it’s about…

2. it’s about… Jesus People

3. Mt 5:3-12 Mt. 7:1-27 Sermon on the Mount “Love God; Love Others” Mt 5:13-48 Mt. 6:1-34

4. The Higher Call of the Kingdom ““But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!” (Matthew 5:20, NLT)

5. life outside the box A Merciful Life

6. Matthew 7:1–2, (NLT) ““Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.”

7. the problem with language “judge”

8. “judge” = krino • to judge a person to be guilty and liable to punishment—‘to judge as guilty, to condemn.

9. Luke 6:37, (NLT) ““Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.”

10. Recognize the Day “God sent his Son into the world not to judge [condemn] the world, but to save the world through him,” (John 3:17 NLT)

11. A Merciful Life Don’t Play God

12. Matthew 7:1, (NLT) Do not judge others…

13. VIDEO

14. The Faces of Judgment • Jumping to Conclusions • Assigning Motives • Writing Off • Responding out of Repulsiveness • Shunning

15. “Jesus warns against assuming God’s prerogative to condemn the guilty, not against disciples’ discerning truth from error,” (Craig Keener)

16. Why We Make Bad Judges • Judging is God’s job • Our limited perception • Our imperfect measure

17. Matthew 7:2, (NLT) “For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.”

18. Two Key Issues in Addressing Sin • Attitude • Audience

19. 1 Corinthians 5:12–13(The Message) I’m not responsible for what the outsiders do, but don’t we have some responsibility for those within our community of believers? God decides on the outsiders, but we need to decide when our brothers and sisters are out of line and, if necessary, clean house.

20. Discern and Discipline in Love Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Galatians 6:1 (The Message)

21. A Merciful Life Address Your Own Faults First

22. Matthew 7:3–5, (NLT) ““And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?

23. Matthew 7:3–5, (NLT) How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?

24. Matthew 7:3–5, (NLT) Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”

25. “We have a fatal tendency to exaggerate the faults of others, and minimize the gravity of our own,” (John Stott)

26. The Blessings of Proper Self-Assessment • Fosters Humility • Prevents Hypocrisy • Frees Us to Truly Help Others

27. Matthew 7:5, (NLT) then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”

28. A Merciful Life Don’t Impose the Truth

29. Matthew 7:6, (NLT) ““Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.”

30. Avoid the Extremes

31. Who Are “Dogs” and “Pigs” • “living in incurable ungodliness,” (Chrysostom) • “those who evidence a hardened contempt for God,” (John Calvin)

32. “If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave.” (Matthew 10:14, NLT)

33. Unteachable • Always seeking, never applying • Repeatedly antagonistic • Brazenly rebellious

34. Rule of Thumb Don’t prejudge who you think will receive the truth, but don’t force the truth on people who show no inclination to receive it.