1518 | Matthew 7:1 Juedging Others
CHARACTER OF GOD // GOD PROVIDES
Matthew 6:26:“ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.”
The created world is full of wonder. Generation after generation of animals survive in seemingly hostile conditions. From the smallest insects to the largest whales, the surviving and thriving of animals is a testimony to God, their heavenly provider.
God himself points this out to Job. God asked Job: Do you feed the lions? Do you feed the baby ravens?( Job 38:39 – 41). The point is that God alone provides for his creatures. Humorously, God points to the example of an ostrich mother: she’ s so foolish that she lays her eggs on the ground where they could get crushed, and then when they hatch, she is not even a good mother( Job 39:13 – 18). Despite that, the ostrich survives and puts even the horse and rider to shame when it runs.
When Jesus spoke about God providing for the needs of even the smallest birds, his point was that God will also supply the needs of his children. If God provides for little birds, how much more will God provide for his people who love him? Therefore, Jesus says, do not worry about what you will eat or what you will wear( Mt 6:25). God, your heavenly provider, knows what you need. The same God who provides for the lion, the raven and the ostrich will provide for you.
APPLICATION Jesus talks about God being our heavenly provider to teach us to trust in him. Sometimes we can get caught up in cycles of worry: Will we have enough? What if we don’ t? Our thoughts spiral into fear and fretting. Jesus wants to break us out of those unhealthy cycles. He reminds us that God already knows what we need, and God is our loving provider. Worry will not help us. We need to bring our hearts and minds back to God, our heavenly Father.
Judging Others 7:3 – 5pp // Lk 6:41,42
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Do not judge, or you too will be judged. f 2 For in the same way you judge oth ers, you will be judged, and with the mea sure you use, it will be measured to you. g
3“ Why do you look at the speck of saw dust in your broth er’ s eye and pay no at ten tion to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your broth er,‘ Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your
7:1 f Lk 6:37; Ro 14:4, 10, 13; 1Co 4:5; Jas 4:11, 12
7:2 g Mk 4:24; Lk 6:38
7:7 h Mt 21:22; Mk 11:24; Jn 14:13, 14; 15:7, 16; 16:23, 24; Jas 1:5-8; 4:2, 3; 1Jn 3:22; 5:14, 15 own eye? 5 You hyp o crite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clear ly to re move the speck from your broth er’ s eye.
6“ Do not give dogs what is sa cred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may tram ple them un der their feet, and turn and tear you to piec es.
Ask, Seek, Knock 7:7 – 11pp // Lk 11:9 – 13
7“ Ask and it will be giv en to you; h seek and you will find; knock and the door allow it to take our eyes off Jesus. We substitute despair, hopelessness, or fear in place of God and turn to our own efforts at trying to control our environment. This can be a harsh world, and worry can consume us. A way of reversing the trend toward anxiety is to look around at what we have and what God has done and then say,“ Thank you.” He is our master and provider, the one who has given us kingdom life, kingdom priorities, and kingdom values, by which we can truly say,“ Thank you.”
7:1 – 5 True disciples, those who have been impacted by the mercy of God in the arrival of the kingdom of heaven, will exhibit mercy toward one another, not judgment. The responsibility to help each other remove the“ speck” of sin must come from
UNCORRECTED PROOF
a humble and self- examined life: one that has first removed the“ plank” of self- righteous judgment. 7:6 In the ancient world, dogs lived in squalor, running the streets and scavenging for food. The reference here includes all those who are hostile to Jesus’ disciples. The gospel of the kingdom must not be defiled by those who are unreceptive to, or have rejected, Jesus’ invitation.
Pigs, like dogs, were scavenging animals.“ Pearls” symbolize the value of the message of the kingdom of heaven. Something so valuable should not be given to those who have no appreciation for such precious truths; their nature is demonstrated by their rejection of that message. 7:7 – 8“ Ask” indicates coming to God with humility.“ Seek” links praying with action; for instance, praying for a job while at the same time checking out leads.“ Knock” includes perseverance, as