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"Don't Judge...?"
you shouldn't judge me...
Most of us are familiar with Jesus’ instructions, "judge not, that you be not judged." But what exactly did he mean? Are we supposed to look away when a close friend or family member is doing something dishonest or immoral? What if they say, "you shouldn't judge me? Are there times when it is wrong not to judge? John tells us that Jesus displays our God as full of "grace and truth." We've talked about the grace--what about the truth? Are there times when it is wrong not to judge? We are going to tackle this confusing topic and learn the steps to take before confronting others—and how to react when someone judges us.
Part 1 "Specks and Logs"
Why do we find it so easy to judge others? And is it ever appropriate to confront someone about sin? In this message, we learn what Jesus said about the subject: when we’re tempted to pass judgment on someone else, we need to stop and see if there’s a trace of the same sin in us.
Matthew 7:1-5
Part 2 "Loving Confrontation"
Most of us know the Bible verse that says, “Do not judge.” But how do we interpret this teaching? Are we supposed to turn a blind eye to sin—or is it appropriate to confront others? We learn in this message that judging is sometimes the loving thing to do.
1 Corinthians 5:1-5, 9-11, 12-13
Part 3 "Do Something"
Judging others, when approached the right way, can actually be an extension of God’s work in someone else’s life. We may be tempted to look the other way, but true love involves stepping out of our comfort zones to rescue fellow believers in need. So don’t just stand there. Do something.
Matthew 18:12-17
Part 4 "When It's You"
What should you do when someone misjudges you? Revenge is tempting. Refusing to respond at all seems fair. But Jesus taught an alternative response that—if applied to our own lives—will make a dramatic difference in how we react to the unjust criticism of others.
Luke 6:35-36, 23:34-39
Part 5 "Judging and Preferences"
Sometimes judging is the loving thing to do--but what's my criteria for judging or on what basis do I allow others to judge me--or do I? Christians, all over the world have their strong opinions about what's right and what's wrong and what Christians should and shouldn't do. So when I see Christian doing something I don't think they should or not doing something I think they should be doing, what do I do? Judge..don't judge--which is right? Fortunately, the Scriptures again, show us the way.
Romans 14
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