bigger you know!

- Jesus says why do you look at the speck, ie. see it so as to perceive it being there and not consider, pay special attention to, that glaring issue in your own eye!

- Judging, criticizing others puts our eyes where they should not be and takes them from where they should be. If I get into judging, I won't be paying attention to my own soul.

- If would spend half the time judging myself, I would note be judged! If I was as harsh with me as I am with thee, I would be doing pretty well!

- It goes from looking and seeing this in your brother's eye, to actually voicing it to him. That's the way it always goes. It goes from looking to saying! And the saying is ridiculous.

- "Look, it seems that you have a speck in your eye! Let me get that for you!"

- Hypocrite! In wanting to remove the straw, you are acting as though there is nothing wrong with you! You are ignoring your primary responsiblity: Your walk with the Lord!

- It's easier to "help" someone deal with their speck, than to have to deal with our plank! Removing our plank will require pain to ourselves, especially to our own image of ourselves.

- This is why it's easier to jump to conclusions about people. It's better to work on others, while that lovely piece of timber keeps knocking other people out!

- Does Jesus intend then to keep us from being a benefit to our brothers who have genuine issues in their lives? Not in the slightest!

- First, seek to deal with your own deficiency. Surrender your attitude, stop your actions. Ask God to empower you to see where you are failing. Pray that your heart would be right before Him.

- For some, this will be difficult: Have you asked God to show you what might be displeasing to Him? Some don't want to know. After all, we all know that ignorance is bliss!

- When His Spirit reveals such things to us, we will be in a position to be a blessing.

- AND THEN you will see clearly! The word there means to have penetrating vision.

- When you have gone before the Lord and asked Him to clearly reveal your own heart, it will be much easier to deal with your brother's eye.

- You wil have the experience of dealing with your own eye! You will be a lot more gentle in your methods and your manner.

• Matthew 7:6 : "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." : Jesus has been talking about brotherly responsibility. I'm convinced that this verse refers to our relationship with those of the world.

- Dogs were wild beasts that roamed the countryside of Israel. Scripturally, Gentiles, and false prophets were called dogs, by Jesus and Peter respectively.

- You would never see a priest give something from the Temple to a dog. They would get to scraps, but never that which was consecrated and special to the Lord.

- The same thing was true regarding swine. They were not nearly as tame as what we are used to seeing today. A pearl necklace would not be an appropriate adornment to a pig's snout!

- That would end sadly for you, as the supposed feeder.

- Let's consider this: Someone who is an unbeliever needs to hear one message: Repent from your sins and believe upon Jesus Christ for your salvation!

- Some in the church believe that we should make biblical truth much more accessible to them, perhaps even softening doctrines so that it might be more palatable for them.

- In many pulpits today, preachers can sound more like motivational speakers or life coaches, than proclaimers of the truth!

- The truth is, the unconverted world has no responsibility to the Bible until he or she comes to submit themselves to the God of the Bible.

- Perhaps you have seen this happen. A man or woman, usually a man, tells a person who is not committed to Christ, that their actions are not biblical and that they should change.

- That person has made no declaration of faith. Their loyalties are to themselves and their pleasures. They are slaves to unrighteousness.

- Jesus says, "Don't give what is holy to the dogs!" Don't give them counsel from the Word! Tell them to come to the Word!

- It is no benefit to the natural man, to give them the morality of the Word of God, apart from the Spirit of God who comes to reside in them at conversion and gives each ability to follow.

- We don't want cleaner vessels! We desire converted vessels!

- Pearls of heavenly wisdom are not what swine like to receive! They like slop. They like being dirty. The revel in uncleanness! Giving a pig pearls will lead to an ugly altercation!

- Jesus warns that giving out the holiness of godly correction will only result in their desire to tear us to pieces!

• Matthew 7:7,8 : "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." : This verse is directly connected to the concept of living in relationship.

- Many see this verse as carte blanche for any possible desire. Contextually, this refers to dealing with the complexities of human relationships.

- Jesus, in talking about judgment and correction, understands that there will be times when we are not sure how we are to act, who we are to address and what we are to say. For example:

- I have cleared my own heart. I am seeing an issue in a friend's life. He has asked for my input. What should I say? Should I say anything? Is this the right time? Or:

- A non-Christian co-worker has asked me to counsel them about a matter between them and their co-habitating partner. What do I say to that!?

- When you are in that position, wanting to do the right thing, but not know how, we have an open invitation to come to the Lord.

- Ask, seek, knock. We are commanded to always be asking, always be seeking and always be knocking. Each word reflects an understanding that we never quite make it.

- Why God!? Why don't we just have a simple playbook that allows us to deal effectively every single time, in every single instance!?

- We are always meant to be on the side of dependance. God calls us to ever look toward Him for help in the area of interpersonal relationships.

- He loves those people in our lives far more than we ever will or ever could! Frankly, He doesn't want us to mess them up!

- When we are asking, it will be given. Having sought, we will find. Knocking, and the door will be open to us. The need that we have will be met.

- The book of James tells us that when it comes to wisdom, we have not because we ask not! If we would ask, He would give to us liberally!

• Matthew 7:9-11 : "Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" : A human gives what is asked for.

- Whether it's bread or a fish, if it's asked for, it will be given. No human father would give their son the opposite of something that has been asked

- Jesus is arguing from the lesser to the greater. If we, being evil, know how to do this, what about He who is good!?

- How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?

- How much more does He want to bless you? How much more does He want you to have what you need? The promise is that what we need willl be provided for us, because He is good.

• Matthew 7:12 : "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." : "Therefore" connects us to what Jesus has been talking about. He has promised to give what was necessary in our dealings with people.

- He closes this section with a parallel statement to what we had in verse 1. In verse 1, Jesus says, "Judge not, that you would not be judged."

- Now, in verse 12, he says whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them.

- This saying is seen all throughout history, but never in the positive. Jesus is the only one to put it in the positive, meaning that we are to carry out what good we would want to others.

- Jesus says that this, this way of treating others, is the summation of the law and the prohets. This is what God intended when He inspired the law and the prophets!

- I want to be affirmed. I want to be encouraged. I want to be a blessing. If I want that returned, I'll go from wanting to acting that way toward's others!

Conclusion

- What would happen this week if, instead of judging others, we would look right at ourselves?

- What would happen if we began to treat other with the same favor that we would want to receive? I'll tell you that it will be a better place for all of us!