Matthew 7:1-23
Most students consider finals week to be the most stressful time of each semester. Usually there is major project due close to the same time. They have procrastinated their way through the semester, and now face, not only five major projects that were meant to take weeks each to complete, but they are supposed to be preparing for the final examination in each class. There are months worth of work to accomplish and they have a week and a half. Nobody is sleeping very much these days. A gracious teacher will provide a study guide for the final exam in hopes of helping to assure that the same students will not be taking this same class a year from now. It was hard enough to read all their "snow" the first time. The chapter before us is much like a "life guide" that will help us prepare for the ultimate "finals week" we each must face when we stand before God. Jesus advises us that if we examine ourselves now, it will make God's final exam much less "stressful."
Examine Our Selves Before we Examine Others. It is difficult to perceive our own faults. Mostly because we don't like to think about such things, but also because we have usually rationalized our flaws into virtues so that we get used to pretending they do not exist. The flaws of others however, are blatantly obvious to us. Jesus warns us that this way of life is dangerous and will make G0d's final exam far less rewarding. I don't believe that Jesus is teaching that we are not supposed to confront others with their sin. We are all called to admonish and correct one another, thereby, purifying and fortifying the Body of Christ. What Christ is condemning, is when we judge others, as if we were perfect ourselves. We would do well to take account of our own weaknesses just prior to confronting someone else with theirs. I believe that if we do that, we will be much more gracious in our exhortations and therefore God will much more generous in His examinations.
Examine Our Prayers Before we Complain about God's Provisions. Have you ever noticed how much we complain? Have you ever noticed how little we pray? I think that there is a connection. It is often easy to find "fault" with what God has provided or failed to provide for us. We frequently complain about the weather, our jobs, our bosses, our pastors, our teachers, our food, our government, our salaries, our spouses, our children, our neighbors, our friends, our clothing, our houses, our cars, our grass and especially the traffic. We rarely pray about such things. Jesus encourages us to stop complaining and start praying. I believe that if we follow this advice we will find much less about which to complain and much more for which to be grateful.
Examine Our Preferences Before we Relate with Others. I think one of the Beatles wrote: "People are the same wherever you go." There is some truth to that lyric. Though we are all unique, we all like to laugh more than we like to cry. Most of us like chocolate more than turnips. And, more to the point, we all would prefer a hug to a punch in the nose. Jesus simply advises us to consider how we would prefer to be treated, and then act upon that insight as we relate with one another.
Examine Our Teacher's Fruit Before we Follow Their Path. This seems to contradict the earlier advice not to judge. But, it is a wise warning that there are many people who take the easy path and that these people are avid recruiters. We must examine the fruit of their lives in order to determine if their destiny is destruction or if they are on the road to reward. Satin is a master counterfeiter. He strives to make his path look as similar as possible to God's, at least in the beginning. However, those how follow it will eventually find that the further they walk down it, the broader and less distinct the way becomes. Before long, it becomes a mire of relativity in which right from wrong are virtually impossible to determine and a direction is difficult to discern. The path of truth, on the other had, has a direction that is easy to determine though it is difficult to travel. It is, by no means, an easy road but it is a clear one.
Examine Our Professions and Foundations of Faith Before we Face the Judge and Inspector. This, without a doubt, is one of the most sobering passages in all of Scripture. It tells us that there are many who believe that their faith is sincere who will be revealed as frauds when they stand before God. On that day, all rationalizations, excuses and self-righteousness will blaze like chaff in the furnace of God's judgment. Jesus urges us to examine our faith now, for if we procrastinate in preparing for this examination; once we find ourselves in "finals week", it will be too late. There is no make up exam and we can't take "life" over. Our eternal destiny will be determined, once and for all. We must thoroughly examine the authenticity of our faith that we might be in the righteousness of Christ who will exempt us of all condemnation in this ultimate examination.
Well, that is the cheat sheet. We can either ignore it, and go on living as if the rainstorm of judgment will never fall and the winds of testing will never blow or we can pay attention to it and live in light of it. If we do the latter, we will dig deep and place our faith on the bedrock of the cross of Christ. If we do the former we will dig our heads into the shifting sands of self reliance. May we build wisely!
Examine Our Selves Before we Examine Others. It is difficult to perceive our own faults. Mostly because we don't like to think about such things, but also because we have usually rationalized our flaws into virtues so that we get used to pretending they do not exist. The flaws of others however, are blatantly obvious to us. Jesus warns us that this way of life is dangerous and will make G0d's final exam far less rewarding. I don't believe that Jesus is teaching that we are not supposed to confront others with their sin. We are all called to admonish and correct one another, thereby, purifying and fortifying the Body of Christ. What Christ is condemning, is when we judge others, as if we were perfect ourselves. We would do well to take account of our own weaknesses just prior to confronting someone else with theirs. I believe that if we do that, we will be much more gracious in our exhortations and therefore God will much more generous in His examinations.
Examine Our Prayers Before we Complain about God's Provisions. Have you ever noticed how much we complain? Have you ever noticed how little we pray? I think that there is a connection. It is often easy to find "fault" with what God has provided or failed to provide for us. We frequently complain about the weather, our jobs, our bosses, our pastors, our teachers, our food, our government, our salaries, our spouses, our children, our neighbors, our friends, our clothing, our houses, our cars, our grass and especially the traffic. We rarely pray about such things. Jesus encourages us to stop complaining and start praying. I believe that if we follow this advice we will find much less about which to complain and much more for which to be grateful.
Examine Our Preferences Before we Relate with Others. I think one of the Beatles wrote: "People are the same wherever you go." There is some truth to that lyric. Though we are all unique, we all like to laugh more than we like to cry. Most of us like chocolate more than turnips. And, more to the point, we all would prefer a hug to a punch in the nose. Jesus simply advises us to consider how we would prefer to be treated, and then act upon that insight as we relate with one another.
Examine Our Teacher's Fruit Before we Follow Their Path. This seems to contradict the earlier advice not to judge. But, it is a wise warning that there are many people who take the easy path and that these people are avid recruiters. We must examine the fruit of their lives in order to determine if their destiny is destruction or if they are on the road to reward. Satin is a master counterfeiter. He strives to make his path look as similar as possible to God's, at least in the beginning. However, those how follow it will eventually find that the further they walk down it, the broader and less distinct the way becomes. Before long, it becomes a mire of relativity in which right from wrong are virtually impossible to determine and a direction is difficult to discern. The path of truth, on the other had, has a direction that is easy to determine though it is difficult to travel. It is, by no means, an easy road but it is a clear one.
Examine Our Professions and Foundations of Faith Before we Face the Judge and Inspector. This, without a doubt, is one of the most sobering passages in all of Scripture. It tells us that there are many who believe that their faith is sincere who will be revealed as frauds when they stand before God. On that day, all rationalizations, excuses and self-righteousness will blaze like chaff in the furnace of God's judgment. Jesus urges us to examine our faith now, for if we procrastinate in preparing for this examination; once we find ourselves in "finals week", it will be too late. There is no make up exam and we can't take "life" over. Our eternal destiny will be determined, once and for all. We must thoroughly examine the authenticity of our faith that we might be in the righteousness of Christ who will exempt us of all condemnation in this ultimate examination.
Well, that is the cheat sheet. We can either ignore it, and go on living as if the rainstorm of judgment will never fall and the winds of testing will never blow or we can pay attention to it and live in light of it. If we do the latter, we will dig deep and place our faith on the bedrock of the cross of Christ. If we do the former we will dig our heads into the shifting sands of self reliance. May we build wisely!
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