Judge Not, That You Be Not Judged

Today on Summit life eye-opening message from JD Greer.

Notice in this passage wasn't that Jesus assumes the loggers in RI say in those moments when you have a log in your I use assumes that if there why because Christian doctrine, listen teaches that we are completely and totally saturated with sin and your host Molly benefits never got into a debate about morality or call that a friend or loved one about a sin that they were dealing with is a good chance that the other person brought up Matthew seven verse one when Jesus tells us not to judge others. Is that what Jesus really meant when he said it only really not allowed to deem anything is good or bad pastor JD answers that question today as he continues our series on the difficult sayings of Jesus. He titled this message. Judge not that you be not judged, we are in a series right now called the difficult sayings of Jesus. So when we have a number my report. You can access any of the other messages are all of our messages for that matter online for free. We do that in case you miss one of the series that you're interested then or as a told you just fall asleep in the middle of this when you want to know how it turns out the end. You can access it. There were looking in a series of things Jesus said really difficult to understand because it helps us understand our lives and also understand him today were to look at one of the most recognizable things that Jesus ever said you have a Bible and invite you to take it out and opened it to the gospel of Matthew which is the first gospel to be in the seventh chapter Matthew chapter 7 verse one here is again one of the most recognizable things Jesus ever said judge not that you be not judged. If you ask the average guy on the street to 92 verses in the Bible.

This is more than likely one of the two that he is going to come up with right even if they're not Christian. This is one that they can come up with impact when we typed in on a Google search. The Bible says not to. The Bible says not to first option eat pork.

The Bible says not to judge. That's her site on what was about to get that news that is not true. It's not true. It's a misinterpretation of an Old Testament passage Bible says not to worry though, say that my favorite Bibles is not to eat brother. I do not know what Bible you are reading that is not the Bible that I read, it does not tell me that in any shape form or fashion. This is how would you sermon research. Ladies and gentlemen I went to school for 12 years to figure out how to do that right there judge not just one of the most popular verses in our culture because it seems to fit in with two other cultures most prized and most basic assumptions and that is that a religion is private and being morality is relative. So what that means is that my religion is, personal preference and moral choices, or personal preference over you tell me your rule I tell you that what you chosen is wrong will have preferences, you know me Coke or Pepsi Coke clearly waffle house or IHOP. Clearly waffle house in my book.

There's a definite right along to those questions but for you that may not be exactly the same thing will the same thing that people believe about religion and morality as I found something that works for me found something that that brings peace to my life so you will my talk to the other person and say you should believe like that. So this verse is wielded like a deflected weapon anytime somebody says something that you know that you think you like is usually some that they like is wrong. And no, I go, you may whip it out like all judge not, I heard Bill Marr on television the other night on Bill Marr is not a Christian by any means pull this out and say well you know bouncers judge not so you shouldn't be saying right or wrong, but is that really what Jesus meant is that really what Jesus meant well was read the whole passage gives us one of first ways for what he meant and redressed a batch of Matthew seven verse one judge not to be not judged.

For with the judgment you judge, you will be judged with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Verse three. Why do you see the stack speck of dust in your brother's eye, but you don't notice the wall is hanging out of your own. How could you say to your brother, let me take the speck out of your eye when there is the log in your own eye you hypocrite, first take the two before out of your eye, then you can at least see clearly to take the stack at your brother's eye, and then this little jewel of a verse do not give dogs what is holy and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn around to attack you right if Judge not lest you be judged is music to modern ears that last verse has to be the opposite right that Jesus does actually refer to some people as dogs and pigs probably think about it. In one passage.

Basically, Jesus says judge not, be careful to some your friends are pigs and maybe some of you are as well. What is all this mean what does this mean let's see if we can make some sense out of it because I think there's a lot of beautiful truth in here, first let's ask a couple questions. What does Jesus mean by judging what is he mean by judging well he can't mean that you never tell somebody what they're doing is wrong because Jesus basically spent his whole ministry doing that. In fact, just a few verses after Jesus makes the statement in Matthew seven just go down like 12 verses Jesus says this, the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction. Many are going in that way, but the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, those who find it are few, many thousands strive to enter in the narrow gate not sound like a hey you know everyone is fine however you want to get to God is not a judge later in Matthew, Jesus would tell a group of people. Matthew 22. You are wrong, wrong because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. This is not touchy-feely Jesus about.

Here's how Jesus would characterize his whole life. John 77 the world hates me why because I tell it that its deeds are evil. Again, this is sudden sound like Ahumada correct your Jesus to be walking around in flip-flops or Birkenstocks you know Saito's legal in Colorado have a just and fit that image of Jesus does it. Jesus followers. By the way, would be the exact same thing.

John the Baptist lost his head literally calling out Herod sexual sin. Herod had an alternative view of marriage and rather than say that you know what is not a big deal here is that that's not right. It's simple and Herod had his head had John the Baptist head cut off. Paul would tell us we are to rebuke the works of darkness.

Now it doesn't fit with this idea that I'm just not supposed to walk around until anybody thinks right or wrong, it can't mean that. So what does it mean you couple big ideas and encourage to get a good amount of stuff you right now the negative thinking will help you pretty proud of all your relationships and encourage you to write these things down so you know, especially so the person next, you won't judge you and think that you're not spiritual because you're not ready think that big idea number 17 heard the service they can apply it ceases to him.

A big idea number one you judge somebody you judge somebody now when you assess their position. You judge them when you dismiss them as a person you judge someone not when you assess their position. But when you dismiss them as a person. Here's what the Bible says about Jesus lesson God.

John 317 did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, or judge the world.

He sent his son into the world so that the world might be saved through him. Even though listen very closely. Even though Jesus very clearly told some people that works for evil and made clear to everyone that unless they interned by the narrow gate they would not make it into heaven even though he said those things he still did not condemn the world, why, because not listen. Not condemning does not mean not telling the truth. It is about casting a person off after you tell them the truth. That is all right to them. It's what you do after you tell someone, the truth that determines whether or not you are judging them is what you do after you tell them the truth that determines whether or not you judging what did Jesus do after telling us the truth you brought us close.

He made us his friends see the verse that precedes John 317 is John 316, which is the other verse everybody knows God so loved the world that he gave his only son so God looked at us in our condemnation.

He told us about our condemnation, but then he didn't condemn us as he reached out a hand of friendship and call centers.

His friends and gave his life so that they could be saved.

That's a big idea here is big idea number two judging reflects extreme ignorance of our own sinfulness. Jesus is teaching us in this passage reflects extreme ignorance of her own sinfulness. When Jesus talks about the speck in our neighbors. I log in our own what you getting at with to get it easy to tell us not to be blatant hypocrites.

Sure you saying that we should not berate people for the very things that were guilty of this is the guy who lectures a small group about not tiding when he/she got his taxes are lectures you about not treat your wife right when you look at porn every night from you, so your order. When I was growing up there was your people.

I can remember who would flat condemn you for smoking a cigar because your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit whether 150 pounds overweight might grow. Once you get the Swiss cake roll log out of your eye, you know, before you start talking about a small even everybody else's. So yes, yes he is telling you not to be a blatant hypocrite that should be obvious, but I think Jesus is getting that much much more. Here I think he is confronting us for failing to grapple with the doubts of our own sinfulness, which is probably a good number one thing that we forget in the number one thing that causes most of our problems. Notice in this passage listen that Jesus assumes the loggers in RI didn't say in those moments when you have a log in your I use assumes that if there why because Christian doctrine. Listen teaches that we are completely and totally saturated with sin.

Later in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus would say that the human heart is like a disease saturated polluted well so that everything that comes up out of it is dirty, all the water that comes out of the polluted well is on for the drink.

When I lived. I'm open to it in New York for sure what the college was in New York that the dormitory that I stayed in the college I was at was right beside a big lake when you got water out of the spigot in the door and it smelled like some kind of fish I don't know what kind of fish but it was nasty and so because we can for bottled water for college students.

We had to basically figure out a way to drink that water. And so my roommate and I figured out if you put enough eliminated and it basically to the point that you give it the consistency of maple syrup. Then you would no longer taste the fish taste now have we really taken out the fish take know all we got us covered it up whatever carcinogen was causing that is still you know in that water bite.

We had figured out a way to mask it. What Jesus teaches us listen is very important that many of us just by reason of our personalities by reason of our experiences by reason of parents who taught us certain things.

We learn to contain and we want to shape certain parts of our heart. But it does not mean that the disease is not still there because all we've done is kind of kind of closer kind of kind of perfume something that's that's down deep and it saturated John Owen said it like this, the seed of every sin is in every heart. I realize that I disease is fully and while I might be able to control a few of the symptoms of my disease that disease fully and completely saturates me and what that means. Listen. What that means is that is that when I approach somebody and I'm talking to them about sin. I'm not talking to them about anything that is important to me because the seed of every sense and every heart. I had the same disease they have the inner show efficient of you watching Breaking Bad if you have a watch that you don't don't judge me as little sermons about basically the gist of the show, you got a guy was a normal chemistry teacher and what happens of the six or seven seasons as he becomes this horrifically bad person and one of the people that you build, critics love the joke is what they say is what you keep seeing by means of the flashbacks is all these things that he became always in him.

Even before he became but is never had the opportunity to really begin to show themselves. I realize listen the seed of every sin that is ever been committed is in my heart so when I'm looking at someone who has made mistakes they may never have had the opportunities that I've had to keep those things contain I'm not looking at a fundamentally different person. I'm looking at somebody who is just like me and that changes how I approach them. Why, because with the judgment I pronounced I'm to be judged with that same judgment. What judgment was pronounced on me mercy mercy should that not change how I approach others will that change my tone after telling me the truth. Jesus brought me close how can that not change the tone with which I approach other people.

The antidote to judging verse two is to remember the gospel to be broken by the gospel to consider the judgment that Jesus pronounced on your sick, depraved heart, and then brought you close amended at the same with others. Again, I told Joan to make us with radical me just give you a little things right now how you can know when you're judging is your judge matter when you go on what is goes off at your judging height hit number one you're judging.

When you're more enraged at somebody else ascend and you are embarrassed by your own you're more enraged somebody else ascend and you are embarrassed by your own percent. He ticked off that right now.

I may need other people to church unity turbine front of the gutter this way before. Peter Bonhoeffer said there's three stages of spiritual maturity in the church. Generally speaking you're forcing your first stage of spiritual maturity is when you get disgusted at everybody else's sin in the church. Maybe some of you are there right now doubts about the hypocrites and this is easy you come in and you see how can these people in all this hypocrisy, he says, that's great you're still spiritual input at that point just to be clear, that's where a lot of us are not wise or self-righteous might be said. The second stage of spiritual growth is when you become more disgusted at your own sin, then you are everybody else's. You're more, you're more aware of your own hypocrisy that you are anybody else's in the church and you're more disgusted that in anybody's you begin syrup on the chief of sinners. It's not that bit down people sin goes away. It's just that you see it your own is so disgusting he said. Then at that point you ready for stage number three and that is you root you reenter the church, this time not as a Pharisee, but as an actual Christian Christian who has received great grace and is now ready to give great grace because you have been a recipient of unbelievable grace, you begin to give it toward others who center you more enraged that you are embarrassed by your own intermarriage in your May are you can you list out your spouse's sins quicker than you can tell me about where you have sinned against God and against them that's assigned to your judging number two you fail to forgive you fail to forgive your saying to somebody when you fail to forgive then I will not let you offer what you did to me even though I know really.

Some supposed to know the God forgiven me. Jesus said that is in ignorance of staggering proportions and EEE when compared to the man that is been forgiven of $10 billion in interns around ultimately else accountable for dollar 50 Jesus to say how on the world could you have received that kind of mercy may not give mercy to people that way that's assigned you never actually received it. I know people who say well I can forgive but I can't forget how many be sure that means that that's a distinction without a difference is what that means is I'm going to say I forgive you. So I don't feel guilty anymore, but I'm not going to forget which means that it's going to come to color my disposition toward you and that summer had an argument. I'll probably bring a backup and is going to affect the lens through which I see you I that's not what forgiveness is forgiveness is to do what Jesus did, which is, yes, I confront the wrong but then I am sure this thing my wife and I call it spent ammunition once that sin has been confessed. I cannot put that in the chamber of my gone any longer and fire it because that's all the I 40 absorbed. If I forgiven. I've absorbed that I can't use it any more. When you and your wife use gun analogies when you fight with each other. I figure that I say well I can't forget I can't forget forgiving does not mean that you physically cannot remember what happens. It means that to the best of your ability.

By the grace of God and the grace of God's only thing they can make this happen. You choose.

I will not let this come back out and I will not let it color my disposition because I am pronouncing it to be under the blood of Jesus. And I'm no longer going to think about it any longer that you judge when you fail to do that you judge. Number three. When you cut off those who disagree with you. It is really important so listen closely, especially if you're a church person you cut off that you disagree with you. You're judging when you disagree somebody trauma somebody or something, like, say, faith, morality, politics, and because you can agree on that issue. You cut them off. Basically you're saying we can't really be friends if we disagree on this. You have issues like that.

Do you have issues were used and are very important issues. Maybe Jesus is one of those issues. Politics is another big one. Maybe it's the pro-life issue. Maybe it's the sinfulness of homosexuality and you I hate if we can agree on this. We can be friends. Let me say something I do not want you to misinterpret, but I think it is exactly what Jesus is teaching. It was in this you have to love the person more than you love your position on a particular issue.

I do not mean by that, but you will ever compromise the position or you will ever fail to state the position clearly just that even when they disagree with it. You don't cut them off. You say them. Basically, yes. This issue is important.

I cannot compromise but I love you more than I love being right, so even if you don't see things my way to bring you closer, remain committed to you. God is given each human being, a certain dignity to make their choices even when they make the wrong one and I'm respecting the dignity you might not marry you. I think you should marry, you might choose to believe a immorality about something and what size not talking about church discipline. By the way, but it's as many impersonal relationships.

You're saying to be like Jesus did. Even when you turn your back on me. I'm not going to cut you off you the best example of this is that's an easy question. Jesus, you know, like, so where is Jesus.

The best example of this. Judas like Jesus said to Judas after Jesus arbitrated member Jesus comes Jesus in the garden Gethsemane, which is Judas, wherefore art thou come, which is the King James which I memorize that person.

Wherefore art thou talks like that anymore right wherefore art thou come GL the first of memorize and KJV cage equivocal showing amendment is likely to wherewithal a white shirt that's a wherewithal by Benoit Misa been else in the KJV, the it. Wherefore, why'd you come Judas why become friend.

Was she just being sarcastic. There was like our friend friend now scholars tell us what he was doing his even in that moment when he knew exactly why Judas would come to reset his hands. A friend, even though you turned your back on the here even though you and I disagree on the most important thing ever asked who is Jesus. I still call you friend into the very end. He came listen not to judge Jesus came to save and in his dying moments called the one who betrayed him, friends from the cross, he prayed for the forgiveness of those who driving nails in his hands beat you do not cut someone off after you disagree with your labs and tinkering and inspiring challenge from Pastor Jamie Greer here on Senate light any part of today's message. You can find it for free. Jamie Greer.com or you can find it on your favorite podcasting. You can also hear the previous messages in this series, or browse the past studies Pastor JT's teaching was a doozy and sometimes attempting to take the easy road on the difficult Scripture and to just not inquire about what they really mean so important handed tough questions in pursuit of biblical wisdom. I am in questions are good I think. Hard questions are good and I think for you parents if you or your child is asking you a question you.

Sometimes it would be frustrating if you don't have a good quick answer to it.

But that question is coming from a good place usually and it's an opportunity for you to even say hey I don't know. I don't know but let's search the Bible together to see what what God's word says about this we put out a new book that is really an attempt to partner with people to help them in that process is called honest questions quick answers these are not the long you know which you PhD level kind of things there. There think I get like an eight minute answer that you would expect, unknowledgeable friend to give you a coffee shop.

If you are asking the tough questions about ministry about theology, about about politics and just what you would say we've taken it started with this podcast called asked me anything where we would just address questions like that in short ways. We put some of the best of those episodes returned into this this book and it's a great resource for me to find it helpful in not only understanding things these things for yourself but also how you communicated to others.

I will give you a copy if you're confused about what I'm saying if you just go to JD Greer.com. We are grateful for your partnership in ministry. This is just one of the ways of saying thank you so reach out to us. We always love hearing from you as always take the first step by going to JD Greer.com tell how long thinking Jenny answers to some of these questions are black and white, but some of them require you to think for yourself what you really believe there are so many questions and issues out there that you might not be able to find a direct verse to answer them with. But there are still biblical guidelines and wisdom that we can apply what this resource ties.

We pray that as you read this, but you'll gain knowledge to articulate the healthy and Jesus allow us to get this new resource to you by reaching out Jamie Greer.com you're welcome to request it. When you support this ministry with a gift of $25 or more when you get to Summit like you're really getting this preference your fellow listeners share stand station and on the honest question answer is just our way of saying thanks for your support. Remember, your copy of Jane's newest honest questions quick answers I think I 20. It's easier you can get online here.com Molly benefits. So glad you doing that and be sure to listen again tomorrow when looking out when Jesus said to judge not Wednesday on Senate line Jamie