Judgmental Junk

JUDGMENTAL JUNK

(All my sermons use illustrations are found on www.sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted)

This Sermon is preceded by a small puppet skit entitled “Mr. Teacherdude” and the scripture 2 COR 5:16-17 which says: So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

I repeat that scripture and then PRAYER

It is easy for all of us to get into a place where we judge each other, we ALL do it! Some of us don’t mean to, some of us DO mean to, but at some time we ALL judge others. The Bible is very clear on judging others and still we do it. I know I have.

The people that fixed my van as I made the trip across the country one time. A small rock had bounced up and hit the fan belt pulley and bent it so that the fan belt would not stay on. They were a rough looking crowd that just wanted to help, I was very judgmental, but faced with no choice I followed this biker to a garage up in the mountains and he and his buddies did surgery on my van, taking the pulley off, bending it back right, finding me a new belt and sending us on our way. When I asked them what I owed, they said, “Aw, just buy us a case of beer.” I handed them 20 bucks, and told them I would pray for them, but I must admit I was judgmental. The Bible tells us clearly that we have no business judging those outside the brotherhood of the church. 1 Cor 5:12-13 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."

We have no business judging those that are outside the church body, those that have not accepted Jesus as Lord of their lives, had their sins forgiven in the waters of baptism. The Bible says we are to judge those inside the church, BUT, Jesus told us HOW we are to judge those inside the church. A scripture passage that even those outside the church are familiar with. Matthew 7, the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tell us this:

Matt 7:1-5 "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.

This passage is one where I see Jesus telling us that we should be somewhat tolerant of each other. We must understand that we are ALL sinners in need of a Savior. None of us can stand in judgment of another when there is sin in our lives. I must admit, the people I am most intolerant of, are those that are intolerant of others. Those that judge what other people should be DOING or should not BE doing are the ones that I in turn judge as being wrong. AND yet I know I am judgmental as well, I see people that need to lose weight, and I IS ONE OF THEM.

Maybe it starts with the fact that we COMPARE ourselves to each other in so many ways. Many of us would like to be thinner, or taller. Some people see themselves as old alley cats, other as Persians. Some people think they are the prize poodle, but really they are more like a mangy mutt. How many of us are truly happy with the way we are? When I was a kid, I thought surely I was adopted and one day my REAL parents would come and rescue me from those crazy people who said they were my family. NOW, that I am a parent of many, many teenagers, I am sure they are hoping for such a rescue. How many times have I caught myself saying “anything would be better than this,” only to later think I was WRONG.

The truth is, if we need to compare ourselves to anyone, it should be Christ.