About

No one likes to be judged—for their appearance, their taste in clothes, their hair, their tattoos...No one likes to be judged for making a mistake in the game, or for their driving.  Problem is, many people have taken the statement from Matthew, “Do not judge,” and latched on to that even when their behavior is stupid, destructive, or contrary to God’s law. They say, “Don’t judge me,” or “You have no right to tell me what is wrong.”But what if you’ve got a piece of lettuce sticking out from your front teeth? What if the way you are driving is putting yourself and other people in danger? What if the path you’re headed is going to wind you in debt, in divorce court, or even in prison?!?The premise this morning is that there IS a difference in ways you can use judgment and discernment in relationships. When Jesus says in Matthew 7 “Do not judge,” we must get to the HEART of what he is speaking of. If you are in a situation where you see someone you care deeply about acting out in a dangerous way, or you observe an injustice being committed against an innocent person -- is Jesus REALLY telling us to not CARE about those situations, not reach out and try to make things right?Didn’t Jesus judge the money-changers in the temple? Didn’t he instruct his disciples as they were going from town to town preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God to shake the dust off their feet if they encounter people hostile to the message? Doesn’t that take judgment??And yet too many folks misunderstand this passage of Jesus’ teaching.The Bible is full of passages that speak of righteous judgment and discernment when it comes to our relationships. Write these references down and check them out this week: Romans 16:17, 1 Corinthians 5:11, Ephesians 5:11, 2 Thessalonians 3:6All these passages speak about making judgments about the actions and attitudes of others, and making a sound decision BASED ON THOSE JUDGMENTS!!So IF those kinds of judgment are necessary and good, what did Jesus mean, then, when he said, “Do not judge”?