Sermon on the Plain/Mount
Audience: Disciples & Crowd
Luke 6:37-42
Matthew 7:1-5
Audience: Disciples & Crowd
Luke 6:37-42
Matthew 7:1-5
“And do not judge, and you will never be judged. And do not condemn, and you will never be condemned. Pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you, a good measure—pressed down, shaken, overflowing—they will pour out into your lap. For with the measure by which you measure out, it will be measured out to you in return.”
And he also told them a parable: “Surely a blind person cannot lead the blind, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not superior to his teacher, but everyone, when he is fully trained, will be like his teacher. And why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the beam of wood that is in your own eye? How are you able to say to your brother, “Brother, allow me to remove the speck that is in your eye, while you yourself do not see the beam of wood in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the beam of wood from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye!”
And he also told them a parable: “Surely a blind person cannot lead the blind, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not superior to his teacher, but everyone, when he is fully trained, will be like his teacher. And why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the beam of wood that is in your own eye? How are you able to say to your brother, “Brother, allow me to remove the speck that is in your eye, while you yourself do not see the beam of wood in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the beam of wood from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye!”
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Paraphrasing:
For someone who is blind to the Truth cannot lead others who are also blind to the Truth, because they will both fall into the pit if they do not first realize something is wrong.
Students are not superior to their Teacher. Jesus Christ is the Teacher and He disciples His followers to be like Him. Consider Jesus’ 12 disciples in the Gospel and Paul’s testimony in Acts.
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What we do and say can go for us or against us according to God’s Word as the double-edged sword: Hebrews 4:12-13,
Jesus Christ is literally teaching us how to properly wield our actions and words in a very deep and wise way. We can do this by measuring the measure of grace, listed as 5 principles in His sermon before the parable:
- Do not judge and you will not be judged
- Do not condemn and you will not be condemned
- Forgive and you will be forgiven
- Give, and it will be given to you
- With the measure you measure out, it will be measured out to you in return
It’s important to remember to check ourselves first to see if we can help our brother or sister in Christ. If you don’t have anything from the Spirit to say to someone, it is best to hold your peace and work on your own beam/log before getting involved with someone’s speck. Like a carpenter working and shaping his or her workpiece, so too should we do the same before helping others. This is a good example of working out one’s own Salvation with fear and trembling: Philippians 2:12
Small Testimony
Speaking of logs I have also done this very thing when I should have concentrated a little more on my own Salvation before trying to help anyone else. Like Peter thought he was ready to die for the Truth, Jesus Christ knew he wasn’t. I was like this, full of fire for Jesus Christ and ready to plant seeds!
Or… so I thought.
I went out thinking I was ready and visited my unbelieving friend, ready to proclaim the Gospel. She then took me on a hard, adventurous lesson learned. She stole logs for a bond-fire and only paid for a pack when she took two. I said to her “let me pay for them.” But she took me back to her vehicle quickly and before I knew it, we drove away!
I can’t tell you how humiliated I was in front of God, but He had such merciful grace extended to me and said “Just like Peter thought he was ready, so are you also not ready. Be patient and let Me teach you.” He didn’t even judge or condemn me, but corrected me in love for what I did and thought on my own accord rather than wait on Him. God forgave me on the spot and gave me knowledge of His Word. Without even knowing it until now as I write this, He used the very 5 things covered in His Sermon on the Plain!
My excitement for Him didn’t die just because I was corrected and humiliated, but it caused me to be more focused on discipline in God’s Word. In fact, my spark of light became a flame for the Lord our Saviour!
Scripture Notes
Matthew 26:35
Luke 22:33
John 13:37
We know when we are ready: Acts 21:13
Matthew 26:35
Luke 22:33
John 13:37
We know when we are ready: Acts 21:13
