Here$Comes$The$Judge$Sunday,(April(7,(2013(

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(

Matthew(7:192((NIV)(

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Prophetic(picture((Elise):((When(zebras(stand(unified((in(a(cluster),(because(of(their(

unique(markings,(predators(have(difficulty(distinguishing(where(one(zebra(stops(

and(another(begins.(Due(to(the(optical(illusion,(a(lion(will(see("one(zebra,"(feel(

intimidated(by(its(size,(and(move(on!(What(a(beautiful(illustration(of(the(protection(

and(power(that(resides(in(believers’(stance(of(unity.(

(

The(Father(is(removing(unrighteous(judgment(from(our(relationships(

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Matthew(7:192(

• Judge&not((krino(kree,no)(–(this(is(where(we(get(our(word(critic;(the(focus(is(to(stop(separating(people(into(categories,(to(stop(discrimination(and(end(

prejudice(criticism(

• Jesus(is(referring(to(the(spirit(behind(judging—being(severely(critical(of(

others(

• It’s(like(putting(them(in(a(house(and(saying,(“This(is(where(you(now(live.”(

(

There(are(times(as(parents,(leaders,(friends(that(we(need(to(make(judgments(on(

someone’s(character(or(actions—the(goal(is(always(redemption(

(

Judges(in(the(OT((

• Earthly(representatives(of(God(

• They(didn’t(make(the(laws,(but(officially(upheld(the(law(and(avenged(crimes(

• The(Israelites(are(unfaithful(to(God(and(He(delivers(them(to(their(enemies(

• The(people(repent(and(ask(Him(for(mercy(

• He(sends(a(leader—a(judge—who(rescues(them(from(the(enemy(and(restores(

them(to(the(Father(

• Their(role:((Deliverer/Restorer(

• The(goal(of(righteous(judgment(is(deliver(and(restore(

(

Righteous*Judgment…*(

JUDGES(PEOPLE(WORTHY(OF(LOVE((

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Romans(4:8(–(“What(joy(for(those(whose(sin(is(no(longer(counted(against(them(by(

the(Lord.”(

• He(sees(the(sin,(but(because(of(His(love(He(doesn’t(charge(it(against(us(

( 2(

• As(Jesus(doesn’t(count(our(sins(against(us,(so(we(can’t(count(other’s(sins(

against(them(

• This(is(the(way(we(were(meant(to(live(with(each(other!(

• Your&Love&is&Everything(–(“You(keep(no(record(of(my(sin.((You(don’t(remember(all(my(shame.”(

(

John(8:3911(

• Jesus(said,(“Let(those(who(have(never(sinned(throw(the(first(stones!”(

• Jesus(didn’t(avoid(the(issue,(but(told(her(to(leave(her(life(of(sin(

• By(law(she(was(guilty,(but(by(love(she(was(released(

• Whose(solution(brought(deliverance(and(restoration?(

(

Love(can(acknowledge(sin(and(erase(it(through(forgiveness(before(it(gets(lodged(in(

the(heart(

• 1(Peter(4:8(–(love(covers(a(multitude(of(sin(

• Let(God(transform(the(way(you(think(about(people(and(the(things(they(do(

• Alice(Hetrick(–(forgave(her(son’s(killer(

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Judgment(builds(walls—love(builds(bridges(

(

(

DOESN’T(KEEP(RECORDS((

(

1(Corinthians(13:5(–(“(Love)(keeps(no(record(of(wrongs.”(

(

Update(your(files(on(people(

• You(can’t(update(them(if(you(keep(focusing(on(the(negative(

• 2(Corinthians(4:18(–(We(fix(our(eyes(not(on(what(is(seen((what’s(right(in(front(

of(me),(but(on(what(is(unseen((what(the(Father(is(doing(or(saying)(

• Jeremiah(4:14(–(“How(long(will(you(allow(these(grossly(offensive(thoughts(to(

lodge(within(you?”(

• I’m(grateful(for(relationships(where(people(don’t(put(me(in(categories(

(

Don’t(keep(a(record(of(wrongs(against(yourself!(

(

Don’t(keep(a(record(of(all(you’ve(done(right(either(

• Judgment(comes(when(we(think(we(know(the(better(way(

(

(

BEARS(WITH(ONE(ANOTHER((

(

Ephesians(4:2((AMP)(–(Live(“with(patience,(bearing(with(one(another(and(making(

allowances(because(you(love(one(another.”((

• Bearing&with(–(to(put(up(with(

( 3(

• Doesn’t(mean(we(excuse(wrong(behavior((ignoring(it(doesn’t(help)—it(means(

we(allow(each(other(to(be(less(than(perfect((

• Our(words(and(attitudes(say,(“I(won’t(give(up(on(you.((I(will(work(through(this(

with(you(and(believe(in(you.”((

• When(we(love(someone,(we(accept(all(of(them—the(good(and(not(so(good(

(

James(5:9(–(“Don’t(grumble(against(one(another…or(you(will(be(judged”(

• Greek(is(literally(“groan”:(a(half9suppressed(murmur(of(impatience(and(harsh(

judgment,(not(uttered(aloud.(((

• When(we(grumble(against(each(other(we(are(judging(and(will(be(judged(

(

Ephesians(4:3((Combination)(–(“Earnestly(guard(the(harmony(and(oneness,(pouring(

yourselves(out(in(acts(of(love,(alert(at(noticing(differences(and(quick(at(mending(

fences.”(

(

What(would(you(like(someone(to(do(with(your(faults?(

• Noah(and(his(sons(

• They(were(aware(of(his(nakedness,(but(chose(to(not(focus(on(it—rather(they(

covered(him.(

(

(

BELIEVES(THE(BEST(

(

1(Corinthians(13:7((AMP)(–(Love(is(“ever(ready(to(believe(the(best(of(every(person”(

(

In(The&Shack,(Mack(is(asked(by(a(heavenly(being(to(sit(in(the(Judge’s(seat((pg.(158).(• “Judging(requires(that(you(think(yourself(superior(over(the(one(you(judge.”(

(The&Shack)((

1(Samuel(16:7(–(“Man(looks(at(the(outward(appearance,(but(the(Lord(looks(at(the(

heart.”(

• People(should(be(judged(not(by(outward(appearance,(but(by(their(essential(

worth(

(

The(Lord(is(removing(the(spirit(of(performance(and(spirit(of(perfection(that(says(you(

have(to(get(it(just(right(every(time(

• We’re(not(always(going(to(score(a(perfect(10(in(how(we(handle(things(

• Out(of(relationship,(look(at(the(heart—if(their(heart(is(impure,(love(them(

enough(to(call(them(up(and(redeem(them(

• Out(of(relationship,(look(at(the(heart—if(their(heart(is(pure,(love(them(enough(

to(extend(grace(for(not(saying(the(right(words(or(handling(it(perfectly((

• Walking(away(from(relationships/church(because(of(disagreements((

• Family(says,(“How(can(we(work(through(this?”(

• We(can(disagree(and(still(walk(together(