July 10, 2016 – Pastor Matt James – “Be the Solution”
Be the Solution
Text: Matthew 7:1-6
Topic: Don’t Judge Others
My snake cube is a level 4 puzzle.
- I unraveled the puzzle and now I cant get it back together.
- I had to look online to find the solution to the puzzle.
- We all start out good but life and choices start to unravel our lives and soon we take on the characteristics of a snake rather than a Holy God.
- We need the Solution to the puzzle of our lives.
Our country needs some serious healing and it starts with us in this room.
- Jesus spoke to us as individuals to change from the patterns of this world into the children of God.
- The truth is that:
- Everyone needs The Advocate.
- Everyone needs The Doctor.
- Everyone needs The Counselor.
- Everyone needs Jesus.
Do Not Judge
7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.
Everyone needs the Advocate.
- An Advocate is a person who argues for the cause or another person in a court of law.
- We have a Judge and that is the holiness of God – We all fall short of the glory of God.
- How can I put people on my scale when I don’t measure up to God’s requirements?
- Jesus didn’t come to judge the world but to save it, He became our Advocate in the court of Law – we can’t stand up under Judgment.
- When we judge other people we stand in direct opposition to the will of God.
- Kim Walker-Smith – I refuse to be a Christian who does not love. Blue lives matter. Black lives matter. Hispanic lives matter. Asian lives matter. White lives matter. Unborn lives matter. Gay lives matter. Because they matter to JESUS. So they matter to me. And THAT is love. That is what I will teach my children. I will not withhold my love because of sin….that is not what Jesus did for me.
- Jesus looked at my transgressions against God the Judge and said, “You need my help” – this is love.
- I don’t need another Judge, I need an Advocate!
Everyone needs the Doctor.
- Benny’s metal splinter story.
- The doctor heard his story, found the problem and removed it – he sent him away healthy.
- What doctor sends the patient away with only the diagnosis? – You’re a dummy for not wearing goggles.
- Judging people is like putting a plank in your eye – how can you help someone?
- Judging others is like a doctor who has no compassion for the condition of the human heart.
- A doctor doesn’t send us away unhealthy because we got ourselves into the mess we are in – the ER accepts everyone that comes in the door.
- What kind of healing would there be in our country if we took more time to listen and try to understand each other?
- Some pastors are starting churches in Detroit when others are running from it.
- There are patterns in our lives that are destructive to ourselves and others and we need healing in our minds and hearts.
- Jesus listens to our story, He examines our lives, removes the sin and gives us safety glasses – His Word.
- If our eyes are reading the Word of God our whole bodies will be healthy.
Everyone needs the Counselor.
- I went hunting and found wild pigs wallowing in mud.
- My salvation and relationship with God is sacred because of what Christ did for me on the cross – He saved me out of the mess I had made.
- Standing in judgment of people is like throwing my relationship with Christ to the dogs and pigs who have no understanding of what is sacred or valuable.
- I need a full understanding of how sacred Christ is and the salvation He provides for all people.
- It’s sacred because He is Holy and He gave His Holy life for my retched life.
- It’s sacred because just as He is our Counselor to help us work out the patterns of sin and destructive behavior that are so prevalent in our lives.
- An article about Muslims coming to Christ and Christian ministers who refuse to leave a now dangerous home – When Garrison asked some leaders why they stayed in their community even with a threat of danger,one woman replied, “When God wanted to reach men, he became a man. If God had wanted to reach hyenas, he would have become a hyena. If we want to reach our own people, we’ve got to stay in our community to reach them.”
- Because God is our Counselor and brought us out of our destructive lives that makes us sacred to God and He has given us a sacred ministry to the lost people that He loves!
Jesus is the solution to all the problems in our lives and in the lives of our neighbors whoever they may be or whatever sin they may be stuck in.
- If you need some healing from God this morning lets go to Him.
- If you need some healing for a friend, neighbor or family member lets go to Him.
- If you want help to be the solution to problems, to see through eyes of mercy and grace, and to begin being the solution to all the problems in this world lets go to God.
- Jesus is the solution to our problems and as we tell people about Him we become like Him.
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