Bible Study - Follow Jesus - Right Relationships - Matthew 7:1-12 - September 23, 2012

Bible Study – Follow Jesus – Right Relationships – September 23, 2012

This is lesson four in our series entitled “What It Means to Follow Jesus.”

Our scripture is Matthew 7:1-12.

In last week’s lesson, we touched on forgiveness – “Forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors” – something like quid pro quo. This week, we consider judging. These two lessons reflect GOD’S expectations for Christians. When JESUS tells us not to judge, it does not mean to park our common sense or our brain. People have to make decisions throughout the day. If something does not seem to be right, then don’t do it. This applies to relationships, seeking a job, career, purchasing something and the list goes on. Christians are to use discernment. Discernment is a form of judgment but different.

Many people are quick to judge the behavior of others. Those who have experienced the forgiveness of GOD, because of their many short comings, realize that they must forgive others. Forgiving is not condoning what they do. JESUS gave an example in Matthew 18:21-35:

21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 “I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus said to him, “but 70 times seven. 23 For this reason, the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his •slaves. 24 When he began to settle accounts, one who owed 10,000 talents was brought before him. 25 Since he had no way to pay it back, his master commanded that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt. 26 “At this, the slave fell facedown before him and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything!’ 27 Then the master of that slave had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan. 28 “But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him 100 •denarii. He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’ 29 “At this, his fellow slave fell down and began begging him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30 But he wasn’t willing. On the contrary, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed. 31 When the other slaves saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened. 32 “Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And his master got angry and handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay everything that was owed. 35 So My heavenly Father will also do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from his heart.”

A forgiving heart is not a heart that is passive. It does not mean that the Christian has to take repeated abuse. Forgiveness is therapeutic.  Unforgiveness can cause a person more harm when he/she harbors the things that are done to them. Often, Christians get upset with GOD because HE does not seem to come to your rescue. One question we must ask ourselves, “Did we cause whatever has happened to us?” When we forgive it releases the matter from controlling us into the hands of GOD to take action.

Christians are to forgive while maintaining common sense. When you touch a hot stove and you get burned, then don’t touch it again. There are situations where people can take advantage of your forgiveness and you become an enabler. Often, this can be the case of those dealing with those addicted. If a person has truly repented and changed that is good but stay alert. As the old saying goes, “Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.”

Christians live in a world with both Christians and non-Christians. One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is discernment. Discernment is a form of judgment. Discernment is keenly selective judgment based upon the facts. The judgment to which JESUS was referring was critical judgment based upon the whims of the person making the judgment. Let’s explore.

Let’s read Matthew 7:1-5: (Don’t Be Hypocritical.)

 Do Not Judge

1 “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. (a) 2 For with the judgment you use, (b) you will be judged, and with the measure you use, (c) it will be measured to you. (d) 3 Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the log in your own eye? (e) 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a log in your eye? 5 Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

JESUS cautions Christians about judging others because the measure we use to judge others, GOD will use to measure us. Can we stand up to our own standards? Many Christians expect more from others than they do from themselves. We consider the things we fall short of as normal, “After all, no one’s perfect.” But when it comes to someone else, “Ouch”, we use a different measuring stick. They are to be perfect.

GOD expects Christians to exercise discernment. Discernment is keenly selective judgment based upon the ability to have the insight to understand the difference between people, their personal character and their intensions. Judgment, in general, is based upon a person’s opinions and preferences. 

The scripture tells us in Psalm 139:23-24:

23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns.b Jb 31:6; Ps 26:2
24 See if there is any offensivec Or idolatrous way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.d

Do you want to know how you measure up  to GOD’S measuring stick of righteousness, then ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart to reveal the things in your heart that need to be dealt with.

JESUS is a master teacher and gets to the heart of the problem. Christians sometimes have far bigger problems than the person or persons they are trying to help. HE used the example of the beam in our eyes versus the tiny speck in someone else’s eye. Christians need to focus on their problems before trying to help others with their problems. When Christians know how to take care of and control their own problems, then they are better equipped to help someone else.

Paul addresses this in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4:

3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Why do people go through life changing circumstances? They are designed for us to seek GOD’S help and comfort, so that in turn we can help others when they go through the same or similar circumstances.

As stated in the introduction, Christians are to be discerning. JESUS focused upon Christians who are being critical. When Christians realize how far short they fall from being GOD’S ideal Christian, the result is to be less judgmental and more understanding. But again, it is not condoning bad behavior. It is not holding others to a higher standard than we are able to achieve. You may not have a problem with drugs or alcohol but what about food, gossip, road rage and the list goes on.   

Let’s read Matthew 7:6: (Discern Rightly)

6 Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, (f) or they will trample them with their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.

JESUS used the word “holy.” Things are not holy because people say they are holy but because they are associated with GOD. GOD is pure and holy. Dogs in JESUS day were not the pets we have today. They were scavengers that fed from garbage. They would attack a person and tear them to pieces. They were vicious and often ran in packs.

Swine/hogs were unclean animals and symbolized the wicked who are unclean due to sin. JESUS used parallelism to make HIS point e.g. dogs and swine refers to those who have no regard for the sacred – holy and pearls refer to the things of GOD that deserve respect and honor.

Pearls represent the teachings of JESUS. The dogs or swine cannot comprehend or appreciate the message of JESUS. The dogs and swine refer to those who have had the opportunity to hear the gospel message but made the decision to reject it.

Thus JESUS taught HIS disciples to treat the message of salvation with respect and not to make light of it. Spiritual matters are serious because they are eternal.

Non-Christian people cannot understand or comprehend Spiritual matters from the Christian perspective. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. The indwelling Holy Spirit reveals truth, clarity and understanding. Therefore, Christians can talk until they are blue-in-the-face without changing the minds of the un-Godly. Only GOD can get behind a hard heart to bring them to a saving knowledge of CHRIST. Yes, Christians are to speak to non-Christians as GOD leads them but GOD brings them to the point of acceptance or rejection of CHRIST as their Savior. Christians are not to give up on those who are obstinate. Christians can pray for them and ask the Holy Spirit to penetrate their hard hearts and to respond as the Holy Spirit leads them to witness to them. 

The Bible tells us in Psalm 53:1 - The fool says in his heart, “God does not exist.” They are corrupt, and they do vile deeds. There is no one who does good.c

Even when a person denies GOD, GOD still loves him/her and HIS Spirit strives with that person to receive CHRIST as his/her Savior.

Let’s read Matthew 7:7-12: (Receive and Show Grace)

Keep Asking, Searching, Knocking

7 “Keep asking, (g)(h) and it will be given to you. (i) Keep searching, (j) and you will find. Keep knocking, (k) and the door (l) will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, (m) and to the one who knocks, the door (n) will be opened. 9 What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil, (o) know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them—this is the Law and the Prophets. (p)(q)

This scripture may seem to conflict with the scripture we had two weeks ago dealing with the prayer of the pagans and using many words. They used many words and babbled to their gods to get them to do something. It seems that JESUS was implying that we need to beg GOD. This teaching may seem to support that idea but this is a “How much more” scripture. If fellow humans will respond to a need of another human, how much more will GOD respond to the needs of HIS children?

Notice the progression of imperatives – ask, seek, knock. These are all actions that lead a person to a conclusion. The idea behind each action is to “Keep asking,” “Keep searching.” “Keep knocking.” This represents our relationship with GOD, our Father. Christians come to their Father because they acknowledge and recognize HIM as the One to give them wisdom and to help them in the time of their need, therefore they ask.

This is not a passive asking but an active asking because we seek as we ask. As we ask and seek, we also knock to discover the right direction or solution to our petition. GOD is actively in the process as we look to HIM for guidance as we put feet to our prayers. GOD expects Christians to put feet to their prayers.

It is like the story most of us have heard. There was a flood and a man was stranded on top of his house. He prayed and asked GOD to save him. A helicopter came to rescue him but he refused to get onboard. He said, no that GOD would rescue him. Then as the flood waters continued to rise, a boat came by and tried to get into the boat. He refused because he said GOD would rescue him. The man drowned. He met GOD and asked HIM why did YOU let me drown when I asked YOU to rescue me? GOD said but I sent you a helicopter and a boat, why didn’t you get in? Often, Christians overlook how GOD works through others to get HIS will accomplished for others.

As a result, when we ask, HE will give direction and we will find. Once we have found the correct course of action, we knock and it will open up to us. It is all about the attitude of our hearts and our relationships with GOD. Do we trust HIM to lead and guide us to what is best for us? Some doors may not open. But trust that is a door that GOD has decided is not the right direction for us. Keep on knocking until the right door opens. Our problem as Christians is that we get impatient and refuse to wait. That has been my problem and when I do not wait, I get into trouble and then blame it on GOD. When I look back, I see that it was not GOD, it was me. Ouch!!!

JESUS continued to reinforce this with the “How much more statement.” HE compared the love, care and guidance of earthly fathers to the heavenly Father of all Christians.

Bread is necessary to sustain human life. We saw in the model prayer that JESUS told us to ask the Father to “Give us our daily bread.” This means more than a onetime feeding but looking to GOD to provide for our needs on a daily basis. What human father would deny his son or daughter a real need in his/her life? The answer is NO ONE and neither will GOD. The point being, how much more GOD does for HIS children than earthly fathers.

JESUS then referred to fish. Fish was a staple food to sustain life. Again, no earthly father would give a serpent to his son or daughter if they asked for a fish and neither would GOD. Again the point was how much more will GOD do for HIS children than earthly fathers.  

JESUS brings this to a conclusion. Our human nature is evil, therefore since our nature is evil yet we do good things for our children, HOW MUCH MORE will a Christian’s heavenly Father, Who is in heaven, do good things for HIS children, who ask? Again, these are things that are important in life and not our wants and desires. It is not a blank check for us to fill in based upon whims.

Verse 12, is known as the Golden Rule. JESUS stated it positively. It is not what we don’t do but what we do that is important. Christians are to reach out to fellow humans in a manner in which they would want to be treated. The standard by which we would want to be treated is the same standard we use to treat others. Christians are to be positive representatives for GOD. HE allowed HIS only Son to come to earth to give HIS life to pay, in full, the debt for sin so that all who believe in JESUS will be saved and become HIS children through the miracle of rebirth.

JESUS’ teaching was being directed to true believers in GOD. Only those who have experienced GOD’S grace know how to extend grace to others. The very reason JESUS came to earth was to fulfill the law and the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures. Having this attitude toward others comes from a heart that is free of hidden selfish motives. It is the result created by having the right relationship with GOD through CHRIST.

Once JESUS gave HIS life to pay in full the penalty for sin, the focus of all who seek salvation, comes through faith in CHRIST. What about those before CHRIST gave HIS life to pay the sin debt? They were looking to the coming of the promised Messiah who would pay in full the debt for sin. That faith secured their salvation.

Since the passion of CHRIST and HIS resurrection from the dead, people have the full story of salvation. HIS resurrection is proof that HE conquered sin because HE conquered death, the result of sin. Christians have the indwelling Holy Spirit Who gives assurance of salvation, teaches, empowers, enlightens, and so much more. The Holy Spirit is the security deposit or down payment to every Christian that CHRIST is real and that all who believe in HIM are GOD’S children. Are you GOD’S child through the miracle of rebirth? If not, ask JESUS to forgive you for your sins and to come into your heart right now. HE will and at this instant, you will become GOD’S child and receive eternal life and all that GOD promises HIS children. You will receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Blessings!!!