On Judgment

Fourth Sunday of Lent

On Matthew 7:1-6

• Jesus says “Don't judge, so that you won't be judged.
You'll receive the same judgment you give...” (Matthew 7:1-2).
Discuss amongst yourselves... What does “judge” mean?
Come up with three different meanings. Are they generally positive or negative? And what is the opposite of judge?

“Judge” has a strong feeling of condemn, rule against.
And it includes discern, decide, evaluate, weigh...

Against which do you judge Jesus is speaking?

• Look at these other New Testament uses of “krino” (to judge): John 3:17-18. Luke 7:42, after tale of debts forgiven, Jesus says “You have judged correctly.” And Matthew 5:40, earlier in the Sermon on the Mount, “if anyone would sue you (judge against you) for your coat, give them your cloak as well.” And later in Matthew 19:23 “You will judge the tribes.”

How's it all work together? “Judge not, lest ye be judged, and the judgment you use is the judgment you'll receive.”

• You may have heard of a case of a girl who broke a school rule. Colorado. 9yrs. Shaved her head. Against the school's dress code.

Judgment? (What's yours?) Suspension until “hair grew back”.

Oh, dya know why she shaved her head? Her best friend lost her hair to chemo. Does context affect judgment? Should it?

• You will be judged with the judgment you use.

Would you prefer to judge such a case with context and mercy,
or passionlessly hold to letter of law?

• What about opposite? I thought perhaps “mercy”.

James 2:13 Mercy triumphs over judgment. No mercy in judgment for the merciless in judgment.

God desires mercy. Christ embodies mercy.

• You will judge the tribes. World Vision. $2.8B relief organization. Child sponsorship. 45,000 employees. On Monday made a statement of how they would respond to denominations and states which recognize same-sex marriage (with 45,000 employees, there will be some that are in legal same-sex marriages). World Vision recognized the issue, and desired to leave the specifics to denominations. Neither an endorsement of SSM or rejection of traditional marriage.
(what do you think of their initial decision?)

Immediate backlash, sponsored children were dropped, and World Vision renounced, actually repented, asked forgiveness.

(what do you think of their decision?)

BTW, in West Virginia it is legal to fire, evict, or deny service to someone simply because of their sexual orientation... (what do you think of this law?)

• Be slow to judge. Judge with humility, and judge yourself first.

• Three things I judge from this passage...

1 Spend your efforts wisely. Don't spend your efforts condemning others in judgment.

2 Spend your efforts wisely (continued). Work on your own log first.

3 Spend your efforts wisely (continued). This is the part about dogs and pigs... you know there are folks you can witness to til you're blue in the face. Spend your efforts wisely. Seek other ways of reaching them. Let your interactions with others make them want to be with you again instead of them wanting to flee from you or attack you.

• Glory to God.

• Hymn 2149 Living For Jesus