Sermon on the Mount: Part 14

Message: Judging

Matthew 7:1-6

· There is a difference between passing judgment and being judgmental.

· Making judgments is a necessary part of life. (Matt 7:6, 15; John 7:24; 1John 4:1)

· Two principles of judging:

1. The way you judge others is the way they will judge you and the way God will judge you. (Matt 7:2)

§ Be gentle and gracious in your judging, not harsh and severe. (Gal 6:1)

2. Look at yourself first because you may have a worse problem. (Matt 7:3)

§ Be easy on others, hard on yourself.

§ Go gently and humbly to help a brother who is in need of correction.

§ We are called to “go” as an act of love. (Prov. 27:5-6)

· Don’t be naïve (Matt 7:6). There are times when you have to walk away from an enemy of God.

· We can only stop being judgmental by asking God to change us through His grace and humility.

· If you have a deep sense of God’s love for you, then you will feel secure and will not have the need to be judgmental of others.

Questions

  1. List examples of judging and being judgmental.
  2. What comes up daily that demands our judgment?
  3. In what ways are you judgmental? Do you find you are more judgmental in certain situations or toward certain people?
  4. When you are being judgmental, what insecurities are you demonstrating?
  5. Share examples of judging with a large, medium, and small measure.
  6. Do you go to friends/loved ones to point out change needed or do you tend to mind your own business?
  7. Are there people who challenge you in areas of your life? If not, think of who you may approach and ask them to do so.
  8. Do you have a deep sense of God’s love for you? In what ways does God’s love make you more secure?

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