So our sermon text tonight is Matthew chapter 7.
Let me invite you to go there with me.
We've been looking at the teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount this summer.
This is probably one of the most famous sections of Jesus' teaching.
And tonight we're looking at chapter 7, verses 1 through 12.
So let me invite you to go there with me.
That's page 812 in the Pew Bible, if you want to turn there.
If you didn't bring a Bible with you, page 812.
If you don't own a Bible, feel free to take that Bible with you tonight
for your own study, for your own reading.
We'd be glad for you to have one.
So Matthew chapter 7, verses 1 through 12.
Jesus teaches his disciples this.
He says,
Judge not that you be not judged.
For with the judgment you pronounced, you will be judged.
And with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye,
but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother,
let me take the speck out of your eye when there is the log in your own eye?
You hypocrite.
First take the log out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
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.
Ask, and it will be given to you.
Seek, and you will find.
Knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives,
and the one who seeks finds,
and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
Or which one of you, if his son asks for bread,
will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?
If you then, who are evil,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father, who is in heaven,
give good things to those who ask him?
So whatever you wish that others would do to you,
do also to them.
For this is the law and the prophets.
Let's pray.
God, we thank you for your word.
And as we've just heard,
we want to ask and seek and knock
that you would open up this passage for us by your spirit.
Lord, and bless the words of my mouth
and the meditation of all of our hearts.
God, would it be pleasing in your sight, we pray.
Amen.
So chapter seven.
So at this point in the Sermon on the Mount,
Jesus is opening up, as you probably noticed,
a new topic, a new section.
The Sermon on the Mount starts back in chapter five.
And in that chapter, really as a whole,
Jesus is showing us how the life lived
in his kingdom of grace fulfills the Old Testament law.
Over and over and again,
he's showing us how the life that he's come to bring
is really the fulfillment of all of God's promises.
And then in chapter six,
Jesus went on to show us two things
about being his follower.
In the first half of chapter six,
he showed us how being his follower
makes us very different
than the religious people in our age.
He says that our spirituality
isn't about sort of trumpeting our righteousness
to be seen by others.
Instead, it's actually an intimate walk,
an intimate relationship with God as our father.
And then in the rest of chapter six,
he shows us how being his follower
makes us very different,
not just from the religious people,
but from the irreligious people.
He shows us that our ambition
isn't about building up treasures on earth
and trying to fight away
that residual sense of worry and anxiety
that we have by building up earthly material wealth.
He says, no, your ambition
is to seek first the kingdom
and his righteousness.
So Jesus in chapter six
has just finished teaching us
how we have a whole new spirituality
and a whole new ambition.
He's shown us how we're totally different
from the religious and the irreligious.
And now in chapter seven,
he's showing us
what relationships are meant to look like
for his followers.
how we ought to live our life together
as those who've been brought
into God's kingdom by his grace.
And we need someone to teach us
about relationships, right?
Because relationships are hard.
We step on each other's toes.
We offend each other.
We hurt each other.
We ignore each other.
We try to build friendships
and they fail.
We try to build marriages
and they get rocky
and they get bitter.
We try to build churches
and they split.
Relationships are hard, right?
I don't think any of us here tonight,
if we're being honest,
would say that relationships
are just an easy breezy thing
and that we've never encountered difficulty.
If that's you,
if you're thinking that,
I have nothing else to say to you tonight.
No, I'm just kidding.
I challenge you to look a little more deeply
at your life, at your heart.
I think it's clear from this passage
that Jesus doesn't presuppose
that life in his kingdom
is going to be all rosy, right?
He knows that there will be offenses committed,
wills crossed, feelings hurt.
There will be sin that has to be addressed.
Relationships are hard.
But if relationships are hard,
we know that they're incredibly important
at the same time, right?
I mean, in a certain sense,
life is about relationships.
Relationship with one another,
relationship ultimately with God.
This is how God created us.
He made us to live in community.
And that means to live in relationship
with flesh and blood other people.
Because in doing so,
isn't there something deeply spiritual about that?
As we live in relationship,
aren't we bearing the image
of our triune God?
The one God who eternally exists
in a threefold relationship
of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
God himself, this is what we confess,
is an essentially relational God.
That even without the world,
God existed in a perfect,
loving, holy relationship.
And for that fact alone,
aren't our relationships,
which are a picture of that,
incredibly important?
Aren't they freighted
with a spiritual significance
that we often underestimate?
But even more,
I would say that relationships
are important
because I think that loneliness
is one of the great pressing problems
for us today, isn't it?
Think about it.
Even more so in our technological age
when we can feel digitally connected
to everyone
and really connected to no one.
And out of that loneliness,
out of that lack,
or perceived lack,
of meaningful relationships
spring a whole host
of further problems in our life.
Just look at your own life.
When you're lonely,
aren't those some of your hardest times?
Not just emotionally,
but spiritually, morally.
So relationships are critically important,
and yet as we've said,
they're incredibly hard.
And so we need help.
And that's where our passage comes in.
Here's what relationships will look like,
Jesus says,
in my kingdom.
This is how you live
under my reign of grace.
And this is how you're going to be,
you,
my disciples,
my followers,
my church,
this is how you're going to be
a picture to the world
of a renewed humanity.
Under my loving rule,
by my spirit.
And in our passage tonight,
Jesus makes three big points
about relationships,
and we're going to walk through each one.
The first one's this.
And they're simple points.
The first one's this.
Don't judge.
Verses one through five.
Let's read them again.
Judge not,
that you not be judged.
For with the judgment you pronounced,
you will be judged.
And with the measure you use,
it will be measured to you.
Why do you see the speck
that is in your brother's eye,
but do not notice the log
that is in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother,
let me take the speck out of your eye
when there is the log in your own eye?
You hypocrite.
First take the log out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly
to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
Now,
what does Jesus mean
when he says,
don't judge?
Does he mean
that we should never distinguish
between what's right and good for us
and what's wrong and bad for us?
Should anything go in God's kingdom?
Well, no, right?
He clearly doesn't mean that.
Okay,
so let's go one step further.
Does Jesus mean
that we should never
look into the life
of another person
and point out
what's right in their life
and good for them
and what's wrong in their life
and bad for them?
Should we never do that
according to Jesus?
Isn't that what a lot of people mean
when they say,
don't judge?
It's amazing.
I think there was a time
when John 3.16
was the most known passage
in the Bible.
I think Matthew 7.1
is probably the most well-known passage
in the Bible right now.
Anybody in the street,
don't judge.
Right?
Is Jesus saying
we should never get that personal,
that engaged,
that into one another lives?
Well, I think it's clear
from the end of verse 5
that we actually should be doing that.
We should be helping
to take the specks
from our brother or sister's eye.
We should be looking
into their life
and helping them to see
how they can change
and become more like Christ.
So then,
what exactly does Jesus mean
when he says,
don't judge?
Well, I think it's clear
that he's forbidding.
What he's forbidding here
is a judgmental heart.
A condemning attitude.
The heart that in pride
looks at another brother
and sister in Christ
and condemns them
for sin in their life.
This is the kind of heart
that Jesus is forbidding here.
This is the kind of heart
that sees a brother or sister
struggling or failing
and says,
you call yourself a Christian?
How could you do
something like that?
And then,
begins to exclude them
or cut them out
because of that struggle
or failing.
I'd never go to church
with someone like that.
And what Jesus is saying
is that sort of
judgmental spirit
should have no place
in the community of disciples.
Flat out.
You know,
perhaps you've been
in a church
that's plagued
by that sort of attitude.
What Jesus says
in verse 2
is that
that sort of heart attitude
will grow
like wildfire
in a community.
You'll judge
and it will come
right back at you.
You'll measure someone up
and suddenly
you'll find yourself
being measured up.
And what happens
is that
what gets created
is this sort of
great big feedback loop
where over time
all that gets heard
in the community
is this obnoxious noise
of condemnation
as I condemn you
and you condemn me
and it grows
in this loud
obnoxious hum
and that's all we hear
rather than
the peaceful song
of the gospel.
Maybe you've seen this
in churches.
It's sad.
It's damaging
not just to the people involved.
It's damaging
to the reputation
of Christ.
Maybe you've seen it
in marriages
this kind of
judgmental attitude
where a couple
sort of
starts out well
in their relationship
but man
over time
they just end up
tearing one another down
and hammering
on one another
and condemning
each other's performance.
Sometimes it starts out
in seemingly innocent
sort of banter
or a sarcastic attitude
or sort of
a sarcastic
joking remark
and then it ends up
growing into the
deafening noise
of judgment
and condemnation
and suddenly
this marriage
this relationship
is like a battleground
with one side
just bombing the other
with an increasingly
short fuse
and an increasingly
quick trigger finger.
but Jesus says
no
this isn't
what it will look like
for you.
You won't be
self-appointed judges
casting your verdict
of condemnation
on everyone
who happens
to slip up.
No
you will be
not proud judges
but you are going
to be
humble
soul
spiritual
surgeons
helping each other
loving each other
in the struggle
against sin.
Jesus says
first
take the log
out of your own eye
and that's an amazing
word picture
we're kind of familiar
with it
but it's
you know
I wonder
if the first time
Jesus used that analogy
that people actually
had to laugh
because it's such
a ridiculous image
isn't it?
I mean
think about it
imagine someone
marching around
condemning people
for having specks
in their eye
while a giant beam
is waving around
in theirs
I mean
it's like something
out of Monty Python
right?
Walking around
saying
let me take that
speck out of your eye
after they keep
knocking people over
with this rafter
that's protruding
from their face
it's absurd
it's ridiculous
and Jesus is saying
it's about as ridiculous
as a judgmental Christian
take the log
out of your own eye
first
you know
realizing that
I've got a log
immediately
makes you humble
doesn't it?
it gets you
off the bench
the judge's bench
and if you take it out
with the help of others
no doubt
then it doesn't just
make you humble
but it makes you helpful
you'll be able to
actually then turn around
and do the gentle work
of loving
and correcting
and restoring
a brother or sister
who's stuck in sin
and this teaching
it just runs
throughout the New Testament
one example
the apostle Paul
picks up on Jesus' teaching
as he writes his letter
to Galatia
to the churches in Galatia
Galatians chapter 6
verse 1 says this
brothers and sisters
that is he's writing
to the church
just like Jesus
here in the Sermon on the Mount
you notice how many times
Jesus has brothers
in this paragraph
he's talking about
the church
this is an in-house issue
brothers and sisters
if anyone is caught
Paul says
that is if they're stuck
in any transgression
you who are spiritual
that is you who have
the Holy Spirit
who know what it's like
to have the log
taken out of your eye
which should be all of us
you who are spiritual
should restore them
in a spirit
of gentleness
that's our marching order
when we look at our
brothers and sisters in Christ
as we do life together
and as we inevitably see sin
in their lives
specks in their eyes
Jesus would say
that will trip them up
that will irritate them
that might eventually blind them
as we see those specks
in their eyes
Jesus says
you don't stand over them
and proudly judge them
nor do you ignore them
and walk the other way
no
you come alongside them
and you work to gently
restore them
now imagine
imagine
if that's what people found
when they spent time
in our community here
if that's what people knew
to be true
of Trinity
of our gatherings on Sundays
of our small groups
in particular
where we can get to know
one another
a little more deeply
of our one-to-one
friendships and relationships
that flow out
of our membership
with one another
what if people found
that to be the case
that to be true
of our community
that it wasn't a place
of judgment
like so many people
think Christianity is
but it was a place
of restoration
a place of spiritual healing
a place of spiritual help
what if they found people
who loved each other enough
to take the logs
out of their own eyes
and be the humble
soul surgeons
that Jesus calls us to be
that's what I need
and I'm not just using
the rhetorical I
here in my sermon
that's what I personally
Nick need
I need someone
who isn't going to condemn me
with a spirit of judgment
but someone who's actually
going to correct me
and be helpful
I can't see the specks
in my own eye
you can't see the specks
in your eye
I can't see them in my eye
but you know what
you can see them in my eye
and you can help
so this is point number one
as Jesus starts framing
relationships for us
Jesus is telling us
that when it comes to your
brothers and sisters
in the kingdom
you're not there to pronounce
judgment
you're there to offer
humble help
second point
is this
be
discerning
this is verse six
look there again with me
do not give dogs
what is holy
do not throw your pearls
before pigs
lest they trample them
underfoot
and turn
and attack you
okay
now this verse
is striking
on a lot of levels
right
striking level number one
it's pretty clear
that Jesus is calling
some people
dogs and pigs
okay
that probably challenges
some of our views
of who Jesus is
right
oh Jesus
meek and mild
he would never hurt an ant
and then he calls people
dogs and pigs
does that mean
Jesus doesn't love people
no
but I think we need
to come to terms
with who Jesus really is
and this becomes
even more shocking
when you consider
that in the first century
dogs weren't exactly
sort of cuddly pets
no one had a gold retriever
in the first century
that was neat
and you played fetch with it
and you took it to the lake
and it swam for you
right
no
dogs were these mangy creatures
that ran around in packs
in your city
and carried diseases
nobody liked dogs
so it's pretty bad
I think about pigs
I have a son
I have a three year old son
at home
you know
I think one of the things
you get as a three year old son
is like a farm set up
with little plastic pigs
and they're cute right
they roll around in the mud
they're really neat
look
a pig for a first century Jew
was like the definition
of something that was
ritually unclean
no Jew would have looked
at a pig and be like
oh cute
look it's rolling around
in the mud
no it was unclean
it was bad
okay you get the point
what the heck
is Jesus talking about here
what is he saying
about our relationships
here I think
is what Jesus is doing
in this verse
he is taking
an extreme case
and making
a general point
so he's making
he's making an extreme
sort of case
he's taking
an extreme case
and making a general point
here's the extreme case
that Jesus is laying out for us
he is saying
that there will be
some people
that you will share
the gospel with
that's the pearl
in Jesus' little parable
right here
the precious
beautiful
costly message
of Christ
there will be
some people
who will
doggedly
refuse
and reject
and renounce
and ridicule
all your
repeated attempts
to love them
and to share
the saving message
of Christ
with them
and Jesus says
for those who are
that
dogged
in their opposition
to me
then there comes
a time
when you sadly
need to invest
your energies
elsewhere
not that you hate them
not that you
scorn them
but you invest
your energies
elsewhere
of course
God can change
their heart
overnight
right
Jesus goes
right in
to start talking
about prayer
after this verse
I think that's
telling
and if God
does that
by all means
give them
the pearl
right
but there comes
a time
with some people
when sadly
you need to move
on
and invest
your energies
elsewhere
now
as I said
Jesus is talking
about an extreme
case
this isn't something
we're going to run
into every day
in John Stott's
commentary on this
passage
John Stott
he said that
in his entire
ministry
he only knew
one or two people
that he thinks
would fall into
this category
one or two
in his whole
ministry
now look
John Stott
was a pastor
of a church
in London
one of the
biggest cities
in the world
and his evangelistic
efforts took him
literally all around
the world
and if someone
like that says
I only know
one or two people
then I think
that should give us
a lot of pause
before we just
start writing
off our neighbors
right
no we shouldn't
be doing that
okay
but
the extreme
example
is meant
to teach us
a general
lesson
a general
truth
and the
general
truth
is this
that we
need to be
discerning
in our
relationships
in other
words
we need to
not be
afraid
to do
honest
spiritual
assessment
not in order
to judge
others
but in order
actually to
love them
think about
it
right
one of the
worst
things
that a
medical
doctor
can do
is give
a false
diagnosis
when my
brother was
in high
school
in his
sophomore
year
there came
a time
in his
sophomore
year
when he
was just
always
tired
always
fatigued
and was
not
feeling
himself
so we
took him
to the
doctor
right
my mom
took him
to the
doctor
and here's
what the
doctor said
you know
you're probably
just going
through some
growth
pains
drink some
protein shakes
get some
rest
and it'll
pass
well for some
reason that
didn't quite
sit right with
my mom
with my
parents
so they
took him
to another
doctor
and got a
second opinion
they ran
some tests
and found out
which is a
form of
cancer
had they
listened to
the first
doctor
who knows
what would
have
happened
but thankfully
we caught
it in time
the treatments
were successful
my brother's
been cancer
free for
over like
20 years
but here's
the point
if it's
that critical
that we get
an honest
and accurate
medical
assessment
how much
more
that we get
an honest
spiritual
assessment
I mean
if the
worst thing
that a
doctor
can do
is give
you a
false
medical
diagnosis
the worst
thing
that a
friend
can do
is give
you a
false
spiritual
diagnosis
if done
in humility
an honest
spiritual
assessment
is the
most loving
thing
that we
can receive
if I'm
dying
spiritually
and there's
a cure
I need to
know of it
one of my
pastoral
responsibilities
here at
Trinity
is to
give
leadership
and
guidance
to
our
youth
ministry
leaders
who
work
with
our
middle
schoolers
and high
schoolers
our
teenagers
and you
know
too often
what I
find in
youth
ministry
is that
kids
can get
categorized
as good
kids
you know
this kid
shows up to
meetings
he obeys the
rules
he's not too
rebellious
that kind of
kid is
supposedly a
good kid
but you
know what
that good
kid
apart from
Christ
is spiritually
dead
none of
his rule
following
none of
his
attendance
at our
awesome
Wednesday
night
youth
group
meetings
none of
his
outwardly
commendable
behavior
means that
he's in a
saving
relationship
with
Jesus
and if
all he
hears is
that he's
a good
kid
then he's
in a
very
spiritually
dangerous
place
he's been
given a
misdiagnosis
and he
will remain
sick
and be
headed
for death
friends
think about
your
co-workers
think about
your
neighbors
is there
someone who
actually
loves them
enough
to give
them
when the
time is
right
an honest
spiritual
diagnosis
now that
doesn't mean
we should
go bang
on our
neighbor's
door
uninvited
and call
them a
sinner
right
that's
probably
not the
most
helpful
way
to go
about
this
yeah
but in
your life
with those
outside the
church
are you
willing
am I
willing
when the
spirit
opens the
door
to say
that good
works
won't earn
God's
favor
and that
spiritually
speaking we
can never
be good
enough
and that
apart from
Christ and
what he's
done for
us in
love
we're
spiritually
dead
how about
you tonight
friend
has
has anyone
been that
honest
with you
are you
willing to
be that
honest with
yourself
the only
thing that
will take
away your
spiritual
cancer of
sin and
give you a
clean record
with God
is a saving
relationship
with Christ
how do you
get there
to get
there you've
got to
agree with
God's
diagnosis of
your spiritual
condition you
have to admit
that you're a
rebel against
God and
that that sin
leads to
death deserved
death and
then you need
to turn away
from trying to
be the king
of your own
life and
give your
life to
Christ to
trust in
him alone
for your
record before
God
and if you
haven't done
that then
there is no
amount of
rule following
or church
attendance that
will ever make
a difference
but if you
have done
that or if
you do
that even
tonight even
right now
then Christ
will accept
you and
make you
his own
and finally
for the first
time you'll
know what
it's like
to be alive
not just to
be sitting
here in a
body but to
know spiritual
life
the last
point that
Jesus makes
about our
relationships is
found in
verse 12
so whatever
you wish that
others would
do to you
do also to
them for
this is the
law and the
prophets
don't judge
be discerning
and now third
do to others
what you'd
have them do
to you
and isn't
this what we've
been talking
about the
whole time
I don't want
a proud judge
I want a
humble helper
right I
don't want a
false diagnosis
I want an
honest true
diagnosis
that's what I
want someone to
do for me
and Jesus
says exactly
do it for
others
be the
humble soul
surgeon be the
honest friend
and don't
just stop
there let
this principle
the golden
rule as we
sometimes call
it rule all
of your
relationships in
every aspect
that's the law
and the prophets
you know when you
study the first
century you find
that other
teachers in
Jesus day said
similar things
but they often
would word it in
the negative like
this don't do to
others what you
wouldn't want done
to you
but you see how
Jesus flips it
around he makes
it positive
do to others
what you would
have him do
to you
and doesn't
that make it
much more
radical
much more
comprehensive
much more
just mind
blowingly
applicable to
our lives
but you know
if we focus
for a moment
where Jesus
has put the
focus in
verses 1
through 6
don't judge
be discerning
if that's what
he's calling us
to do unto
others as we
would have
others do
to us
then I think
two things
become quickly
really clear
first
we absolutely
need to pray
that's exactly
what Jesus
points to in
verses 7
through 11
look there
it's as if
Jesus is saying
in context
you cannot
possibly do
this on your
own
you need to
bathe every
single relationship
that you have
in tremendous
amounts of
prayer
not sure how
to be a
gentle soul
surgeon with
your wife
or with your
husband or
with your
roommate or
with your
friend
Jesus says
ask
seek
knock
the father
is not
going to
give you
a stone
he's going
to give
you bread
not sure
how to be
discerning
with your
friends at
work
ask
Jesus says
seek
knock
your father
is not
going to
give you
a serpent
he's going
to give
you fish
look you
know how
to give
your kids
good gifts
how much
more do you
think the
father
in heaven
is going
to give
good
things
to those
who ask
him
you see
God wants
to be
at the
center
of all
of our
human
relationships
he wants
to be
the one
that we
depend
on
as we're
trying to
make our
friendships
work
and as
we're
trying to
make our
church life
work
and as
we're
trying to
make our
marriages
work
and our
relationship
with our
co-workers
work
and our
family
life
work
he wants
us to
be
utterly
dependent
on him
as we
move out
in those
relationships
he wants
us to
ask
and to
seek
and to
knock
so that
at the
end of
the day
we won't
take credit
for our
good
relationships
God
will get
credit
but secondly
as we
pray
we need
the gospel
after all
the reason
why we're
so
judgmental
why is
that
it's
because
we're
so
self
righteous
and on
the flip
side
why are
we
not
discerning
and
honest
isn't
it
because
we're
so
afraid
of
what
others
will
think
of
us
if
we
actually
tell
them
what
we
know
to
be
true
so
on
the
one
hand
we're
too
self
righteous
and
proud
and
on
the
other
hand
we're
too
afraid
what
on
earth
could
crush
both
pride
and
fear
at
the
exact
same
time
friends
only
this
the
cross
of
Jesus
Christ
what
does
the
cross
mean
what
does
it
say
on
the
one
hand
what
the
cross
says
is
that
I
am
sinful
beyond
degree
that
I
am
so
sinful
that
Jesus
Christ
the
eternal
son
of
God
had
to
die
for
me
in
order
to
restore
my
relationship
with
God
so
beneath
the
cross
there's
more
pride
how
could
there
be
self
righteousness
beneath
the
cross
there's
no
more
judges
beneath
the
cross
but
what
does
the
cross
also
say
the
cross
also
says
friends
that
I
am
loved
beyond
compare
that
so
great
was
his
love
for
me
that
Christ
was
willing
to
pour
out
his
life
gladly
to
die
for
me
and
that
means
that
beneath
the
cross
there's
no
more
fear
there's
no
more
being
afraid
and
worrying
what
others
will
think
because
now
you
see
what
God
thinks
your
creator
that
you
are
loved
with
an
eternal
costly
love
so
what
do
we
need
in
our
relationships
friends
we
need
a
cross
we
need
the
gospel
we
need
the
cross
and
that's
exactly
what
Jesus
has
done
for
us
so
in
his
kingdom
there's
no
more
pride
and
there's
no
more
fear
and
in
our
relationships
there's
finally
the
power
to
do
unto
others
what
we
have
them
do
to
us
not
to
judge
us
but
to
help
us
not
to
give
us
false
diagnoses
but
to
give
us
true
ones
and
friends
these
are
the
good
things
that
the
father
has
promised
to
give
us
through
Christ
by
his
spirit
so
let's
pray
father
indeed
tonight
we confess
that our
relationships
are hard
god
as we
think
about
being
spiritually
helpful
to
one
another
and
lord
as we
think
about
being
spiritually
helpful
in
giving
true
diagnoses
to
one
another
god
we
confess
that
we
are
out
of
our
depth
god
we're
too
proud
and
we're
too
afraid
so
we
need
your
holy
spirit
god
father
we
need
your
spirit
to
remind
us
and
to
make
the
cross
real
to
us
so
that
it
will
drive
out
our
pride
and
our
fear
so
that
we
can
be
the
kind
of
people
who
love
the
way
Jesus
calls
us
to
love
god
i
pray
that
would
be
true
of
all
the
churches
in
new
haven
lord
that
those
who
take
up
your
name
would
be
known
as
those
not
who
are
judgmental
but
those
who
are
actually
spiritually
helpful
that
we
love
one
another
even
to
the
point
of
helping
one
another
to
grow
and
pointing
out
one
another's
faults
humbly
and
lovingly
god
would
this
be
true
of
us
god
help
us
beneath
the
cross
to
take
the
lens
of
this
golden
rule
and
shine
it
on
all
of
our
lives
god
that
this
would
be
the
thing
that
drives
us
not
because
we're
trying
to
earn
your
favor
but
because
we
have
your
favor
and
out
of
love
and
response
to
you
we
go
forth
to
do
this
father
we
pray
this
in
the
name
of
Jesus
amen