(Text and Audio)
Title: Judgment (Part Three)
I fully recognize that it’s been two weeks since we’ve been in Matthew and as we wrap up our three week series on judgment, I want to make sure that we take a moment to review what we’ve learned so far, because today is, by far, the most difficult teaching in our series, and I could argue that it’s also the most important for us to understand.
What we’ve learned from Matthew 7:1-5
- There is a difference between judgement and discernment.
- When discerning, we are to show to others the same grace that Christ showed us.
- We must make sure we are qualified to discern by removing the plank from our eyes before looking upon our brothers and sisters.
Having said that, let’s dive in. (read/pray)
- 7:1 vs. 7:6
As I said three weeks ago when we began this study on judgment, you have to be complete in your analysis of the text. Why do so many non-believers quickly quote “Judge lest not yet be judged”? without having any idea what that verse really means?
Sadly, the reason is the same reason that so many believers also erroneously quote it: they don’t understand the context.
If you think verse one means you have no right or ability to judge another person’s actions, then you will literally have no way of getting through verse 6. For how in the world can you label something as holy, or as a pearl? Or how can you label something else as a dog or swine?
My point is simple: you must be able to judge (discern) to rightly call something good or bad, holy or dog, pearl or swine.
First question: What is Holy? What are dogs?
I don’t ask this question so that we can take our time this morning making a comprehensive list of what is holy. Rather, what I’m asking is this: How do we determine what is holy? By what measure can we rightly call something good or bad? (take answers)
Matthew 7:16 “You will know them by their fruits.”
Again, we are allowed to discern the actions of people and determine if those actions are holy or evil, without passing final judgment upon their souls. This is what we do in accountability. This is what we do when we see evil going East and decided to rightly go West. This is what we do when we protect our children, our families, our spouses, our churches from that which is not holy. We measure fruit to reveal the type of tree we are dealing with. Not only is there nothing wrong with that, we have to, otherwise we’d be blind. Keep that idea of blind in your mind for a moment, because we’ll come back to it shortly.
So know that we know how to determine the goodness or evil of something, let’s look contextually to see what verse 6 is alluding to.
Second Question: What is Holy? (Two complementary ideas)
- Evidences of the Kingdom (healings, exorcisms, etc.) Think of it this way: There was a reason Jesus refused to do miracles amongst non-believers.
- The Preaching of the Kingdom. In other words: Believers should not continue to preach the gospel to people who reject it with contempt.
Just to make sure, pastor Ben, did you just tell us to NOT share the Gospel?
In certain circumstances, I sure did. Or better yet. Jesus did.
Now, show of hands, if I’m going to make such a claim before you this morning. How many of you think I’m obligated to show you some examples from scripture of this very thing in practice?
That’s my church.
I’ll give you three, two from Matthew and two from Acts. They are all similar, and we will focus in on the last one, I’ll let you study the other three on your own.
Don’t cast your pearls before swine.
- Matthew 10:14 “And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake the dust from your feet.” (In other words, have nothing more to do with them.)
- Matthew 15:14 “Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” (Jesus talking to his disciples about the Pharisees.)
- Acts 13:44-51 (“Paul and Barnabas “shook the dust off their feet and left them.”)
- Acts 18:6 “But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go the Gentiles.’”
The reason I want to focus upon that last one is because it is particularly telling for us today. In Acts 18:6 we see several things. Paul does not tolerate their opposition. He discerns they are an unfruitful group and leaves them for a fruitful group in the Gentiles.
How long will we continue to toil in field that produce no fruit? How long will we continue to toil in ministries just because we’ve always done it that way. Quit asking God to bless what you are doing. Instead find out where God is working, join him there, because it’s already blessed!
I get furious when I see believers taking a beating at the hands of those full of contempt towards Christ. They think they are martyrs and they are not. Paul shook his garments over and over and over again in the the New Testament. He shook his garments and he left them.
He said, “Your blood is on you. I have told you the truth. You have rejected it. Now I’m moving on.” And so should we.
And if you don’t, if you continue to dance with these dogs and swine, Christ tells us flatly they will turn on you and tear you into pieces.
Close:
As we close today I’d like to attempt to predict and answer some of your objection and then give some time to Q/A for what these objections don’t cover.
Possible Objections
- So do I just share the gospel once, and then I’m off the hook with that person? (No. Provided they are still open to the Gospel, you invest in their lives: speak and live Christ to them daily.)
- I’m just not comfortable categorizing someone as a dog or swine. (Most people are not, but some certainly are. Don’t wast the God given resource of time on these people. If you have attempted to share Truth with them, and they have outright rejected you and your message, you do the Kingdom no favors by wasting your pearls on them. How often would you keep giving advice to a friend who constantly ignores your advice? The Gospel is really, really good advice.)
- If I shake the dust of my feet and leave them, doesn’t that hurt their chances for receiving the Gospel? (Only if you believe that person’s salvation is in your hands. Like most difficult teachings, this teaching becomes much easier to apply if you have a high view of God. Not all dogs stay dogs. Not all swine stay in the mire. This one didn’t. This one was lifted out of the miry clay and set upon a rock, where my footsteps were made firm. But I did not lift myself. I was saved, in due time, by a holy and Sovereign God, who chose to save when he saved me, how he saved me. So it is with me, so it is with you. So may it be with them.)
Let’s pray.