“Judge Not”
a sermon based on 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
by Rev. Frank Schaefer

 “Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries.  Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.”
                 

Trustworthy! That’s a big word with a big concept. When the apostle Paul uses it in our Bible passage, he certainly had a good grasp of its concept. 

One of the things that came to my mind when thinking of “trustworthy” was a scene from the movie “Meeting the Parents” in which Ben Stiller as “Greg Focker” tries to become part of his fiancée’s family’s so called “circle of trust.” He tries so hard to be accepted by his future father-in-law that he messes everything up and finds himself outside of their circle of trust.

It’s true what they say—at least most of the time—blood is thicker than water. We may argue, even fight in our families, but when someone or something comes against us, we stand together as one.  I fought with my little brother a lot growing up,  but every time someone threatened him, I was there to defend him. I would have defended him with my own life.

St. Paul could tell stories of encountering the most trustworthy people as well as plenty of stories about people that had turned out to be untrustworthy—even if they were Christians. But Paul does not judge them; he rather cautions us not to make judgments and in that way be found trustworthy as well.

            In fact, in our reading for today, the apostle Paul wants us to take a perspective different from that of the world.  The world is so quick to judge, it’s scary.  The public can take on the role of prosecution, jury, and judge in an instant as the many examples of “fallen” celebrities have shown.  We don’t need to hear their side of the story. The world is confident in the judgment based on the “facts” from the tabloids.  You can be a shining example for all the world one day and--overnight--the same people that previously adored you, can condemn you roundly without bashing a lid.  That’s what happened to Jesus too:  he rode into Jerusalem with the cheers of the people all around him and three days later the same people shouted: “crucify him.”
            
The apostle Paul knew something about being judged too.  Can you believe that the very same churches he founded often times turned against him?  The church in Corinth (to which this letter is addressed) was one of the worst in this regard. That certainly explains his statement in our passage (Verse 3): “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.”

Paul is saying in other words: when you look at things, don’t just look at them the way the world looks at things—judgmentally. Look at them through eyes of faith.  Leave it up to God to judge.  I love the expression “to give someone the benefit of the doubt.”  I think had that expression been around at Paul’s time he would have added: “if you hear something negative about your brother or sister in Christ, don’t judge them, but give them the benefit of the doubt.”

Allow me to get a little personal here and ask this question: what do we see when we look at the church of Christ? What do you see when you look at a brother or sister?

Paul writes in Verse : “Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart.”

Just as Paul does in this passage, Jesus calls us as fellow disciples to love one another. But much too often the church acts like a dysfunctional family, where people act as “brother’s/sister's keepers" rather than brothers and sisters.

Have you heard the story of Mildred, the church gossip, and self-appointed monitor of the
church's morals?  She sure kept track of other people's business in church. Several members did not approve of her extra curricular activities, but feared her enough to maintain their silence. She made a mistake, however, when she accused Joseph, a new member, of being an alcoholic after she saw his old pickup parked in front of the town's only bar one afternoon. She emphatically told Joe (and several others) that everyone seeing it there would know what he was doing.

Joseph, a man of few words, stared at her for a moment and just turned and walked away. He didn't explain, defend or deny; he said nothing. Later that evening, Joe quietly parked his pickup in front of Mildred's house, walked home and left it there all night....

Shame on us if we look at each other and expect nothing more than what the world expects! Every time we do make an assumption about somebody from church; somebody who is your brother or sister, it should be a positive assumption; we should give them the benefit of the doubt; we should look out for each other, we should act like a family in the circle of trust and not wait for the next best opportunity to churn the gossip mill.  

Ninety per cent of the time, there is a perfectly logical explanation for our observation about our brother or sister. And even if there is sin or wrongdoing on their part, do you honestly believe that spreading the word about them is going to help them, or you, or God?  Most likely, you will only drive them away rather than draw them back to God.  Because, bad assumptions, gossip, and judgment hurt people’s feelings. And they hurt God’s feelings; these actions are sinful and hurtful.

The bad assumptions have to stop, the judgment has to stop in the church of Christ! That’s what the world does, but the apostle Paul is calling us to take a perspective of faith and leave the judgment to God.

Even when Paul speaks about the judgment of God he ends on a hopeful and positive note.  He says: “Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive commendation from God.”

The last statement he makes about God’s judgment process is that of receiving praise from God for the good things we have done.  Paul could have easily used the judgment concept in the manner of the “fire-and-brimstone” type of preaching and said something like: you will see, when the Lord returns, he will vindicate me and set the record straight.

Instead, Paul has positive words even for his critics and says: each of us will receive their praise from God.” Now that’s a non-judgmental Christian attitude exemplified!  I pray for all of us, myself included, that we will be able to show this sort of generous, gracious, and loving attitude toward all of God’s children.  Amen..