Read The Entire Sermon PLEASE!

Have you ever preached a sermon and someone quote you completely out of context?  Have you ever heard them quote you and you want to say, “That wasn’t ALL I said; and, furthermore, you’re quoting me incorrectly”?  If so, you’re in good company.  Jesus’ most famous sermon is often picked apart, quoted out of context, and cherry-picked to death!  By no means do I pretend to know the mind of Christ, but one would assume He is saying to a culture that loves to quote bits and pieces of Matthew 5-7: “Read the entire sermon!” 

Without a doubt, the most quote phrase in America today is taken from Jesus’ sermon.  It is found in Matthew 7:1: “Judge not, that you be not judged.”  Many pluck this verse away from its context and use it to justify their rebellion against God.  People who lie want to say, “You can’t confront me about my lie because Jesus said, ‘Judge not, that you be not judged.’”  People who cheat in business will say, “You can’t confront me about my crooked business practices because Jesus said, ‘Judge not, that you be not judged.’”  People involved in sexual immorality – be it pre-marital or extra-marital or homosexuality – will say, ‘You can’t confront me about my sexuality because Jesus said, ‘Judge not, that you be not judged.”  They quote Jesus as if He is standing in their corner, turning a blind eye to their sin – all because He said, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” 

Trust me, when people quote this verse to defend their actions, they are not interested in the words of Jesus.  That may be a bold statement, but here’s how I know it is true: THEY NEVER QUOTE ANYTHING ELSE HE SAYS IN THE SERMON.  Let’s just think of some of the truths Jesus spoke about in the Sermon on the Mount – the very same sermon in which He spoke the words “Judge not, that you be not judged” – and see if you can recall one instance in which the following verses are used by the people who cling to Matthew 7:1.

·         Matthew 5:10-12, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

·         Matthew 5:27-30, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.”

·         Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

·         Matthew 7:6, “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.”  This one is interesting.  Jesus just said, “Judge not, that you be not judged”, in verse 1, but then tells the disciples to avoid giving holy things to the dogs and pearls to pigs.  He is not speaking of animals; He is speaking of people!  Jesus calling people dogs?  Jesus calling people pigs?  QUESTION: How can you make that judgment if judging is wrong?

·         Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Wow!  In this sermon, Jesus covers a variety of topics: Hypocrisy, Lust, Adultery, Retaliation, Loving Your Enemies, Fasting, Worry, Laying Up Treasures in Heaven, and – most shocking to our society – HELL.  Yet, all we hear our society quote from this sermon is “Judge not, that you be not judged.”  I think our society would do well to read the entire sermon and quit cherry-picking the words of Jesus to justify their sin.  Just READ THE ENTIRE SERMON.