Article: “A New Generation Expresses its Skepticism and Frustration with Christianity”

Article:“A New Generation Expresses its Skepticism and Frustration with Christianity” “As the nation’s culture changes in diverse ways, one of the most significant shifts is the declining reputation of Christianity, especially among young Americans. A new study by The Barna Group conducted among 16- to 29-year-olds shows that…”

“While Christianity has typically gener-ated an uneven reputation, the research shows that many of the most common critiques are becoming more concentrated… Common negative perceptions include that present-day Christianity is… Judgmental (87%), Hypocritical (85%), Old-fashioned (78%), and too involved in Politics (75%)…”

QUESTION: WHAT do you do with Statistics like this? WHAT should we do with Statistics like this?

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged… Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” Matthew 7:1, 6

“I Can’t Believe He Said That!” The Tough Sayings of JESUS Matthew 7:6 • The Caution with CRITICISM (7:1-4) II. LOGS, DOGS and HOGS (7:5-6)

REMEMBER: Christians can be so quick to Criticize and so slow to show Compassion, and at the same time so lame in moral & doctrinal discernment – and this needs to change!!!

The Tough Sayings of JESUS • The Caution with CRITICISM “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice…” Matthew 7:1-4

The Context is the very controversial “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt. 5-7) where Jesus is confronting spiritual hypocrisy. cf. Mt. 5:20; 6:1-8

“The entire thrust of the Sermon on the Mount is to show the complete distinction between true religion and false religion, between spiritual truth and spiritual hypocrisy. Jesus places God’s perfect and holy standards beside the unholy and self-righteous standards of the scribes and Pharisees and declares that those who follow those unholy and self-righteous…” John MacArthur

Verse 1 is very well-known and yet often misunderstood!

Jesus commands His disciples not to judge or separate people based on externals. cf. Matt. 6:2, 5, 16

FYI – He obviously can’t mean to stop being people of discernment. cf. Mt. 5:20-48; 7:15-23

Jesus’ concern is a critical or judgmental attitude or spirit. cf. Luke 6:36-37 – “condemn”

3 Reasons for CAUTION: • God is the Ultimate Judge “lest you be judged” (v. 1) cf. Rom. 14:10-12; Jam. 4:11-12 • Others will judge you too “by your standard” (v. 2) cf. Rom. 2:1-2; Jam. 3:1

3 Reasons for CAUTION: • God is the Ultimate Judge “lest you be judged” (v. 1) • Others will judge you too “by your standard” (v. 2) • We are all sinners “but do not notice the log” (v. 3) cf. Rom. 3:23; Jam. 1:22-24

The sin that Jesus most often confronted in the Pharisees was the sin of self-righteousness. cf. Mt. 7:4; 23:25-28

Headlines:“Far From Ground Zero, Obscure Pastor is Ignored No Longer” “If building an Islamic center near Ground Zero amounts to the epitome of Muslim insensitivity, as critics of the project have claimed, what should the world make of Terry Jones, the evangelical pastor here who plans to memorialize the Sept. 11 attacks…”

QUESTION: What do you think of that?

“Judge not, lest ye be judged.” Matthew 7:1

“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not cast your pearls before swine…” Matthew 7:6

The Tough Sayings of JESUS II. LOGS, DOGS and HOGS “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. Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will…” Matthew 7:5-6

Before attempting to remove their brother’s splinter, Jesus said to remove the ____ from their own eye. (v. 5) cf. Gal. 6:1; Ps. 51:10-13 LOG

NOTE – Jesus instructs His disciples to take the “speck” out of their brother’s eye only when they can seeclearly. (v. 5)

QUESTION: How can one “see clearly?”

“Understand our Lord’s point, but don’t misread it. He is not saying it is wrong to help someone deal with a ‘speck’ that needs attention. What is hypocritical is to do so while denying the log(s) in one’s own life. Only people who keep short accounts of their own failures, sins, and weaknesses have earned the right to assist others with those things in their lives. Vulnerable, humble, transparent individuals make the best confronters.” Charles Swindoll

“Fancy a man with a beam in his eye pretending to deal with so tender a part as the eye of another, and attempting to remove so tiny a thing as a mote of splinter! Is he not a hypocrite to pretend to be so concerned about other men’s eyes, and yet he never attends to his own?... Sin we may rebuke, but not if we indulge it. We may protest against evil, but not if we willfully practice it…” Charles Spurgeon

“The Pharisees were great at censuring, but slow at amending.” Charles Spurgeon

Verse 6 is a jolting climax that shatters any false ideas of TOLERANCE. cf. A Right Balance

The believer & the Church must be morally & doctrinally discerning & discriminating. cf. 1 Pet. 4:17; 1 Cor. 5:9-13; 2 Cor. 6:14-16; 1 Tim. 1:3-7; 6:3-5; 2 Tim. 2:24-26; Tit. 3:10-11

QUESTION: What happens when we aren’t?

By speaking of “dogs” and “swine,” Jesus was instructing not to share God’s precious Truth with those who are antagonistic. i.e. “trample under their feet” cf. Matt. 10:14; Acts 18:5-6

Practical Application: 1. Eye and Log • Brother • Pearls

“I have no experience with it (the Koran) whatsoever, I only know what the Bible says.” Pastor Terry Jones

Article: “A New Generation Expresses its Skepticism and Frustration with Christianity”