Title: “How to Successfully Perform Spiritual Surgery” Script: Mt. 7:1-6
Type: Series Where: GNBC 1-31-22
Intro: As many of you know, my son in law, Jon, is an ophthalmologist who regularly has to perform eye surgeries as part of his practice. Earlier this week I asked Jon what was the smallest and most delicate procedure he has to perform. (Show slide). If you notice on the penny, above the date is an “istent”. It is the actual size. An istent is implanted into the trabecular meshwork (The drainage system of the eye for Glaucoma. The istent is the smallest implant that can be placed in the body. In order to carefully perform the operation the surgeon usually has visual magnification of about 10-12x normal vision! As you can probably imagine, requires incredibly STEADY hands and the breath control of a marksman! Now in today’s passage we see that Christ makes an important analogy between judging one another’s spiritual condition and perform a delicate procedure on another’s eye.
Prop: Exam. Mt. 7:1-6 we’ll realize 4 requirements to perform successful spiritual surgery.
BG: 1. Mt. 7 is part of the SOM. 2. Our culture is obsessed with not judging. 3.
Prop: Exam. Mt. 7:1-6 we’ll realize 4 requirements in performing successful spiritual surgery.
I. Successful Spiritual Surgery Requires Avoiding a Judgmental Attitude. Vv. 1-2
A. Is all Judging Banned by Christ’s Command?
1. Does Christ’s command mean we should never judge anyone or anything?
a. Illust: When I was a child, John 3:16 was the most quoted verse in the world. Today, Matthew 7:1 is. It is also the most misquoted. If one looks at vv. 13-27, which contextually is still a part of the same sermon, we realize that Christ immediately calls for the use of discernment and judgment. He calls His listeners to discern/judge between 2 gates, then 2 trees, and then 2 foundations for two different houses. Implicitly understood in each instance is the difference of the outcome. There are 2 men who make a judgment and put the events into motion.
b. Judge – krino – Gk, judge, discern, but also means “condemn” or avenge. Often, when we hear someone say: “Don’t judge me!” what they really mean is that they want you to affirm them in their thinking or behavior. They want you to affirm them in their mistaken thinking that actions and ideas don’t have consequences. However, that simply isn’t true. And, I don’t believe that is what Jesus is talking about here. Christ was the most honest and direct individual Who ever walked this earth. This passage does not mean we are to ignore evil or harmful behavior in others.
2. Jesus does not ban all discernment and discrimination in this passage.
a. Now, if we were to apply this passage with the hermeneutic of the average Christian who glibly reads the passage there would be no basis for Church Discipline (Mt. 18) Even take a look a few verses down in this chapter. Jesus tells us to “Beware of false prophets.” How does one determine the difference between a false and a good prophet? Paul warns us repeatedly in his epistles (Gal. 1:6; Col. 2:20; ITim. 1:3) to judge the content of one’s teaching in the Church to determine if they are true or false. He as well as other NT authors also tells us to examine the content of professed teachers/preachers’ lives so as to determine if their behavior lines up with the WOG’s moral and ethical standard. (Jude 4, 8, 15,16). Even the selection of elders and deacons requires judgment for believers to employ in a wide area of character and instructional qualities (I Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9; I Tim. 3:8-12).
b. One of the weaknesses of what is commonly referred to as “Big Evangelicalism” is often its unwillingness to express any disagreement, any condemnation, or offer any censorship of practices or individuals who violate
B. I am convinced Christ’s Reference Here is to an Attitude more than an Action. He is addressing a judgmental attitude that all too often is an epidemic in Christian circles. So, how do we apply this instruction?
1. Beware of Judging People’s Hearts. Illust: Do you remember in the OT when the Lord told the prophet Samuel to go to the house of Jesse so as to anoint a new king over the nation of Israel? When he saw the son Eliab, he thought to self: “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed.” However, God corrected the prophet and says: “God does not look on the outward appearance nor considers his height (Saul was the tallest man in Israel.) People look at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart.” (I Sam. 16:7). You’re not God. I’m not God. We look at appearances but rarely the heart. Even when we think, we rarely know.
2. Beware of the Attitude with Which You Judge another.
a. v.2 is key for our understanding: “for in the way” and “by your standard of measure”. How are you judging others? What is your and my basis? Would we want them to apply our standard on us? What is your attitude in judging your brother or sister? Are you trying to retain your superiority? Are you trying to “win at all costs”? Are you trying to humble, hurt, or humiliate the other? IF so, you better take the time to take an attitude check!
b. Illust: Planet Fitness markets as a “judgement” (sp!) free zone. However, I have witnessed groups of “beautiful or fit” people mocking others behind their backs. “Oh, where is Shamu today? Oh there she is on the treadmill!” Chuckle, chuckle. Not teenagers, but 30-40 yrs old. Instead of encouraging a man or woman who is trying hard to overcome or correct a problem in her life. Now, I have also seen one of the most fit men in the gym talk to a 70 yrs.+ man who had a stroke, encouraging him as was attempting to lift a 5 lbs dumbbell. What Earl Nightingale once said is still very true: “When you judge others, you do not define them, your define yourself.”
c. You judge someone wrongly when you criticize him out of jealousy, bitterness, selfish ambition, or some other sin, rather than seeking to build him in Christ. In other words, your motive is crucial! When James says (4:11), “Do not speak against one another,” some versions translate it, “Do not slander one another.” Slander, which means maligning someone or damaging his reputation by sharing false or deliberately misleading information, is always sin. Don’t run down others from selfish motives.
3. Beware of Judging without all of the information.
a. “Scripture forbids hasty judgments. Proverbs 18:10 says, “The one who gives an answer before he listens—that is his folly and his shame.” It’s interesting to consider that in Scripture, even God, who is omniscient, gathers information before pronouncing final judgment. With Adam, God asked if he had eaten from the forbidden tree—though God, obviously, knew the answer. With Sodom and Gomorrah, God sent angels down to see if the outcry against it was true (Gen 18:21). If God, who is omniscient, gathers all the facts before making a conclusion, how much more should we?” (Greg Brown, Spiritual Surgery…)
b. Illust: May I just say something. Ministry of pastors and elders can be very difficult. Over the years there have been many delicate matters the board has had to address or pastoral staff has had to deal with. I have heard so many people, who do not have all the facts, nor even a few of the facts, make assumptions against leadership that were unfounded and simply put, ignorant. Much is private. Believe the best of leadership until prove false.
C. Applic: 1st lesson. In order to successfully perform spiritual eye surgery, check your attitude.
II. Successful Spiritual Surgery Requires Unhindered Vision. Vv.3-4
A. Unhindered Spiritual Vision Requires Personal Repentance.
1. Christ addresses the fact that the man attempting to “help” in this passage was hindered.
a. Illust: In the past year or so, my son in law got stung by a bee. He was stung on the eye lid! Had an allergic reaction and his eye swelled shut! Now think about that if you are an eye doctor! Being an ethical individual, Jon was cancelled surgeries for a few days so that his vision wouldn’t be impeded.
b. Now, go back to the text. In this passage Jesus uses a vivid and let’s face it, outlandish analogy to underscore a point: Both individuals have a problem. And the one with the very serious problem doesn’t even realize it. Illust: A “speck” can be problematic. Right? I remember painfully well what it was like to wear contact lens in the South during pollen season! A little speck of pollen. Whammy!
2. Let’s Consider what Christ is addressing in this passage.
- Again, in this passage, Christ is underscoring a very important truth. We all have an inherent propensity to focus on another’s sins while excusing or overlooking our own. We may even be correct in what we are saying, but all wrong in how we say it. By doing so, we invalidate the truth of our message. Do you know how long man has struggle with this problem? Since the Garden! Gen. 3:11-12 “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree I commanded you not to eat from? The man said, the woman you put here with me, she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Whoa Adam! Not only does he blame Eve for his own lack of spiritual leadership, he faults God!
B. Consider 3 Actions to Take to Ensure Better Spiritual Vision with Which to Work on Others.
1. Constantly search our own lives for sin.
a. Illust: Can you imagine when my son in law had the bee sting if he had gone ahead into surgery like nothing was wrong! What if was going to put in one of those trabecular istents we discussed earlier and couldn’t even get his special magnification glasses on due to the swelling. Kind of squinting out of one eye…”Don’t worry Mrs. McIntyre, it’ll all be good…you don’t have to really be that precise! Old Mrs. McIntyre would run screaming of the table!
b. When Christ says “see” the beam in our own eye, the word carries the idea of serious, continuous meditation and examination. What Jesus is saying here is not to be flippant about one’s own large sin when address the smaller sin of another. It is very easy to be overly flippant about our sin in relation to others. “Oh, it’s under the blood.” “Oh, don’t bring up the past.” Seriously consider how your sin affects others. Empathize with individuals you have offended. Try to better understand and appreciate offenses we created in our relationship so as to show empathy to the other.)
2. Ask others to help evaluate our own sin and shortcomings if we are seeking to point out the sin of others.- Who has permission to speak into your and my life? Anyone? If not, beware. Often our responses are irrational and disproportional. Illust: Do you remember back in II Sam. 12 where God sends Nathan the prophet to confront King David. David had committed adultery with another man’s wife (Bathsheba), and when it became apparent that she was pregnant, conspired to have Uriah killed so he would not be culpable. So Nathan comes to the king with a fictional account. Was a poor man who only had one lamb. The lamb was like a member of his family. Lived in house. Eat from food and drink from cup. A very wealthy many had hundreds of sheep and cattle and when a visitor came, instead of killing one of his own, took the poor man’s pet, killed her, and prepared her for the meal for the visitors. Now, in response to this news David became furious and said this man needs to die! Way too harsh. Why? Was overcompensating spiritually for unchecked and unrepentant sin in own life.
3. Confess and forsake anything that may dull our spiritual sight. I Thes. 5:22 says: “Abstain from every form of evil.”
C. Applic: Do you commonly judge others? How is your vision? Hindered or clear? Have you repented of your sin?
III. Spiritual Surgery Requires Compassionate Care for People. V.5
A. Sick People Need Compassionate care.
1. Spiritually Sick People Need Compassionate Care as well.
-Notice Christ’s response in v. 5. “You hypocrite”. We all know that eyes are very delicate and require gentle care lest injury is a definite possibility. Illust: My son in law is one of the more kind and compassionate men I know. A majority of his patients he sees for surgery tend to be elderly. It’s the nature of that field of medicine. Coincidentally, Jon loves older people. He is very kind and understanding towards them as a group. Illust: We’ve all seen a pompous doctor who is harsh and brusque. He or she might be the best in the field, however, will only go to them if forced to out of need, not because you like or respect them as an individual.
2. Spiritual Surgery Requires Compassionate Care for People as well.
a. When it comes to counseling and compassionate care, I’ve known a lot of pastors over the years who were better suited to be blacksmiths than counselors. Hammer and tongs and metal! One of my best friends from seminary graduated and was fired from 1st 4-5 churches with no tenure lasting more than 18 mo. Godly man. Smart man. Good preacher. Unfortunately, 1st tool would use when dealing with people in sin was to pull the pin and hand them a grenade!
b. Gal. 6:1 says: “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.” Notice that: “Restore that person gently” In 30+ yrs I have literally seen about everything. Adultery, addiction, abuse, assault, murder, embezzlement, list is endless. Every person was very vulnerable to come to me.
B. How do we Model Gentleness in the Spiritual Care of others?
1. We will demonstrate Gentle Spiritual Care when we recognize our own sinful condition.
a. I just quoted from Gal. 6:1. Why is it that Paul commends the “spiritually mature” to go and seek to restore those who are in sin? Very easy answer: Immature people will be too harsh. This doesn’t mean that we don’t address sin. It doesn’t mean that we can’t say to or require hard things of people. Gentleness doesn’t mean ignoring real issues or real answers because don’t want to offend.
b. Illust: Every single one of us here today is vulnerable to fall into gross sin. David, a man after God’s own heart, committed adultery and then murder. Moses fell to anger and was kept out of the promised land. Noah fell into drunkenness before he died. Recognition of our weakness will protect us and help us be humble in our ministry to others. First Corinthians 10:13 says, “So let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall.”
2. We minister gently when we minister in the Spirit.
a. True ministry doesn’t happen in the flesh. If we minister in the flesh, we only get fleshly results. We will find ourselves often frustrated, angry, and impatient. But spiritual ministry comes from abiding in the Spirit (Gal 5:16)—through prayer, time in God’s Word, worship, fellowship with the saints, and obedience. As we abide, the Spirit produces the fruit of gentleness in us so we can better minister to others, especially those who have failed us.
b. Illust: Henry Moorhouse was a wild young man who, by age sixteen, was a gambler, gang-leader, and thief. But during the Ulster Revival of 1859, Henry gave his life to Jesus. He was soon heard preaching the Gospel with all his heart; and his favorite text was John 3:16. One day in Ireland in 1867, he met the famed evangelist, D. L. Moody; and Henry had the nerve to invite himself to preach in Moody’s church in Chicago.
Sometime later, Moody returned home from a trip and learned that Moorhouse had shown up, started preaching, and was drawing great crowds. “He has preached two sermons from John 3:16,” Moody’s wife to him, “and I think you will like him, although he preached a little different from what you do.” “How is that?” “Well, he tells sinners God loves them.” Moody wasn’t so sure about that; but that evening he went to hear Moorhouse preach. The young man stood up in the pulpit and said, “If you will turn to John 3 and the sixteenth verse,” said the young man, “you will find my text.” Moody later recalled, “He preached a most extraordinary sermon from that verse…. I never knew up to that time that God loved us so much. This heart of mine began to thaw out, and I could not keep back the tears. It was like news from a far country. I just drank it in.” For next seven days Moorhouse preached from John 3:16! Revolutionized Moody’s ministry.
C. Applic: When you judge or confront others do you have their best interests at heart? Gentle?
IV. Spiritual Surgery Requires Discernment v.6
A. Christ Concludes His Remarks with a Sometimes Confusing Statement. (Read)
1. Let us carefully discern what Christ was saying in this passage.
a. At first glance we say, “Wait a minute Jesus! You just changed your metaphor. One moment you are talking about eyes and specks and logs and now pearls, pigs and dogs! A bit confusing. Not so much. Since the Jewish leadership continually rejected Christ’s Word, He began to hide the truth from them through parables. After sharing, he would explain the meaning to his disciples alone. Israel had rejected the pearl of great price, and therefore, Christ stopped offering it. So, here is the purpose of v.6: Had Christ stopped at v.5, Christians would have been so terrified of the danger of judging others they would have exercised no discrimination or judgment or discernment whatsoever. There would have been no discipline in the Church & entire Christian experience would be one of utter chaos.
b. Illust: Martyn Lloyd-Jones said of this passage: “How can we prove and test the spirits, how can we beware of false prophets, if we do not exercise discernment? We are to recognize the error, but we are also to do so not in order to condemn, but in order to help. This, we find is the connecting link between those two concepts.
2. What is the Meaning of the Metaphor?
a. Again, Christ is instructing us on how to deal with people. How to handle them as unique individuals. (Read v.6 again.) What does He mean by this? Referring to the truth, which is holy, and therefore valuable, and likened to pearls. This is the message of the Kingdom which is the message of the entire sermon. The dog in 1st century Palestine was not seen as a household pet but a dangerous opportunist that often roamed in bands bent on destruction of life and livestock. Swine, of course were feral hogs, represented all that was unholy and outside of the pale.
b. Don’t make the mistake all too common. This is not the attitude we should have towards the lost or those outside of the Church. Doesn’t mean we don’t share with non-Christians. Look at the life and ministry of Christ. He doesn’t treat any two people the same way. Think of Christ’s handling of Nathanael, Nicodemus, or the widow of Nain. At once you see certain differences. What was the difference between how Christ confronted Pharisees or Publican and Sinners? The humble or the self-righteous? Even during His trial, Christ answered Pilate but said not a word to Herod who should have known better.
B. Let’s Conclude by Making the Application.
1. There is no grater privilege in life than to be a witness for Jesus Christ. Nothing more exciting and satisfying than to lead another to the saving knowledge of Christ. But friends, we are not salesmen trained in a one way fits all mold. We do not rely on psychology or salesmanship. We rely on the Spirit and the Spirit leads us and the Spirit gives us discernment. To the Jew Paul became a Jew and to the Gentile a gentile, he became all things to all people so as to lead some to Christ.
2. Not only must be discern how to give the message to individuals, we must learn to distinguish between types of individuals. As a I said previously, the way one answers a Pilate is different from what you say to a Herod. We must see people for who they are, and after removing the log from our own eye we can better help the other.
C. Applic: As a general but not exclusive principle, let’s make it a practice to not make our life’s work judging others. When we do, let’s use godly discernment coming from a repentant heart that is seeking to help and not hurt others. Illust: Illustrations of Bible Truth, H. A. Ironside pointed out the folly of judging others. He related an incident in the life of a man called Bishop Potter. “He was sailing for Europe on one of the great transatlantic ocean liners. When he went on board, he found that another passenger was to share the cabin with him. After going to see the accommodations, he came up to the purser’s desk and inquired if he could leave his gold watch and other valuables in the ship’s safe. He explained that ordinarily he never availed himself of that privilege, but he had been to his cabin and had met the man who was to occupy the other berth. Judging from his appearance, he was afraid that he might not be a very trustworthy person.
The purser accepted the responsibility for the valuables and remarked, ’It’s all right, bishop, I’ll be very glad to take care of them for you. The other man has been up here and left his for the same reason!’
