WEBVTT 00:00:03.044 --> 00:00:08.074 I've been interacting with the verses that we're teaching this morning for several weeks. 00:00:08.074 --> 00:00:14.032 I don't know if you understand that you have the ability or the responsibility to teach the Word of God. 00:00:14.032 --> 00:00:18.931 The Word of God messes with you before you get to mess with the people. 00:00:18.931 --> 00:00:25.928 Someone came up to me just before worship this morning and said Pastor, you have a healing ministry. 00:00:25.928 --> 00:00:26.530 I said really. 00:00:26.530 --> 00:00:28.521 He said, yeah, I have insomnia when you preach. 00:00:28.521 --> 00:00:29.766 I sleep through the whole thing. 00:00:29.766 --> 00:00:37.372 I think that was meant to encourage people, to encourage me, but it didn't work. 00:00:37.372 --> 00:00:46.490 Turn in your Bibles to the book of Matthew, chapter 7. 00:00:46.490 --> 00:00:51.110 And if you'd stand with me, I'll read the word of God this morning. 00:00:55.720 --> 00:01:10.400 Matthew 7, the first six verses I'm reading from the New American Standard, american standard. 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:12.043 These verses are probably the most familiar verses to people who aren't believers. 00:01:12.043 --> 00:01:14.408 They may not be saved, but they know this verse. 00:01:14.408 --> 00:01:17.573 We want to explore that this morning. 00:01:17.573 --> 00:01:32.644 Chapter 7 of Matthew's Gospel, verse 1, judge not that you be not judged, for with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 00:01:32.644 --> 00:01:41.346 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. 00:01:41.346 --> 00:01:48.512 How can you say to your brother let me take the speck out of your own eye when there is a log in your own eye? 00:01:48.512 --> 00:01:57.649 You, hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. 00:01:57.649 --> 00:02:09.450 Do not give dogs what is holy and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them under their foot and turn and attack you. 00:02:09.450 --> 00:02:19.334 Let's pray, lord, god, I thank you for this study, which we're calling Red Letters, and how it's already impacting our lives. 00:02:19.334 --> 00:02:26.626 Lord, prepare our hearts to receive the truth contained in the seventh chapter as we enter this chapter this morning. 00:02:26.626 --> 00:02:33.784 This morning, we thank you specifically for those verses we just read and the challenge they present to us. 00:02:33.784 --> 00:02:40.112 We thank you for the truth they contain and the practical way you've designed that these words serve us. 00:02:40.112 --> 00:02:48.203 Help us today to take seriously the import of these words as we attempt to live together as the community of God. 00:02:48.203 --> 00:02:54.093 Lord, remove from us every vestige of a harsh critical spirit. 00:02:54.093 --> 00:02:58.062 Take it away from us. 00:02:58.062 --> 00:03:13.326 Grant us the wisdom to know that we shall be judged in the exact manner in which we judge others and, finally, lord, deliver us from treating with contempt the treasures of the kingdom which you have entrusted to us. 00:03:13.326 --> 00:03:18.485 We ask these things in Jesus' name and everyone said amen. 00:03:18.485 --> 00:03:28.510 You may be seated If you're here for the first time or you've not been following us. 00:03:28.639 --> 00:03:32.471 We are in a series right now of teaching called Red Letters. 00:03:32.471 --> 00:03:43.229 We're walking through the most famous portion of Jesus' teaching, probably he ever gave, which is the Sermon on the Mount, and this message is entitled the Law of Judgment. 00:03:43.229 --> 00:03:45.340 The Law of Judgment, the Law of Judgment. 00:03:45.340 --> 00:03:48.370 And it starts with a new chapter, chapter 7. 00:03:48.370 --> 00:04:00.939 I don't know if you're aware of it, but many scholars and Bible teachers see this chapter as consisting of independent statements having little or no relationship to one another. 00:04:00.939 --> 00:04:08.986 But if you review it further, we see that this chapter is held together by a common theme, and that theme is judgment. 00:04:09.868 --> 00:04:19.334 Everything Jesus says in chapter 7 deals with judgment and as such, it deals with the whole matter of relationships in the body of Christ. 00:04:19.334 --> 00:04:28.213 Jesus, in his teaching, was preparing his disciples for the time when they would be living in the community of God. 00:04:28.213 --> 00:04:30.908 That's really when they're going to need this teaching. 00:04:30.908 --> 00:04:40.334 He's teaching them these things because he knows how easy it is for fallen human beings to pass judgment on one another. 00:04:40.334 --> 00:04:49.372 So he opens a chapter by establishing a principle that we must know if we're going to live together in loving relationships in the body of Christ. 00:04:49.372 --> 00:04:52.422 What is that principle that must govern all our relationships? 00:04:52.422 --> 00:04:58.661 It is that we should make sure that in all our relationships we are not judging others. 00:04:58.661 --> 00:05:01.666 Jesus laid this down as a vital principle. 00:05:01.666 --> 00:05:05.694 He said judge not, that you be not judged For the measure. 00:05:05.694 --> 00:05:12.103 With the measure you pronounce you will be judged and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 00:05:12.103 --> 00:05:21.408 So it's critical that we have a right understanding of what is meant by this instruction Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 00:05:21.408 --> 00:05:29.742 Misunderstanding the meaning of this has caused grave damage to relationships in the body of Christ. 00:05:32.468 --> 00:05:47.021 Many of you might have had the following experience you have observed a person in the body acting in a way which is contrary to the gospel and you determine that you are going to have to confront that person in a loving way. 00:05:47.021 --> 00:05:49.708 You determine it's your Christian duty to do so. 00:05:49.708 --> 00:05:58.982 You pray much before you go to the person and you're going, make sure you're going with the right attitude and you've checked off all the boxes. 00:05:58.982 --> 00:06:01.769 You're convinced that you're doing this according to scripture. 00:06:01.769 --> 00:06:07.211 You go to that person and speak to them, hoping they will receive your words and repent. 00:06:07.211 --> 00:06:08.725 And how do they respond? 00:06:08.725 --> 00:06:16.105 They respond by saying you're judging me, stop it, you cannot judge me. 00:06:16.105 --> 00:06:18.004 How many have had that happen? 00:06:18.004 --> 00:06:25.139 It's true, and according to their view, no one has the right to pass judgment on any on another. 00:06:25.139 --> 00:06:29.110 According to them, no one should ever make any judgment of any kind. 00:06:29.110 --> 00:06:30.482 But we'll see this morning. 00:06:30.762 --> 00:06:38.249 The opening statement is not a prohibition against making judgments of any kind, but avoiding certain types of judgment. 00:06:38.249 --> 00:06:46.954 Jesus clearly teaches that's impossible to live with others without making certain kinds of judgment. 00:06:46.954 --> 00:06:56.151 We'll see this later in this chapter when Jesus says Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly they're raven and wolf. 00:06:56.151 --> 00:07:01.572 How can you determine if someone's a false prophet unless you judge them in some manner? 00:07:01.572 --> 00:07:13.369 So Jesus isn't forbidding all kinds of judgment, but he's condemning, assessing people critically and judging them harshly. 00:07:13.369 --> 00:07:22.130 The truth is, these first two statements in verses one and two help us to make what are properly called value judgments. 00:07:22.130 --> 00:07:30.410 Thank you, you see, jesus doesn't expect us to go through life without having opinions about things right. 00:07:30.410 --> 00:07:39.108 The important thing is that we make sure we're willing to be measured by the same standards we apply to others. 00:07:39.108 --> 00:07:40.471 That's the key. 00:07:42.153 --> 00:07:45.185 Here are some scriptures that tell us how to make value judgments. 00:07:45.185 --> 00:07:52.711 John 7, 24, jesus says do not judge by appearance, but judge right judgment with right judgment. 00:07:52.711 --> 00:07:58.470 What may seem wrong to us must be taken before the Lord to help in reaching a conclusion. 00:07:58.470 --> 00:08:04.228 He says don't depend on yourself, take it to the judge, take it to the judge. 00:08:04.228 --> 00:08:13.392 In 1 Corinthians 2.15, he says the spiritual person, paul speaking, judges all things but is himself judged by no one. 00:08:13.392 --> 00:08:21.923 He says make sure you're judging, discerning, evaluating things as they really are, not as they appear to be. 00:08:21.923 --> 00:08:33.268 And then in 1 Timothy, 5, 24 and 25, he says the sins of some people this is Paul again are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 00:08:33.268 --> 00:08:39.750 So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden. 00:08:39.750 --> 00:08:49.809 And here we are told that some men's sins are out in the open, while other are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden. 00:08:49.809 --> 00:08:51.806 This is so important. 00:08:51.806 --> 00:08:56.731 Here we are told that men's sins are out in the open, while other men's sins are a hidden nature. 00:08:56.731 --> 00:08:58.687 They're more sneaky if you would. 00:08:58.687 --> 00:09:03.831 And we are warned to discern the true situation. 00:09:04.921 --> 00:09:14.413 The follower of Jesus is a critic in the sense of using his powers of discernment, but not a judge in the sense of being censorious or a harsh critic. 00:09:14.413 --> 00:09:20.131 The harsh critic is a fault finder who is constantly looking to blame others. 00:09:20.131 --> 00:09:27.370 We must remember that the standard by which we judge others is the exact way we will be judged by others. 00:09:27.370 --> 00:09:35.354 And he says 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? 00:09:35.354 --> 00:09:41.273 Or how can you say to your brother let me take the speck out of your eye when there is a log in your own eye? 00:09:41.273 --> 00:09:45.750 I want to tell you about a gift I've received from the Father. 00:09:45.750 --> 00:09:54.226 I didn't know I had it until recently, and apparently a lot of people receive the same gift. 00:09:54.226 --> 00:09:59.884 It's the ability to see clearly all your faults and be totally blind to my own. 00:09:59.884 --> 00:10:01.607 What a gift. 00:10:01.607 --> 00:10:15.249 I can tell by your reaction that you have that gift too, and apparently, again, it's a gift that Father has lavished on the body, because so many people have this gift and don't know it. 00:10:15.249 --> 00:10:19.711 But Jesus actually resorts to humor here to make his point. 00:10:19.711 --> 00:10:27.860 He says you're looking at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye while ignoring the plank in your own eye If you don't get it. 00:10:27.860 --> 00:10:35.075 We're concerned about getting the speck out of our brother's eye while ignoring the telephone pole which is in your own eye. 00:10:42.542 --> 00:10:48.509 But these verses prove that we're not really interested in judgment, because if we were, we would deal with it in ourselves first. 00:10:48.509 --> 00:11:02.152 There are many people in the community who've set themselves up as judges, sadly, but they don't want anyone to judge them. 00:11:02.152 --> 00:11:09.927 By the way, the statement do not judge or you will be judged does not necessarily mean that we will be judged by others. 00:11:09.927 --> 00:11:11.952 We will be judged by them. 00:11:11.952 --> 00:11:16.934 That's true, but it isn't necessarily limited to men, but includes God as well. 00:11:16.934 --> 00:11:25.171 Let's take a moment and look at three types of judgment we all are facing presently and will face in the future. 00:11:25.892 --> 00:11:33.256 Number one there is the judgment of unbelievers that is appearing, and the Bible speaks very often of this. 00:11:33.256 --> 00:11:36.383 It is a judgment that is final and eternal. 00:11:36.383 --> 00:11:43.611 This is a basic judgment which all men and women will face. 00:11:43.611 --> 00:11:46.275 It's called the great white throne judgment. 00:11:46.275 --> 00:11:50.029 Let me read it in the NIV, in Revelation 20. 00:11:50.029 --> 00:11:55.211 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. 00:11:55.211 --> 00:12:06.232 Earth and sky fled from his presence and there was no place for them, and I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne and the books were open. 00:12:06.232 --> 00:12:09.109 Another book was open, which is the book of life. 00:12:09.109 --> 00:12:13.751 The dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 00:12:13.751 --> 00:12:23.932 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in it, and each person was judged according to what he has done. 00:12:23.932 --> 00:12:29.392 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. 00:12:29.392 --> 00:12:31.808 The lake of fire is the second death. 00:12:31.808 --> 00:12:36.947 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. 00:12:36.947 --> 00:12:41.885 Therefore it's called the great white throne judgment, because that's exactly it. 00:12:41.885 --> 00:12:46.961 Every soul will stand before God and give an account of his life. 00:12:46.961 --> 00:12:57.101 The good news is, if you're in Christ, you won't go to the great white throne judgment, thank God. 00:12:58.806 --> 00:13:00.769 But then there's the second kind of judgment. 00:13:00.769 --> 00:13:28.375 It's a judgment that believers face as they walk through this life, and one example of that is Paul's instructions, which you often read when we do communion, in 1 Corinthians 11, his instructions that he gives to the Corinthian church regarding taking the Lord's supper and he says therefore, whoever eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 00:13:28.375 --> 00:13:31.067 A man ought to examine himself. 00:13:31.067 --> 00:13:38.706 By the way, this verse is often used to instruct us to examine our lives when we're taking the Lord's Supper. 00:13:38.706 --> 00:13:42.820 I totally believe that's appropriate, but that's really not the focus. 00:13:42.820 --> 00:13:51.311 They were taking the Lord's Supper improperly and his instruction is not to do that and how they can. 00:13:51.311 --> 00:13:53.480 They'll be judged if they do that. 00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:58.660 Some of those were already sick and some that actually perished because they took the Lord's Supper. 00:13:58.922 --> 00:14:00.745 So the Lord's Supper is a serious matter. 00:14:00.745 --> 00:14:03.253 We need to take it in that manner. 00:14:03.253 --> 00:14:16.047 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup, for anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 00:14:16.047 --> 00:14:18.793 That's why many among you are weak and sick. 00:14:18.793 --> 00:14:21.725 I just mentioned that a number of you have fallen asleep. 00:14:21.725 --> 00:14:26.293 But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. 00:14:26.293 --> 00:14:32.142 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. 00:14:32.142 --> 00:14:39.243 So that's a serious matter, and judgment awaits those who don't take the Lord's Supper with reverence. 00:14:39.243 --> 00:14:43.669 Is it right to look at our lives and examine our lives? 00:14:43.669 --> 00:14:48.506 Sure, it's right to do that before you take the Lord's Supper, but we should be doing that all the time. 00:14:52.379 --> 00:14:54.986 Then there's a judgment that's called the discipline of the Lord. 00:14:54.986 --> 00:15:01.004 In this second type of judgment believers face, here's an example in Hebrews 12, 7 through 11. 00:15:01.004 --> 00:15:03.082 Endure hardship as discipline. 00:15:03.082 --> 00:15:05.283 God is treating you as sons. 00:15:05.283 --> 00:15:09.044 For what son is not disciplined by his father? 00:15:09.044 --> 00:15:16.155 If you're not disciplined, and everyone undergoes discipline, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 00:15:16.155 --> 00:15:26.744 Moreover, if we've all had our human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them, how much more shall we submit to the Father of our spirits and live? 00:15:26.744 --> 00:15:35.105 Our fathers disciplined us for good while as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good that we may share in his holiness. 00:15:35.547 --> 00:15:39.440 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:40.321 Say amen. 00:15:40.321 --> 00:15:45.937 You know it's the famous words your parents said before you got spanked. 00:15:45.937 --> 00:15:48.203 This is going to hurt me more than you. 00:15:48.203 --> 00:15:51.857 I never bought into that, just didn't seem reasonable. 00:15:51.857 --> 00:15:57.969 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful Later on. 00:15:57.969 --> 00:16:04.397 However, it produces a harvest of unrighteousness, of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 00:16:04.980 --> 00:16:08.493 And finally, there's a judgment that the body of Christ will receive. 00:16:08.493 --> 00:16:16.636 It's not the judgment of being saved or not saved because we're in Christ, but it's the judgment of rewards saved or not saved because we're in Christ, but it's the judgment of rewards. 00:16:16.636 --> 00:16:20.222 And Paul speaks of this judgment in 1 Corinthians, 3, 10 through 15. 00:16:20.222 --> 00:16:31.855 By the grace of God has given me, I laid a foundation this is in the NIV as an expert builder, which is also the word master builder, and someone else is building on it. 00:16:31.855 --> 00:16:41.345 By the way, that word master builder or expert builder this is a Greek word, architect, non, from which we get what word architect? 00:16:41.345 --> 00:16:56.746 So Paul says he's an expert architect building the house of God, but each one should be careful how he builds, for no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 00:16:56.746 --> 00:17:07.763 If any man builds on this foundation, using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will show for what it is, because the day will bring it to light. 00:17:07.763 --> 00:17:13.482 It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 00:17:13.482 --> 00:17:17.517 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 00:17:17.517 --> 00:17:20.444 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. 00:17:20.444 --> 00:17:25.076 He himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. 00:17:25.076 --> 00:17:37.675 So apparently our works, our life's work, will be evaluated by the fire of God and if anything remains after the fire does its burning work, then we have a reward. 00:17:37.675 --> 00:17:43.769 But if not, we can end up saved by having all of our work burned up. 00:17:45.012 --> 00:17:50.642 A dear friend of mine who's gone on to be with the Lord, duverne Frumke, written some classic books. 00:17:50.642 --> 00:18:01.560 Duverne was a brilliant Bible teacher but back in the 1950s he was a very well-known evangelist and he built a ministry. 00:18:01.560 --> 00:18:09.760 He had a ministry with, I think, 12 buildings on the property and he was a very well-known evangelist at the time. 00:18:09.760 --> 00:18:36.460 And he came back from a trip and was driving up the driveway into his ministry complex when he saw I think it was 11 of the 12 buildings that stood were going up in flames and he stood there and watched his life work burning and he heard the Holy Spirit say Be thankful that I did this on this side of eternity, thankful that I did this on this side of eternity. 00:18:36.460 --> 00:18:43.910 And from that moment on his life changed and his ministry changed, you get what he was realizing. 00:18:43.910 --> 00:19:00.061 His life work was being burned up because it was wood, hay and straw, but thankfully God gave it to him, allowed him to see that on this side of eternity. 00:19:00.082 --> 00:19:07.510 Then the Lord gives us a reason in these verses why we can't judge, and it is we are incapable of properly judging. 00:19:07.510 --> 00:19:14.555 Since we cannot do so, we must not try at all. 00:19:14.555 --> 00:19:24.945 He says you hypocrite, which one of the brothers pointed out is the greek word hypocritas, from which we get our word play actor, that's roman plays. 00:19:24.945 --> 00:19:35.325 Greek actors would wear masks to just to hide their self as they acted out on stage, and that's the word that's used for hypocrite. 00:19:35.325 --> 00:19:45.055 He says first take the log out of your own eye and then you'll see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. 00:19:45.055 --> 00:19:50.307 So we are called to judge others properly, but we can only do so when we've made sure to remove the log in our own eye. 00:19:50.307 --> 00:19:52.121 This is serious business. 00:19:53.295 --> 00:19:56.085 So value judgments, as we've seen, are necessary. 00:19:56.085 --> 00:19:59.845 Never let someone say to you you can't judge me. 00:19:59.845 --> 00:20:09.228 Your reply should be my brother, my sister, I am required to make a value judgment on how you line up with the word of God. 00:20:09.228 --> 00:20:20.397 We must make value judgments and we should seek to judge with righteous judgment. 00:20:20.397 --> 00:20:22.444 I believe God will expose anything needful and truth will prevail. 00:20:23.208 --> 00:20:26.537 Here's three pitfalls to be aware of in making value judgments. 00:20:26.537 --> 00:20:29.001 Number one our knowledge is incomplete. 00:20:29.001 --> 00:20:32.375 Our knowledge is incomplete when we judge. 00:20:32.375 --> 00:20:33.759 We do not have all the facts. 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:35.384 Only God has all the facts. 00:20:35.384 --> 00:20:37.959 Only he knows the condition of a man's heart. 00:20:37.959 --> 00:20:49.888 I was once judged by a friend of mine years ago who misunderstood something that had happened and was telling people around the nation regarding that. 00:20:49.888 --> 00:21:03.857 I had done something which I had absolutely not, and I started to defend myself, pick up the phone and talk and the Holy Spirit clearly said to me if you raise a hand to defend yourself, I won't be there to defend you. 00:21:03.857 --> 00:21:13.201 I said thank you, lord, and eventually that man came to the right conclusion that he had been misunderstood. 00:21:13.201 --> 00:21:18.490 Some facts and my relationship with him was restored. 00:21:18.490 --> 00:21:22.726 So that's important that we know all the facts. 00:21:22.726 --> 00:21:35.183 Number two make sure to obtain as many facts as possible if you're required to make a value judgment, if you're going to judge, you need to have right information. 00:21:35.825 --> 00:21:42.278 Always remember we judge others from our own heart Most of the time. 00:21:42.278 --> 00:21:44.442 We judge others by the way we would act if we were in that particular situation. 00:21:44.442 --> 00:21:50.001 It may seem strange, but often the people we have the most trouble with are those who are most like us. 00:21:50.001 --> 00:21:52.327 Have you noticed that? 00:21:52.327 --> 00:22:00.842 Have you noticed that, number three, we may be going behind the blood of the atonement? 00:22:00.842 --> 00:22:04.445 There's something we can rightly be called kingdom alignment. 00:22:04.445 --> 00:22:06.768 I want to call kingdom alignment. 00:22:06.768 --> 00:22:15.827 The actions we are judging or questioning in another may have been confessed forgiven and now in the process of alignment. 00:22:15.827 --> 00:22:19.480 Make sure we give our brothers and sisters, therefore, breathing room. 00:22:19.480 --> 00:22:21.765 Give them breathing room. 00:22:21.765 --> 00:22:23.489 Are you convicted? 00:22:23.489 --> 00:22:23.709 Yet? 00:22:23.709 --> 00:22:25.679 I'll stop. 00:22:25.679 --> 00:22:26.101 If you are. 00:22:30.096 --> 00:22:33.851 We can see clearly that we have a critical, fault-finding attitude. 00:22:33.851 --> 00:22:52.651 If we examine ourselves carefully, you know, if our conversations are filled with statements like this the government stinks, the church stinks, my neighbors are unfriendly, children are getting worse every day and the coffee isn't good this morning, we can sort of detect a critical, fault-finding attitude. 00:22:52.651 --> 00:22:57.340 Right, a critical, fault-finding attitude right. 00:22:57.340 --> 00:22:59.865 And here are some of the steps downward to this attitude. 00:22:59.865 --> 00:23:10.432 First, self-righteousness that's the attitude which says others are wrong and I am right. 00:23:10.432 --> 00:23:16.035 If you're like that, I pray this morning you have the courage to ask God to smash the attitude right now. 00:23:16.035 --> 00:23:18.278 It isn't easy to do. 00:23:18.278 --> 00:23:21.740 But if you acknowledge it and ask God for help, he will respond. 00:23:21.740 --> 00:23:42.090 Then next and by the way, the body of Christ needs to hear this If we're going to judge those living a gay lifestyle, those living a gay lifestyle we need to apply the same thing to those who are in a heterosexual lifestyle as well. 00:23:42.090 --> 00:23:47.837 We don't get a pass. 00:23:47.857 --> 00:23:52.122 Then the attitude is revealed in our speech, and so it starts with self-righteousness. 00:23:52.122 --> 00:23:55.124 A self-righteous attitude makes you despise others. 00:23:55.124 --> 00:23:58.027 In other words, a despising tendency develops. 00:23:58.027 --> 00:24:00.929 And then next, the attitude is revealed in our speech. 00:24:00.929 --> 00:24:04.291 Jesus said it clearly out of the heart, the mouth speaks. 00:24:04.291 --> 00:24:08.958 This is not philosophy, idle philosophy, but fact. 00:24:08.958 --> 00:24:14.355 The words come out and you can't stop them until you recognize the source and go to God for cleansing. 00:24:14.355 --> 00:24:22.089 Until you recognize the source and go to God for cleansing, you start dealing with this attitude at the first sign of trouble and spare yourselves a step downward. 00:24:23.155 --> 00:24:26.463 Look at this statement in the Amplified Romans 14. 00:24:26.463 --> 00:24:38.103 It says as for the man who is a weak believer, welcome him into your fellowship, not to criticize his opinions or pass judgment on his scruples or perplex him with discussion. 00:24:38.103 --> 00:24:42.205 I'd like to word that last phrase, but not to straighten him out. 00:24:42.205 --> 00:24:50.047 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 00:24:50.047 --> 00:24:52.082 Watch the way they're going to judge each other. 00:24:52.082 --> 00:24:55.566 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains. 00:24:55.566 --> 00:25:01.661 Let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 00:25:01.661 --> 00:25:08.663 See, this is the attitude of grace we should have towards the other members of the body who don't see things the way I do. 00:25:08.663 --> 00:25:20.463 And we can be delivered from that attitude that says if everybody was serious and did what I did do, then God would be blessing them. 00:25:22.255 --> 00:25:23.461 That attitude stinketh. 00:25:23.461 --> 00:25:28.779 Who are you to pass judgment on? 00:25:28.779 --> 00:25:29.843 The servant of another? 00:25:29.843 --> 00:25:31.406 Roman 14. 00:25:31.406 --> 00:25:38.986 It is before his own master that he stands or falls, and he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 00:25:38.986 --> 00:25:49.022 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. 00:25:49.474 --> 00:26:08.089 By the way, paul's dealing here in Romans with a congregation of Jews and non-Jews Gentiles who were both working out their salvation, and some believe in keeping certain holidays, others believe you didn't have to, and Paul is weighing in on how to wade through those difficult waters. 00:26:08.089 --> 00:26:11.696 He says each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 00:26:11.696 --> 00:26:15.400 The one who observes the day observes it in honor of the Lord. 00:26:15.400 --> 00:26:18.742 And then we've jumped down to Romans 14.10. 00:26:18.742 --> 00:26:31.684 He says why do you pass judgment on your brother? 00:26:31.684 --> 00:26:35.144 So easy to fall into this pattern. 00:26:38.934 --> 00:26:39.536 Have that subtle attitude. 00:26:39.536 --> 00:26:44.085 Everybody would be doing what I'm doing if they really understood God or his word. 00:26:44.085 --> 00:26:56.067 The one who eats eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains in honor and gives thanks to God, why do you pass judgment on your brother? 00:26:56.067 --> 00:26:57.057 Or you? 00:26:57.057 --> 00:26:59.044 Why do you despise your brother? 00:26:59.044 --> 00:27:02.403 For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 00:27:02.403 --> 00:27:09.303 For it is written as I live, the Lord's, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess to God. 00:27:09.303 --> 00:27:13.006 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. 00:27:13.006 --> 00:27:19.604 And there's so many other things he deals here with the Sabbath and other reasons Romans 14 deals with. 00:27:19.604 --> 00:27:25.950 But there's other things the rapture, the millennium Lord's Supper we differ in with our brothers and sisters. 00:27:26.732 --> 00:27:29.878 It's easy to become judgmental of those who have differing views, isn't it? 00:27:29.878 --> 00:27:31.842 It really is. 00:27:31.842 --> 00:27:35.426 So what's the key, you hypocrite? 00:27:35.426 --> 00:27:39.660 First take the log out of your own eye and then you will see clearly. 00:27:39.660 --> 00:27:42.207 To take the speck out of your brother's eye. 00:27:42.207 --> 00:27:52.747 Now Jesus isn't saying we can't be used by God to help our brothers and sisters to see clearly, but we have to make sure we are first seeing clearly about ourselves. 00:27:52.747 --> 00:27:58.656 The only way that can happen is to remove the telephone pole from our own eyes. 00:28:02.564 --> 00:28:11.671 The final statement I want to focus in for the next hour is I woke you up now, didn't I? 00:28:11.671 --> 00:28:29.372 The final statement teaches us the importance of certain disciplines before we safeguard ourselves from being hurt whenever we share God's word. 00:28:29.372 --> 00:28:33.351 It helps us to learn how to handle the truth of God revealed to us. 00:28:33.351 --> 00:28:40.460 It instructs us to approach new truth with a new appreciation for the privilege and responsibilities involved. 00:28:40.460 --> 00:28:50.351 Do not give dogs what is holy and do not throw your pearls before pigs lest they trample them underfoot and turn and attack you. 00:28:50.351 --> 00:29:00.054 He's saying in sharing the riches of the kingdom, make sure you discern your hearers. 00:29:00.054 --> 00:29:08.173 Not everybody you're speaking to appreciates the great pearl of treasures you have. 00:29:08.173 --> 00:29:10.247 Some are dogs and pigs. 00:29:10.247 --> 00:29:17.490 Remember when Jesus spoke in parables in Matthew 13,? 00:29:17.490 --> 00:29:20.599 He spoke of the pearl of great price was one of the parables. 00:29:20.599 --> 00:29:30.153 In verse 45 of chapter 13 of Matthew he says again the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. 00:29:30.153 --> 00:29:35.592 Who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. 00:29:38.641 --> 00:29:41.431 Do you understand how a pearl is formed within an oyster? 00:29:41.431 --> 00:29:42.683 I revisited this. 00:29:42.683 --> 00:29:43.627 It's fascinating. 00:29:43.627 --> 00:29:46.428 The oyster a grain of sand works its way into the oyster, causing an oyster. 00:29:46.428 --> 00:29:46.808 I revisited this. 00:29:46.808 --> 00:29:47.151 It's fascinating. 00:29:47.151 --> 00:29:47.432 The oyster. 00:29:47.432 --> 00:29:59.830 A grain of sand works its way into the oyster, causing an irritation, and the oyster starts to cover the grain of sand with layer after layer of mucus in order to alleviate the irritation. 00:29:59.830 --> 00:30:03.279 Finally, the pearl is formed by tribulation. 00:30:04.865 --> 00:30:06.190 Do you want the pearls of the kingdom? 00:30:06.190 --> 00:30:09.088 There's only one way they're formed. 00:30:09.088 --> 00:30:14.190 And the pearl is formed by tribulation. 00:30:14.190 --> 00:30:18.867 That's what happens whenever God forms within us an understanding of new truth. 00:30:18.867 --> 00:30:22.789 What is our first inclination when we get new truth? 00:30:22.789 --> 00:30:29.243 It is to run out and tell everyone and anyone who will listen to your newfound truth. 00:30:29.243 --> 00:30:35.339 And that's where the need, the truth of this verse, is so important. 00:30:35.339 --> 00:30:40.210 We must learn how, what, when and with whom to share our treasure. 00:30:40.210 --> 00:30:45.349 Our natural tendency, again, is to fling holy things to dogs and pigs. 00:30:45.349 --> 00:30:52.026 We must learn how to be responsible to steward the truth he shows us. 00:30:52.026 --> 00:30:55.152 Have you ever had the following situation? 00:30:55.152 --> 00:31:14.221 God shows you some incredible revelation of his word that's life-changing and you're just dying to share it with someone and you run out and tell a friend, expecting him to be as excited about it as you are, and he just grunts what's the problem? 00:31:14.221 --> 00:31:16.386 God was showing you that truth. 00:31:16.386 --> 00:31:18.490 It was for you alone. 00:31:18.490 --> 00:31:30.914 At that point we must learn that when the Lord shares something with us, it's best to first keep it to ourselves and weigh it and really come to understand it. 00:31:30.914 --> 00:31:36.256 We must learn the wisdom of when, how and with whom we are to share. 00:31:36.656 --> 00:31:37.500 Isaiah said something. 00:31:37.500 --> 00:31:41.048 I want to read it from the King James, chapter 50 of Isaiah. 00:31:41.048 --> 00:31:47.980 Verse 14 said it this way the Lord God, verse one through four I'm sorry, isaiah, 51 through four, I'm sorry, isaiah 50, one through four. 00:31:47.980 --> 00:31:59.528 The Lord God has given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word, that's what to speak in season, when to speak to him that is weary, to whom to speak? 00:31:59.528 --> 00:32:01.426 He waketh morning by morning. 00:32:01.426 --> 00:32:04.670 He waketh my ear to hear as the learned. 00:32:04.670 --> 00:32:15.932 Do you see, the one who teaches us the how, what and when, the right thing to the right person, at the right time in the right way. 00:32:15.932 --> 00:32:31.355 So important that we get that right and again, it's vital that we learn how to handle sharing spiritual truth, because some of those we're sharing with are dogs and pigs and don't value the treasures we have. 00:32:31.355 --> 00:32:35.570 Sometimes we need to stop speaking and walk away. 00:32:37.940 --> 00:32:44.463 Remember the Lord's instruction regarding sharing the gospel with unbelievers that he gave them before they went out on their first mission trip. 00:32:44.463 --> 00:32:45.203 With unbelievers. 00:32:45.203 --> 00:32:47.105 That he gave them before they went out on their first mission trip. 00:32:47.105 --> 00:32:52.867 He said whatever town or village you enter, share, search for some person, worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. 00:32:52.867 --> 00:32:56.990 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 00:32:56.990 --> 00:33:00.512 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it. 00:33:00.512 --> 00:33:02.854 If it is not, let your peace return. 00:33:02.854 --> 00:33:10.518 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 00:33:10.518 --> 00:33:21.128 I tell you, the truth will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on that day of judgment than for that town I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves. 00:33:21.128 --> 00:33:24.931 Therefore, be shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 00:33:24.931 --> 00:33:28.625 Look carefully at his instruction about those who will not listen. 00:33:28.625 --> 00:33:35.050 If anyone will not welcome you or listen, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 00:33:37.820 --> 00:33:48.442 The apostles who heard these words of commission did exactly that at times, for instance at Antioch, did exactly that at times, for instance at Antioch, when they were rejected. 00:33:48.442 --> 00:33:53.932 It says and when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and the Jewish synagogue had rejected them. 00:33:53.932 --> 00:34:05.410 And Luke says Paul and Barnabas, when they heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. 00:34:05.410 --> 00:34:12.971 Notice, it doesn't say as many as believed were appointed to eternal life, but as many as were appointed to eternal life believe. 00:34:12.971 --> 00:34:28.726 But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district, but they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. 00:34:28.726 --> 00:34:35.282 This is something that should continue to be practiced in our day. 00:34:35.521 --> 00:34:36.545 Can I be honest with you? 00:34:36.545 --> 00:34:42.103 For many years of serving in pastoral ministry, I was in violation of this instruction. 00:34:42.103 --> 00:34:56.909 Instead of shaking the dust off the feet after years of working with people, I continued to speak to them, not realizing they were weighing what I was telling them in the same scale as what their bartender was telling them. 00:34:56.909 --> 00:35:06.693 It's a general policy that when people stop listening we should stop speaking. 00:35:06.693 --> 00:35:12.771 So let's close by calling to mind what this passage has had to say to us. 00:35:12.771 --> 00:35:19.960 There's so much jammed in here and we haven't done it justice, but I hope it's been meaningful and it says. 00:35:20.601 --> 00:35:31.829 I want to close by saying reminding you that we said we were forbidden to judge others, why at times we are called to discern where others are at. 00:35:31.829 --> 00:35:40.240 But there's only one way we can effectively do that, and that is by making sure we are judging ourselves by the same measure we judge others. 00:35:40.240 --> 00:35:46.773 We saw it's easy to be blind to our own spiritual condition while we continue to make judgments about others. 00:35:46.773 --> 00:35:51.692 And at the end we saw that we must be careful about who we are speaking to. 00:35:51.692 --> 00:36:09.340 Some do not value what we have and will trample them under their feet how important these words are for living successfully in the community of God, of God. 00:36:09.360 --> 00:36:15.454 I would close this message by making an appeal to you to ask the Lord to take out of your heart that judgmental, harsh, critical spirit. 00:36:15.454 --> 00:36:34.213 Ask yourself this question Are you judging yourself by the same standard you're judging others, or are you ignoring the telephone pole protruding from your eye while you set yourself up as the God-appointed judge of others, stand with me. 00:36:34.213 --> 00:36:39.927 I'm going to ask the prayer team to come down. 00:36:39.927 --> 00:36:48.588 I think the most fitting way to conclude this and these are sobering things, I realize, but is to take a moment and pray together. 00:36:48.588 --> 00:36:57.168 And then I want to invite you to this morning to come up and get prayer from one of the prayer team members. 00:36:57.168 --> 00:37:10.228 If you discover especially that you've been harsh or critical, judgmental attitude, then come and confess it to the Lord and ask someone to pray for you. 00:37:10.228 --> 00:37:11.483 We'll be glad to do it. 00:37:13.570 --> 00:37:17.110 Father, thank you for this teaching this morning. 00:37:17.110 --> 00:37:19.047 Thank you for the reality of these words. 00:37:19.047 --> 00:37:26.268 Lord, we thank you that you've called us to not be critical, judgmental, but you called us to discern. 00:37:26.268 --> 00:37:32.969 Help us to recognize the difference and, lord, we repent right now for a critical, fault-finding spirit. 00:37:32.969 --> 00:37:38.148 We ask you to forgive us, lord, for having that attitude for judging others. 00:37:38.148 --> 00:37:42.628 Let Trinity, let it be banished from Trinity Community Church completely. 00:37:42.628 --> 00:37:55.204 Lord, let us not be judgmental and harsh, but help us, lord, at the same time, to discern when we need to speak to our brother or sister and exhort them to make changes. 00:37:55.204 --> 00:38:01.485 Don't let us run from our responsibility to do that because of this teaching Help us to live a balanced life with both. 00:38:01.485 --> 00:38:05.777 In the name of the Lord Jesus, and everyone said Amen.