Kingdom Living: Grace, Truth, and Humble Judgment

Devotional

Day 1: Do Not Judge—Condemnation Belongs to God Alone

Jesus teaches that we are not to judge others, warning that the same measure we use will be measured back to us. This is not a call to abandon discernment, but a command to avoid condemnation and usurping God’s role as the ultimate judge. Our judgments are often clouded by our own experiences, biases, and motives, making it impossible to judge with perfect fairness. Instead, we are called to humility, recognizing that only God sees the heart and only He can judge righteously. Before we even consider addressing the faults of others, we must remember that final judgment always belongs to God, and our posture should be one of grace and restraint. [17:36]

Matthew 7:1-2 (ESV)
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”

Reflection: When you feel the urge to judge someone this week, can you pause and ask God to remind you that only He sees the whole story and is the true judge?

Day 2: Start with Self-Reflection Before Addressing Others

Jesus uses the vivid image of a speck and a plank to illustrate the importance of self-examination before we attempt to correct others. We are often quick to notice the smallest faults in others while ignoring the much larger issues in our own lives. True discipleship and healthy relationships begin with humility and honest self-assessment. When we take time to examine our own hearts, motives, and struggles, we are better equipped to approach others with compassion and clarity, seeking to help rather than to condemn. This practice of “log work” is essential for any meaningful engagement with others, especially in moments of conflict or correction. [20:44]

Matthew 7:3-5 (ESV)
“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? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

Reflection: Before you confront someone about a fault, will you spend intentional time in prayer and self-examination, asking God to reveal any “logs” in your own life?

Day 3: Extend Grace Before Speaking Truth

Jesus models a posture of grace and restoration, not condemnation, as seen in his encounter with the woman caught in adultery. He challenges her accusers to self-reflect, and when they leave, he offers her grace before calling her to leave her life of sin. This approach teaches us that our first response to others’ failures should be to cover them with grace, not harsh words or judgment. Only after extending grace are we in a position to speak truth in love, aiming to restore rather than to shame. Our goal in every relationship should be to help others see Jesus and experience His transforming grace, just as we have. [29:27]

John 8:7, 10-11 (ESV)
“And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, ‘Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.’ … Jesus stood up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.’”

Reflection: Is there someone in your life who needs to experience your grace before your correction—how can you tangibly show them compassion today?

Day 4: Kingdom Judgment Aims to Restore, Not Condemn

The heart of kingdom judgment is restoration, not condemnation. When we confront our own sin first, we develop a humility that recognizes our shared need for grace. This humility allows us to approach others not from a place of superiority, but as fellow recipients of God’s mercy. Our aim should always be to help restore others to relationship with God and with us, never to distance ourselves through self-righteousness or contempt. By dropping contempt and embracing humility, we create space for true discipleship and healing in our relationships, reflecting the restorative heart of Jesus. [31:53]

Galatians 6:1 (ESV)
“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.”

Reflection: Think of a relationship where there’s been distance or hurt—how can you take a step toward restoration, seeking to heal rather than to condemn?

Day 5: Humility and Grace Lead to Christlike Relationships

As we become more aware of our own need for grace, our hearts are reshaped to love God more deeply and to extend greater grace to others. Engaging in relationships with humility, especially in times of conflict, is essential for true discipleship and for helping others become more like Jesus. This means being quick to listen, slow to speak, and always inviting the Holy Spirit to guide our words and actions. When we approach others with a posture of humility and grace, we reflect the character of Christ and foster relationships that are marked by love, growth, and restoration. [34:30]

James 1:19-20 (ESV)
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

Reflection: In your next difficult conversation, how can you intentionally practice being quick to listen and slow to speak, inviting God to shape your response?

Sermon Summary

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus paints a picture of what it means to live as citizens of God’s kingdom here on earth. One of the most challenging aspects of this kingdom life is how we engage with one another, especially when conflict arises or when we see things in others that we disagree with or believe to be wrong. Jesus’ command, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged,” is simple on the surface but deeply profound in its implications for our relationships.

The heart of this teaching is not a blanket prohibition against discernment or accountability, but a warning against condemnation. Jesus distinguishes between evaluating right and wrong (which is necessary for healthy relationships and discipleship) and taking the role of ultimate judge, which belongs to God alone. When we condemn others, we use our own internal value systems—shaped by our experiences, biases, and emotions—to pass final judgment, often without recognizing our own faults. Jesus warns that the measure we use for others will be used for us, highlighting the danger of double standards and the need for integrity.

To illustrate this, Jesus uses the parable of the speck and the plank. We are often quick to notice the smallest flaw in someone else while ignoring the much larger issues in our own lives. The call is to practice patient self-examination before addressing the faults of others. This humility not only protects us from hypocrisy but also positions us to truly help and restore others, rather than alienate or condemn them.

Jesus models this perfectly in his encounter with the woman caught in adultery. He neither condones her sin nor condemns her, but meets her with grace and truth, challenging her accusers to self-reflection and offering her restoration. This is the posture we are called to adopt: kingdom judgment starts with self-reflection and aims to restore, not condemn.

Practically, this means examining our own hearts and motives before engaging in difficult conversations, inviting the Holy Spirit and trusted believers to reveal our blind spots, and approaching others with a posture of humility and grace. In doing so, we reflect the heart of Jesus, foster genuine discipleship, and build relationships that embody the love and restoration of God’s kingdom.

Key Takeaways

1. **Condemnation vs. Discernment:** Jesus forbids condemnation, not discernment. While we are called to evaluate right and wrong, taking the role of ultimate judge usurps God’s authority and leads to hypocrisy. True discernment is rooted in humility and a desire to restore, not to punish or distance ourselves from others. [11:14]
2. The Danger of Double Standards: The measure we use to judge others will be used for us. Our internal value systems are shaped by our own experiences and biases, making it easy to apply unequal standards. Integrity in relationships means using the same generous measure for others that we desire for ourselves, resisting the temptation to quietly cheat or diminish others. [15:26]
3. The Plank and the Speck: Before addressing the faults of others, we must first examine our own hearts. Jesus’ parable of the plank and the speck calls us to patient self-assessment, recognizing that our own sin can cloud our judgment and hinder our ability to help others. Humility is the starting point for genuine discipleship and restoration. [19:48]
4. Grace and Truth in Restoration: Jesus models a balance of grace and truth, meeting people where they are without condemnation but also calling them to transformation. Restoration, not condemnation, is the goal of kingdom relationships. We are to cover others with grace before speaking truth, just as Jesus did with the woman caught in adultery. [29:04]
5. Practical Steps for Kingdom Judgment: Self-examination and humble engagement are essential. Before confronting others, spend time in prayer and reflection, invite trusted believers to speak into your life, and approach conversations with a posture of listening and grace. This resets our hearts to become more like Jesus and enables us to love others well, even in conflict. [32:48]
** [32:48]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[06:19] - Citizens of the Kingdom: Living Heaven on Earth
[06:49] - Generosity and Relationships in the Kingdom
[07:35] - The Command: Do Not Judge
[08:13] - Generosity in Relationships
[09:25] - The Baseline: Don’t Judge or Be Judged
[11:14] - Condemnation vs. Discernment
[14:50] - The Image of Weighted Scales
[15:26] - Unequal Standards and Integrity
[16:34] - The Limits of Our Judgment
[18:05] - The Parable of the Speck and the Plank
[20:16] - Humility Before Helping Others
[22:34] - Real-Life Examples: Sexual Sin and Relationships
[27:32] - Jesus’ Model: Grace and Truth with the Woman Caught in Adultery
[29:47] - Kingdom Judgment: Self-Reflection and Restoration
[32:17] - Two Practical Steps: Examine and Engage
[34:30] - Becoming More Like Jesus Through Relationships
[34:45] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 7:1-5 (ESV) — > “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 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? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

John 8:3-11 (ESV) — > The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” ... Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” ... But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

Observation Questions

In Matthew 7:1-2, what does Jesus say will happen if we judge others? What does “the measure you use will be measured to you” mean in this context? [11:36]
According to the parable of the speck and the plank (Matthew 7:3-5), what is Jesus’ main point about how we approach the faults of others? [18:05]
In the story of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:3-11), how does Jesus respond to both the accusers and the woman? What stands out about his approach? [28:22]
The sermon mentions that Jesus forbids condemnation, not discernment. What is the difference between these two, based on the teaching? [11:14]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus warns that the same standard we use to judge others will be used for us? How does this affect the way we view our own actions and attitudes? [15:26]
What are some reasons we might be quick to notice the “speck” in someone else’s eye but slow to notice the “plank” in our own? How does this tendency impact our relationships? [19:48]
In the example of the woman caught in adultery, what does Jesus’ balance of grace and truth teach us about how to handle situations where someone has clearly done wrong? [29:04]
The sermon says that “kingdom judgment starts with self-reflection and aims to restore, not condemn.” What does restoration look like in real relationships, and how is it different from condemnation? [29:47]

Application Questions

Think of a recent conflict or disagreement you’ve had. Before you addressed the other person, did you take time to examine your own heart and motives? What might have changed if you had? [32:48]
The sermon suggests spending time in prayer and reflection before confronting someone about their faults. What would it look like for you to actually do this before your next difficult conversation? Is there a specific situation coming up where you could try this? [32:48]
Jesus says the measure we use for others will be used for us. Are there areas in your life where you hold others to a higher standard than you hold yourself? How can you start using the same “generous measure” for others that you want for yourself? [15:26]
When you see something wrong in someone else, what is your first reaction—judgment, avoidance, or self-reflection? How can you practice being “quick to listen and slow to speak” in those moments? [22:04]
The sermon talks about inviting trusted believers to help reveal our blind spots. Who in your life could you ask to honestly share what it’s like to be on the other side of you? Are you willing to give them permission to speak into your life? [33:09]
Jesus met the woman caught in adultery with grace before speaking truth. Is there someone in your life who needs to experience grace from you before you speak truth? What would it look like to “cover them with grace” first? [29:04]
The goal of kingdom relationships is restoration, not condemnation. Is there a relationship in your life right now that needs restoration? What is one step you can take this week to move toward restoring that relationship? [29:47]

Sermon Clips

What if the whole point was for us to be generous with each other relationally? Like, what if that was the main point, really, of the whole sermon, but definitely of this whole section, right? Like, we're talking about don't judge. We're talking about how to engage with one another, like, relationally. But what if the whole point was for us to be generous with one another, right? Not necessarily with our resources, right? We talked about that two weeks ago, right? How important that is. But relationally, to be generous with one another relationally, like when things get tough, or more importantly, when we see things in others that we don't agree with, that we don't like, that we think are flat out wrong. How can we be generous with one another? [00:08:23] (45 seconds) #GenerousRelationalGrace

Jesus forbids condemnation. He says, don't judge, right? Or you will be judged. But what he's forbidding here, what we're going to see today, is that he's forbidding condemnation, not discernment, condemnation. And he says the measure that you use will be measured back to you. [00:11:08] (17 seconds) #DiscernDontCondemn

So what Jesus is saying is that the baseline, right, the baseline of kingdom relationships should be to not judge one another because we can't trust that we will judge fairly, right? So that's the baseline. Don't judge one another. And in those circumstances where we. Where we might have to, right? Where we see something that is so egregious that we feel like we have to step up when we feel like we have to. Guys, we gotta be careful when we do. Because final judgment always will belong to God and God alone. [00:17:01] (35 seconds) #JudgmentIsLastResort

Before we get to the other person, before we address the sin in someone else, we reflect patiently and humbly on our own hearts. Why? Because it's about discipleship, right? It's about going and making disciples. And we can't disciple someone else without relationship with someone else. And when we prejudge somebody and all we do is attack them, it actually separates us from them. [00:24:32] (25 seconds) #BiasBlocksClarity

Discipleship is about speaking Jesus over our own lives and the lives of others. Discipleship is about helping someone else for find Jesus in the midst of their struggle, in the midst of their sin, in the midst of whatever's going on. But we can't do that when we're simply judging them. When we're playing Jesus, we can't point them To Jesus. [00:25:42] (24 seconds) #RestoreDontCondemn

The truth is that we're naturally biased towards leniency for us. Right? Like that's a natural bias, I think that we all have, right, that we are more lenient with ourselves, more severe with others. Like we see ourselves with the speck, but miss the plank that's been growing for so long. And this bias, it clouds our judgment and it keeps us from seeing the situation in others more clearly. [00:26:28] (31 seconds) #HumilityLeadsToGrace

That's why our bottom line today is kingdom judgment starts with self reflection and aims to restore, not condemn. Right. That's kingdom judgment. It starts with us. It starts inside of our own heart, self reflection, but it aims to restore instead of condemning. [00:29:28] (19 seconds) #LoveWithHumility

Notice Jesus still told her to go and leave her life of sin. It's not like he left her. It's not like he turned his eye on her and just walked away from her. He still challenged her at the end to go and leave her life of sin. But that was only after he met her with grace. He spoke the truth into her, but only after he covered her with grace. And that's how we've got to approach one another, with the humility of knowing our own sin, our own need for grace. Because that's what allows us to ultimately love our neighbor. [00:30:59] (31 seconds) #BecomeLikeJesusThroughGrace

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