Matthew 7 - Judging Rightly

Overarching Principles of Parables

• What is a parable?   Parabolic story.
• What is the purpose of parables? Matt 13:10-17
• Some are a comparison, while others are a contrast.

Approach to Understanding Parables

Do’s

• Read them.
• Investigate and try to discern and understand the principles involved.
• Investigate and try to understand the characteristics of the elements of the parable.
• Draw out the meaning from them, don’t read into them your subjective meaning?  (Exegesis vs eisegesis)

Don’ts

• Allegorize them.   Why not?   Because allegory, unless the author tells us what each element represents, is completely subjective.

Questions to Ask

Are there any Old Testament texts, that are representative of the stories being told in the parables?   In other words is the story built on a foundation that was laid in the OT?

Can one parable contradict another?  In other words are the metaphors being used consistently?

What elements are crucial to the story, and what, if any are incidental.

Is this parable, a story being told as if from God’s perspective or man’s perspective.

What question was asked that the parable is answering?

Is this parable an affirmation of some positive truth, or a challenge against something negative (or both)?

Now let's look at Matthew Chapter 7

Verses 1-2

I'm aware I have no power or authority to condemn anyone to Hell.  Matthew 10:28

If I were to say to someone "Go to Hell" and poof, they disappeared and went to Hell, I'd be the most shocked person on the planet.   The big problem with me judging is that I'm not omniscient like God.   I don't know all things, so I don't know whether or not someone is so hard hearted they'll never receive God's forgiveness?   At some point in time, I was Christ rejecter.   The only criteria for someone to be eligible for salvation is that they be a sinner, so we all fall into that camp.

Let's talk about what are these verses NOT saying.   What about judging, in terms of being discerning?  Not necessarily being judgmental, but is it alright for me to be discerning? Should I be naive?    I certainly should be forgiving, like it says in the LORD's prayer.   "...forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." But what purpose is it to be discerning?   

(Galations 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.

or

Jude 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 1:23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.)

Verses 3-5

The heart of the matter here is simple, don't be a hypocrite (an 'Actor')   Don't wear a mask.   I do want to make a distinction, that there is such a thing as a Christian who commits the sin of hypocrisy, and then there's the person who thinks they're a Christian, but they haven't truly been converted to Christ.   That second person is complete through-and-through hypocrite, but they might even act like a Christian, talk like a Christian and attend a Christian church; they haven't been 'born again', they are a pure hypocrite.   Each one of us have to make that distinction in our own mind about where we stand.   Whether we're a Christian who is capable of committing the sin of hypocrisy or whether we have yet to really repent of our sins and put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.  

But we as Christians need to understand that hypocrisy creates a big old blind spot in our vision.   Hypocrisy keeps us busy with our eyes our on everyone else so we don't see our own failures and shortcomings. Who of us here can say, "I have this Christian life wired; follow me as your example."   Yikes, I don't know how many times I've said something like that to my wife, and she just looks up and takes a couple of steps back, expecting lightning to strike me at any second.   REALLY though, that's how serious it is, to be a hypocrite.   Let's live what we believe.   Remember, God sees our hearts.   He sees our motives.   He sees us from a different perspective than we see ourselves.

That reminds me of Fred Myers stores.   When I go to Fred Myers, and I walk through the first set of doors into the store building, they have an area where they keep all the shopping carts and some vending machines.   But as you walk into that area, hanging way up above near the ceiling are closed circuit monitors.   The picture showing on those monitors is the people walking into the store, including me or you.   The cameras are also mounted way up on the wall or ceiling somewhere, because the picture is looking down from way up high.   Every time I see those pictures, I get a little shocked.   I don't think of myself as being so bald.   But because I'm seeing myself from a different angle, it really makes it clear how folically challenged I am.   It's the same with hypocrisy keeps us from seeing ourselves the way we really are.
- See Romans 2:16-29
- See John 7:24

Verse 6

Don't forget the context here.   Who or what is a dog from a Jewish mindset?   Refer: Matthew 15:26, Jesus makes pretty much the same statement, but he clarifies a little. An outsider, one who has no natural connection to the things of God.   So it isn't just your average, run-of-the-mill, fense-sitting, non-committal person; it's one who is strongly opposed to the Gospel.   In our culture, there is a pretty strong and growing movement that I call militant Atheism.   My own personal opinion is that the only reason we should engage or dialog with these types is for the bystanders.   So others can see what they really believe while at the same time hearing what we believe.    What is the 'holy', spoken of here?   You could make a case that the 'holy' things are the 'deeper things' of God (the joys, blessings, promises and responsibilities that come with being a Christian.)   But the message of salvation, the Gospel message; that should be freely available to anyone who is willing to listen.

If this is saying, the Gospel is like precious pearls and the people of the world are just swine, then who would be worthy to receive the Gospel?   I sure wouldn't have while I was wallowing in the muck and mire of my sin. I can say, don't force the pearls of the Gospel around a pig's neck. What I mean by that, is if someone isn't  open to the things of God, don't try to force it.   Maybe it isn't that person's time, or you aren't the right person to give the pearls to that person.   That doesn't mean God is finished with that person.   Most likely it's just a timing thing.  God said, "He isn't willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."  He also says, "For God so loved the World, that He gave His only begotten Son..."

Verses 7-8

This is a contrast with the previous two verses.   Here is a picture of someone who is interested in the things of God.    Jesus said, "Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.   The previous verses were about someone who couldn't care less about the things of God.   We need to be like kids.   Kids can be very persistent when they want something, they ask and keep on asking, till you give them what they want.   God wants us to be like kids in the way we approach Him.   Just like an earthly dad, He won't spoil us, God won't give us something that would be bad for us.   So we don't need to be afraid to go to God and ask for things.   Just remember He does have the prerogative to say No.   Also remember, we don't hold any position over God; we don't order Him around, and we can't make Him do anything against His will.   Why pray then?   So that we can take part in His plan and His purpose.   We pray not to change God's mind, but to change our own, so He can bring our will into alignment with His will.

Verses 9-12

This is a comparison and contrast between an earthly father and our Heavenly Father.    Any decent earthly father will give some kind of decent gift to his son.   What kind of earthly father says, "here son, here's a lit stick of dynamite,  go take it outside and play with it."   God gives good gifts, so let's start asking, and I'm not talking about a Lamborghini.   Let's ask for gifts of the Spirit.   Then we'll be reflectors of the image of God.   We'll be true sons of God.   When it says, "in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. For this sums up the Law and the Prophets", this is called the "Golden Rule".    The Law and the Prophets were given to show us God's true standards for "righteous" living.

Verses 13-14

Jesus contrasts these two 'ways' to get to heaven.    One way is wide, and doesn't really lead to heaven.   The other is narrow and leads to life. I've heard worldly people say, 'You Christians are narrow minded people, there are good people in all religions.'   I just tell them, their argument isn't with me, it's with Jesus.   He says, there's only one way in.   If there was another way for humanity to be collected into God's Kingdom of heaven, then Jesus death on the cross wouldn't have been necessary.   What if someone says, "all religions lead to God"  Or "it doesn't matter what you believe, just that you believe", should you smack 'em and say what are you thinking?   Or should you try to convince them that you're right and they're wrong? I don't think either of those would help.    But you can show that you care, you can tell them that isn't the way it is according to the Bible. You can agreeably disagree. You can pray for them.   You can look for opportunity to show the love of God to them in word and deed, but you can't convince anyone that they need Jesus.   If you could convince them,  someone else could come along with another perspective or some other argument that could change their mind and convince them of something else.   Salvation is a work of God, so we need to be led by the Spirit every time we step out in faith and share the messge of eternal life with someone.

Verses 15-20

For a moment, let's aim these scriptures at ourselves.   I sincerely doubt any of us in here is a false prophet, but you and I are told to bear fruit.   Let's look at these verses from that angle. The fruit of a tree or bush, just proves its nature.   In other words, what's on the inside (genetically) is made manifest by what it produces on the outside.   Okay, self exam time.   This is uncomfortable, it's embarrassing, but we need to determine what's on the inside by what's on the outside.   And I can't do this for you; you have to do this yourself.   Take some time later on and do a little self examination.   Look at the fruit of your life.   If you don't like what you see, take some corrective action.   I would say the first step ought to be confession and repentance.   Come clean with God, and let Him cleanse you from the inside out.   God isn't done with you.   It takes a lot of faith and trust to say, "okay God, here I am, I need you to change me in this area or that."

Now let's point these scriptures a some imagined or real target outside of this room; some false prophet out there.    What is it that defines a false prophet?   "False prophecies"    What are we supposed to do about them?   It says, "Beware", so we're supposed to Beware of them.   God has given us minds to think, compare what people say with what's in the Bible, and it it doesn't line up, ignore them.   Stay away from them.

Verses 21-23

Here again, this is talking about hypocrites.    These are people who think they're Christians but their false converts.   They've never really been born again.   There are so many in our country who have rejected Christianity because they know of some friend or even some prominent so-called Christian who was a hypocrite.   I would say to them, "are you going to reject Christ because of what some man says or does?"   If so, when you stand before God on Judgement Day, and say, "I didn't believe in Christ because there were so many false Christian hypocrites." Do you think that will fly with God?   Is God going to say,  "Oh, you poor dear, it's okay then, you're not responsible for your sins because of all those bad Christians."   Nope, when those so-called Christians who were really hypocrites die in their sins will be made to pay for those sins; just like someone who flat-out rejected Christ and never pretended to be a Christian.

Verses 24-27  THE PARABLE OF THE TWO FOUNDATIONS

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

I love this Sunday school story.   There's a song we sing to the little kids that comes from this story. It's so simple yet so profound. What does it look like, from the outside looking in, to be the man who builds his house on the rock?   What does the house represent? What does the rock represent?

Of Jesus it says in Psalms 118:22. The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone.    Matthew 21:44 "And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust."

So I just want to circle back, and say a couple things about judging. Even here the Lord Jesus Himself is being judgemental; calling one person wise and another foolish. But, it is His Word that is authoritative, so in that same way we can just let God’s Word judge people and let the chips fall where they may; we too will be judged by God's word.  Lastly, if someone feels judged by something we say, that’s actually a good thing.   It means that their conscience is still alive and active and functional.   It hasn’t been seared like a steak on a hot iron, beyond all repair.   So if someone can still feel guilty and judged (call that conviction), that’s a good thing.  Enough said.

I want to tell you a story that my dad told about and I even remember reading about as a kid. My dad was a Los Angeles City fireman.    In California, they have brush fires in the summer, and rain in the winter.   Those brown hills that have been denuded of their trees and foliage, because of the brush fires, become saturated with water, then mudslides happen.   The problem is, they build homes in those very hills and its a dangerous situation.   Back in the late '60s or early '70s, my dad and his crew were in the L.A. hills during heavy rains, evacuating/rescuing people from their homes.    My dad's good buddy Bill was in a home helping a woman get out, when a mudslide came through the house, and picked him up and shoved him up into the ceiling so hard that his fireman's helmet punched a hole into the ceiling and stuck there.   Bill got injured pretty badly, I think he got some broken bones and was laid up for a while.   But my point is this.   Sometimes things happen that are just completely out of your control.  You might get slammed into the ceiling of life.   If your life is built on the Rock of Jesus Christ, your life won't crumble.   You won't fall away from Christ.   It will only strengthen your faith.   I just want to encourage  you to trust God, and He'll be with you through the trials.

Isaiah 43:2 says, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you..."   It doesn't say 'if', it says 'when'.

Verses 28-29

The people were astonished at His doctrine.   Literally "blown away", by what he said. How about you, does it astonish you the Jesus speaks so frankly, yet so compassionately?    Jesus is so different than all other 'religious' folks.   They tell you you need to change, but give you no power to do it.    They just give you a bunch of rules.   He gives you the Holy Spirit to live in you, and guide you.   He gives you that new nature with new desires.    Religion can't change your desires or your innermost motives.   So if our lives are built on the Rock, when the storms of life come you won't crumble and when the temptations of life come, you will have a way out.   You won't live as hypocrite, you live like a son of God.   Your life will be a reflector of His glory.