Tri-Annual Singing!
February 21, 2026
7:00pm - 8:30pm
Category: Judging
Subject: Judging
Sermon: The Disapproval of God (Zephaniah)
A discussion of the book of Zephaniah reveals much about the behavior that disappoints God, and the judgment He visits upon those unwilling to submit to Him.
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Mining the Scriptures: Romans 2:1-3
After a lengthy denunciation of the sins of the Gentiles in chapter 1, the apostle Paul spoke plainly to his countrymen. While the Jews would quickly condemn such sexual immorality and idolatry in the lives of Gentile nations, the fact was the same types of immorality and idolatry had stained their own existence as a people.
It is the height of hypocrisy to condemn egregious sin in others when one is guilty of practicing the same evil. God judged the sin of the Gentiles in their rejection of Him. They “no longer retained God in their knowledge” (1:28), and as such were “deserving of death” (1:32).
Now consider the sobering nature of Paul’s question to the Jew, “And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?” (2:3).
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge you will be judged…” (Matthew 7:1-2a).
Mining the Scriptures: James 2:1-4
Here we have a general command of James, which is produced by the characteristic of love. If indeed we want to heed Christ’s imperative: “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12), James’ admonition must be obeyed. “…Do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.”
Although the context gives the example of material wealth (not preferring the rich man over the poor), there is nothing in the admonition which would limit it to this case. An understanding of Galatians 3:28, which affirms the value of every soul, shows that any partiality shown, whether it be wealth, gender, race or culture is in fact becoming “judges with evil thoughts.”
The gospel of Christ is for every man. All have the same value to Him, and so should have the same value to us. Those who are vulnerable, disenfranchised, poor, desolate — whatever their state — as we consider their souls, should be cherished by us.
Mining the Scriptures: 2 Peter 2:4-11
This section of Peter’s epistle uses several examples from scripture to note God’s judgment. First is the angels who sinned, of which we know little beyond speculation. However, this judgment seems to be the first meted out by God. We are familiar with the flood, and the judgment of the ancient world. Next are Sodom and Gomorrah, who God destroyed with fire and brimstone. He states these two cities serve as an “example to those who afterward would live ungodly” (6).
In the midst of such judgment of evil stood righteous men like Moses and Lot, who were oppressed by the evil which surrounded them. But, they were spared by God.
This is to let us know today that “the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment” (9).
As always, your standing before God and treatment by Him depends upon your own obedience or disobedience. God treats us all fairly because God is just!
The Patternists: Who Judges the Steward?
“Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord” (1 Corinthians 4:1-4).
In our text Paul reveals himself as a servant of Christ. Christ had given him a specific stewardship. As an apostle, it was his responsibility to reveal God’s mysteries. His efforts enraged some. For example, the Judaizers in the early church despised the great apostle’s ministry among the Gentiles. It didn’t bother him in the least. He didn’t care. It was a “very small thing.”
Sermon: Judge with Righteous Judgment
The lesson describes Jesus’ defense of His teaching and miracles at the feast of Tabernacles, in John 7:10-24
Sermon: Fall Meeting 2020, Jeremiah Cox
The following lessons were preached from November 1-6, 2020 during the West Side Fall Meeting.
Brother Jeremiah Cox is the evangelist for the Elm Street church of Christ in El Reno, Oklahoma. He and his wife Zoe and little girl Collins live in Yukon, OK.
Sunday Sermon in two parts
Boldness to Enter the Holiest (Hebrews 10)
Sunday Class
Asking for Wisdom in Faith (James 1)
Monday
The Defense for My Hope
Tuesday
Walking in the Light (1 John 1)
Wednesday
Memories from Home
Thursday
The Generic Jesus
Friday
If They Were Here, What Would They Say?
The Sad Reign of Hoshea
2 Kings 17 reveals Hoshea to be the final king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Israel had persisted in her idolatry and rebellion from the day she was established as a kingdom, as Jeroboam took the people away in rebellion against Solomon’s son Rehoboam.
Chapter 15 reveals that during the reign of Pekah, the Assyrians had come in, and raided the land, taking hostages back to Assyria. Only a short time later Shalmaneser, the king of Israel subjugated the nation, making a vassal of Hoshea, and imposing tribute money upon him (17:3). No longer was Israel a sovereign nation. When Hoshea tried to avoid paying the tribute, the conspiracy became known and the king of Assyria threw him into prison. (17:4). In the ninth year of Hoshea’s reign, with the king in prison, the Assyrians carried the people of Israel into captivity, and the nation ceased to exist.
This was the final end of generations of sin. While Hoshea’s reign was doomed to end in this way, (God’s judgment was inevitable), he was not faultless. He “did evil in the sight of the Lord” (17:2). Sin brings ruin, collectively and individually. It may be a slow descent into ruin, or a headlong rush, but the end is inevitable, as men rebel against the God of heaven. “For so it was that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God… until the Lord removed Israel out of His sight, as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away from their own land to Assyria, as it is to this day.” (17:7, 23-24).
May we learn from the sad example of Israel, and seek always to maintain faithfulness to the Lord. May we choose the way of righteousness rather than the way of ruin.
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Sermon: “Judge not that you be not judged”
Speaker: Josh Cox
This lesson discusses Jesus teaching on the subject of judging.
Sermon: Pride Manifested
Strife, worldliness, and judgmentalism are manifestations of pride, as revealed in James chapter 4.
Sermon: Investigation
God investigates us. We must investigate ourselves, and all things we involve ourselves with. We also are called from time to time to investigate others, all such investigation must be done with honesty and integrity.
The Patternists: Does Jesus Condemn Judging?
The answer to the question before us? Jesus certainly does condemn judging! Note Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” The problem is that people think the question to be simple, when it is actually more complex.
Jesus’ words in Matthew 7 are not a blanket condemnation of judging, or else we would have Him contradicting Himself. In John 7:24 he told the people “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
The context of Matthew 7 shows that the judgment condemned is hypocritical judgment. I look for the speck in my friend’s eye, when there is a plank in my own eye (vs. 3). We are to remember that any standard of judgment we use will “measured back” to us (vs. 2). Judging another in a small thing when I stand condemned in a greater thing is to be a hypcocrite, and brings God’s judgment upon me.
Consider however, the Christian needs to judge every day! Look at the very context of Matthew 7. Jesus told the people in verse 6, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine.” His admonition requires that one judge which men are dogs and swine. He also requires such judgment to be righteous.
In verse 15 Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets.” He went so far as to say that they “come to you in sheep’s clothing.” How can we identify them without judging? We can’t! Again, our judgment must be righteous. Remember Jesus’ words, “Do not judge according to appearance.” Instead, Jesus said in verse 20, “Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”
Jesus requires obedience from His disciples. Judging others when you yourself are not living in accord with His will is to act the hypocrite. When we of necessity do judge, we are to judge actions (as they relate to God’s will), not appearance or hearts.
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Sermon: Revive Me O Lord!
The Psalm indicates for us that God is able to revive us through His word, His judgments, and His lovingkindness.
The Kingdom Parables (Matthew 13:31-33, 44-50)
Lesson 7 of 8
Speaker: Kris Braddock
Five parables about the Kingdom of heaven are discussed, establishing truths about power, influence, value and judgment.
