Stepping In: Getting things started!
1 – Share something from the weekend message that really helped you.
2 – Have you ever felt “judged” by others? What happened? How did it make you feel and how did you respond?
3 – How is confronting a friend in love different from what we typically think of when we talk about judging?
Building Up: What is God Saying?
Read Matthew 7:1-2: The WAY we judge and WHAT we judge is something Jesus addresses in the following verses. What do you think He is specifically addressing in verse 1? What do you learn from verse 2?
Read Matthew 7:3-5: How do these verses reveal a serious issue in our culture when Christians come across as judgmental? How have “judgmental Christians” negatively affected your ability to share your faith with others? How can we keep from perpetuating the problem?
Read Matthew 7:6: What is Jesus saying here about judging?
Read Psalm 1:1-6: What do you learn here about the value of making good judgments? What is the downside of making NO judgments, especially regarding the people we allow to invest into our lives?
Read Galatians 6:1: What does this verse teach us about calling SIN, SIN and helping someone who is caught up in it?
Living Out: How do I obey?
1 – What are some things you could do to help you become more loving in your approach to those who are far from God?
2 – What are some things you could do to help a brother/sister in Christ get back on track if you see them going down the wrong road?
