Do Not Judge and You Will Not Be Judged

In one paragraph

The message this past Sunday came from the middle of Luke 6, a few verses on judgment, condemnation, forgiveness, and generosity. The preacher walked through four commands Jesus gives in that passage and why they belong together. He kept it short on purpose, wanting those commands to settle rather than pile on more words. To set the passage in its right place, the preacher briefly retraced the...

Read together

1. Ezra 3:11 opening verse used to lead into worship: 'He is so good, His faithful love endures forever'
2. Psalm 23 quoted for comfort: 'even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil'
3. Psalm 4:7 referenced as 'this little psalm' about God giving greater joy than abundant harvests of grain and new wine
4. John 4 Jesus meets the woman at the well; 'whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst'
5. John 13 referenced as the setting for Monday night study: Jesus washes disciples' feet
6. Luke 6:20-26 the Beatitudes and woes from the Sermon on the Plain, read as context for the main passage
7. Luke 6:27-35 love your enemies, do good, lend expecting nothing in return
8. Luke 6:36-38 the main passage: be merciful, do not judge, do not condemn, forgive, give generously, pressed down and running over
9. Romans 8:1 quoted: 'there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus'
10. Romans 3:10 paraphrased: 'there is no one righteous, no not one'
11. Matthew 6:12 referenced as 'Lord teach us how to pray': forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us
12. 1 Corinthians 13 quoted: 'love keeps no record of wrongs'
13. James 3:17 closing verse: wisdom from heaven is pure, peace loving, considerate, full of mercy and good fruit

Talk about it

1. The preacher described how seeing Seth's Bible open with notes in the margins brought comfort to the family at the funeral. What has helped you personally when you have had to trust that someone's faith was real, even in a hard moment?
2. Jesus gives four commands in this passage: do not judge, do not condemn, forgive, and give generously. Which of those four is hardest for you to practice consistently, and why?
3. The preacher quoted the line from Frankenstein, 'I am malicious because I am miserable,' and connected it to the idea that we do not know what is going on inside another person. Has knowing someone's story ever changed the way you saw something they did that hurt you or others?
4. The sermon made the point that God is kind even to ungrateful and evil people, and that this is not divine approval but simply who God is. How does that picture of God shape the way you think about extending mercy to people who, in your view, do not deserve it?
5. The preacher closed by asking the congregation to think about offenses they are currently holding against someone, and said that holding an offense means you have already judged and condemned. Is there a situation in your own life right now where forgiving and asking God how to bless that person feels like a real next step, and what would make that easier or harder to take?