Sermon

Is It Wrong To Judge? - Frank Brancato

Church of Christ - Bakersfield, Ca

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  1. The words judge not are often quoted by people who resent

  2. being corrected for their wrongdoing.

  3. It is used in an attempt to make those who hold the moral and

  4. biblical principles turn their heads.

  5. While they partake in their sinful practices and sinful

  6. Lifestyles and that could be anything.

  7. Whether it is same-sex marriages, that we just talked

  8. about a moment ago whether it be abortion drug use, or any other

  9. manner of sin in the world, the world is saying Don't judge.

  10. Let us live our lives in the manner that we please.

  11. In fact, what gives one person the right to judge another.

  12. And so the impression is that we should never make moral

  13. judgments and what we see in others, but we must ask

  14. ourselves tonight. Is that true?

  15. Is that supported by Bible fact? Is that what Jesus meant when he

  16. said, when he said these words in Matthew chapter 7 and verses

    Matthew 7 chapter mention

  17. 1 through 6, are we never to make more Judgments about right

  18. and wrong even though right and wrong is with another if we see

  19. wrong and others, can we point it out?

  20. I am persuaded tonight that the Lord statement is often misused.

  21. And that Jesus in fact, taught that there are times when we

  22. must judge, there are times when it's appropriate to point out

  23. the faults that are in others. And so the question is, it wrong

  24. to judge is the question that's before you and I tonight Write

  25. the proper answers. Do come from a closer look at

  26. the context and what Jesus meant in the meaning of those words in

  27. Matthew chapter 7, verses 1 through 6.

    Matthew 7:1–6

  28. But first of all, let's look about how these words are

  29. frequently misused his words are often used to forbid all manner

  30. of judgment. Regardless of what it is.

  31. There are people today that say that you cannot give any

  32. criticism. If criticism is - or if

  33. criticism is unfavorable pointing out a fault and someone

  34. else, even if it to be truly constructive criticism.

  35. If it's negative, people say that we are not allowed to do

  36. that because Jesus said not to judge others.

  37. Say that we cannot exercise church discipline on any manner

  38. for any reason at all because church discipline would be

  39. judging negatively in a negative way.

  40. I also notice this, when one exercises discipline of any

  41. sort, it requires judging the individual as to his moral or

  42. spiritual condition. And because such judgment is

  43. involved, some feel that verses one, and two of our text rule

  44. out any sort of church discipline.

  45. Another example of people that say that we cannot judge is when

  46. they say, you cannot expose anyone who would teach error You

  47. know, admittedly it requires making judgments in order to

  48. consider whether someone is teaching error.

  49. How in the world, can we not use judgments in Discerning?

  50. If someone is teaching something that is true or someone, that is

  51. teaching something that is false.

  52. Therefore, some people also, though, in light of verses 1,

  53. and 2 believe that, we cannot speak out against those things

  54. and against those individuals who teach error, but we ask our

  55. self again tonight. Is this really what?

  56. Jesus was, teaching must. We remain silent.

  57. When we see people overtaken in a fault, must we remain silent

  58. and look, the other way, when we see one bringing reproach upon

  59. the good name of Jesus Christ. Should we say absolutely

  60. nothing. When we see someone that is

  61. blatantly teaching that, which is opposed to the teachings of

  62. the Bible there, for teaching error?

  63. Well, in light of these questions, let me suggest.

  64. The following number one. Jesus did not rule out all forms

  65. of judgment. That's the first thing we need

  66. to realize. He did not rule out all forms of

  67. judgment. Let me just say this though.

  68. I meant to say this in the, in my introduction.

  69. I'll say it. Now, before we go any further, I

  70. am talking about and I have mentioned to you about people

  71. that are in the world, whether it's in the religious world or

  72. people that aren't religious, people at all.

  73. I'm talking about people in Heidi, they have come up with

  74. the idea of don't judge and they use it in response to anyone who

  75. would stand for anything. That goes against a choice that

  76. someone else is made, okay? And we all know that, we all

  77. know that people say that we all know that every in a liberal

  78. Society of people and they're saying as long as you're not

  79. affecting me. Go ahead and do whatever it is

  80. that you please. There is no right and wrong.

  81. We all have you heard this? We all have our own standard or

  82. our own moral code. Had somebody tell me that not

  83. long ago saying this, it doesn't mean that you're right?

  84. Or I'm right, or this one's writer, that one's, right?

  85. Because really, we are all right, because all of us have

  86. our own moral standard, our own moral code.

  87. Now, we know that that exists in the world, don't we?

  88. It is all around us, it is Is prevalent in our society,

  89. incidentally how things have changed, you know, the Christian

  90. is not to be changed at all except for that, which is good.

  91. And when we accept things that were wrong 15 years ago, you

  92. know, brother Darren said something interesting years ago.

  93. It's a rather interesting question, as he was pointing out

  94. as we were discussing one day. But think about this, He said,

  95. were the things that we were against fifteen and twenty years

  96. ago, really wrong things that we didn't accept then, but we

  97. accept now, that's an interesting question.

  98. Were they not wrong then? Therefore, we can do them now or

  99. have they always been wrong, but we become desensitized and so

  100. therefore, we've accepted it and therefore, we accept it now.

  101. But it's as wrong as it's ever been.

  102. And you could just take anything specifically and insert it there

  103. and do with it. As you please.

  104. My point is this, though, my point is that we have changed in

  105. our society we have been desensitized to all manner of

  106. things and we have begun to accept things.

  107. Now that we would have never accepted many years ago, we

  108. would have, we wouldn't have tolerated.

  109. It, we wouldn't have permitted it but the world all along is

  110. saying, except this person except that person and so on,

  111. and do not judge. As they say to someone who It'd

  112. be a religious person standing for something.

  113. They believe in said all that to say this, guess what?

  114. Folks, it's the first thing. It's the first thing that people

  115. want to say, when they want to quit the church, That's what

  116. they want to say. They want to take the concept

  117. that I have painted as a negative picture.

  118. I painted it in a - vein it is -.

  119. And anyway, every way it is not biblically based, it is not

  120. Bible found. It is something that the world

  121. has used to support their actions and stand against people

  122. that would follow the Bible. And yet when the child of God of

  123. all things, a person that has come from the Waters of baptism

  124. has lived their lives for a while and Then turn their back

  125. on the Lord. That's what they want to say.

  126. Had it said to me, just the other day, after all Jesus said,

  127. don't judge. Somebody said, somebody said

  128. can't stand for what's right? Jesus said don't judge, can't

  129. say things are wrong. Jesus said don't judge.

  130. Is that what he said? Be careful that this all

  131. accepting concept is not adopted by church members.

  132. Let's not allow that stuff that goes on as a worldly, principal

  133. to funnel in among our ranks, we must always stand against things

  134. that are wrong. We must never accept the things

  135. that are wrong ever, regardless of what they are.

  136. Now, Jesus did not rule out all forms of judgment with verses 1

  137. and 2. And actually in this whole text

  138. note, first of all in the immediate text, first of all, we

  139. must understand the scriptures in the context that they were

  140. written some base doctrines based on one verse here, or one

  141. verse there. For example, regarding

  142. salvation, you can take a passage of scripture that talks

  143. about believe and people say that that's all you got to do is

  144. believe. I'll pick that one.

  145. And I'll choose that one. Like it's a choice believe or

  146. baptism and not that it's both as part of the Plan of

  147. Salvation. Now, we find that it reveals in

  148. Matthew chapter 7, some cases of proper judgment.

    Matthew 7 chapter mention

  149. Proper judgment. Must be made and Matthew chapter

    Matthew 7 chapter mention

  150. 7 and verse 6. Jesus said, give not that.

  151. Which is holy unto the dogs. Neither cast.

  152. Ye the Pearls Before Swine lest, they trample them under their

  153. feet and turn again and Rend. You notice and understanding

  154. this verse, we find that it implies that a judgment is to be

  155. made. Or how are we going to know?

  156. Who are the Hogs, who are the dogs?

  157. How we going to know. Jesus says these words, he says

  158. in verse 6. He says, do not cast Pearls

  159. Before Swine. Now, how are you going to know

  160. who the swine are without making a judgment?

  161. How you going to know not to give a dog, a holy thing if you

  162. don't know who the dogs are, you know, how you know who the swine

  163. are? And the dogs are, there's only

  164. one way. You have to make a judgment.

  165. Now, we're going to talk about the matter of judgment.

  166. The way we go about it in a minute, but that's really the

  167. point. Some people take these verses of

  168. scripture and say, Jesus said don't judge Point Blank.

  169. End of story. No more to be said.

  170. But Jesus right here in the passage that he gave, these

  171. words said that we have to discern between who are the

  172. swine, and who are the, and who are the dogs, if no judgment is

  173. made, how are we going to know about giving stings?

  174. Holy to dogs, who they might be, or how can we know when not to

  175. cast our Pearls Before Swine? I invite your attention to verse

  176. 15 Of our text for just a moment.

  177. Beginning in verse 15, will read down through verse 20.

  178. Jesus after saying, what we've just said, said this beware of

  179. false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but

  180. inwardly they are ravening wolves.

  181. Ye shall know them by their fruits do men, gather Grapes of

  182. thorns or figs of thistles even. So every good tree bringeth

  183. forth, good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth.

  184. Evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth

  185. evil fruit. Neither can a corrupt tree bring

  186. forth. Good fruit.

  187. Every tree that bringeth not forth.

  188. Good fruit is hewn down and cast Into the Fire wherefore by their

  189. fruits ye shall know them. Now, clearly these words, teach

  190. you, and I even today that we must make judgements in

  191. determining who is a false teacher, who are the ones that

  192. are considered A false teacher by their fruits, you shall know

  193. them. you know, Shahi Illustrated agriculture this

  194. morning. He talked about the vine and the

  195. branches, he talked about bearing fruit this morning. you

  196. know, I'm a tell you something, my fruit Is what I am.

  197. Because the fruit is the manifestation of what I am.

  198. And what I do. And I'm not going to do

  199. something that I am not. Not sincerely.

  200. And I'm going to tell you this to every single person in the

  201. world has fruit. It is either good fruit or it is

  202. bad fruit. If it's bad fruit, it is not

  203. acceptable. If it's good fruit, it is

  204. acceptable. And Jesus Says by their fruits,

  205. you shall know them. Interestingly though, this could

  206. be a person to that's Illustrated here.

  207. A person that not, that could be saying all the right things, all

  208. manner of wonderful things. But their fruits prove out

  209. differently. We have to make judgments

  210. regarding that very thing in the remote text which speaks of

  211. times when judgment must be made.

  212. We find that. Remember one verse of scripture

  213. must, never be used to contradict another verse.

  214. If we think that we see a contradiction, it only proves a

  215. lack of understanding, that's all that approves.

  216. The Bible says that God is not the author of confusion. if

  217. Peace Keeping this in mind, John 7:24, Jesus said judge not

    John 7:24

  218. according to the appearance but judge righteous judgment You

  219. know, Jesus is teaching that we should never judge things by how

  220. they appear on the surface. But that one should investigate

  221. the matter compared to the scriptures and then make a

  222. judgment accordingly another place where a Christian must,

  223. much judge is in the local church.

  224. Notice what Paul said in First Corinthians chapter 5, First

    1 Corinthians 5 chapter mention 1 Corinthians 5 chapter mention

  225. Corinthians chapter 5 and this is really how it applies to the

  226. church as a whole, and all of its members in 1st Corinthians

  227. chapter 5 beginning there in verse 9.

  228. Paul said, this, I wrote unto you in an epistle, not to

  229. company with fornicators, yet not altogether with the

  230. fornicators of the world or with the Covetous or extortioners are

  231. idolaters for then must, ye needs go out into the world.

  232. But now I have written unto you not to keep Company.

  233. If any man that is called a brother, be a fornicator, or

  234. Covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an

  235. extortioner with such an one. No, not to.

  236. Eat for what have I to do to judge them.

  237. Also that are without do not, ye judge them that are within, but

  238. them that are without God judgeth, therefore put away from

  239. among yourselves that Wicked person notice.

  240. This is a, this is a time when the church in a local sense,

  241. must make a judgment. You know, in the very next

  242. chapter in chapter 6. You know, one of the saddest

  243. things I have seen in my lifetime.

  244. I have seen it. I have seen a brother go to law

  245. against a brother. How awful is that?

  246. Jesus, basically, as I paraphrase says, keep it

  247. in-house take care of these matters as some preachers would

  248. say, don't air out your dirty linen to the world.

  249. The church needs to remain pure. The church needs to remain that.

  250. The pillar of the light in society of all those that live

  251. in darkness, that surround the church Christians, need to live

  252. our life in such a way that we're setting a proper example.

  253. I talked about that when I talk about the salt of the earth and

  254. the light, Light of the world. And all of that.

  255. We are to be seen. That's true, but not be seen in

  256. the courthouses. Going to law against a brother.

  257. You know what? The Bible teaches us, the Bible

  258. teaches in matters among ourselves.

  259. We must judge not that you can judge if you want to but you

  260. must judge. Paul said in chapter 6, these

  261. words, dare any of you having a matter against another, go to

  262. the law before the unjust, and not before the Saints.

  263. And so the word of God teaches us that we are in fact to judge

  264. those that are inside the local church and not bring those

  265. matters before. The unjust of the world, another

  266. place in the scriptures were judgment is necessary.

  267. As found in 1st. John chapter 4 and verse 1.

    John 4 chapter mention

  268. When John the Apostle of Love by the way, said this.

  269. You know, all the people that say love is all that matters,

  270. except everyone love is all that matters.

  271. You know, I was talking to this with Bobby were walking in the

  272. door, she had read some things on the internet.

  273. I hope I say this, the way she told me because it's rather.

  274. Well, it's rather funny to me, but she said, we're reading some

  275. stuff about Proposition 8 and somebody said that was

  276. supporting that type of lifestyle.

  277. That sort of arrangement said with love, there is no sin or

  278. there is no sin. Love.

  279. In other words, as long as there is love, there's nothing wrong

  280. with anything now. Think about it, love and sin are

  281. opposite. Things, love is a command that

  282. the Bible tells us we must have now we know about different

  283. kinds of love. I love all over my family.

  284. That is easy to do. That is naturally that that is a

  285. natural emotion. That is a natural thing that I

  286. feel is love for my family but love is the command agape.

  287. A love not necessarily phileo agape love which is telling me

  288. that I got to love those. That really are not lovable a

  289. command It is 100% diametrically opposite to sin.

  290. To sin because the greatest thing that we love is the Lord

  291. and the greatest thing that we love is the truth.

  292. We must love those things above everything in our life.

  293. But the Bible says this, and first John four, and one.

  294. Beloved believe, not every spirit.

  295. This is the Apostle of Love. By the way, he says, believe not

  296. every Spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of

  297. God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

  298. Now, in light of these passages of scripture, we still must

  299. understand. There's no contradiction as we

  300. continue with our text back in Matthew chapter 7.

    Matthew 7 chapter mention

  301. Jesus actually defined. The type of judging that was

  302. being condemned. Number one, judging when one is

  303. blind to his or her own faults, I'm going to tell you something,

  304. folks. We need to be careful about that

  305. one because we all fall short sometimes without one in other

  306. Words, I am going to point out the fault in someone else.

  307. But what are we do? Sometimes many times, we garnish

  308. our own traits. And at the very same time, we

  309. tarnish the traits of others, we need to be very careful.

  310. That's what Jesus is saying. He's saying that the type of

  311. judging that's wrong, is because judging in itself is not wrong.

  312. In fact, on circuit and circumstances in places and all

  313. of that, we not only can judge, but we must judge, Judge.

  314. So what's the wrong kind of judging number?

  315. One Jesus says, the first thing is it's wrong to judge when

  316. you're blind to your own faults at the same time and refused to

  317. take care of those things first. I don't know that anyone has

  318. ever lived ever that's not been guilty of that.

  319. Little kids. He did it.

  320. Not my fault. I had nothing to do with it.

  321. Not accepting fault, it starts when they're, it starts when

  322. they're very young, no doubt. Jesus pointed this out.

  323. Because this is a very easy one to fall into its trap.

  324. I want to go straighten out a shot.

  325. Hey, and I got a few things. I want to talk to him about.

  326. Okay, I got all kinds of problems too, but I can't see

  327. them. I'm blind.

  328. Devoe's man, I can see clear about his though.

  329. Now picture of this way, if I have an arrogant heart to the

  330. extent that I feel like I don't have any faults and I can come

  331. to him in a condescending manner.

  332. Now, the Bible does say, I have to go to him.

  333. Okay. If he's got that spec back to

  334. that in a minute though, what's wrong?

  335. Is when I go to him blind of my own problems?

  336. When my problems are far more glaring that is Or even equally.

  337. So, It's wrong to judge when you still got to clean up your own

  338. backyard. When there are things that you

  339. have to take care of, when there are things that I have to

  340. straighten up. How many times has somebody

  341. said, if we let me paint this picture, this person here goes

  342. to talk to this person about this person's activities, the

  343. things that they're doing, okay? And then this person turns back

  344. and says, yeah, what about you? And then starts to list off the

  345. things that they're doing wrong. It's just like that.

  346. Now, that's why we really have to be the light.

  347. That's why we really have to clear out the eye.

  348. That's why we've got to do all these things so that we can be

  349. instrumental in talking to that person.

  350. So that person cannot turn and respond and say, well, what

  351. about you? Let's talk about all your

  352. problems. You hardly ever come to services

  353. either? Stay out of my backyard?

  354. You see what I mean? We have to be careful with our

  355. own backyard. Let's not garnish our own traits

  356. and tarnish. The traits of another, this is

  357. like when Paul taught the necessity of proper

  358. introspection, when helping others Galatians chapter 6, and

    Galatians 6 chapter mention

  359. verse 1 Brethren, If any man, be overtaken in a fault.

  360. Now, wait a minute. Somebody just told me today.

  361. They don't judge. Don't judge.

  362. A Christian. Me read that again.

  363. Brethren. If any man be overtaken in a

  364. fault. Do nothing and don't judge.

  365. Sit back and let it go by. Don't worry about it, accept

  366. everybody for who they are. No, it says ye which are

  367. spiritual restore such an one how in the spirit of meekness

  368. doing what considering thyself, lest thou.

  369. Also be tempted. We can't have in these cases the

  370. idea that it could never, ever. Ever happen to me, I'm gonna

  371. tell you something, folks. If you go to somebody with the

  372. attitude and the heart that it could never happen to me, shame

  373. on him. But Imma get him, right.

  374. Oh that's the wrongful attitude and that goes against what Paul

  375. said that goes against what Jesus said to.

  376. You know what happens? When we don't take an

  377. introspective view of our self and then we all of a sudden have

  378. the attitude, we have the attitude or the heart that it

  379. could never happen to us. How many times have you heard a

  380. Christian talk about? Somebody else that made a

  381. mistake and say, I can't believe I'm so ashamed to hear.

  382. I can't believe he did that. I would never do that.

  383. Years ago. I had made the statement about.

  384. Bob, I, we were talking. I don't remember what it was all

  385. about, but I said, I said, you'll never fail.

  386. You'll never fall. He said anyone can fall and I

  387. said, no, I'm not going to let you.

  388. It was kind of a kind of a little joke.

  389. Also extending kindness, loving my brother.

  390. Here's the point. It can happen to anybody.

  391. And when you go that are spiritual restore, such an one

  392. old, be very careful do. So with the spirit of meekness

  393. and consider thyself lest thou also be tempted, if you got the

  394. attitude it could never happen to you.

  395. You know what you are, you're the Pharisee standing there with

  396. the public and over there and all he's thinking about is all

  397. the rotten things that not only this Publican, but the entire

  398. world does I'm so glad I'm not that guy.

  399. Jesus said, humble yourself. To be exalted.

  400. Don't exalt yourself. Bible says you'll be a based

  401. humble yourself. In all that we do take the

  402. proper introspection first. Second thing Jesus said this is

  403. another thing that's condemned not judging.

  404. Now the first thing we just noticed is judging without

  405. taking a look at yourself. Second thing Jesus said is to

  406. judge without mercy and without love the Lord hears condemning.

  407. This judging too harshly to judging self-righteously 3,

  408. judging, without mercy. And for judging without love,

  409. notice a parallel passage is found in Luke chapter 6,

    Luke 6 chapter mention

  410. beginning in verse 36, Where Jesus says be ye therefore

  411. merciful as your father also is merciful judge.

  412. Not and ye shall not be judged condemn, not.

  413. And ye shall not be condemned forgive and ye shall be

  414. forgiven. James, also you remember, warned

  415. against making judgments without Mercy in James 2 and 13 James

  416. said, for he shall have 44, he shall have judgment without

  417. Mercy that he has showed no mercy and Mercy, Rejoice, if

  418. against judgment. I don't know about you.

  419. But wouldn't it be awful? Wouldn't it be the worst thing?

  420. Isn't it true that the harder you try?

  421. The heart of your really try. To put the Lord first in your

  422. life and live the Christian Life.

  423. Isn't it true that the older you get in the harder, you try?

  424. The more you see the reality of your frailties and your

  425. shortcomings. Listen, folks, When We're Young,

  426. that's that's when we're invincible.

  427. Oh, but we get a clearer picture of the older.

  428. We get oh far more clear. You know, like like that song

  429. says, I think I've told you that modern country song that I know

  430. so much more now than I did back, when I knew it all.

  431. In that true. You know, I'll tell you

  432. something. I can't fathom standing before

  433. my maker. And having it put back to me the

  434. manner in which I judged another because that's what I'm going to

  435. get, what I'm getting is, what I gave.

  436. What I'm going to get is what I gave and if what I gave was no

  437. mercy. No love, no compassion.

  438. I didn't take a look at myself and consider myself.

  439. I stood in a condescending fashion looking down on my

  440. brother, I acted like it could never happen to me.

  441. What's the matter with you? I acted like that and that's the

  442. way that I cast judgment. That's the way that I passed

  443. judgment. Guess what?

  444. Folks, if I don't fix that before I die that's what I'm

  445. going to get. And can you imagine standing

  446. before the Lord realizing our frailties, the fact that we make

  447. mistakes? The fact that we're not perfect

  448. and have Jesus. The righteous judge give us no

  449. mercy to I'ma tell you something, folks, without mercy

  450. and Grace were none of us are getting in.

  451. None of us are getting in. You know it's true about works.

  452. We have to work or lost. We don't Merit or warrants our

  453. star salvation, Merit Oriole works.

  454. But we have works of obedience, that's all true, but make no

  455. mistake, we fall from grace, when we go against what the word

  456. of God teaches we fall from grace when we sin, but it's

  457. Grace, that's going to save us. Unmerited, favor, something you

  458. Didn't earn, and neither did I? And the only reason, the only

  459. way that I can have it. The only way that I can have

  460. that kind of Grace is to obey him.

  461. And the only way that I'm going to find Mercy on that day, is if

  462. I extended mercy and my judgments to, when I lived in

  463. this life. Oh, can you imagine Not having

  464. the mercy of God. Jesus said in verse 2, back to

  465. our text for with what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged.

  466. And with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured under you

  467. again. And so the lesson so far is not

  468. that we should never judge but when we do judge remember that

  469. we shall be judged by the same standards that we use.

  470. And that being the case. We must let love, and mercy,

  471. temper, our judgments But finally, Jesus implies that

  472. there are times when we must must make judgements.

  473. And the first thing that we do, we must make judgements.

  474. When we have corrected, or after we have corrected, our own

  475. false. When we first remove the beam

  476. from our own eye, when we have done this, we are going to be

  477. able. Jesus says, you'll be able to

  478. see clearly the respect that is in thy brother's eye.

  479. That is one of the most misunderstood passages of

  480. scripture of all that Jesus taught there.

  481. I've heard people say, look what he's saying, is we all got beams

  482. and we all got specs. We all got things in between.

  483. So here's the thing, I'll just keep my being don't lie.

  484. And you leave me alone and I'll leave you alone with your spec.

  485. Another words don't judge, we all got problems.

  486. That's not what he said. That's not what he said at all.

  487. What he said is. He says Don't go and try to make

  488. judgments it before you have taken an introspective view of

  489. yourself, Galatians 6 and 1 as Paul pointed out, clearly, what

  490. did he say? He says, if you got a beam, you

  491. got a log, in your eye, in other words, you got a big problem,

  492. you got a big thing in your life, you got to fix.

  493. He says get rid of that first. He says, take care of that

  494. first. Why?

  495. why one reason, when must we judge, When we've removed our

  496. beams. To do what so that we might see

  497. clearly to do what help your brother get the speck out of his

  498. eye. I have to do that another words,

  499. that's not just something that I can do, or it's permissible for

  500. me to do. It's something I must do.

  501. I got to get the beam out so that in other words, I have to

  502. remove that because listen, if I got a beam, I'm in trouble.

  503. If my brother has a speck talking about sinful things.

  504. He's got trouble. Okay.

  505. We gotta get rid of the trouble. Jesus says, don't go to him for

  506. you, get the beam I get the beam out first.

  507. So you can see, clearly to help your brother with his spec, we

  508. must do that. We must help those that have

  509. been overtaken. In a fault. you know, the

  510. saddest thing is when somebody who is once been enlightened by

  511. the gospel turns back, You know, this morning.

  512. Was read a passage of scripture. when there was a time, when

  513. Jesus was preaching some things and even some of those that

  514. consider themselves disciples or followers of Jesus, Even those

  515. that considered themself a follower and I'm not talking

  516. about people that just hurt him for the first time and said, ah,

  517. I'm a I'm not buying any of that.

  518. It says that the disciples there were disciples, they were men

  519. that had followed him before that day but when he spoke the

  520. words that he spoke, it was too much that they could bear and

  521. they just said, no, it's too much.

  522. They no longer followed the Lord.

  523. I'm going to tell you something, folks.

  524. That's the greatest mistake that they ever made.

  525. That's the greatest mistake that you or I will ever make.

  526. But I love the response when Jesus and you can just picture

  527. the scene. Can you just imagine how

  528. heartsick? Jesus must have felt.

  529. The Lamb of God gonna die for the sins of the world going to

  530. die for their sins. Watching them walk away and then

  531. turn back to his disciples and say to them.

  532. Also, will you also go away? Can't you just hear the tone in

  533. his voice? What about you?

  534. You going to? But then the response to whom,

  535. shall we go? For thou Hast the words of

  536. eternal life. Folks, I'm here to tell you

  537. this. We do everything we can, but

  538. don't grow discouraged when you turn from one side of the other.

  539. And you see that there are people no longer following the

  540. Lord. It has always been that way.

  541. Now, it's always been just as sad.

  542. It's awful. Just consider yourself now.

  543. Go get live, the life that you need.

  544. That we need to live. Let's go, get em.

  545. Let's go. Try to restore him back.

  546. Let's go get him back. Paul says, if a brother be

  547. overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore them, do

  548. all. You can just don't grow

  549. discouraged. If you see people that are

  550. quitting, their walk with the Lord and stopping following the

  551. lord, it's always been that there are people that chose to

  552. do so. Just don't let it get you down.

  553. And you quit, because the Lord saying what about you.

  554. Every time somebody says, I'm not following the Lord anymore.

  555. You know what? When you're considering that the

  556. Lord saying to you as it were what about you?

  557. What about you? Especially if it's a loved one.

  558. I'm always, isn't that hard? A family member quits?

  559. The Lord is asking what about you?

  560. We also go. Let's respond by saying, where

  561. am I going? To Whom Shall I follow now, Whom

  562. Shall I go? For thou Hast the words of

  563. eternal life. Well as we read already we need

  564. to read again. Paul said in Galatians chapter

    Galatians 6:12

  565. 6, verses 12 to Brethren. If a man be overtaken in a fault

  566. ye which are spiritual restore, such an one in the spirit of

  567. meekness considering thyself lest thou also be tempted and

  568. bear, ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of

  569. Christ. Again, Jesus said that we must

  570. judge between those that are worthy and those that are hogs

  571. and those that are dogs. Also in verse six, back on our

  572. text, Jesus says, give not that. Which is holy The Underdogs

  573. neither cast you before Pearls Before Swine lest, they trample

  574. them under their feet and turn again and Rend.

  575. You simply put, there are those that are not worthy.

  576. Jesus said that there are those that are not worthy.

  577. How we going to know. Making a judgement.

  578. That's how we're going to know. You can't no less.

  579. You make a judgment. Now the Bible clearly states,

  580. how we do that, what kind of job we determining, who is which

  581. requires judgment our part with those who are receptive to the

  582. gospel. We are to be long-suffering and

  583. trying to help them come out of air.

  584. Come out of, there are quickly. 2nd, Timothy 2, beginning in

  585. verse 24 and the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be

  586. gentle unto all men. Apt to teach patient in

  587. meekness. It patient, meekness,

  588. instructing, those that oppose themself if God, peradventure

  589. will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.

  590. And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of

  591. the devil who are taken captive by him at his will.

  592. But for those that are not receptive.

  593. There comes a time when we stop wasting time and we don't give

  594. dogs. Holy things in cast Pearls

  595. Before Swine, we need to make a judgment on that part.

  596. We judge not according to the appearance, we've already

  597. already read that judge, not about how things appear but

  598. judge righteous judgment. The only way I can do that is to

  599. compare it with this. If somebody is doing something

  600. that is opposite to this, I can lay open the pages of Divine

  601. inspiration, and compare that activity.

  602. And if it's wrong, I can make a judgment on that if somebody's

  603. teaching error and it's compared to this, the perfect law of

  604. Liberty. I can make a judgment about

  605. that. I'm going to tell you something

  606. else, folks. There's a difference between

  607. someone who just needs a little more information and someone

  608. that is a dog or a hog. There's a difference.

  609. There's a difference between someone who really could be

  610. receptive, may be receptive, later, maybe a little receptive,

  611. maybe you planted the seed. Maybe down the road may be did

  612. down the road. The Harvest is going to come.

  613. there's a difference between somebody like that who just

  614. needs more of our attention and more of our teaching and more of

  615. our preaching, there's a difference between that is kind

  616. of like this in sales in sales you have some people that

  617. they're saying no But what they're really saying is they're

  618. not really rejecting it completely or rejecting you.

  619. They're saying no because they've not received enough

  620. information yet to realize that they need to have it.

  621. Because once they realize they need to have it, then they're

  622. going to want to have it. That's a good receptive.

  623. Lead there. That's a good Prospect.

  624. Sometimes they say no. A whole lot of times, in fact,

  625. people say no more than they say, yes.

  626. I'm talking about those that by that's true when I was in sales

  627. very few times, very small percentage of the time that I

  628. give a presentation. They okay.

  629. Amen. no, it took more, it took changing differently, it took

  630. showing them more value, it took a lot of that, the gospels, the

  631. same way, it takes time, it takes effort, but we need the

  632. judge those though that are not worthy those that are not

  633. interested, those that want nothing to do with the Lord in

  634. Matthew chapter 10, beginning in verse 12, and I'm almost

    Matthew 10 chapter mention

  635. finished To sum up what? I just said the words of Jesus.

  636. And when you come into an house salute it and if the house be

  637. worthy, let your peace come upon it.

  638. But if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you and

  639. whosoever shall not. Receive you nor hear your words

  640. when you depart out of the house or city shake off the dust of

  641. your feet, verily. I say unto you, it shall be more

  642. tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of

  643. judgment than for that City. Remember an example of this In

  644. Acts 13 and verse 46, where it says, then Paul and Barnabas wax

  645. bold and said it was necessary that the word of God should be.

  646. First have been spoken to you but seeing you have put it from

  647. you and and judge yourselves. Unworthy of everlasting life

  648. low. We turn to the Gentiles.

  649. Not taste of the folks when people reject the gospel.

  650. There comes a time when we move on.

  651. And we have to make a judgment when that time is.

  652. Not long ago. There were someone that had this

  653. was a young college student going to be a lawyer one day I

  654. guess. So he says And he had written

  655. some things about criticizing the Church of Christ in

  656. criticizing the Lord's Church. Criticising Christianity

  657. criticizing all manner of things like that. and, Considered us as

  658. like robots and Nazis and all manner of things.

  659. And you know, I felt compelled to respond in defense of the

  660. church or one-time defense defending the church in the good

  661. name of our Lord. you know, the bottom line is this when

  662. somebody like that, rejects God, rejects the Bible.

  663. Rejects the Lord Jesus Christ. As the Saviour was all part of

  664. it. Rejects obedience in anyway or

  665. structure and religion in any way shape or form.

  666. Folks dust your feet off and move on.

  667. Make the judgment. Why?

  668. Because he judged himself, unworthy, because he was not

  669. receptive to the truth. That's different than somebody

  670. that just needs more information, more study and more

  671. sermons more Care on our part how we going to know who they

  672. are. By making judgments not

  673. according to the appearance but judge righteous judgment.

  674. Is it wrong to judge know the manner in which we judge is in

  675. question? Certainly, but folks we must

  676. stand for what's, right? We must stand for what's, right?

  677. And judge things that are wrong outside of the church and things

  678. that are wrong among God's people to, but consider yourself

  679. and get the beam out. So we can help everyone help

  680. each other. Either get to heaven.

  681. One day. I'm finished tonight.

  682. We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the

  683. Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you

  684. would like any additional information, or you would like

  685. to receive a free Bible correspondence, course by mail.

  686. Please email us at info at her Church of Christ

  687. Bakersfield.com. Our service times are on Sundays

  688. at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. And Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.

  689. please, make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our

  690. honored guest