All That Jesus Taught (Bible Study – 25 of 80) - Zac Poonen
Summary
The sermon reviews the nine wrong attitudes Jesus warned against, focusing specifically on judging and condemning others. The speaker argues that judging is premature because we do not know the full story, the hidden things in darkness, or the true motives of people's hearts. Ultimately, judging others reveals more about our own flawed hearts than it does about the person being judged.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
The ninth wrong attitude: judging and condemning othersAfter reviewing the previous eight wrong attitudes, the speaker introduces the final one from the Sermon on the Mount: judging and condemning other people.
Why we are told not to judge othersThe Holy Spirit explains through the Apostle Paul that we must not pass judgment prematurely because we do not know the full story.
Hidden things and the motives of men's heartsGod will eventually bring to light things hidden in darkness and the true motives of people's hearts, two areas completely unknown to us.
Judging others reveals the condition of our own heartBecause of our adamic nature, we tend to attribute the worst possible motives to others, which only exposes the wrong attitudes in our own hearts.
Knowing only a fraction of a person's lifeEven if we live intimately with someone for decades, we only know a tiny percentage of their life, much like an iceberg hidden underwater.
God judges after death while man judges impatientlyGod waits until a person dies to judge them because there is always hope for change, whereas man impatiently judges long before.
The story of the prodigal son and the older brotherThe older brother judged his younger brother with harsh assumptions about prostitutes, illustrating how an unloving attitude makes us imagine the worst.
The speck and the logJesus uses hyperbole to show that our own unloving, judgmental attitude is like a giant log compared to a mere speck of sin in another person.
Jesus' example of not judging according to the fleshJesus walked in such perfect fellowship with the Father that He declared He was not judging anyone, contrasting with human fleshly judgment.John 8:15
Do not judge by appearance, but judge with righteous judgmentThe true balance is not being opinionless, but refusing to judge by outward appearance and instead exercising righteous discernment as Jesus did.John 7:24
Judging within our circle of responsibilityWe are only called to judge and handle problems within the specific circles where God has given us authority, such as parents with children or church elders.
Mind your own business and judge yourselfThe happiest people are those who avoid being busybodies in other people's matters and instead focus on constantly judging themselves.1 Peter 4:15
