Posts
Matthew 7
Pastor Greg Laurie
SERIES: God Came Near
Sunday, December 7, 2014 — 8:00 a.m.
Greg is talking about his favorite verse. He says that it is hard to pick a favorite verse, because he has many.
He says that the non believers all seem to have a favorite verse.
Matthew 7:1 ESV
[1] "Judge not, that you be not judged.
He says they say that to get believers off their back. He says they use that scripture out of context.
Th bible tells us to think and have opinions. We are to judge but not condemn and that is what that truly means.
Matthew 7:1-6 NKJV
[1] "Judge not, that you be not judged. [2] For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. [3] And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? [4] Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? [5] Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. [6] "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.
1. As Christians we should be discerning not condemning.
We should think and speak the truth with love.
People speak in love but not the truth all the time.
But not speaking in truth can not be love.
Proverbs 27:5-6 NKJV
[5] Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed. [6] Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
We should speak to each other openly, we need to judge each other. To judge means to point out the truth to one another.
1 Corinthians 6:2 NKJV
[2] Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1 Timothy 4:1-2 NKJV
[1] Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, [2] speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
He said people that say they don't care about doctrine... that they just love Jesus Christ. That is crazy, that is not possible, if you don't know doctrine then you might love a false Jesus.
1 Timothy 4:16 NKJV
[16] Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
Christians are to make evaluation and judgements.
He says there is a difference between judging and condemning. We are to judge not condemn.
Greg is telling a story of someone who invited a preacher over to help put up his roof. The man told the preacher he only invited him over to hear what he says when he hits his thumb with a hammer. Greg says that is a common idea among non believers to hope to see us slip up and turn us into hypocrites.
John 7:24 NKJV
[24] Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."
2. We do not know the backstory of people, so we should not condemn.
Our desire should not be to condemn but to restore.
Galatians 6:1 NKJV
[1] Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
You don't restore someone by painful attacks you do it by a gentle caring approach. No one would go see a doctor that would hurt them to help them. People want to know they are in caring hands.
3. The plank in your own eye is a dramatic illustration.
Matthew 7:3 NKJV
[3] And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
This story is an amusing illustration story because it is using extremes. Jesus is basically describing sawdust in ones eye and a 2x4 in ours.
He said it is the same material, and many times it is easy to see another's sin when you are caught up in the same sin. It is easy to spot sawdust when you are looking at wood all day.
He is talking about the story of David and his sin with Bathsheba.
2 Samuel 12: 1-9 So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. 2 The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. 3 The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. 4 One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.” 5 David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! 6 He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.” 7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. 9 Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.
4. Some people just don't want our help.Matthew 7:6 NKJV
[6] "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.
He says sometimes you are trying to help people that don't want to be helped. Those people can get angry sometimes.
Some nonbelievers think the message of the Bible is insanity.
1 Corinthians 1:18 NKJV
[18] For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
To those who feel this way you have to just walk away.
John 2:23-25 ESV
[23] Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. [24] But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people [25] and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
We don't always know people's hearts but Jesus always knows.
You can't know people's hearts, you have to be lead by the Holy Spirit. As Kenny Rogers says, you got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away, know when to run.
Greg saying how Jesus Christ didn't waste his time with Harrod but he did spent time with Pilote.
Greg is saying during this Christmas season we will have a lot of opportunity to spread the word of Jesus Christ.
He says the next time someone says judge not, lest he be judged. You can say, "that means to condemn not or you will be condemned. I am not condemning you!"
You are to help lead others to Christ not condemn them!
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