TITLE: JUDGMENT FREE ZONE
SCRIPTURE: ST. MATTHEW 7:1-5 / ST. JOHN 7:24
There is a place that calls itself the Judgment Free Zone because no one is permitted to judge others - be prideful - or feel ostracized -- everyone is welcome, everyone belongs.
• Sounds like a church everyone would want to attend
• It is not a church at all
• It is actually “Planet Fitness”
The goal and their purpose at Planet Fitness is to make everyone feel like they belong which is not an easy task. There are many that feel the church in general has too many cliches, that the church is judgmental. I understand there are churches that are judgmental, however, sometimes the claim of JUDGMENTALNESS is based on that fact the church wants people to live the Christ-filled life rather than allowing sin to destroy them.
• All of us have our prejudices and insecurities
• We battle how we feel about ourselves and the way we feel about others
We are each a work in progress, and I would like to challenge each of us today to become Planet Fitness Christians and live in a Judgment Free Zone.
• At Planet Fitness everyone basically pays the same price
• Their fee is either $10/month or $20/month depending on the services each person wants
• Young – old - all shapes – all sizes - all races – backgrounds - rich - poor - heavily educated - limited in their education all are essentially one price
• So, the cost is equal for everyone
• You can’t tell the differences of education – wealth - background are not really known
• They can all work alongside each other comfortably because everyone is welcomed
I recall some years ago when Sis. Lawson and I had joined our local “Planet Fitness” here in Ardmore, we placed initials and signatures on paper, we were presented with a document labeled “Terms and Conditions.”
• Printed on this digital document was a list of do’s and don’ts
• What would be permitted and what would be impermissible
• Actions which the company had “judged” to be inappropriate and inconsistent with corporate objectives and customer safety
It has recently dawned on me, at planet fitness, judgment free does not mean rule free. Can you imagine if it did?
• Someone decides they are going to set idly on the last open bike while arguing with their mom on their phone, but employees can’t say anything because it’s a “no judgment zone”
• Another would-be gymnast decides they want to get buff in the buff, but all you can do is look away because it’s a “no judgment zone”
• A fitness enthusiast decides he will publicly blast 90’s techno music through a JBL personal speaker system and you’re forced to listen because it’s a “no judgment zone”
• Another person showers a machine in sweat and then moves on without cleaning it afterwards, but nobody can coach them on proper gym etiquette because it’s a “no judgment zone”
• And a 110 lb bodybuilder loads up 300 lbs of free-weights for a chest routine, but you can’t say anything because it’s a “no judgment zone”
A lack of judgment is not a prerequisite for being judgment free. Scripture is very clear. We as fallen human beings live in a “Judgment Free Zone.” In this life, like our local gym, everyone is on their own spiritual fitness journey. We are all working within our own measure of faith as defined in ROMANS 12:3 “…AS GOD HATH DEALT TO EVERY MAN THE MEASURE OF FAITH.”
• Some are healthier than others
• Some have been training for a long time
• Others are just getting underway
• We have no right to judge their spiritual appearance or journey
• But “no judging” is not the same thing as “no rules”
Today, many times we have said or heard those around us say - “who are you to judge?” “What gives you the right to judge me?” “judge not,” they quote, “lest you be judged.” But living in a judgment free zone does not give one the right to act wrong. We live in a “Judgment Free Zone.” But there are terms and conditions, rules put in place by God to ensure a safe and productive spiritual journey. It is not only permissible to graciously point out when these rules are being broken, it would be negligent to do otherwise. Because “judgement free” does not mean “rule free.”
One of the things our world today fails to distinguish is the difference between judging and being judgmental.
• Being judgmental means being quick to judge or harsh in your judgment
• It means setting yourself above other people or thinking you are better than them
• God doesn’t want us to be judgmental
• We have no right to set ourselves up as judge and jury
In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks strong words about those who pridefully judge others. God, however, does judge. He is the supreme court of all creation. In the Bible, He has given mankind a moral code – a right and wrong – by which we will all be judged one day. Every single person will be judged by God for what they do in this life. When we as Christians lovingly and humbly share God’s moral code with the world – when we call sin “sin” – we aren’t being judgmental. We are simply sharing the decrees of the Judge of all creation.
Our world, however, calls that judgmental. It doesn’t want you or me saying that certain actions or attitudes are sinful. That is considered unloving and intolerant. For our world, love is living judgment free, letting people be and express themselves however they choose.
• Deep down, we all know there is a higher moral code
• Deep down, we know we haven’t lived up to that moral code
• We have failed and fallen numerous times
• We deserve to be declared guilty by God the Judge
And yet because Jesus, God himself, lived and died in our place, because he suffered our guilty verdict in our place, God justifies – He declares innocent all those who believe in him. Through faith in Jesus, we have been washed clean of our sins. Through faith in Jesus, we don’t have to be afraid of Judgment Day.
In our text Jesus defined what “kind” of judging he is condemning. Jesus is saying “THAT IT IS WRONG FOR ANYONE TO CONCENTRATE HIS ATTENTION ON THE SPECK IN HIS BROTHER’S EYE, AND WHILE THUS OCCUPIED, TO IGNORE THE BEAM IN HIS OWN EYE.” It was the Apostle Paul who taught the necessity of proper “introspection” when helping others – GALATIANS 6:1 The Lord is here condemning the spirit of CENSORIOUSNESS -
• Judging harshly
• Self-righteously
• Without mercy
• Without love
James warned against making judgments without mercy – JAMES 2:13 “FOR HE SHALL HAVE JUDGMENT WITHOUT MERCY, THAT HATH SHEWED NO MERCY; AND MERCY REJOICETH AGIANST JUDGMENT.”
• If we make judgments without showing mercy, then no mercy will be shown when we are judged!
• Just as Jesus said here in – MATTHEW 7:2
The implication is not that we should never judge, but when we do judge, remember that we shall be judged by the same standards we use!
• Let mercy and love temper our judgments
Jesus implies there are times when we “must” make judgments!
• It is “after” we have corrected our own faults
• When we have done so, we are able to see, discern (judge), and be of help to others who are overtaken in their faults
• This does not mean that we must be sinless, otherwise we would never be able to fulfill our duties to correct and admonish one another
• GALATIANS 6:1 “BRETHREN, IF A MAN BE OVERTAKEN IN A FAULT, YE WHICH ARE SPIRITUAL, RESTORE SUCH AN ONE IN THE SPIRIT OF MEEKNESS; CONSIDERING THYSELF, LEST THOU ALSO BE TEMPTED”
Let me take a step back for just a few moments to ensure you don’t think I am contradicting myself in this message. Jesus is not saying we should never pass any sort of judgment. Every day we make hundreds of judgments about things around us.
• It is not wrong, for instance, to sit on a jury and render a verdict
• Nor it is wrong for an admissions committee to decide which students to accept and which to reject
• Nor it is wrong for an employer to decide who gets a promotion and who doesn’t
• Nor is it wrong for schools to judge certain students worthy of high honor at graduation
• We all have to make decisions every day that involve other people
We pass judgment on Appearance - Behavior - Speech - Deportment - Attitude - Work Ethic - Productivity - Keeping Or Breaking A Promise - Guilt Or Innocence - Which Person We Believe And Which Person We Do Not Believe. Whatever the words of Jesus mean, they can’t mean that we never pass judgment in any sense at any time.
What, then, did Jesus mean when he said, “judge not?” The word translated “Judge” often means to condemn. It means to come to a negative conclusion about another person and then to condemn them. That is what Jesus is forbidding. Let me be a little more specific about this.
• FIRST - we are not to pass final judgment on any person
• Final judgment belongs to the Lord
• We are not in the condemning business
• If anyone needs to be condemned, God himself can take care of that
• We should have no part in it
Second, we are not to judge the motives of others.
• The Bible says, “MAN LOOKS AT THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT THE LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART” -- I SAMUEL 16:7
• Often we are quick to come to negative conclusions about others based on why we think they did something
• But try as we might, we see only the outside
• God alone sees the heart
• We can judge what people do - we cannot judge why they do it
• We can judge what people say - we cannot judge why they say it
Christian love is not blind. God never says, “Ignore the faults of others.” But he does say, “Take care of your own faults first.” Look in the mirror!
• Ask God to show you your own sins
• The familiar words of PSALM 139:23-24 come to mind - “SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART! TRY ME AND KNOW MY THOUGHTS! AND SEE IF THERE BE ANY GRIEVOUS WAY IN ME, AND LEAD ME IN THE WAY EVERLASTING!”
• If we would pray that way and mean it, we would do a lot more confessing and a lot less judging
The order in which we do things is crucial. We are to judge ourselves first by asking God to show us our sins. We sit and wait and pray for the Holy Spirit to show us –
• Our weaknesses
• Our faults
• Our mistakes
• Our bad attitudes
• Our foolish words
• Our pride
• Our arrogance
• Our need to be in control
• Our need to run the world
• Our need to tell others what to do
• Our desire to have our own way
• Our anger
• Our bitterness
• Our lack of mercy
• Our lack of love
• Our lack of compassion
• Let me tell you something from personal experience, if you wait long enough, the Lord will always show it to you
We have a responsibility to distinguish good from evil and light from darkness. We should first check our own motives and our hearts for any unrecognized planks, but we cannot merely say that we should not judge and therefore cannot call anything wrong.
• Our world is filled with sins and lies
• We are to judge these things
Jesus told His followers, ST. JOHN 7:24 "DO NOT JUDGE BY APPEARANCES, BUT JUDGE WITH RIGHT JUDGMENT." The key to understanding Jesus' teaching is to look at the condition of one's own heart.
• We are to make proper judgments about right and wrong, but not out of pride or self-righteousness
• We are not to take God's place in judging
• We are not to condemn others
• However, we are to be discerning and act appropriately on truth
Human justice can only be imperfect. Our knowledge and understanding are limited; we can’t fully know a person’s true intentions or see into the human heart. Also, we are corruptible by nature because of the fall --
• Jurors have prejudices
• Lawyers can misrepresent
• Judges can be influenced
• It’s no wonder that justice is often denied
It’s a comfort for believers to know that our righteous Judge will bring about true justice one day. Even when it seems as though wicked people are getting away with all kinds of evil, God will avenge his people. God not only hears what they say and sees what they do, He is also aware of their very thoughts. His justice is founded on His own righteousness, and He will avenge His people.
--God is the righteous Judge
--He will bring about justice in His own time
--Our job is to wait patiently on Him and not to take matters into our own hands
--God’s reign is universal
--He judges all the people
--All of creation is subject to his judgment
--God judges them with equity
--God judges them with impartiality
--He does not show favoritism or pervert justice, but does what is right
--That’s what His righteousness does
--The rest of us live in a JUDGMENT FREE ZONE
--In closing a little girl had two apples in her hand. Her mother asked for one. The little girl bit into one apple and then bit into the other. Her mother looked at her and was disappointed. The little girl then gave her mother one apple and said, “Here this one is for you it is the sweeter one.”
Never Judge
--Let us all live in a - JUDGMENT FREE ZONE
