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Service Resources

Matthew 7:1-6

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

MAIN IDEA

Life in the Kingdom is not without judgment, but rather includes consistent and compassionate  judgements. 

GOING DEEPER
Questions from this weeks message.

 1.  What insight, principle or observation from this week’s message did you find to be most helpful, eye opening or troubling?  Please explain.  

2.  Have you ever been judged unfairly, with a harsh, critical, faultfinding kind of judgement? How did that leave you feeling, what did it do to your relationship with the person?  

3.  Have you ever been judged with a compassionate, consistent and fair judgement? How did you respond at first? How did it make you feel? What happened to the relationship with the person who judged you?  

4. Christians are often pegged as being judgmental. Why does this seem to be such a struggle for Christians specifically, but people generally, especially religious people?  

5.  Read Matthew 7:1-2 Would you say Jesus is saying do not judge at all, or is he saying judge fairly? How do the next verses (3-5) help inform us as to what Jesus means?  

6. Read Matthew 7:3-5. Why would judging someone when we haven’t judged ourselves fairly first, be a slippery slope to being or becoming a harsh critic?  

7. When you honestly deal with yourself, and go through the painful process of removing a plank from your own eye, how does that set us up better to be a compassionate judge when dealing with other people's speck?  

8. Read Matthew 7:6. What is Jesus’ point in this verse (hint: it is not about calling people names like dog or pig). Why is it dangerous to hold people accountable to the ways of the Kingdom, when they have not yet received the kingdom? What might this say about Christians judgmental attitude to the world?  

9. Ironically some of the most critical, fault finding people are those who struggle to see or admit the fault in their own lives. What would it look like for you to grow in seeing that, and receiving it from others when they lovingly point it out to you, so that you don’t become the judgmental person Jesus is telling us to guard against?  

10. Pray together. 

CALL TO ACTION

Consider the Questions Pastor Alvin presented at the end of the sermon

    1.    Are you consistent in your judgements?

           a.    Have you been dealing with any planks lately?
           b.    How do you respond when someone points out a speck in you?


    2.    Are you compassionate in your judgements?