Here Comes da Judge!

Here Comes da Judge!
Matthew 7:1-12; Luke 6:37-42
Are you an “armchair quarterback”? Are you someone who is quick and frequent to criticize someone else’s actions, especially after the fact? We can always look at how we see what someone else is doing and find something that we think should be done differently. I have had several people try, with good intentions, to tell me how to run this Bible study ministry. Some have had good ideas, but some were just being critical.

Jesus is continuing to teach us how we can be pleasing to God. He is also going to teach us how God cares about our needs and us. Then He is going to give us the Golden Rule on how to treat others!

How to Judge Others – Matthew 7:1-2; Luke 6:37-38
Some people have tried to suggest that we should not judge others and cite Matthew 7:1 as their proof. However, such a statement involves making a judgment! We cannot live without making judgments about what is right and wrong.

If you read the entire sentence, Jesus tells us that the same standard that we use on others will be used to judge us. The problem is that we often judge others as guilty of something that we are likewise guilty of ourselves. Our judgments are sometimes made on the actions of others, but sometimes they are also a reminder to us about our own behavior. We will most assuredly be judged by the same standard we impose on others.

a. Make judgments wisely.
b. Use God’s standard for all judgments.

Don’t be a Splinter Picking Hypocrite – Matthew 7:3-6; Luke 6:39-42
Relating to the above comments, many of us judge others of things that we do ourselves!

It is so easy to see what others are doing and not realize that you are doing the same thing. Sometimes, we think that by condemning them, we will be less guilty for things that we are doing. If it is wrong for someone else to do it, it is also wrong for you and me to do it as well.

How can you help someone else make his or her life better if you are doing the same thing? A teacher cannot take the student any further than that teacher has achieved in their own life. You can’t judge someone else if you are guilty of the same behavior.

a. Judge yourself first. We must always look at our own actions and ourselves before we speak out against another person.
b. Judge other’s actions by the same criteria you use on yourself.

Getting What You Want – Matthew 7:7-11
Most parents work hard to provide the basic needs for their children. They give them a home, food, clothing and protection. Many also try to provide “extras” with toys and other things that their children say they “want” because they love their children and want to please them as much as they reasonably can.

God, the Father, is much the same way. When we ask for something, He is not going to be cruel or unkind to us. He is not going to allow us to have things that will harm us. He wants His children to be joyful.

a. Take all of your needs and wants to God for His provision.
b. Trust God to know what’s best for you. Filter your requests by that criterion.

The Golden Rule – Matthew 7:12
The Golden Rule is not, “He who has the most gold rules”, although many people seem to operate on that principle.

The Golden Rule is that we should treat others the way we would prefer that they treat us. The truth is that this should be the model for everything we do in our relations with other people. That requires that you have a healthy love and respect of yourself. It also requires that we think about how we are treating others (which requires making judgments).

a. Love yourself with a healthy love.
b. Love others the same way.
c. Treat others the way you want to be treated before and whether they treat you that way or not!

CONCLUSION
How much better can you and I make this world by just living by and teaching these simple principles? How is what you have learned in this message going to change your life?

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