Matthew 7:1-6
My sermon notes for Sunday morning, April 11th. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided to help you follow the sermon as you listen each week. The church provides a live stream of the service each Sunday at 10:45 on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/firstbaptistavonpark/ We also provide the services through YouTube on our website by Sunday afternoon at www.fbcap.net
INTRO:
Often when we see this verse, we think of HOW MANY TIMES WE HAVE HEARD… JUDGE NOT LEST YOU BE JUDGED
- Usually in the context of us addressing the actions of someone doing something that we perceive as wrong.
What these six verses should teach us:
- The danger of self-righteousness
- Warning against a judgmental and critical spirit
- The daily discipline of looking within before we look out
- The importance of spiritual discernment as we strive to live obediently and passionately FOR TRUTH.
- Believers relating to others in fallen world
- What we need to say… and when to say it.
We need to consider a few things as we get started:
- The balance of standing for truth and loving others.
- The balance of being right and hoping people will become right.
- 1 Tim. 1:3-5, 1 Tim. 4:11-16, 2 Tim. 2:22-25, 2 Tim. 4:1-5
- Truth is important. – How we treat others is also important
- We do not need to try to separate the two.
THE TEXT:
When you take this section as a whole, we see that vv. 1-6 are teaching us about spiritual discernment in relationships.
- With Other Believers – vv. 1-2
- With Ourselves – vv. 3-5
- With the World in General (unbelievers) – v. 6
Other Believers – vv. 1-2
Judge not, that you be not judged
- Criticize, condemn, fault finding
- This is unrighteous judgment (the Pharisees were experts in this)
- Putting oneself spiritually above others
- Wrong heart and wrong motives. (THIS IS KEY)
The reason people judge this way:
- In our flesh we enjoy talking about others and point out their faults.
- We think… it makes us look better
For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged
- BE CAREFUL, because WE DO NOT know the motives of others… or their heart and what they are thinking
- BUT God DOES know our heart. He is the righteous judge
- We may think we are pointing out the faults in others, but we are actually pronouncing judgment on our life.
Ourselves – vv. 3-5
See the speck, but not the log – v. 4
- See – more concerned with others (continue to look)
- We need to be more concerned about our OWN HOLINESS (start with our circles of responsibility and leadership before we look out… my life, my home, my career….etc)
- 2 Cor. 13:5 – Let us examine ourselves.
- Psalm 51:10 – Create in me a clean heart, O God
- Daily seek Him, Ask Him, Yield to Him. MORE OF HIM…LESS OF ME
You hypocrite… take the log out of your own eye – v. 5
- Mask wearing
- Phil 2:2-5 – do nothing out of selfish ambition…look after the interest of others
- A GREAT TRUTH TO CONSIDER – Galatians 6:1–5 – [1] Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. [2] Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. [3] For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. [4] But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. [5] For each will have to bear his own load. (ESV)
Once we understand the importance of having our life in order (progressive holiness… daily sanctification) then we can RIGHTLY HANDLE THE WORD OF TRUTH AS WE RELATE TO THE WORLD)
The World in Which We Live (unbelievers) – v. 6
Dogs and Pigs – Attack and Trample You
- It goes without saying that we are to evangelize and engage the lost world with the Gospel.
- Dogs and pigs were not looked upon favorable in society
- This is in reference to false teachers and those lost and hostile toward the Gospel.
- Attacking and disagree with the truth.
- Do not waste your time. Apart from a working of the Holy Spirit, they will never respond and receive.
2 Timothy 2:15–19 – [15] Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. [16] But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, [17] and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, [18] who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. [19] But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
2 Peter 2:1–3 – [1] But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. [2] And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. [3] And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (ESV)
We are to be careful as we judge others, but we also are to be careful expecting the unbelieving world to agree with us over the truth of the Gospel.
CONCLUSION:
1 Tim. 6:11-16
- Flee these things
- Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness
- Fight the Good Fight of Faith
- Take Hold of eternal life
Scripture:
1 Timothy 1:3–5 – [3] As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, [4] nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. [5] The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (ESV)
1 Timothy 4:11–16 – [11] Command and teach these things. [12] Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. [13] Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. [14] Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. [15] Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. [16] Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. (ESV)
2 Timothy 2:22–25 – [22] So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. [23] Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. [24] And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, [25] correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, (ESV)
2 Timothy 4:1–5 – [1] I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: [2] preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. [3] For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, [4] and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. [5] As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (ESV)
- Reprove – convince, correct, using biblical arguments (mind)
- Rebuke – Convict over sin, more pointed (the heart)
- Exhort – To teach, with great patience and instruction
Psalm 51:7–12
[7] Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
[8] Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
[9] Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
[10] Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
[11] Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
[12] Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit. (ESV)
Philippians 2:2–5 – [2] complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. [3] Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. [4] Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. [5] Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, (ESV)
1 Timothy 6:11–16 – [11] But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. [12] Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. [13] I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, [14] to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, [15] which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, [16] who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. (ESV)