HE WAS A GODLY MAN. EVEN HIS CRITICS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, THEY MAY HAVE DISAGREED WITH HIS TECHNIQUES AND THOUGHT HE WAS A LITTLE FLASHY BUT HE WAS DEFINITELY A MAN OF GOD. HIS MESSAGE FROM GOD WAS ONE OF NO COMPROMISE, AND HIS MORAL STANDARDS WERE THE HIGHEST AROUND. AND NOT ONLY DID HE UPHOLD THE VERY HIGHEST STANDARDS BUT
HE EXPECTED THAT FROM EVERYONE ELSE AS WELL. FEW PREACHERS HAVE MATCHED HIM FOR HIS CONDEMNATION OF SIN, HIS OUTRIGHT REJECTION OF IMMORALITY. HE CALLED A SPADE A SPADE AND DIDN’T SHIRK THE DIFFICULT DUTIES THAT CAME HIS WAY. AND HIS MUSIC, WOW IF ANYTHING THAT WAS THE THING THAT MADE HIS MINISTRY DIFFERENT THEN ALL THE OTHERS, MUSIC THAT ONLY GOD COULD GIVE, EVEN THOSE WHO SAW DIFFERENTLY
THEN HIM ON OTHER THINGS LOVED HIS MUSIC. HE PRACTICALLY BECAME A HOUSEHOLD NAME. HIS SUPPORTERS WERE ALMOST FANATICAL IN THEIR LOYALTY WHILE HIS ENEMIES WERE EQUALLY DOGMATIC WHEN THEY SPOKE AGAINST HIM.
AS A MAN YOU EITHER LOVED HIM OR HATED HIM THERE DIDN’T SEEM TO BE MUCH MIDDLE GROUND. AND THEN IT HAPPENED. WELL YOU ALL KNOW THE STORY DON’T YOU, BUT HAVE YOU EVER ASKED YOURSELF HOW IN THE WORLD COULD IT HAPPEN TO HIM. HE TOOK SUCH A STRONG STAND AGAINST SIN. ADULTERY, WHO WOULD HAVE BELIEVED THAT HE WAS CAPABLE OF ADULTERY, AND THE WORSE PART WAS, THAT ALL THE TIME HE WAS IN SIN HE JUST CARRIED ON AS IF EVERYTHING WAS ALRIGHT. HE NEVER EVEN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WHAT HE WAS DOING MIGHT BE WRONG. IT WASN’T UNTIL ANOTHER MAN OF GOD CONFRONTED HIM THAT HE SEEMED TO OPEN HIS EYES TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING. HIS TEARFUL PLEAS FOR FORGIVENESS ARE
PROBABLY AS WELL KNOWN AS HIS SIN.
WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN YOU HEARD, HOW HARSHLY DID YOU JUDGE HIM, DID YOUR OPINION OF HIM CHANGE, DID YOU THINK LESS OF HIM WHEN YOU HEARD THE STORY, BECAUSE YOU ALL HEARD THE STORIES. I MEAN
EVERYONE IN THE CHURCH, REGARDLESS OF DENOMINATION KNOWS THE STORY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH AS WELL.
EVEN THE WOMAN HE WAS CAUGHT WITH BECAME KNOWN, SHE WAS A NOBODY AND YET MOST EVERYONE CAN NAME HER NOW. HOW HARSHLY
DID YOU JUDGE HIM, OR DID YOU JUST FEEL DISAPPOINTED AND LET DOWN. DID YOU CRITICIZE HIM AND CALL HIM A HYPOCRITE OR DID YOU DEFEND HIM AS BEING A MAN WHO MADE A MISTAKE.
I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOUR REACTION WAS, BUT I DO KNOW THAT JESUS SAID IN MATTHEW 7:1-6 DO NOT JUDGE, OR YOU TOO WILL BE JUDGED. FOR IN THE SAME WAY YOU JUDGE OTHERS, YOU WILL BE JUDGED, AND WITH THE MEASURE YOU USE, IT WILL BE MEASURED TO YOU. 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? HOW CAN YOU SAY TO YOUR BROTHER, LET ME TAKE THE SPEAK OUT OF YOUR EYE, WHEN ALL THE TIME THERE IS A
PLANK IN YOUR EYE? 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. DO NOT GIVE DOGS WHAT IS SACRED; DO NOT THROW
YOUR PEARLS TO PIGS. IF YOU DO, THEY MAY TRAMPLE THEM UNDER THEIR FEET, AND THEN TURN AND TEAR YOU TO PIECES.
NOT THE EASIEST PORTION OF SCRIPTURE IN THE WORLD TO FIGURE OUT IS IT? I MEAN HE SPENDS FIVE VERSES TELLING US NOT TO JUDGE AND THEN IN THE SIXTH VERSE HE TELLS US NOT TO THROW OUR PEARLS TO PIGS, OR TO GIVE DOGS THE THINGS THAT ARE SACRED. WELL WHOSE GOING TO DETERMINE WHO THE PIGS AND DOGS ARE IF WE DON’T JUDGE. WELL IN MOST CASES I THINK THAT IT’S FAIRLY OBVIOUS, AND CHRIST DOES TELL US THAT WE NEED TO PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO THE FRUIT THAT A CHRISTIAN BEARS. AND I KNOW THE OLD ARGUMENT, "BROTHER I’M NOT A JUDGE, I’M JUST A FRUIT INSPECTOR."
WELL I GOT A FEELING THAT A GOOD DEAL OF WHAT CHRIST IS TALKING ABOUT HERE HAS TO DO WITH ATTITUDE. NOT WHAT WE DO, NEARLY AS MUCH AS HOW WE DO IT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT A PERSON AND HIS LIFE WHAT DO YOU FEEL, CAN YOU IN FACT SEPARATE THE SIN FROM THE SINNER? THAT’S WHAT’S REQUIRED.
THE EARLY CHURCH USED VS.6 TO DETERMINE WHO SHOULD AND WHO SHOULDN’T PARTAKE IN COMMUNION. AND THEY HAD A VERY STRONG
STAND, THEY FELT THAT THE LORD’S SUPPER WAS THE MOST SACRED SACRAMENT IN THE CHURCH, AND THERE WAS NO WAY THAT THEY
WERE GOING TO OPEN IT TO JUST ANYONE.
THERE’S A LOT TO BE SAID FOR THAT, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT COMMUNION IS NOT FOR THE UNSAVED, AND IT’S NOT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD, NICE WAY OF SAYING PEOPLE IN A BACKSLIDEN STATE. BUT WHILE I THINK I HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE IT CLEAR WHO SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT PARTAKE OF COMMUNION THEY HAVE
TO MAKE THE DECISION.
THERE HAS TO BE ROOM IN THE CHURCH FOR REPROOF, THERE HAS TO BE ROOM FOR CORRECTION. BUT WHAT CHRIST IS TALKING ABOUT HERE IS A SPIRIT OF CONDEMNATION. WHEN THE PERSON WE HAD BEEN SPEAKING ABOUT COMMITTED ADULTERY HE NEEDED TO BE CORRECTED, BUT ONCE HE WAS FORGIVEN BY GOD, WOULD IT BE TOO MUCH TO ASK THAT HE BE FORGIVEN BY MEN AS WELL. I GUESS IT GOES BACK TO THE PREMISE THAT IF YOU’RE NOT A PART OF THE PROBLEM, AND YOU’RE NOT A PART OF THE SOLUTION THEN YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN’T BE INVOLVED.
YOU REALLY NEED TO EXAMINE YOUR MOTIVES WHEN YOU JUDGE SOMEONE, WHY ARE YOU JUDGING THEM? IT’S BEEN SAID THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF DISAPPOINTED CHRISTIANS IF GOD LETS EVERYBODY GET OFF SCOTT FREE AT THE JUDGMENT. REALLY I GOT A FEELING THAT THERE’S A LOT OF SADISTIC CHRISTIANS OUT THERE WHO ARE QUITE HAPPY TO TURN THE GOOD NEWS INTO THE BAD NEWS. THEY AREN’T NEARLY AS EXCITED ABOUT ALL
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO HEAVEN AS THEY ARE ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO HELL.
AND SO WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES, WHY SHOULDN’T WE JUDGE PEOPLE? THE QUESTION WOULD BE FAIRER IF IT ASKED WHY SHOULDN’T WE CONDEMN PEOPLE?
1) BECAUSE IT IS DANGEROUS JESUS SAID AND I QUOTE, FOR IN THE SAME WAY YOU JUDGE OTHERS, YOU WILL BE JUDGED, AND WITH THE MEASURE YOU USE, IT WILL BE MEASURED TO YOU. AND PAUL SAID IN ROMANS 2:1 YOU WHO
PASS JUDGMENT ON SOMEONE ELSE, FOR AT WHATEVER POINT YOU JUDGE THE OTHER, YOU ARE CONDEMNING YOURSELF, BECAUSE YOU WHO
PASS JUDGMENT DO THE SAME THINGS.
WHEN YOU JUDGE WITHOUT MERCY THEN YOU ARE CONDEMNING YOURSELF TO BE JUDGED WITHOUT MERCY. THINK ABOUT IT WHEN YOU JUDGE WITHOUT KNOWING THE FULL STORY, WHEN YOU JUDGE A BROTHER OF SISTER WHO HAS ALREADY REPENTED, WHEN YOU SIT IN JUDGMENT ON OTHER CHRISTIANS BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE STYLE OF WORSHIP, LENGTH OF HAIR, MUSICAL
PREFERENCE YOU ARE SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR A VERY SIMILAR JUDGMENT.
CHRIST REITERATES THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN, HIS MESSAGE AS YOU FORGIVE YOU WILL BE FORGIVEN, AS YOU JUDGE YOU WILL BE JUDGED, WITH THE SAME MEASURE THAT YOU USE FOR MERCY, AND JUDGMENT AND FORGIVENESS GOD WILL SHOW YOU MERCY, AND FORGIVENESS OR WILL JUDGE YOU.
YOU SAY WELL PASTOR THAT DOESN’T MATTER BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, I’M BORN AGAIN MY SINS ARE UNDER THE BLOOD. WELL
ALL I HAVE TO SAY TO THAT IS THAT WONDERFUL RETORT OF CHILDHOOD, "OH YEAH". YOU’VE ONLY BEEN FORGIVEN IF CHRIST HAS FORGIVEN YOU, RIGHT? RIGHT, AND CHRIST SAYS THAT YOU WILL BE FORGIVEN IN THE SAME
MANNER THAT YOU FORGIVE RIGHT? RIGHT, SO IT WOULD APPEAR THAT IF YOU ARE JUDGMENTAL AND NON-FORGIVING THEN YOU HAVE CUT YOUR OWN THROAT. AND IT WOULD APPEAR THAT YOUR DEFENSE IS FULL OF HOLES.
2) NOT ONLY IS IT DANGEROUS IT IS FOOLISH. JESUS SAID, 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. WE DON’T OFTEN THINK OF CHRIST HAVING A SENSE OF HUMOR, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE ILLUSTRATIONS THAT HE USES IT DOESN’T TAKE LONG TO BEGIN TO GET A CHUCKLE. HERE IS A
PICTURE OF A MAN WHO IS VERY CAREFULLY TRYING TO REMOVE A SMALL SPECK OF SAWDUST FROM A FRIENDS EYE, BUT HE CAN’T EVEN GET NEAR BECAUSE OF THE MONSTROUS BEAM THAT IS PROTRUDING FROM HIS FACE. FURTHER ALONG IN MATTHEW CHRIST TALKS ABOUT THE BLIND MAN WHO IS LEADING HIS BLIND FRIEND ALONG AND THEY BOTH FALL INTO A DITCH.
WELL, A BLIND GUIDE IS ONE THING BUT A BLIND OPTHAMOLOGIST IS A HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR. PICTURE IF YOU WILL, YOU’VE GOTTEN SOMETHING IN YOUR EYE THAT YOU CAN’T GET OUT SO YOU MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE YOUR LOCAL EYE SPECIALIST. THE NURSE GETS YOU COMFORTABLE ON THE EXAMINATION TABLE AND AS YOU BEGIN TO RELAX AND WAIT FOR THE
DOCTOR TO APPEAR YOU HEAR, TAP, TAP, TAP, TAP. AND YOU LOOK OVER AND SURE ENOUGH HERE COMES THE DOCTOR WITH HIS WHITE LAB COAT ON, WALKING TOWARD HIS TRAY OF INSTRUMENTS, THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT HE’S WEARING DARK GLASSES AND THE TAPPING YOU HEARD IS COMING FROM HIS WHITE CANE. NOW WHAT IS YOUR FIRST REACTION? SURE, HERE I AM DOC, JUST GRAB ONE OF THOSE TOOLS AND DIG RIGHT IN YOU CAN DO IT BY FEEL.
UH-HUH, YOU’D BE OUGHTA THERE QUICKER THEN A SCALDED CAT.
ALEXANDER MACLAREN WROTE "WE HAVE TWO SETS OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: ONE FOR HOME USE, THE OTHER FOR FOREIGN. EVERY VICE
HAS TWO NAMES; AND WE CALL IT BY ITS FLATTERING AND MINIMIZING ONE WHEN WE COMMIT IT, AND BY ITS UGLY ONE WHEN OUR NEIGHBOR DOES IT.
CHRIST IS SAYING, WHICH OF US IS JUST ENOUGH TO JUDGE, ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE EVER SAT IN JUDGMENT OF OTHERS HOW PURE HAVE YOU BEEN. REMEMBER WHEN THE WOMAN WHO WAS CAUGHT IN ADULTERY WAS BROUGHT TO CHRIST IN JOHN 8:3-11 YOU EVER WONDER WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DUDE SHE WAS WITH? ADULTERY ISN’T EXACTLY A SOLITARY SPORT.
ANYWAY THE PHARISEES DRUG THIS POOR WOMAN OUT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WITHOUT A STITCH ON AND DEMANDED THAT CHRIST JUDGE
HER, THEY WERE WELL WITHIN THEIR RIGHTS ACCORDING TO THE LAW, BUT JESUS SAID, IF ANY ONE OF YOU IS WITHOUT SIN, LET HIM BE THE FIRST TO THROW A STONE AT HER. A FEW YEARS BACK I HEARD A SONG ABOUT THIS
PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE ON THE RADIO, I ONLY HEARD IT A COUPLE OF TIMES BUT I REMEMBER PART OF THE CHORUS AND IT SAID, CAST THE FIRST STONE IF YOU THINK YOU’RE SO HOT, IF YOU’RE SURE THAT YOU’RE HOLY AND YOU KNOW THAT SHE’S NOT.
IT’S A HARD ONE TO CALL ISN’T IT. ONE THE ONE HAND WE DO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO NOT CAST THAT WHICH IS HOLY TO THE DOGS, AND ON THE OTHER HAND A COMMAND NOT TO JUDGE ONE ANOTHER. WE’RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FRUIT INSPECTING THREE WEEKS FROM NOW.
BUT IN CLOSING LET ME RELATE A STORY FROM MY PAST. FOURTEEN YEARS AGO BETWEEN GRADES ELEVEN AND TWELVE I SPENT A SUMMER WORKING ON A COASTAL OIL TANKER AND ONE GLORIOUS DAY WHILE WE WERE WORKING ON DECK I ENDED UP WITH A FLAKE OF RUST IN ONE OF MY EYES. ON MOST LARGE VESSELS THE FIRST OFFICER IS ALSO THE MEDICAL OFFICER. IN OUR CASE THE FIRST OFFICER WAS A ENORMOUS MAN WITH A HUGE RED MUSTACHE WHO LOOKED LIKE A WALRUS. AND I REMEMBER THINKING HOW BIG HIS FINGERS WERE WHEN HE HAD ME LOOK UP AT THE LIGHT THAT AFTERNOON. BUT IN SPITE OF THE SIZE OF HIS FINGERS HE WAS SO GENTLE THAT I DIDN’T EVEN FEEL IT WHEN HE GOT THE RUST FLAKE OUT.
THERE WILL BE TIMES THAT WE WILL FIND OTHER CHRISTIANS WHO HAVE SOMETHING IN THEIR EYE, THE ADVICE THAT CHRIST GIVES IS SIMPLE. MAKE SURE THE BEAM IS OUT OF YOUR EYE, AND THEN THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OF ALL, BE VERY VERY GENTLE. REMEMBER THAT WHEN THE TIME COMES FOR GOD TO DO EYE SURGERY ON YOU HE’S GOING TO KEEP IN MIND THE METHOD YOU USED.
OH BY THE WAY YOU ALL KNOW WHO THE MAN OF GOD WAS THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT IN THE FIRST PART OF THE MESSAGE DON’T YOU? THAT’S RIGHT IT WAS KING DAVID. WHO DID YOU THINK I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
