Sunday 2nd September 2007

Morning Service

Jesus – THE EARLY YEARS Jesus and Judgement

Luke 6:37-45“…Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye...” Vs 41

PSALM 108:1-5* (p. 146)

1 O Lord God, my heart is steadfast,

and with all my soul I’ll sing.2 Harp and lyre I will awaken,

and my song the dawn will bring.

PSALM 108:1-5* (2/4)

3 LORD my God, among the nations,

I will ever give you praise;In the midst of all the

peoplesI will sing of you always.

PSALM 108:1-5* (3/4)

4 For your steadfast love is boundless,

greater than the heavens high;

And your faithfulness towards us

reaches even to the sky.

PSALM 108:1-5* (4/4)

5 Far above the highest heavens

be exalted, O my God;And through all the earth

around uslet your glory spread

abroad.

Brief Prayer

Prayer of Approach to God

Children’s Talk

PSALM 96:7-11 (p. 358)

7 Do ye ascribe unto the LORD,

of people ev’ry tribe, Glory do ye unto the LORD,

and mighty pow’r ascribe.

PSALM 96:7-11 (2/5)

8 Give ye the glory to the LORDthat to his name is due;Come ye into his courts, and bringan offering with you.

PSALM 96:7-11 (3/5)

9 In beauty of his holiness,O do the LORD adore;Likewise let all the earth throughouttremble his face before.

PSALM 96:7-11 (4/5)

10 Among the heathen say, GOD reigns;

the world shall stedfastlyBe fixed from moving; he

shall judgethe people righteously.

PSALM 96:7-11 (5/5)

11 Let heav’ns be glad before the Lord,

and let the earth rejoice;Let seas, and all that is

therein,cry out, and make a

noise.

Prayers of Intercession

Followed by a Unison Prayer Seeking God’s blessing on the reading of His Word(See the back page of the news-sheet for the words of the prayer.)

UNISON PRAYER

Great Father in heaven, We pray that You would

incline our hearts to You,Bringing Your thoughts

into our minds each day.

UNISON PRAYER

We pray that You will open our minds to Your Word. 

Please unite our will to Your perfect holy will.

UNISON PRAYER

And please satisfy us with Yourself, above all other things. 

We ask this in Jesus’ name. 

Amen.

Scripture ReadingLuke 6:37-45

Jesus – THE EARLY YEARS Jesus and JudgementWhy do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye…?

Luke 6:37-45 (p. 1034) 37 "Do not judge, and you will not

be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.

Luke 6:37-45 (p. 1034) For with the measure you use, it will

be measured to you." 39 He also told them this parable:

"Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?

40 A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

Luke 6:37-45 (p. 1034) 41 "Why do you look at the speck of

sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

42 How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye?

Luke 6:37-45 (p. 1034) You hypocrite, first take the plank

out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

43 "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.

44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.

Luke 6:37-45 (p. 1034) People do not pick figs from

thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 The good man brings good

things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

PSALM 32:7-11* (p. 38)

7You are my hiding-place, O LORD,my true security.You keep me safe in troubled days;You circle me with joyful praisewhen you have set me free.

PSALM 32:7-11* (2/4)

8 I will instruct you by my wordand guide you in my way.

My counsel I will give to you;My eye will keep your

path in viewand watch you day by day.

PSALM 32:7-11* (3/4)

9 Do not be like the horse or mulewhich cannot understand; They must be curbed and kept in check As bit and bridle turn their neck,to go where you command.

PSALM 32:7-11* (4/4)

10 The wicked’s woes will much increase;but those who trust the LORDHis cov’nant mercy will surround.

11 You righteous, let your joy aboundand praise the LORD your God.

Sermon

Jesus – THE EARLY YEARS Jesus and JudgementWhy do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye…?Reading: Pew Bible page 1034-5

Jesus, Judgement, and Reality TV Luke 6:37 - "Do not judge, and you will not be judged.”

Are you hooked on The Apprentice, Big Brother, or X-Factor?

Why are these unscripted shows so popular?

Because we love to gossip, and we enjoy judging others???

Reality TV ???

1 – When it’s WRONGto Judge (37-38)

Jesus is not opposed to good sense, but he deplores a judgment that loves to condemn.

Grain in the lap – a metaphor of generosity.

How lavish are we with forgiveness? Too ready to find faults?

Lavish, generous

forgiveness

2 – When it’s RIGHTto Judge (39-40)

Jesus expects his followers to have biblical discernment.

Two metaphors: a blind leader, and an unteachable student.

Choose your teachers with great care. Don’t be gullible: think! A blind teacher

1 Kings 3 – Solomon’s Prayer

7 "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.

8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.

9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

3 – How to Judge Yourself (41-42)

(Jesus banishes hypocrisy) Jesus clearly used HUMOUR

to teach… the slapstick of an ophthalmic-surgeon with a huge plank in his own eye!

Such blindness is COMMON. We do not know ourselves!

Do you maximise the faults of others (and minimise your own)? Jesus unmasks

all hypocrisy

3 – How to Judge Yourself (41-42)

(Jesus banishes hypocrisy) The answer: know how to

examine yourself. Dealing with our “planks” is

very difficult… The difficulty is no

excuse to avoid the Lord’s Table, or to fail to repent.

Do we need to repent of a judgmental heart?

Jesus unmasks all hypocrisy

4 – The Judgement Others Must Form of You (43-44)

Always be recognisable as a Christian – your life is being watched!

Others will continue to form harsh judgements. Show them real fruit.

Show them what you grow from your heart (45). Jackfruit – an

abundant fruit in Asia

4 – The Judgement Others Must Form of You (43-44)

Listen to yourself today: The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45).

Remember – you need a Lord and a Saviour. Appeal to his mercy.

PSALM 67:1-7* (p. 84)1God be merciful and bless

us;shine upon us with your

face,2That the earth may know

your actionsand all lands your saving

grace.

PSALM 67:1-7* (p. 84)3 O God, may the peoples praise you; may all peoples sing your praise.

4 For you judge the nations justly, ruling over every race.

PSALM 67:1-7* (p. 84)May they sing with joy and

gladness;may they all rejoice as one.

5O God, may the peoples praise you

as they all unite in song.

PSALM 67:1-7* (p. 84)6Then the land will yield its

harvest;God will pour his gifts

abroad.7God, our God, will surely

bless us;all the earth will fear our

God.

God Calls Us to delight in

Christ and to Share His

Hope.

Join us for Tea & Coffee

Served now in the church

hall.