26. Do Not Judge

As we turn to Matthew 7 and the last section of the Sermon on the Mount, we come to this memorable warning, “Judge not, that you not be judged.” Why is it so important that followers of Jesus not be judgmental of others? We already saw in the Lord’s prayer the expectation that those who have been forgiven much will also forgive others, so avoiding a judgmental spirit is a natural application of that gospel reality. But Jesus gives us four additional reasons to avoid judging people. In the middle of these reasons is the memorable picture of someone trying to remove a speck of sawdust from a friend’s eye while having a large plank in their own eye. Clearly, sinners that we are, we are not in a good position to be critical of those around us. Rather, we should share with others the love and grace we ourselves have received from the Lord Jesus, who experienced condemnation for us (Romans 8:3). 

Read the message here: Do Not Judge

Get the YouVersion notes here.

Download a fillable outline here: Do Not Judge outline