The Gospel Series Part X
Our study on the Sermon On The Mount continues.
Matthew 7:1-6 NKJV — “Judge not, that you be not judged. “For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? “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? “Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. “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.
Many times we put our hopes and faith in others only to be disappointed because they don’t live up to our expectations. We tend to see their actions as part of one’s character. In a lot of cases this may be true, but we need to realize, for some they may be unable to stop or change their behavior due to the circumstances surrounding their lives.
Throughout His sermon, Jesus chose the Pharisees as examples of religious hypocrisy. They had established a righteousness of works and of law. In today’s society we find the same, for lack of a better word, hypocrisy being displayed. If “Simon says” to do or to obey, then we must or we are considered unworthy and fundamentally flawed. We are categorized and judged unfairly. The people who judge the most are those who feel superior on the basis of their self righteousness.
We are so ready to condemn others for their actions, but we excuse our own. Only God is qualified to judge a person, because He alone can see into a person’s heart and knows their true motivations. Our judgment is perverted by our prejudices which make other people’s sins look so much worse than our own. We must realize, we all have faults and will never meet the expectations of others, but if we pray and lay our troubles in the care of Jesus, the Holy Spirit will filter out the impurities in our lives so our Heavenly Father can see us without blemish or wrinkle.
Matthew 7:7-12 NKJV — “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. “Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? “Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Prayer is essential to a Christian life. It is the most effective way to communicate with God. It was through prayer that we first accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We heard the Gospel being preached, it moved us and brought us to a place where we asked the Lord to save us and enter into our hearts. We asked and we received. We were seeking peace and security in our lives and we found it with Jesus Christ.
Jesus promises our loving Heavenly Father will answer our prayers and bless us with good gifts. The key to this is asking God through prayer.
In verse 12, the word “therefore” refers us back to the preceding verses to understand the context. We shouldn’t be quick to judge or condemn. Instead, we should be understanding, sensitive, and quickly responsive to the needs of others. This commandment is a positive rule for our behavior, for it suggests actions we can take. The ten commandments told us to refrain from certain actions.
The first four commandments concerned our relationship with God. The other six concerned our relations with people. If our relationship with God is right, then we can get our relations with people in order. If our relationship with God is not right, then our other relations will not go well either. Our relationship with God always comes first. If we treat others the way we want to be treated, then we’re acting the way God wants us to act toward our fellow man. This is the summary of the teachings of the law and prophets. To truly practice this injunction, we need the empowering of the Holy Spirit. Our love and devotion for God are reflected in our attitudes and actions toward others. The Holy Spirit does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. The love God shows to us should be shared with compassion and kindness to others.
Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV — “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
The choices we make in life determine the path we follow. The Lord is expressing to us the importance of our decision. Sadly, too many make the wrong one. Just prior to His arrest, trial and crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) – This confirms to us the path we should follow. Jesus is the straight and narrow gate we must go through to enter the Kingdom
Matthew 16:24-27 NKJV — Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
To begin our journey to the Kingdom we must deny ourselves of the attainable earthly pleasures which seem to give us the satisfaction we seek. It is not easy to refuse the carnal flesh. Our physical eyes can easily deceive us because the enemy can tempt us with luxuries and treasures not gratifying to our eternal spirit. The wider path so many follow is usually filled with heartache, sorrow and emptiness. It’s a painful, continuous struggle to keep our fleshly desires under the control of the spirit.
Many people do not like the concept of a narrow path to God. They choose to believe there are many roads leading to God, but Jesus says the broad path leads to destruction.
Proverbs 14:12 NKJV — There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
Romans 8:6 NKJV — For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
It is not natural to live a life of self-denial. The Holy Spirit enables us to endure the struggles with the flesh so we can walk in righteousness. If we seek God with prayer and supplication then our spiritual eyes will help us not to judge a person who is struggling, but to care and love with a heart of compassion.
In Part XI of The Gospel Series, we will continue our study on The Sermon On the Mount and what the Lord cautions us about in our search for truth and security.
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