Attention, All Speck Inspectors!, Part 1

When someone makes a moral mistake is dealing with the consequences of their sin never helps to have critics said judgment to their pain is like keeping shame on top of shame today on Insight for living Chuck's one dollars teaching from Matthew chapter 7 in this passage Jesus made it very clear that making sport of someone's demise is nothing to accelerate their healing, not to mention that it's often hypocritical.

Jackie taught us that slapping a label on the disenfranchised is called judging title.

Today's message attention all spec Matthew and we come to this sermon on the Mount that is contained in the sixth and seventh chapters. If you were to read it alone you can make your way through the sermon in less than 15 minutes and when we come to this last chapter of the sermon.

It seems as though the Lord is putting his finger on sensitive areas. Last time it was on worrying and he says stop that.

Just stop it. Now we come to the subject of judging the same word stop that the way the imperative is written suggest it was going on and he's commanding his hearer.

In our case the reader to stop doing what we been doing judging can be an addiction, a habit that we don't break and that's what he is addressing here and we take his word seriously. Matthew seven verses one through five.

Do not judge so that you will not be judge for the way you judge, you will be judged, and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.

Why do you look at the spec that is in your brothers. I do not notice the law that is in your own or how can you say to your brother, let me take the speck out of your and behold the log is in your own you hypocrite, first take the log out of your own and then you will see clearly to take the spec out of your brothers by Jesus cannot be criticized for making things confusing and this is straight talk. So the sermon will be made up of straight talk to study the book of Matthew with Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures.

Studies by going to Insight world.or/studies. Another message from Chuck titled attention all spec inspectors. Some Christians love to play indoor games it's it's interesting how they go on and on doing so seems always to find a reason to keep playing the game. One of the favorites is what I would call let's label let's label the ground rules you find someone who is different. The person thinks and sounds, and maybe even looks different than those you hang out with is best if you can find an individual who has different strong opinions than you and your click in your strong opinion. Ideally, if the person has a dark mark in his or her past record all that's just that's his food for the fire that'll that'll make it even more juicy maybe it happened a long time ago. Maybe it's all over and done with, the person may have made everything right and is no longer an issue, but but you know about.

You can use it when you label that person. Here's how you play it about six steps you go through first you find someone in the something about the person you don't like. So second you quickly examine the external evidence you get to do that because there's no way you can know the internal truth, but you will get the external because you are now third forming a critical and negative opinion about that individual. Fourth, you jump to several conclusions which will be inaccurate. Of course, since you don't know all the facts only what's tangible.

Only what you can see here but nevertheless five your stick on a label on that person. This saves you time. It also makes you look like you know a lot of things that you don't know. Finally, you share your inaccurate conclusions and label openly and freely so that others may quote pray more intelligently for that individual. Actually, there's another name for that ugly game. It doesn't sound nearly as clever or enjoyable as let's label Jesus use the name in his sermon he called judging judging it worrying is our favorite sin. As we learned last time the judging is our favorite past time. Worry represents a lack of faith and trust in God but judging is a lack of love and acceptance and forgiveness toward others. What is interesting is that even though Jesus spoke firmly against it. Christians went right on. Then on to the very day we live playing the same game we love to judge all we'll call it, but that's what it is we know it went on, because years after Jesus spoke the sermon on the Mount, Paul, who came on the scene and began to write letters, wrote a letter to the Romans and by the time he got to the 14th chapter as we know it. That's toward the end of the letter, he mentioned it in other terms. No need to turn on reading from the message.

Romans 14 several excerpts.

Eugene Peterson writes Paul's words welcome with open arms of fellow believers who don't see things the way you do and don't jump all over them every time they do or say something you don't agree with. Even though when it seems that they are's strong opinion, but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently, but later he writes do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God's welcome.

If there are corrections to be made or matters to be learned. God can handle that without your help.

And finally, Jesus lived and died and then lived again, so that he could be our master across the entire range of life and death, and free us from the petty tyrannies of each other. Petty tyrannies of each other. That's the result of playing the game and perfecting judging how do you play the game up pretty well described it, and we hardly need the reminder of how to play it since were good at it. We need to hear exactly what Jesus says about and we need to stop you and I both.

We need to stop doing it. The opening lines of Matthew seven do not represent a suggestion. There were direct command: imperative, it is a heretic that you not charge pretty clear is if people say verse 25 of chapter 6 do not be worried and turns around to say in chapter 7, verse one. Do not judge, he is putting his finger on issues that are real issues in our lives, so we need to pay close attention no why is it wrong several reasons come to mind. Number one, we never know all the facts about other people. We certainly don't know their motives, so that disqualifies us from coming down strong or hard on individuals regarding things we don't agree with. We don't know enough to say anything second week we are prejudiced people by nature that's what's wrong with it means were never able to be completely objective. I'm not. I'm not completely objective. I've a whole background of training and and learning process and growing up years reared by certain parents in a certain family got all those prejudices that have come along with me in my growing up just like you do consumer over prejudice. That means were not qualified to be judges. Third, we place ourselves in a position were not qualified to fill. It's called playing God. When we judge others.

We put ourselves in the place. Only God fits is he alone qualifies as a judge urges you, especially you, who have fallen into this habit, to the point of addiction to hear the master's voice in Matthew seven. Not my voice.

Here the Masters voice. He says do not keep doing that I need to clarify what he is not saying, just to be fair he's not saying do not have discernment to hear this well. This is important. He's not saying, do not be discerning. Reason I say that is because shortly after making the command he says in verse six. Don't give what is holy to dogs. That's a judgment call he see some people's dogs and little later and don't throw your pearls before swine. Even worse, but Jesus who does know sin is not sending when he discerns summer dogs and summer swine. He refers in verse 15 to false teachers.

Beware of the false prophets that the judgment call. It represents discernment. You show your maturity when you sense that's false that the teacher I don't want to follow is not base or she does not base the teaching of the Scriptures. That's his or her own opinion. So that's a false teacher is not saying don't be discerning. In fact, first John 41 says don't believe every spirit, but try the spirits of the words check them out some judging is is not only acceptable, it's commendable. It's a mark of maturity. Everyone who was meant toward me over the years has been a person of maturity and have learned from them. The difference between a judgment spirit, and a discerning mind is a real difference. You teach your children not to get into the car of a stranger. That's discernment does not judging the stranger. That's discernment.

It's a wise warning must the role of a parent and ultimately the child learns as he or she grows up.

I need to be careful when I'm in the public because some people have minor harm in mind this is a judging in the sense of censoring its discerning truth from error falls from true sober not to suspend our critical faculties or turn a deaf or blind ear to those in error, you understand the difference. Now what is it mean what is he saying he saying by these words do not judge, do not be censorious.

Do not be condemning do not conduct every waking moment of your life with a judgmental or negative attitude. Stop being suspicious of everyone. Don't find pretty flawless and then point them out periodic failures and flaws.

It's all part of human nature were all week. We all feel is the idea of cultivating a condemning attitude toward others. I like the way Earl Palmer puts it in his book on the sermon amount the right to see the last word about our neighbor has been denied us.

You don't have the last word you're not God careful about this an appropriate place for judging. When you stop to think about it, so stop and think where we judging the appropriate a courtroom who would be an appropriate authority to judge a group of people who make up a jury there in the courtroom evidence is presented, sometimes embarrassing, often painful witnesses are frequently in tears you feel awkward in a court room because everything is raw out the open because the purpose is to find out the true facts as best we can and then to judge what is an appropriate response to the accused the Christian family is not a courtroom and you don't wear robe, you're not a judge or jury. After making this statement do not judge, he goes on right away albeit succinctly, to take us to the next step. He explains his reasoning versus one through four.

Does us very vividly in a way will never forget if we really listen. Do not judge look closely, so that you will not be judged. In other words, the attitude you demonstrate toward others will be demonstrated back to you.

It will be known as a judgmental individual and others will judge you for that.

We have a saying, what goes around comes around. You come to be known as a suspicious individual people become suspicious of you. You question virtually everything. Another individual may do or say that is a disagreement with what you do or say you're going to be questioned as well. Look at Luke chapter 6 for a little clearer illustration or example of this, Jesus goes into it a little more deeply, as Luke writes his account please turn Luke six verses 36 through 38.

There is verse 36 of Luke six be merciful, just as your father is merciful. Next verse.

Do not judge and you will not be judged.

Do not condemn you will not be condemned. You will not be condemned or he goes on pardon and you will be part of what goes around here it is, comes around goes further, give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap.

A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, for by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you in return. Pretty clear. So, in light of that back to Matthew seven. We don't want to judge someone else because we will get that in return, and that's no way to live. Trying out judge one another is not a happy life style or mental attitude.

The second reason is because it is hypocritical. Verse three.

Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye or how can you say to your brother please notice as a fellow believer, your sister, let me take the speck out of your eye, and behold the log is in your own eye, I know you're familiar with it.

So for that reason I brought along a reminder there we have it now. Got the picture. This is what Jesus had in mind.

However, this is a much smaller log that he had in mind, the one he had in mind was a large long rafter that is a part of. Underneath the roof and the building of a house. It was a plank sometimes 40 feet long. Sometime the law was 5 feet around were talking big long so that's in your eye. I now have it in mine and here I am looking for the suspect a motor speck with me hold on just a second home. I lost weight a minute. There is she that no you can't, can't see and you know that's even larger than the speck Jesus had in mind there ever gotten something in your eye.

You know how you feeling was an eyelash small is that or something with them.

Maybe a little piece of debris that blue on a windy day in and you will ointment: it's tiny you're looking you think is going to be that big and you can even see look in the mirror where in the world that tiny not think of the God that wants to judge you so ask you to come up close, we can look at your spec it's ludicrous on purpose so you will never ever forget my making a fool of myself or Jesus using an illustration that is extreme so that it will never be forgotten.

This is us. There's a brother printer now is read what you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye. Do not even notice the log in your own you say to your brother, let me take us back out here I that's judging come here will run in the log.

No, you don't even think about your long as you're a spec inspector would Jesus think of that John is the beginning of verse five Democrats you know what, that's a strong word. I would guess may be wrong but I would guess another person listen to me right now who this last week called anybody to his face hypocrite. That's a strong Jesus is sitting on the slope delivering a sermon and he pauses and looks over the group that's gathered and he says to you hypocrites shuts you don't know the facts. Stop convincing yourself you know enough to say those things and to give a personal label for the now they gotta live with that. In the minds of all the people you poured your trash on and may I point out something you may have overlooked were dealing with your brothers. I met his hand on his feet, formerly I wear hitting the pause button materially. Please stay with us because will hear a closing teaching point from Chuck Swindoll.

Just a moment. This is insight for living learn more about this ministry. Visit us online@insightworld.org. A quick reminder that Chuck wrote a book about Jesus sermon entitled simple faith and whether you're a serious student of the Bible or you're just beginning to learn what it means to follow Jesus believe this 14 chapter book will help you to purchase a copy of Chuck's book simple faith, go to insight.org/offer or give us a call if you listening in the US dial 1-800-772-8888.

These daily programs are made possible because people like you give voluntary gifts and through your support. People all over our country and even around the world are engaging in the truth of God's word and learning to overcome some incredible challenges. It was encouraging to read a recent comment from a listener in New Zealand who told us the story.

She said my precious dad took his own life in 2004. It devastated me and I believe that God had left me during that very dark time in my life I took to listening to insight for living early each morning through the broadcasts. I was encouraged daily from the word at a time when I couldn't even read my Bible many years on from that time my dark night of the soul had a tiny pinprick of light. It was Jesus himself revealed to me true insight for living such an encouraging testament to God's faithfulness and you know every single day insight for living is broadcast from our offices in Frisco Texas but Chuck's voice would never be heard without the generous support of friends like you. So thank you for taking a few moments to lend your support. Calling us if you listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 or you can easily give a gift by using our mobile app or by going online to insight.org and L as promised one closing thought from our teacher Chuck Swindoll. Hold your place here.

Don't lose the note.

Don't lose interest here.

This is crucial.

Hold your place here in COTA.

Galatians 6. Look at verse one brethren, you know right away's a Christian. So this is Christian family talk their body is for believers brothers and sisters fellow members of the family look if anyone is caught in any trespass at the speck that's the speck anyone is caught in any trespass, you who have taken the log of your own eye, which by the way, gives you real compassion for those struggling with specs, you who are spiritual look at the goal review. No no no no no restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness in the spirit of gentleness. Each one looking to yourself so you might be to find Dave Speicher join us again Tuesday when Chuck Swindoll continues his message titled attention all spec inspectors. That's tomorrow on insight for living. The preceding message. Attention all spec inspectors was copyrighted in 2015 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles Parson talking all rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited