Judge Not???
Website Editor • June 24, 2020
From Pastor Lance Shumake's message on Matthew 7:1-6:
"JUDGE NOT, LEST YE BE JUDGED."
Matthew 7:1 is often quoted, yet also often misunderstood. It will stumble into a conversation when one person is making a moral assessment of another and it rubs the wrong way. "Judge not...", the offended will say.
But.. is this what Jesus is really saying? Does He truly want us to never judge others?
As contrary as it may seem, the answer is no. Fair evaluation and discernment of people are good things! (ex. discernment of false teachers, wolves in sheep's clothing, etc.) Rather, He IS telling us not to condemn others or judge them unfairly.
In context, Jesus is worried about the unity and harmony of His disciples. It is a threat to the unity of the church when members of the same body jump to conclusions about others. Though Jesus was speaking to His disciples, He might as well have been speaking directly to us today. Everywhere we look, someone is making a judgment about someone else.
Consider face masks.
What do you think when you see someone you know wearing one? What do you think when you see someone you know not wearing one?
On Sunday, Pastor Shu guided us through four reasons we tend to judge others unfairly:
We judge others unfairly when we forget what we don't know.
Often, we make assumptions without knowing all of the context. We don't know the heart, intent, or circumstances -- but, based on the information we do have, we jump to conclusions. We decide that we're right and more enlightened that the other person. We become arrogant and lacking humility. This is a scary and dangerous place to be. It is a place where we consider ourselves gods above others.
We judge others unfairly when we ignore our own shortcomings. Jesus points this out in verse 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?". It is far easier to point out faults in others while forgetting our own.
Jesus tells us to put away the magnifying glass and pick up a mirror. Our mirror is God's Word. It shows us where we are in our journey to become more like Christ. It teaches us, instructs us, and corrects us. It helps us deal with our own sin struggles so THEN -- only after
-- God can use us to help others.
We judge others unfairly when we fail to discern properly.
Actually, in verse 6, Jesus hints that maybe we're failing to discern at all: "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs."
Once you deal with your own sin, God gives you the ability to approach people in a different way. But, on the back end of this, don't stop judging people completely! Don't stop discerning.
To put what Jesus is saying bluntly, there are some activities, discussions, and people that are not worth your time. Don't waste your time wading into these situations as judges. We must be a people that balance humility and discernment.
We judge others unfairly because we lose sight of the Gospel. The Gospel reminds us of the measurement God uses to judge us: even though we are certainly guilty and dead in our trespasses, God sent Jesus to take our verdict and pay the penalty for our sin. Because of Jesus, our Holy Judge declares us "not guilty!" for all eternity. Through Him, we are declared righteous before God!!
When we remember the Gospel and what God has done for us, we are transformed! God gives us the ability to be more patient with others.
Colossians 3:12-17 says it better than we ever could,
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Watch this sermon, here.
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:11-17 This is the beginning of a section addressing how God's people now function in this world. It begins with aliens and exiles and continues with servants, wives, husbands, and finally, all of you. 1.) Our identity defines our actions. We are sojourners and exiles (temporary, passing through, not at home) We have a heavenly citizenship Actions We abstain from the passions of the flesh Keep conduct among the Gentiles honorable (our conduct is for the benefit of other people) Honorable conduct wins souls… sojourners, exiles, and soul winners “Peter’s point is that believers’ behavior creates a context in which people will listen to God’s word. He is not teaching that ‘good deeds’ in themselves convert unbelievers, but they establish an environment for the Gospel-word to do so.” -Barnett 2.) Our identity defines our expectations (Unbelievers will respond to honorable conduct in 1 of 2 ways) Some will speak evil against us as though we are evildoers Some will see our good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation 3.) Our identity defines our view of authority (Does anyone here ever just want to do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it? That’s why laws exist) Be subject to every human institution (for the Lord's sake) This includes governors and emperors (no distinction between good/bad) The will of God... by doing good, we silence the ignorance of foolish people 4.) Our identity defines our view of freedom Don't use freedom as a cover-up for evil We are freed to serve God Honor, Love, and Fear Discipleship Questions: 1.)Why is it so important to understand our identity before talking about our behavior? 2.) How might this reality impact your parenting? For real, what are 3 ways that you can apply that this week? 3.) How is good conduct a form of evangelism? 4.) What do these verses say that we can expect from others? 5.) How can we honor a government that isn't always honorable? Seriously, what are 5 things we should immediately stop doing and 5 things we should immediately start doing? 6.) What are some tangible ways to honor others? Love the brotherhood? Fear God? Honor the Emperor? 7.) Should we fear the Emperor?
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:4-10 Everyone must accept or reject Jesus. He is the cornerstone. We choose to accept Him as the foundation of our lives or toss the truth aside. When we come to Jesus… We become part of His People 1 Pe 2:4-5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The cornerstone is The New Temple. From this we learn that following Christ entails joining his community, the church…The freelance Christian, who follows Jesus but is too good, too busy, or too self-sufficient for the church, is a walking contradiction. -Daniel M. Doriani We join a royal, holy, priesthood 1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Because of who Jesus makes us. We receive God’s mercy Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms….Now repentance is no fun at all. It is something much harder than merely eating humble pie. It means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have been training ourselves into for thousands of years. It means undergoing a kind of death. Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Discipleship Questions: Why is it impossible to be neutral about Jesus? Why do you believe that Jesus truly is the Son of God? Do you ever have doubts about this? If yes, what are they? According to 1 Peter 2:9, who are we after we come to Christ? Why does Paul say (in 1 Corinthians) that if Christ is not risen, our faith is in vain?
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:2-3 Why do our souls ache for certainty? We are so eager for certainty that we will look for it in all the wrong places. - Certainty in our Finances [show slide from news] - Certainty in our Jobs [Acts 17:24-27] - Certainty in our Health [Covid] - Certainty in our Abilities [Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”] “Things that have never happened before are happening every day.” -Morgan Housel In these verses, God gives us what our souls ache for! 1.) You must be born again of imperishable seed - We have all been born of perishable seed o Impure souls o Disobedient to truth o Unloving insincerity toward others o Lack of loving effort o Impure hearts - We are withering grass and falling flowers - The imperishable seed is the living and abiding Word of God o Does not wither o Does not fall o Does not let us down o It remains forever o It MUST BE PREACHED! But still, how can we be certain that we have been born again? 2.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your relationships When your relationship with God changes, God changes your relationships! - Sincere brotherly love - Love earnestly - Put away… o Malice o Deceit o Hypocrisy o Envy o All Slander 3.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your appetite for God’s Word - Like newborn infants - Long for the pure spiritual milk Discipleship Questions: 1.) Where are some unhealthy places where you look for certainty? 2.) Why do you do that? 3.) What were some evidences of your perishable seed before you came to Christ? Any of that still lingering that needs to be repented from? 4.) Why does Peter call the Word of God the imperishable seed? 5.) In light of the text, how would you describe being "born again" to a 5-year-old? 6.) How has imperishable hope proven itself in your relationships? OR How might it if you lean into loving others earnestly? 7.) Why does Peter tell us that hope will be seen in our appetite for God's Word?
