Removing the Speck 11/24/2024
Matthew 7: 1-6 nkjv
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.6 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.
❓When have you felt wrongly judged by someone❓
❓When have you wrongly judged someone else?
❓ When have you ever done more harm than good by trying to help or correct someone's faults?❓
💥 According to these verses, we have no idea what problems we invite into our lives by being judgmental and critical of others!
⭐ When we stick our nose into situations where it doesn’t belong, or when we take it upon ourselves to try to straighten out the lives of others.
What can happen? 💥
A. We often despise in others what we don’t like in ourselves. (We take it out on others) * Bullying * Hating the weakness in others…. not because we hate them, but we hate seeing it in ourselves. 👉 ****) Some people don’t like you just because your strength reminds them of their weakness. Don’t let their hate slow you down!” (****👈
👉 ****) I don’t mind people not liking me as long as there’s mutual respect!” (****👈
B. We look at the faults of others and ignore our own. Hypocrites!!! Jesus never had anything good to say about them! Often we see in others what we don’t like about ourselves!!! 💥 Jealousy - envy - and resentment evoke judgment in us all!
- Not necessarily having the same problem, but HOW we judge them.
- Some people feel good about judging others because they don’t have the same problems!
- It’s not (necessarily) having the same problems. If we judge others for allowing their problems to control them, then we will be judged by how we allow our problems to control us.
RESULTS:
1. Do more harm than good! v4) 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look a plank is in your own eye? Trying to get something out of someone’s eyes while our eyes are closed or blindfolded.
2. Unusable! Hypocrisy.v5)5 Hypocrite! First, remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Let them alone! Matthew 15:14)They are blind leaders of the blind, and if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” Hypocrisy usually requires people to change certain things in their life before they can be used by God.
3. We can get ripped to pieces! v6) 6 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. Have you ever had someone turn against you when you were only trying to help? Ever been made the bad guy because you cared?
🚩 Just because we care doesn’t give us a license to plow forward and “FIX” things. Luke 7:40) And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
- Jesus with Simon. Jesus saw the splinter but asked before He continued.
🚩 Just because we have what is pearls to offer, doesn’t mean others will accept them.
- Just because what we bring is of God and Holy doesn’t mean that darkness will accept it graciously. (We are used to taking authority over evil and having demons flee!)
👉 ****) Is not the same grace that is sufficient to cover our sins, sufficient to cover the sins of others?
- If we need God’s grace to cover us, why can it not cover others?
- 🏴 But their sins are worse than mine?????!!!! 💥💥
What does it teach? THANKSGIVING CHALLENGE!!I. SO SHOULD WE FORGET HELPING OTHERS? NO!!! V5),,,First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
- Staying focused on removing our own faults ought to keep us too busy to get involved with looking for the faults in others.
- You don’t have to go looking! Satan will make sure that if others rub us wrong, he will make sure we notice!
If we look at ourselves, we might realize our: TIMING IS WRONG - LET IT ALONE - DO SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT - LEAVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE.
II. BE THANKFUL FOR PEOPLE FOR THIS THANKSGIVING!!!!
- We can sleep! Ever lose sleep over others?
- The peace of God keeps our hearts and minds in Christ.
When we pray for others instead of cursing them, God will grant us the power to be who we are supposed to be!
⭐ Philippians 4:6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
⭐ Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;
III. LOVE PEOPLE! 1 Peter 4:8) And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”⭐ Matthew 5:43-47 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.> v45) God will make His face shine upon us! (bless life) > v46) God will reward us. v48) God will perfect our heart.1 Peter 3:9 ) Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
