Mat 7:1-5; You Cannot Judge from the Foot of the Cross.

Sunday September 29, 2024

Idea: A believer should not judge any other but in love serve them like Christ.

Judging is one of those silent killers. In the privacy of my heart I can label you and create all kinds of conclusions about you. You could be in need and I could judge that it is best to ignore you or worse still, give you advice and tell you I’m praying for you when I hold what you need in my hand. I can judge that I can fix your problems by my own great wisdom and pride.

Jesus is going to teach us how we can actually help one another as He does. He’s showing us the way things are supposed to be among humans. He’s also going to warn us – God is going to treat you like you treat others.

Mat 7:1-5.

Do not judge. What does it mean to judge? 

All of us have to make judgments all the time. It means that we make observations and from them make conclusions, which is reason. 

The judging that Jesus has in mind in this teaching is the judging that only God can do. 

Do not judge: Do not condemn a person and label them by their appearance. Do not come to a conclusion that demands more facts than you have, and in some cases, the facts are impossible to have. 1Co 4:1-5.

You will be treated by God in the same manner that you treat others. Mat 7:2. 

Not just in judging but in everything, Mat 6:14-15; Luk 6:37-38. 

Labeling your brother by his sin and trying to be his savior.

I’ve labeled you because of some sins I’ve seen and don’t particularly like, but there is a problem, Mat 7:3. 

If you think you are one who can judge then you are pretending to be God and Jesus calls you a hypocrite. 

Rather, we are to be servants to others (Joh 13:14; Luk 22:26).  

Love pushes you out of your comfort zone, from behind your walls, into the realm of actually being a help to many others.

Text: “do not notice” katanoeis - perceive clearly; understand fully the beam in your own eye. 

The beam is the debt that you have with God. The debt is unfathomably large for every person.

When you are taking the beam out of your own eye, you are confessing to God the entirety of this unfathomable debt, and this is the only way to clear your eye. 

The debt doesn’t go away, but what comes into view is the saving work of Christ, the only hope for sin (so much sin) is the cross.

Look at your brother and his specks (splinters) from the foot of the cross. 

Jesus is showing us how the sinner, who perceives God’s love for him, perceives others and treats them. 

Tit 3:3-8. 

When you take the beam out of your own eye you are confessing the fulness of your debt, though you hardly know how big it is. 

The debt is not removed but other, different and beautiful things come into view: the eye focuses on the kindness of God our Savior and His love, mercy, regeneration, renewal by the Holy Spirit, the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, and that His sacrifice made you an heir according to eternal life. 

Now you can see how to serve them, to actually help them with their splinters and you will find them helping you with your own.