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1. When Theri and I went to the Grand Canyon, we were in awe by what one local referred to as "the pit". What we saw as grandiose, this person saw as a hole in the ground. We look to what is in the eye of the beholder.
2. When we went to the edge of the canyon (where there were railings), I noticed people dangling their feet over the edge of the canyon (where there were no railings). I saw one dad with a squirming two-year old draw near to a railing and I felt growing anxiety. I wanted to tell people how stupid they were. I wanted to remind them that certain death was inches away. Yet, I know that some thought similar things when I went scuba diving. We look to what is in the eye of the beholder.
3. When we come to church, we look at the way people dress, listen to how they speak, see who the spend time with, note how much they give, and how they live. Then, we think ourselves better than they are because we do not do it like that. However, we fail to see the truth of our own lives (and lies) when we are so focused on their issues – which are often less significant than our own. We look at what is in the eye of the beholder.

1. We see the things that we wish to see and avoid those things that make us uncomfortable.
2. We wish that people would exercise common sense. We make the somewhat snide comment, "There’s nothing common about common sense," thinking that we have cornered the market.
3. We, the beholders, tend to make comparisons. We try to embellish our successes and diminish our failures. We look at others, and diminish their successes and embellish their failures.
4. The question that we must face: "What does God see in our lives and the lives of others?"

1. Vv. 1-2 – "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you too will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
1. To what judgment does Jesus refer?
1. Eschatological, that is, final judgment
2. Temporal, that is, judging the action or attitude, not the person and/or intent
2. We reap what we sow
1. Others will judge us the way we judge others
2. God will judge us by the standard we use on others
2. Vv. 3-5 – "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank that is in our own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in you own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of you own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."
1. Speck of sawdust refers to something inconsequential
2. Plank is hyperbole for something huge
3. Jesus is making a point of contrast that is so disparate as to be ridiculous
1. A person cannot take a speck out of another’s eye if he is blinded
2. A person must be honest about what is in his own eye before helping another
3. Hypocrisy is the act of denial of what is in one’s own life while giving full assessment of what is in another’s life
3. V. 6 – "Do not give to dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."
1. To whom do the dogs and pigs refer?
1. The dogs is often a reference to the Gentiles (non-Jews)
2. The pigs are representative of all that is unholy
2. That which is sacred and the pearls refer to the gospel of the kingdom of God
3. There are two things of note in this difficult verse
1. There is obvious judgment called for
1. This discerning judgment is important to know the difference between what is clean and unclean (right and wrong)
2. Those that are outside the kingdom will often respond negatively to the gospel message
1. Treat it as nonsense
2. Become antagonistic and/or abusive to the messenger
2. We need to discern to whom we minister
1. Jesus ministered to people according to what they were able to understand
1. To Herod Jesus was silent
2. To the woman at the well He spoke of living water
3. To the Syro-Phoenecian woman He extended mercy
4. To the apostles He gave the keys to the kingdom
2. In ministering, our words must bring people to a greater knowledge of God’s purpose
1. His kingdom
2. His love, grace, and mercy
3. His holiness
4. His judgment

1. If we have a heart for God, then it is incumbent on us to have a heart for God’s people.
2. To do this we must be willing to see our own lives through the eye of the Beholder, our Lord, and Savior.
3. When we begin to see the truth of our need before God, we will begin to see that we are in the same situation as those that are around us – though the circumstances of our lives are different.
1. Something that helps me here is honesty
2. When we are dishonest we are hypocrites
3. When I am honest with myself before God, two things occur
1. I see that there is right and wrong
2. Having accepted that I am a sinner, I am able to minister God’s grace to other sinners
4. When we exercise discernment through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we recognize that we are not responsible for everyone.
1. This is tremendously freeing because it reminds me of two things
1. I am not God
2. People are responsible for their choices
2. This also frees me to minister the loving grace of God only to those that He brings into my life
1. This is sometimes difficult because I need to be walking with the Lord
2. It is always rewarding because I know that He is with me wherever I go

Conclusion: "You are the light of the world." We are to let our light shine before all people. Let us BEAM.

1. Behold the Beholder.
2. Embrace the Beholder by drawing His children near.
3. Allow God the opportunity to work His grace through you.

Maintain a walk of faith and faithfulness with the One that took your judgment that we might experience His love forever

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