"When the Church is Judgemental: a call to be good-judgers" (Series: "A Church Called Broken"

Click here to listen to the sermon, "When the Church is Judmental"

"When the Church is Not who they say they are: a call to obedience (Series: "A Church Called Broken")

Click here to listen to the sermon entitled, "When the Church is Not who they say they are"

Judge Not

This photo was taken by Stephanie Jager - it represents the series we're doing at Emmanuel, "A Church Called Broken".

I am preaching this week on Matthew 7:1-6, where Jesus tells people to "not judge". He uses the eye imagery, 'take the plank out of your eye so that you can see clearly to take the speck out of your brothers' eye'. So what are your thoughts about this text? What has your experience told you about 'judging others' or 'being judged'. How is the church doing in this regard?

The church has quite the reputation in the world for "being judgemental". Christians can be reminded by the world, or by fellow Christians, that we should not be so judgmental and even be reminded to "take the plank out of your own eye", or in other words, "you aren't allowed to judge me, look at your own crap instead". I am pretty sure that is not what this text is saying: I think Jesus is telling us to take the log out of own eye, so that we can be better at judging. The call here is not to be 'non-judgers', but to be 'good- judgers'. Being 'judgmental' would be a label given to someone who is bad at judging. Thoughts? Reactions?

If Jesus is saying that there is a good kind of judging that must take place, what would be the purpose or benefit, in your opinion, of this judging of others?