MATTHEW 7:1-6 LESSON # 10
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

I. Introduction:
Note: There is equilibrium to Jesus’ teaching. It seems to be so demanding, yet when followed, it is incredibly liberating and balanced. We are going to look at an issue of having a judgmental attitude. A condemning disapproving attitude has caused much damage to many in the church. Jesus’ teaching, if followed, I believe, could liberate groups (like a church) but it would primarily liberate the individual. Let us see what He has to say.
Q Are there judgmental attitudes in churches you know of? Raise your hands.
Q What sorts of things are judged?
Q How many of you know individuals who no longer go to church because they are tired of being judged, or feel a judgmental spirit? Would anyone like to share an example?
Q On a more personal note, have you ever felt judged? Would you like to share your experience?
Q What makes people become judgmental, in of all places a church, the “teaching place of grace”?
II. Basic Imperative And The Basic Rule. Matthew 7:1.
>>>> Have someone read Matthew 7:1.
Q How did Jesus approach the issue?
An = Jesus said do not do it.
Q Did Jesus give us a reason for not judging?
An = Yes, and it is a personal one. You will be judged if you do it. What goes around comes around.
Q What does this mean?
An = Whatever we do, it will come back on us. It can come back on us in two ways. 1) Those that are most negative and most condemning of others’ faults seem to get the most criticism behind closed doors. It would make us shutter if we knew what others said and thought behind our backs. Ever noticed that those who give the most grace; receive the most grace. Those who look for the good in others somehow have it found in them and others usually are not as critical of them.
2) If we judge others God will judge us. Remember what the Lord’s Prayer says: God will forgive us as we forgive others (Matthew 6:12). That was in Matthew 6, and here in Matthew 7 Jesus said something similar. God will judge us as we judge others. We are forgiven if we forgive others and here we are judged if we judge others. It is the same principle. However, there is another way to look at this verse: God will exact revenge on us for what we have done. He will bring justice. Our only way out of such judgment is to stop judging everyone else.
Q If this is true what will happen to a lot of judgmental people who now go to church?
Note: A lot of good, evangelical Bible-believing Christians say they believe the Word of God. If we say this then we must realize that if we are judgmental and think it will not come back on us we really are not using our brains or do not believe the Word of God.

III. Reason for Obeying. Matthew 7:2.
>>>> Have someone read Matthew 7:2
Q Jesus had already told us the reason for not judging, why did He repeat it here?
An = Remember in Jewish thought, if something is repeated it is being emphasized.
Q How many times is it repeated?
An = Actually, Jesus gave the “motive clause”, the reason for not judging, three times. So it is not only very important to realize we will be judged for judging, but very, very important to realize this.
Q Have you ever experienced some one being gracious to you when you seemingly failed?
Q Can you give an example when someone gave you slack, or looked for the best?
>>>> Have someone read Romans 14:10-12.
Q Did Paul agree with Jesus?
Q What was Paul’s emphasis?

IV. Do not Judge, But Correct Yourself. Matthew 7:3-6.
A. Be Self Corrective First. Matthew 7:3-5.
Q If we do not tell others what harms them, could we be justly accused of not loving them?
Q Do you believe it is true, “we correct those whom we love”?
An = Good school teachers who care about their students correct them but do not judge them. Good parents correct their children but do not condemn them. Good parents guide them into correct paths if they are doing things that could harm them. If you are a good friend, you would not let your friend wear something totally out of style and let them look like a jerk? We correct those we love.
However, there is a right and a wrong way to do that.
>>>> Have someone read Matthew 7:3-5.
RQ Did ancient Jewish people walk around with large pieces of wood sticking out of their eyes? Did they beat up each other with those logs every time they turned their heads?
Note: Seriously, Jesus was obviously using hyperbole here. A hyperbole is exaggerating to make a point. Let me retranslate what I think He was saying in modern metaphors.
“Why do you look at the speck of sand in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the surfboard in your own. How can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck of sand out of your eye, when all the time there is a surfboard in your own eye.’ You hypocrite, first take the surfboard out of your own eye, then you can see clearly to remove the sand from your brother’s eye. (need to create a metaphor that fits your culture).
Q What was our Lord really asking us to do? What was He saying here?
Q How do you properly correct?
An = We can be of tremendous value to someone if we help them get a piece of sand out of their eye. Sand in one’s eye hurts. Jesus said we help others more proficiently by “cleaning up your own act first”. When we are agitated by someone’s behavior it is hard to know what to do with all those feelings. Jesus said take that energy or feelings and control them by turning our attention on our own faults.
Q Have you noticed that we readily listen to those who will first confess their own faults?
Q Is the best way to handle other’s sin not to ever say anything at all?
Q Is the best way to handle life as a Christian to become a mush-brain. To really follow Jesus must we become brain dead?
An = I do not think so. Christians who discipline themselves to obey the teachings of Jesus do not become rubber brains but quite the opposite. They become wise, insightful people. Let me show you Jesus’ balance, lest you think the way of obedience is to be stupid.

B. Use Wisdom, Realize the Cost. Matthew 7:6.
>>>> Have someone read Matthew 7:6.
Note: Notice that Jesus was again using a metaphor. Notice that this metaphor is in parallel form. So let’s look at what is parallel to what?
Q What is parallel to pearls?
An = What is sacred or what is holy.
Q What is parallel to dogs?
An = in Jesus’ society pigs and dogs were considered the lowest form of mammals. In addition, when Jesus used a metaphor He was letting a physical object represent a spiritual idea.
Q So what do the dogs or pigs spiritually represent?
Q What do pearls represent in your opinion?
Q What was Jesus saying with this metaphor?
An = Jesus was saying do not give what is valuable to “spiritually imperceptive persons”.
Q How do we know someone is spiritually imperceptive?
Note: To determine who is spiritually perceptive we have to make a judgment?
Q Do you think Jesus was aware that He has contradicted Himself between 7:1 and 7:6?
An = He was totally aware and He was seeking to show us how to balance two ideas. At times we need to judge, but we do not need to be consumed, like many become, with a “judgmental attitude”.
Note: Since Jesus was aware that He was speaking 7:6 in the context of 7:1-5, there could be another insight here….
Q In this context, what is the valuable thing or the pearls, we are not to throw to pigs?
An = In this context, it would be correction: the taking of the speck out of our fellow man’s eye.
Q If someone corrects you, do they take the risk of being turned upon?
Q When you correct someone, do you not take the risk of being torn apart?
RQ How happy are we with our parents when they correct us?
RQ How angry do we get when we get critique at work, or at home?
Note: At times we need to take risks. But when we take those risks we need to remember that in the same way we judge, we will be judged and that we need to clean up our own act first.
Note: Jesus said do not judge in 7:1 but that you have to judge in 7:6. Jesus wanted balance and freedom. We have to make judgments at times for our own safety, but He did not want us consumed with negative judgmental behavior. Jesus wanted us healthy and balanced.
Note: Jesus lived this balance. He saw deeply into the sinful nature of human beings, but He still came to redeem them. He saw the evil in our hearts but He also saw our value. Jesus did correct, especially His disciples but He did that because he loved them. He also corrected the religious leaders at the time and paid dearly for it. They did turn on Him and rent Him to pieces on the cross. So, like the prophets of old who corrected the people’s sin in their day He was willing to pay the price. At times, it is not wise to correct, at times it is and it could be expensive if the person is a spiritual pig. If you do correct such people it will cost you to give them one more chance to forgive.
>>>> Close with reading Romans 15:1-2.