“Happily Ever After…” – Part Three – Family Sermon Series 2002
The Ugly Duckling – Matthew 7:1-6
Larry L. Thompson (5-26-02)
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. [2] For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. [3] "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? [4] How can you say to your brother, ’Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? [5] You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. [6] "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.”
INTRODUCTION
Can you tell me the one verse that it seems as though every non-Christian knows?
MATTHEW 7:1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.”
Illustration: Bill Doran – Children’s Bible Study teacher:
For some reason, it is easier to jump to negative conclusions about people than it is to assume the best about them. When we do this, we communicate to them bad intentions and evil judgments that may not be true. We also reveal something about ourselves, for the faults we see in others are actually a reflection of our own. As Christian families we do want to be guilty of a Critical Spirit in our home, or condemning judgments to one another.
There are several reasons why family members as well as Christians in the family of God tend to judge and criticize.
1. Criticism boosts our own self-image. Pointing out someone else’s failure and tearing him down seems to build us up, at least in our own eyes.
2. Criticism is an enjoyed pastime. There is a tendency in human nature to take pleasure in hearing and sharing bad news and shortcomings.
3. Criticism makes us feel that our own lives (morality and behavior) are better than the person who failed.
4. Criticism helps us justify the decisions we have made and the things we have done throughout our lives. We rationalize our actions by pointing out the failure of others.
5. Criticism points out to our friends how strong we are. Criticism gives us good feelings because our rigid beliefs and strong lives are proven again by our comparing our life to our brother’s failure.
6. Criticism is an outlet for hurt and revenge. We feel they deserve it. “He hurt me so he deserves to hurt, too.” So we criticize the person who failed.
What does it mean to judge? There are three possible meanings of the word.
• To judge, as in the person who sits in a court room
• To discern
• To condemn
In order to be able to obediently follow the directive of Christ in Matthew 7:1, we must understand which of the meanings Jesus intends for this passage.
• To Judge, as in a court?
o Not prohibited. (Titus 3:1, Romans 13) Titus 3:1 “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good.”
o Church discipline is not prohibited. (Matthew 18:16, Titus 3:10, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, John 10) Matthew 18:16 “But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ’every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
• Discernment judgment?
o According to Matthew 7:20, Jesus tells us that by our fruits we will be known. “So then, you will know them by their fruits.”
o Matthew 7:6: “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.”
• Condemning judgment?
o Jesus said, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.”
What we need is to be built up in biblical truth so that we may defend ourselves from being critical of family members as well as brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ. It is easy for Satan to get us to be critical of people, even the people we dearly love in our homes. When that happens we find ourselves loosing perspective of how Jesus wants us to respond to one another. Your family can learn to “Live Happily Ever After…” if by faith you will walk in the truth of this word.
I. Avoid Critical Judgment that Injures (7:1-2)
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. [2] For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
From the context of the Sermon on the Mount it is obvious that Jesus is referring to the destructive and vindictive criticism which characterized the judgments of the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus severely condemned this action for two reasons:
a. Jesus Prohibits Destructive Judgment “Judge not” (Matthew 7:1)
One of the things which God prohibits is critical judgment that is destructive. To violate this directive is a serious sin. What is more, it reveals a troubled state of spiritual life. W. E. Vine, that great Bible scholar of the Greek New Testament, once made the searching statement: “Destructive criticism is the final evidence of a state of spiritual decline.” Simply put, when a person has lost out spiritually he begins to attack everything and everyone with a spirit of destructive criticism. Let this be a warning. Before we are tempted to criticize a family member or another person we should ask ourselves the following questions:
• Is my criticism absolutely true?
• Is it necessary?
• Is it kind?
• Does the Word of God support it?
• Does it glorify Christ?
b. Retribution Is Promised for Destructive Judgment: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Matthew 7:1)
Destructive judgment and criticism have a way of backfiring.
• This is true from the divine perspective. Jesus said some very solemn words about forgiveness: “…if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15). This simply means that if we maintain a destructive, critical attitude toward others and refuse to forgive and forget then we merit His divine retributions: God’s voice is silenced, and forgiveness is withheld. God penalizes all critical destructive judgment.
• There is also a human perspective. There is a saying that a man is “paid…in his own coin” (Cervantes). Scriptures teach it this way, “We reap what we sow.” This is so true. The retribution may not come from the person you offended but it will surely come.
Illustration: Stanford University Gift of $26 million dollars
There is a story that has been told that in 1884 a young man died, and after the funeral his grieving parents decided to establish a memorial to him. With that in mind, they met with Dr. Charles Eliot, president of Harvard University. Dr. Eliot received the modestly dressed couple into his office and asked what he could do. After they expressed their desire to fund a memorial I honor of their son, Eliot impatiently said, “You know I don’t have much time today, what would you like to give? Perhaps a partial scholarship?”
The woman replied. “We are thinking of something more substantial than that…Is it possible to maybe build a building for our son?” In a patronizing tone, Dr. Eliot indicated the idea was probably a bit too expensive and he asked them to consider giving a scholarship in their son’s name and come back and see him next week when he had more time. The couple departed.
Then the next year, Dr. Eliot learned that this simple pair had gone elsewhere and established a $26 million memorial named Leland Stanford Junior University. Today, it is simply known as Stanford! We will reap what we sow.
II. Accept Constructive Judgment that Instructs (7:3-5)
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? [4] How can you say to your brother, ’Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? [5] You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Jesus now lays down principles on which judgment can be both constructive and redemptive. Jesus casts His instructions into a negative form so as to accentuate the positive truth, Jesus taught that in our thoughts, words, and acts of judgment we must carefully weigh our behavior in the light of the cross.
• We Must Not Be Hypocritical “…why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Hypocrite!” (Matthew 7:3, 5). Such stinging words cannot be avoided. Indeed, to study and reflect on them is to be cured of all criticism and vindictiveness. Consider the instructions of what Jesus was saying. Before you criticize and judge your brother, make sure you are not a hypocrite. See to it that you are not masking superiority, while you are looking for a splinter in your brother’s eye you may have a plank in your own. The essence of hypocrisy is to judge in others what you have not judged in yourself. Critics should understand how self-condemning this is! It is a well-known psychological law that what you condemn in others is invariably the projection of something in yourself.
Paul stated in Romans 2:1-2: “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. [2] Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.”
Illustration: Lowell’s Syndrome
At the turn of 20th century, the world’s most distinguished astronomer, Sir Percival Lowell, was certain there were canals on Mars. When he heard, in 1877, that an Italian astronomer had seen straight lines crisscrossing the Martian surface, Lowell spent the rest of his years squinting into the eyepiece of his giant telescope in Arizona, mapping the channels and canals he saw. He was convinced the canals were proof of intelligent life on the Red Planet—possibly an older but wiser race than humanity. His observations gained wide acceptance and none dared contradict him. Since that time space probes have orbited Mars and landed on its surface. The entire planet has been mapped and not one canal. Today we know that Lowell suffered from a rare eye disease that made him see the blood vessels in his own eyes. The Martian “canals” he saw were nothing more than the bulging veins of his eyeballs, the disease now known as “Lowell’s syndrome.” When Jesus warns that “in the same way you judge others, you will be judged” (Matthew 7:1-3) and talks about seeing “the speck of sawdust” in another’s eye while missing the plank in our own, He is referring to the spiritual equivalent of Lowell’s syndrome! Over and over, we “see” faults in others because we don’t want to believe anything better about them. And so often we think we have a firsthand view of their shortcomings, when in fact our vision is distorted by our own carnal disease.
• We Must Not Be Hasty “…First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5). The instruction of Jesus is that all judgment of others should be preceded by a period of self-examination. As we kneel at the cross we should ask the Lord Jesus to search our hearts as to whether or not there are splinters in others which have come from the planks that we find in our own lives. Paul admonished us in Galatians 6:1:
“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.”
We should never read that verse without underscoring the words, “But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” If we engaged in more of this “watching yourself” we would be less likely to judge others.
Illustration: Cynthia Eating My Peanuts at Baseball Game
Several years ago Cynthia and I were enjoying a Marlin’s baseball game and I had purchased two bags of peanuts and a couple of diet cokes. We started talking while I opened the bag of peanuts. The game started and I noticed that Cynthia was reaching into my bag of peanuts. I thought, well she just wants to share with me and wait to open her bag…but she kept eating. I couldn’t even watch the game I was getting so upset. I would reach over and get a handful and then she would reach over and eat. Finally there was one peanut left and she started and I said, “Oh no you don’t, I’m eating that last peanut. You have sat here and eating most of my bag!” She looked puzzled and said, “Your bag? If I was eating your bag then what is that full bag doing under your chair?” Had I been more concerned about examining my own bag of peanuts instead of worrying about hers I would have known that my judgment, anger and critical spirit was unjustified.
• We Must Not Be Harmful “…First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5). Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: “The procedure of getting a mote [or splinter] out of an eye is a very difficult operation. There is no organ that is more sensitive than the eye. The moment the finger touches it, it closes up; it is so delicate. What you require above everything else in dealing with iris sympathy, patience, calmness, coolness. That is what is required because of the delicacy of the operation” What a parable this is in terms of spiritual thinking, speaking, and acting! We should see to it that in all our judgments we are careful not to be harmful. With sympathy, brokenness, and humility we should seek to restore those who have been overtaken in a fault. We must always remember that when we deal with a wrong in a person’s life we are touching the most sensitive thing in personal experience. It is interesting that the verb, “…restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness…” (Galatians 6:1) is the same Greek word used in the Gospels for the mending of nets. In classical Greek, it is employed for the setting of a bone. Blessed is the Christian whose judgments are always constructive and restorative after following the instructions of Jesus. What a wonderful family and church we would have if all our judgments brought people together, mending divisions and restoring broken lives. This all comes out of a life of obedience lived in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion
To live out the Sermon on the Mount in the power of the Holy Spirit, we must remember the Spirit-filled life avoids critical judgment that seeks to injure another person. The Spirit-filled believer accepts constructive judgment that gives instruction for the purpose of building up one another. By living in obedience to this passage we will build our homes, our children, our marriages and our church in a way that will encourage and help mend those who have fallen in sin!
