Judge Not, Part 2

Driving home: Beloved, he may be gone from American Protestantism, but he is not gone from the Bible, nor from the words of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A quote from Newsweek magazine describing the transformation of the 'demanding, judgmental God of early American Puritanism' into a 'permissive, jolly good fellow' in modern Protestantism. This illustrates the contemporary misunderstanding of God's nature and the relevance of Matthew 7's warning about judgment.

And I was increasingly convinced of the relevance of this passage when I read an article in a recent Newsweek magazine in which the author, commenting on present-day Protestantism, said these words, and I trust you'll listen carefully. The old, demanding, judgmental God of early American Puritanism went through a final transformation and is now a permissive, jolly good fellow, amiably underwriting the great American future.

1:21 - 1:59 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Mr. I am better than thou. And Mr. I am blind to my own sin.

The expression 'flashing his Mote Pickers Union card' is used to vividly describe the self-righteous, hypercritical attitude of someone who is quick to find fault in others while being blind to their own sins.

A self-righteous spirit, a hypercritical spirit, and a spirit completely opposite of 1 Corinthians chapter 13. And I use the expression which I repeat this morning. It's the attitude of the man who goes about flashing his Mote Pickers Union card. And that card is always signed by two officials.

6:19 - 6:42 Read in full sermon

The point: Sit with the attitude, 'Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts,' to identify the hypercritical spirit within.

The analogy of prodromal symptoms (early indicators) and visible symptoms (obvious manifestations) of a disease like measles is used to explain that the hypercritical spirit has both subtle and obvious manifestations.

Now, I don't believe we have a doctor in the midst, do we? We have a number of nurses, so I'll have to be sure that what I say is accurate, and I pronounce the words rightly. But if you were a doctor, and probably the nurses as well, and you were looking for symptoms of a certain disease, with some diseases, there are two kinds of symptoms. There are those symptoms which will indicate that the disease is about to break out into its open manifestations, and they're called prodromal symptoms.

9:06 - 9:37 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first symptom of the hypercritical spirit is a habit of unnecessary criticism, distinguishing it from necessary critical evaluations made in defense of truth or character.

The metaphor of a 'vulturous nature always smelling carrion' is used to describe the heart that delights in finding opportunities for criticism and rottenness in others.

And yet, how often, when professing Christians get together, their conversation turns to men and people and movements that are in no way remotely connected with them and they sit there passing sentence upon them. This is the thing which our Lord condemns. Someone has said, that a vulturous nature always is smelling carrier.

14:26 - 14:46 Read in full sermon

Driving home: He said, my brother, the chapel speaker will give account of himself to God. I'll give account of myself to God and you'll give account of yourself to God.

Martin recounts a personal story where he was rebuked by Dr. Thompson after criticizing a chapel speaker who had indirectly attacked a friend. Dr. Thompson's words, 'my brother, the chapel speaker will give account of himself to God. I'll give account of myself to God and you'll give account of yourself to God,' illustrate the principle of unnecessary criticism and personal accountability.

And it's a vulturous heart that is looking for opportunities of criticism. May I share an instance when my own heart was soundly rebuked by a dear man of God on one occasion. I was at a particular school in which there was some internal friction because of the stand of certain people on certain aspects of God's truth. And one of the leaders of that school one day in chapel without naming the dear friend of mine who was a teacher, a missionary who was teaching while he was on furlough, he just cut him up one side and down the other.

14:56 - 15:31 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And all it needs is a few sparks of incomplete evidence and immediately there bursts forth this raging flame of a premature conclusion passed on as a fact.

The account of Mary Magdalene concluding 'They have taken away my Lord' after finding the empty tomb is used as a clear biblical illustration of drawing a premature, negative conclusion based on incomplete facts.

You remember the account of how the women came to the tomb finding that the tomb was empty. One of them ran back and these were her words. They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they've laid Him. Now she had a few facts to work with.

18:04 - 18:22 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And all it needs is a few sparks of incomplete evidence and immediately there bursts forth this raging flame of a premature conclusion passed on as a fact.

The hypercritical spirit is compared to 'dry tinder' or 'dry sawdust' that, with just a few 'sparks of incomplete evidence,' immediately bursts into a 'raging flame of a premature conclusion passed on as a fact.'

She didn't say, there's a possibility or I think or there may be a remote, long shot possibility. No, they have done it. And how often, beloved, we've done this. And whenever this, this hypercritical spirit is there, it's like dry tinder, it's like dry sawdust.

18:53 - 19:11 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize and repent of drawing premature, negative conclusions about others.

A common scenario of a husband being late for supper is used to illustrate how one might draw a premature, negative conclusion about his motives (he doesn't care) when there could be innocent reasons (bus broke down, buying a gift).

May I illustrate? Your husband said he'd be home at five o'clock. You had supper ready.

19:25 - 19:31 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize and repent of drawing premature, negative conclusions about others.

The high priest's declaration, 'What further need have we of witnesses? He's guilty,' after Jesus affirmed being the Son of God, is used as an example of a premature, negative conclusion despite overwhelming evidence of Jesus's miracles.

Judge not that ye be not judged. This is the spirit that says, I need no more proof. I've got enough evidence. It's like the high priest.

20:08 - 20:18 Read in full sermon

The point: Beware of the spirit that makes no attempt to find a good motive for a person's actions or statements, always assuming a bad one.

The analogy of seeing only a black dot on a large piece of white paper, overlooking the 99% white, is used to illustrate how the human heart, in its hypercritical state, magnifies one fault in a person while ignoring their many virtues.

If you get the point, it's worth it. Sunday morning or no Sunday morning. As you look up here, what do you see?

21:42 - 21:52 Read in full sermon

The point: Attempt to see a balanced picture of others, not magnifying their faults while overlooking their virtues, and give a balanced evaluation if necessary.

Examples of unregenerate men focusing only on the sins of biblical figures (David's affair, Samson's affair, Peter's cursing, Paul's argument with Barnabas) are used to show how this unbalanced perspective is common even outside the church.

That hypercritical, censorious spirit that never attempts to see a balanced picture. And not only are Christians guilty of this, but unregenerate men who pride themselves in their open-mindedness are most guilty that all they know about David is his affair with Bathsheba. All they know about Samson is his affair with Goliath. And all they know about Peter is that he cursed and swore.

23:11 - 23:39 Read in full sermon