Passing Judgment. By Mark Mayberry 6/22/2014

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1 Passing Judgment By Mark Mayberry 6/22/2014 Introduction In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus condemned hypocritical judgment. Many misinterpret this warning as a blanket condemnation of all judgment; yet, this fallacy is refuted by both the statement and its context (Matt. 7:1-6). Matthew 7:1-6 (NASB95) 1 Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, and behold, the log is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother s eye. 6 Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. Judging Prophets by their Fruits As Matthew Chapter Seven continues, Jesus spoke of the need for prayer and following the golden rule (vs. 7-12), contrasted the narrow and wide gates (vs ), and then warned against the danger of false prophets, saying you will know them by their fruits (vs ). Matthew 7:15-20 (NASB95) 15 Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will know them by their fruits. Judging Men s Hearts by their Words Later in His ministry, the Pharisees disputed with Jesus, accusing Him and His disciples of breaking the Sabbath (vs. 1-21), saying that He cast out devils by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons (vs ). Our Lord refuted these criticisms, stating that they had committed the ultimate transgression in rejecting the testimony of the Holy Spirit (vs ), and affirming that words reveal one s character (vs ; cf. Luke 6:39-45). 1

2 Matthew 12:33-37 (NASB95) 33 Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. 35 The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. 36 But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. Luke 6:39-45 (NASB95) 39 And He also spoke a parable to them: A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher. 41 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your brother, Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye, when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother s eye. 43 For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. 45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. Judging Soil by its Productivity In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus compared the hearts of men to various type soils. Those whose hearts are hardened are like the wayside; those whose hearts are shallow are like the rocky places; those whose hearts are cluttered are like the thorny ground; those whose hearts are truly receptive are like the good soil. As we can judge different soils by its productivity, we can judge the hearts of men by their differing response to the Word of God (Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23). Matthew 13:1-9 (NASB95) 1 That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. 2 And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach. 3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. 8 And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear. Matthew 13:18-23 (NASB95) 18 Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. 20 The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in 2

3 himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23 And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. Judging the Times by its Signs When the Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus, and testing Him, asking for a sign from heaven, our Lord responded by saying, Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? In other words, He rebuked these religious leaders for their unwillingness to recognize the momentous events occurring before their very eyes (Matt. 16:1-4; cf. Luke 12:54-57). Witness this process at work among the disciples of John (Luke 7:18-23). Matthew 16:1-4 (NASB95) 1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 But He replied to them, When it is evening, you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning, There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening. Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? 4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah. And He left them and went away. Luke 12:54-59 (NASB95) 54 And He was also saying to the crowds, When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, A shower is coming, and so it turns out. 55 And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, It will be a hot day, and it turns out that way. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not analyze this present time? 57 And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right? Luke 7:18-23 (NASB95) 18 The disciples of John reported to him about all these things. 19 Summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else? 20 When the men came to Him, they said, John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else? 21 At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind. 22 And He answered and said to them, Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 23 Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me. 3

4 Conclusion Having created man as a creature of choice, God has always expected us to exercise proper judgments. The Law of Moses said, You shall do no injustice/wrong in judgment (Lev. 19:15, 35-37). Leviticus 19:15 (NASB95) 15 You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly. Leviticus 19:35-37 (NASB95) 35 You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight, or capacity. 36 You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin; I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt. 37 You shall thus observe all My statutes and all My ordinances and do them; I am the Lord. The Gospel of Christ says, Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment (John 7:14-29, esp. vs. 24). John 7:14-29 (NASB95) 14 But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach. 15 The Jews then were astonished, saying, How has this man become learned, having never been educated? 16 So Jesus answered them and said, My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. 19 Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me? 20 The crowd answered, You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You? 21 Jesus answered them, I did one deed, and you all marvel. 22 For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. 25 So some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, Is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill? 26 Look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. The rulers do not really know that this is the Christ, do they? 27 However, we know where this man is from; but whenever the Christ may come, no one knows where He is from. 28 Then Jesus cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 29 I know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent Me. John 7:24 (NASB95) 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. Therefore, we can understand the will of God (Eph. 5:6-10, 15-17), and distinguishing between the things that differ (Phil. 1:8-11), identifying truth from error (1 John 4:1-6). 4

5 Ephesians 5:6-10 (NASB95) 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them; 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Ephesians 5:15-17 (NASB95) 15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Philippians 1:8-11 (NASB95) 8 For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. 1 John 4:1-6 (NASB95) 1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. 4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 5