7:1-6 | Judgement of Others

Don't Judge | 7:1-2

1. Why we judge

   1. We're hard wired to judge and jump to conclusions

   2. A lack of love and mercy - They deserve it

   3. Out of a sense of moral superiority

2. At this point in the sermon it is easy to think highly of ourselves and judge others

   1. Doing things the right way makes me better

   2. You deserve any negative consequences for choosing the wrong way

   3. I'm one of Jesus' special people - Twist on Jewish priority

   4. We become a new type of Pharisee

3. It kills evangelism

   1. We don't see souls, just filthy sinners | Luke 7:36-39, 44

   2. 'Us vs. Them' attitude exemplified by the Pharisees | Matthew 9:9-13

4. It kills relationships/churches

   1. The church is open to anyone regardless of the type of sin

      1. The jerks

      2. Liars

      3. Sexually immoral, including homosexuals

      4. Peter was a coward

      5. Paul was a murderer

   2. We are not here to remind them about their sin but encourage them though it with Jesus

   3. We tend to put people under microscopes and are quick to reprimand without any encouragement

5. Our judgments will turn on us

   1. David's self condemnation | 2 Samuel 12:1-7

   2. We are just as sinful as anyone else | Romans 2:1-2

   3. We are not an exception to judgement | Romans 2:3-4

   4. If we hope for forgiveness we must be willing to forgive others | 5:7; 6:14-15

Don't be a Hypocrite | 7:3-5

1. Why are we blind to something so obvious?

   1. Judgments are easy to handout, harder to accept

      1. Easy to take a stance on MDR or abortion untill it affects you or someone close

   2. Pride - Keep the negative attention off me and on someone else

   3. Because it hurts to admit something ugly about ourselves

      1. Projection and blame shifting

      2. We learn to silently resent ourselves and then explode when we see a small part of that in someone else. Who are we really judging at that point?

2. We must learn to examine our lives

   1. "Are we the baddies?" Illustration

   2. Psalm 32 | Forgiveness comes after confession

3. We will not be able to help others untill we have helped ourselves

   1. We will not see clearly how to help

   2. No one wants help from hypocrites

Don't be Naïve | 7:6

1. Some will interpret this as an absolute prohibition on judging

   1. Criminal courts are sinful

   2. We can't correct any error or sin

   3. To each his own

   4. Remove the log, then the speck. Some judgment is healthy

2. We need to learn to judge in order to discern where to cast our pearls

   1. We need to use judgement in who we fellowship with

   2. We need discernment in determining benevolence

   3. There are those who will be judged unworthy of eternal life | Acts 13:46

3. Beware the dogs and pigs out there

   1. We can't be so naïve in our non-judgement to ignore them

   2. We will know people by judging their fruits | 7:20

   3. Never mistake your brother for a pig

4. We are to judge in love

   1. 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 | By not judging properly we stand to be corrupted

      1. Judge those in the body | Vv. 11-13

      2. In order to save their soul | V. 5

   2. In a spirit of gentleness | Galatians 6:1