"Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven." —Luke 6:37
In these sermons, Alistair Begg reminds believers that instead of judgement, we should extend forgiveness and grace to others, just as the Lord has extended them to us. When we do this, we can introduce others to Jesus in love.
The Way We Were (Titus 3:1-3) — Listen | Download MP3
As Paul reminded Titus, living obediently and serving humbly is only possible by God’s grace. In light of this reality, teaches Alistair Begg, we need to remember our pre-converted selves when confronted by foolish and rebellious behavior. Rather than harshly admonishing the rebel, which only tends to alienate, believers should extend grace and share the Gospel in the hope that those who hear it will become committed followers of Christ.
Is the Exclusivity of Christ Unjust? (Acts 4:8-13, John 3:16-21, John 7:37-44) — Listen | Download MP3
Just as footsteps searching for solid ground shift unsteadily in soft sand, uncertain beliefs about the Gospel can create confusion regarding the firm foundation of God’s Word. In this message, Alistair Begg affirms the objective truth of the Gospel, whose validity gives us strength to stand firm as we reach out to others without arrogance or judgement. With sensitivity and humility, we can introduce others to Jesus in love, resting in the surety of God’s solid truth.
The Sulking Servant (Jonah 4:1-11) — Listen | Download MP3
One might think that Jonah would have celebrated after Nineveh’s miraculous revival. Instead, he bitterly sulked. Having been the recipient of God’s compassion, he still found fault and became angry with God for displaying the same divine grace to those he felt didn’t deserve it. As the Bible reminds us, though, God does not play favorites. His grace is for all—which, as Alistair Begg warns us, means that Christians are not free to choose “worthy” and “unworthy” candidates to receive it.
Measure of Measure — Part One (Luke 6:36-38) — Listen | Download MP3
Pride makes it easy to be harsh toward others’ flaws while ignoring our own. In contrast to this mindset, Alistair Begg draws our eyes to Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. In our personal relationships, Jesus instructed, we are not to condemn or judge, but to forgive. By showing mercy and forgiveness in our daily lives, we reflect our heavenly Father’s mercy toward us.
Measure for Measure — Part Two (Luke 6:36-38) — Listen | Download MP3
If someone jostled you, what would spill over—forgiveness and mercy, or bitterness and judgment? Challenging us to remember our own deep need for mercy, Alistair Begg exhorts us to mirror our Father’s mercy toward others. God has forgiven us an unpayable debt. Now, He asks us to forgive the comparatively smaller debts we are owed.