Judgment, Empathy, and the Golden Rule in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: Examine Your Own Heart

Before judging others, take a moment to reflect on your own heart and motivations. Jesus teaches that our judgment often reveals our own impurities and blind spots. By acknowledging our own brokenness, we can approach others with humility and empathy. Jesus warns us that our judgment of others often reveals the impurities in our own hearts. He emphasizes that God's judgment is rooted in a pure, loving, and merciful heart, unlike our often flawed and self-righteous judgments. We are called to examine our own hearts, trust in God's perfect judgment, and approach others with empathy and compassion, recognizing our own brokenness and need for God's grace. [03:46]

"Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent time when you judged someone harshly. What does this reveal about your own heart and motivations? How can you seek God's help to address these areas in your life?

Day 2: Trust in God's Judgment

God's judgment is rooted in a pure, loving, and merciful heart. Unlike our flawed judgments, His is perfectly just. Trusting in God's judgment allows us to release our need to judge others and instead focus on loving and supporting them. Jesus emphasizes that our judgment of others often reveals the impurities in our own hearts. He emphasizes that God's judgment is rooted in a pure, loving, and merciful heart, unlike our often flawed and self-righteous judgments. We are called to examine our own hearts, trust in God's perfect judgment, and approach others with empathy and compassion, recognizing our own brokenness and need for God's grace. [02:50]

"For we know him who said, 'Vengeance is mine; I will repay.' And again, 'The Lord will judge his people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:30-31, ESV)

Reflection: Are there people in your life whom you find difficult to love because of their actions? How can you release your judgment to God and focus on loving and supporting them instead?

Day 3: Continuous Conversation with God

Jesus emphasizes the importance of asking, seeking, and knocking—engaging in continuous conversation with God. This ongoing dialogue helps us gain His perspective, see our own blind spots, and approach others with empathy and compassion. Jesus' teaching encourages us to seek God's wisdom and align our hearts with His, so that we can approach others with a spirit of restoration and gentleness, rather than condemnation. The passage also highlights the necessity of continuous conversation with God—asking, seeking, and knocking—to gain His perspective and guidance. This ongoing dialogue with God helps us to see ourselves and others more clearly, fostering empathy and compassion. [22:37]

"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known." (Jeremiah 33:3, ESV)

Reflection: How often do you engage in a continuous conversation with God throughout your day? What steps can you take to make this a more consistent practice in your life?

Day 4: The Power of Empathy

Empathy is crucial in our interactions with others. By seeing things from their perspective and recognizing our own sinfulness, we can connect with others on a deeper level and offer support rather than condemnation. Jesus' teaching encourages us to seek God's wisdom and align our hearts with His, so that we can approach others with a spirit of restoration and gentleness, rather than condemnation. The passage also highlights the necessity of continuous conversation with God—asking, seeking, and knocking—to gain His perspective and guidance. This ongoing dialogue with God helps us to see ourselves and others more clearly, fostering empathy and compassion. [11:16]

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight." (Romans 12:15-16, ESV)

Reflection: Think of someone you have judged recently. How can you practice empathy by seeing things from their perspective and offering support instead of condemnation?

Day 5: The Golden Rule

Treat others as you would like to be treated. This principle, known as the Golden Rule, encapsulates Jesus' teaching on judgment. It calls us to extend the same grace, mercy, and love to others that we desire for ourselves, fostering a spirit of compassion and understanding. Jesus' teaching encourages us to seek God's wisdom and align our hearts with His, so that we can approach others with a spirit of restoration and gentleness, rather than condemnation. The passage also highlights the necessity of continuous conversation with God—asking, seeking, and knocking—to gain His perspective and guidance. This ongoing dialogue with God helps us to see ourselves and others more clearly, fostering empathy and compassion. [19:44]

"So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on how you treat others in your daily interactions. Are you extending the same grace, mercy, and love that you desire for yourself? How can you better live out the Golden Rule today?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we explored the profound teachings of Jesus on the topic of judgment, as found in Matthew 7:1-12. We began with a personal story about my granddaughter's horseback riding lesson, which illustrated how hyperbole can reveal deeper truths about our feelings and aspirations. This story set the stage for understanding how Jesus uses hyperbole to teach us about the dangers of judging others.

Jesus warns us that our judgment of others often reveals the impurities in our own hearts. He emphasizes that God's judgment is rooted in a pure, loving, and merciful heart, unlike our often flawed and self-righteous judgments. We are called to examine our own hearts, trust in God's perfect judgment, and approach others with empathy and compassion, recognizing our own brokenness and need for God's grace.

We delved into the importance of self-reflection before passing judgment, understanding that our pride and blind spots can lead us to judge others unfairly. Jesus' teaching encourages us to seek God's wisdom and align our hearts with His, so that we can approach others with a spirit of restoration and gentleness, rather than condemnation.

The passage also highlights the necessity of continuous conversation with God—asking, seeking, and knocking—to gain His perspective and guidance. This ongoing dialogue with God helps us to see ourselves and others more clearly, fostering empathy and compassion.

Finally, we reflected on the Golden Rule, which calls us to treat others as we would like to be treated. This principle encapsulates the essence of Jesus' teaching on judgment, urging us to extend the same grace, mercy, and love to others that we desire for ourselves.

###

Key Takeaways

1. Examine Your Own Heart: Before judging others, take a moment to reflect on your own heart and motivations. Jesus teaches that our judgment often reveals our own impurities and blind spots. By acknowledging our own brokenness, we can approach others with humility and empathy. [03:46]
2. Trust in God's Judgment: God's judgment is rooted in a pure, loving, and merciful heart. Unlike our flawed judgments, His is perfectly just. Trusting in God's judgment allows us to release our need to judge others and instead focus on loving and supporting them. [02:50]
3. Continuous Conversation with God: Jesus emphasizes the importance of asking, seeking, and knocking—engaging in continuous conversation with God. This ongoing dialogue helps us gain His perspective, see our own blind spots, and approach others with empathy and compassion. [22:37]
4. The Power of Empathy: Empathy is crucial in our interactions with others. By seeing things from their perspective and recognizing our own sinfulness, we can connect with others on a deeper level and offer support rather than condemnation. [11:16]
5. The Golden Rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated. This principle, known as the Golden Rule, encapsulates Jesus' teaching on judgment. It calls us to extend the same grace, mercy, and love to others that we desire for ourselves, fostering a spirit of compassion and understanding. [19:44]
### [19:44]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:58] - Story of My Granddaughter's Riding Lesson
[02:50] - Jesus' Teaching on Judgment
[03:46] - Examining Our Own Hearts
[05:16] - Discernment in Sharing the Gospel
[07:22] - Jesus' Hyperbole on Judgment
[10:00] - The Pharisee's Self-Righteousness
[11:16] - The Importance of Empathy
[13:08] - Parenting Example of Judgment
[15:21] - Paul's Teaching on Judgment
[17:08] - Trusting the Father's Heart
[19:44] - The Golden Rule
[22:37] - Continuous Conversation with God
[24:19] - The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
[26:24] - Aligning Our Hearts with God's
[28:19] - Invitation to Prayerful Reflection
[33:04] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does Jesus warn us about in Matthew 7:1-2 regarding judgment? ([04:37])
How does Jesus use hyperbole in Matthew 7:3-5 to illustrate the issue of judgment? ([07:22])
What does Jesus say about asking, seeking, and knocking in Matthew 7:7-8? ([17:08])
How does the Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12 encapsulate Jesus' teaching on judgment? ([19:44])

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus emphasize the need to examine our own hearts before judging others? How does this self-reflection change our approach to others? ([03:46])
How does trusting in God's judgment help us release our need to judge others? What does this trust look like in practical terms? ([02:50])
What role does continuous conversation with God play in helping us see our own blind spots and approach others with empathy? ([22:37])
How does the Golden Rule challenge us to extend grace, mercy, and love to others? What are some practical ways to live this out in our daily interactions? ([19:44])

Application Questions

Reflect on a recent situation where you judged someone. How might examining your own heart have changed your response? ([03:46])
Think of a time when you felt judged unfairly. How did it affect you, and how can this experience help you trust in God's judgment rather than your own? ([02:50])
How can you incorporate continuous conversation with God into your daily routine to gain His perspective and wisdom? ([22:37])
Identify a person in your life who you find difficult to empathize with. What steps can you take to understand their perspective and approach them with compassion? ([11:16])
The Golden Rule calls us to treat others as we would like to be treated. What is one specific way you can practice this principle in your relationships this week? ([19:44])
How can you create a habit of self-reflection before passing judgment on others? What practical steps can you take to make this a regular practice? ([03:46])
In what ways can you seek God's heart and align your desires with His when you are tempted to judge others? ([26:24])

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "At the center of the passage today, Jesus is teaching how judging others can reveal our less-than-pure hearts. And Jesus uses hyperbole, exaggeration, to help us pay attention to this possible lack of pure motives in our own hearts when we judge others. Furthermore, he shows us that God's judgment is rooted in his Father's completely pure heart. And finally, we will see how our judgment will change when we acknowledge God as the ultimate and final judge, good, loving, merciful, and gracious." (48 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "The passage today starts with a warning. Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged. And with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. A clear warning, not to judge too quickly, but to consider first how we would feel if we were judged in the way we are judging." (27 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Jesus tackles the topic of our temptation to judge others by using hyperbole to first of all give us an insight into our own hearts, to help us realize that if we cannot see ourselves rightly, we are literally blind to seeing others rightly, and are certainly not in a position to judge them, or even just help them with a little speck in their eye." (28 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Jesus knows that when we judge a person in our own human wisdom, we very likely will get it wrong. Because our pride leads us to not pay attention to the needs of the other, or their story, nor the blind spots in ourselves." (22 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "The key to judging wisely is continuous conversation with God, to actually be able to connect, first of all, to our own heart, and then the heart of others, as we trust in the Father's ultimately loving, just, and gracious heart." (19 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "When you look at the highlighted words, restoration and gentleness are key in this passage. Not judgment or condemnation, nor punishment, but the intention to restore with a gentle attitude. Let me give you a parenting example, but you can just change it to any relationship when something makes us to want to judge. When a child shows a temper tantrum about something, and especially when this happens in public, what goes to a parent's mind if you're honest? What will other people think about me? This reflects bad on me as a parent. I need to take control. I'm too tired for this. I don't deserve this. I'm losing it, but this child deserves it. How can this child do this to me? If you're honest, it often is all about me, about us, and how we can feel better, whether it's as a parent, or as a friend, or as a colleague. And the conclusion is, we need to change the behavior." (88 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Jesus says, take that plank out of your eye and let me help you to explore what it is in you that leads you to judge, and sometimes even condemn the other person's behavior. So when we are tempted to judge another person, it is a good moment for self-reflection before God and allow him to reveal where pride might have gotten the better of us, or where we mistakenly assume God's place to judge." (37 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Jesus points out that if we don't trust the heart of the Father, we operate on our own limited and evil hearts, which will often inspire us in spite of good intentions, not at all be anywhere close to the heart of God, who is gracious, merciful, truly loving, and just at the same time, in giving us what we really need. The Father desires our continuous conversation, ask, seek, knock, and loves to engage with us with answers, loves to be found, loves to open his door to us again and again to help us see things from his perspective, give us the help we need in seeing ourselves more rightly and to connect with others in ways that build up, not tear down, restore, not destroy, with gentleness, not force." (61 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "When Jesus calls us to continuously ask God, seek God, and knock at God's door, he wants us to be in continuous conversation with the Father as he was. If Adam and Eve had bothered to ask God in the moment they have decided to eat from that tree, they might have made a different decision. But they thought they knew better. They thought they knew what was right, at least for them. Instead, so ask about your own heart. And his posture and attitude. Ask God about his heart for us and the other person. Ask him what he sees when he looks at us as we want to judge, and what he sees when he looks at the other person that we are tempted to judge." (61 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "The invitation for today is to come with empathy and compassion, wanting to help, not condemn, wanting to discern what is needed, not come with a sense of having superior knowledge about what is right or wrong that needs reflecting on our own heart attitude first before following our temptation to judge prematurely, likely wrongly, and definitely after not in a helpful way." (28 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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