https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/JumpingToConclusions.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n\tby Jeffrey W. Hamilton<\/p>\n\t
Text: Joshua 22:9-34<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nI. While we all wish to do what is right, at times our actions or our statements may mislead\nothers who see us.\n A. The 2 ½ tribes on the east side of the Jordan wanted a memorial to remind both\ntheir descendants and the descendants on the west side of the Jordan that they\nwere Israelites who worshiped God. They feared that the natural border of the\nJordan would cause the people to separate over time.\n B. The other tribes assumed these eastern tribes had set up an altar to replace the\nworship of God at the tabernacle. They prepared for war.\n C. However, before attacking, they sent delegates from each tribe to find out why this\naltar was built.\n D. When they heard the truth, they were embarrassed and thankful they had not\nattacked first and asked questions later.\n
II. When we interact with others, offenses will come<\/p>\n
A. Not that we want to offend, but we are limited creatures. <\/p>\n
1. We do not see everything. We do not know all.<\/p>\n 2. We are used to filling in the gaps in our knowledge by making\nassumptions.\n 3. But too often we take our assumptions as fact – especially if we had been\nmaking the assumption for quite a while.\n B. Nathaniel assumed nothing good could come from a miserable, small town such\nas Nazareth – John 1:46\n C. Some people seem to have their minds predisposed to oppose everything a person\nsays or does.\n
1. A single word is interpreted as harm – Isaiah 29:20-21<\/p>\n
2. How the Pharisees treated Jesus – Luke 11:53-54<\/p>\n 3. They have a morbid interest in disputes over words and controversial\nquestions – I Timothy 6:3-5\n 4. Some will find fault in the smallest thing a person does, not seeing the\ngrave problems in their own lives. – Matthew 7:1-5\n
D. Gather facts before making conclusions – Proverbs 19:2<\/p>\n
III. Brethren, we must not be faultfinders.<\/p>\n A. Yes, others have problems, but before we go to help them in theirs, we must first\nclean up our own lives.\n B. Galatians 6:1 – We go with gentleness, not to put down but to restore them to their\nproper position.\n C. Proverbs 17:9 – With love, we try to limit the impact of a brother or sister’s sin. \nToo many want to broadcast them as broadly as possible.\n 1. When fault is taken, we strive to straighten it out with the minimal\ninvolvement of others – Matthew 18:15-20\n 2. Love covers sins, not to hide them unresolved, but to fix them with as little\nembarrassment to the sinner as possible – I Peter 4:8\n
IV. It wouldn’t harm us to have a little thicker skins as well<\/p>\n A. Instead of assuming the worse, why are we not assuming the best of our brothers\nand sisters?\n B. Sometimes the problem is that a brother or sister needs a chance to grow –\nRomans 15:1\n 1. Perhaps this is the opportunity God has given you to gently lead a new\nChristian into greater maturity.\n 2. Perhaps if a younger, weaker Christian has a problem, the proper response\nis to remove the point of contention – Romans 14:13\n C. It is the idea of being tenderhearted (sympathetic) to one another – Ephesians\n4:31-32\n 1. We were told by our Lord to be peacemakers, not troublemakers –\nMatthew 5:9\n
2. We need to follow after the things that make for peace – Romans 14:19<\/p>\n
3. We need to clothe ourselves with compassion – Colossians 3:12-15<\/p>\n
D. Do not assume the worse, but the best of each other – I Peter 3:8-11<\/p>\n
V. How better can we end this lesson than with the words of Paul – Philippians 2:1-4<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Joshua 22:9-34 I. While we all wish to do what is right, at times our actions or our statements may mislead others who see us. A. The 2 ½ tribes on the east side of the Jordan wanted a memorial to remind both their descendants and the descendants on the west…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[713],"class_list":["post-52838","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-judging-others"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":60410,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/who-were-the-mighty-men-of-valor\/","url_meta":{"origin":52838,"position":0},"title":"Who were the mighty men of valor?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 20, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good morning, Who are the mighty men of valor in\u00a0 Joshua 1:14-15? Are they special skilled forces or just faithful men of courage and mental strength, who are willing to do what God instructs them to do? Answer: \"Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, \"Pass through\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":18701,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-the-twelve-jordan-crossing-stones-still-visible-today-at-gigal\/","url_meta":{"origin":52838,"position":1},"title":"Are the twelve Jordan crossing stones still visible today at Gigal?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 20, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Are the twelve Jordan crossing stones still visible today at Gigal? Answer: \"And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the LORD had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":33221,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-many-priests-carried-the-ark-of-god-across-river-jordan\/","url_meta":{"origin":52838,"position":2},"title":"How many priests carried the ark of God across river Jordan?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 11, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: How many priests carried the ark of God across river Jordan? Answer: In the building of the ark we find: \"You shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in its four corners; two rings shall be on one side, and two rings on the other\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":28321,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-happened-to-the-tribe-of-levi-during-the-captivity\/","url_meta":{"origin":52838,"position":3},"title":"What happened to the tribe of Levi during the captivity?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 7, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: When the northern kingdom went into Assyrian captivity, that left the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. What happened to the tribe of Levi? Did they go into captivity as well? Answer: The tribe of Levi's inheritance was scattered among the other tribes. Thus, you would expect the Levites to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2601,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-many-monuments-were-raised-in-joshua-4\/","url_meta":{"origin":52838,"position":4},"title":"How many monuments were raised in Joshua 4?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 27, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I'm a bit confused. How many monuments were raised in Joshua 4? I thought there were two, but my husband says there was only one. Answer: Perhaps outlining the events in chapter 4 will make things clearer: The people of Israel finished crossing the Jordan (Joshua 4:1) Joshua picked\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":28643,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-the-difference-between-hebrew-israel-jew-canaan-etc\/","url_meta":{"origin":52838,"position":5},"title":"What is the difference between Hebrew, Israel, Jew, Canaan, etc.?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 29, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: God promised to bring the people of Israel to the promised land, and the Jews went to the promised land, but wasn't there more people in Israel than just the Jews? Answer: I'm having trouble with your question because I think there are some problems with definitions. 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