Fruit Inspectors And Architects

Can you imagine living without ever making a value judgment? Without ever having to answer a question? Without ever making a choice? Impossible? Ridiculous! Yet some would have us to believe that Jesus forbids all judgment. Today’s reading shows otherwise.

Matthew 7:18-28

Two kinds of trees, two kinds of people (v. 18-23).

• An immutable law of life: “cannot”.
• Therefore, you shall know the difference.
• Not everyone who talks about heaven is going there (v. 21).
• Many are deceived about their relationship to God (v. 22).
• It’s not that they lost their salvation; Jesus never did know them (v. 23).

Two houses, two kinds of lives (v. 24-29).

• Everyone’s a builder
• In every life a little (or a lot) rain must fall
• Whether you’re standing at the end or not depends on your standing with God
• God’s help, not self-help, is what we need

Luke 6:37-42

• Just as we shall be judged with the same yardstick that we use to judge others, so also will God fill our “basket” according as we have filled the baskets of others.
• When the blind lead, both leaders and followers will fall into the ditch. Blind religious leaders are a curse and not a blessing.
• Don’t think that you’ll ever be greater than God.

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