Matthew - Week 18

Specks and Logs 

READ 

Matthew 7:3-5 

3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” 

It is easy to judge someone else, even a Christian brother or sister. Some believers are harder on others in the family of God than those outside of the family. Jesus reminded them to check themselves first. Jesus asked them to let Him help them with their own problems. One is not able to properly evaluate what others are doing if he has not looked at his own life first. 

REFLECT 

As you have been concerned about something a Christian brother or sister is doing, have you also examined your own heart in this regard? 

RESPOND 

Join with a fellow Christian and think about this passage in Matthew 7. Consider also that when participating in the Lord’s Table, the instructions given say that a believer must first examine himself or herself. See 1 Corinthians 11:23-32 for these instructions. 

Actions Not Motives 

READ 

Matthew 7:6 

6 “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.” 

For those people who think you should not judge anything, this verse poses a problem. One must judge what is “holy,” who is “unholy,” who are in the category of “pigs,” and what are “pearls.” This indicates one must judge, or evaluate, many things in this life, even in the Christian life. Sometimes in witnessing about Jesus it is useless to keep talking about Jesus to those who have blatantly rejected the message. What cannot be judged are motives; what can be judged are actions. 

REFLECT 

Have you had the experience in witnessing of being so flatly rejected by someone that there is no value in continuing to give the message? 

RESPOND 

Talk with a friend about the fact that Jesus sometimes spoke in parables to hide His message from those who had completely rejected it. See the reason Jesus gave the disciples why He spoke in parables, as revealed in Matthew 13:10-15. 

Keep on Asking 

READ 

Matthew 7:7-8 

7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” 

Jesus’ message to His followers was to keep on appealing to God for their needs. This is not a promise that He will answer frivolous requests that are not according to His will. He answers prayers that honor Him and His heavenly Father. This means you need to know what God’s will is so you can pray for those things that honor Him. 

REFLECT 

Have you ever made a study of verses in the Bible that tell you what God’s will is? 

RESPOND 

With a friend, examine some Scriptures that specifically refer to God’s will. See 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 5:16-18; Hebrews 10:10; 1 Peter 2:15; and 2 Peter 3:9. Are your prayers in accord with God’s will? 

Gift Giving 

READ 

Matthew 7:9-11 

9 “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” 

Jesus here drew a comparison to an earthly family and a heavenly Father. If children could trust parents to give them what is good, that should be expected of God also. If sinful people can do what is good, even more should be expected of God the heavenly Father.  

REFLECT 

Do you have confidence that God always has your best interests at heart and will give you what is best for you? 

RESPOND 

A passage that can be used in visiting the sick or just comforting believers is Romans 8:31-39. Nothing can separate believers from the love of God.  

The Essence of the Law 

READ 

Matthew 7:12 

12 “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” 

This verse is often referred to as “The Golden Rule.”  People should treat others as they would want others to treat them. Jesus referred to the Jewish Scriptures when He said this verse summed up “all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” After His crucifixion when He met two followers on the road to Emmaus, He also referred to the teaching of Moses (the law) and the prophets (see Luke 24:25-27).  

REFLECT 

Do these words of Jesus help you to understand the importance of the Old Testament? Have you read from it recently? 

RESPOND 

Jesus commented that the Golden Rule was the essence of what was taught in the Old Testament. See also Matthew 22:34-40 for His reply when He was asked about the greatest commandment.