Confession De-Planks Eyes

Fourth Sunday after Trinity
July 1, 2012

Confession De-Planks Eyes
Luke 6:42

Why did Jesus heal the physically blind? Part of the reason is to show the world that He can heal spiritual blindness. Only God has the power to fix eyes that don't work; only God has the power to let people who formerly couldn't see Jesus as their Savior, see Jesus as their Savior.

That's what we are from the beginning of our lives—spiritually blind, which means that we can't see Jesus for whom He really is.

But we're not like those who are visually impaired who can still use their other senses of hearing and touch and smell. Many of the spiritually blind can't detect Jesus as their Savior because they think they aren't blind. They imagine a Jesus that they like and they end up living in their own virtual reality.

And they only hurt themselves. They put on their goggles and see the Jesus they want to see. They see a virtual Jesus who never rebukes anyone. They see a virtual Jesus who never criticizes anything.

But those whom Jesus has restored to spiritual sight know that Jesus sharply rebuked those who lived in virtual reality. He called these spiritually blind people hypocrites, white-washed tombs (they looked good on the outside, but were rotten on the inside), snakes, vipers, foolish, and blind (Matthew 23; Luke 11). He said what needed to be said.

But those who are spiritually blind insist that Jesus wasn't calling them hypocrites. They insist that He was talking about judgmental people. But here's the thing: so-called non-judgmental people are judgmental. Let me unpack what this means.

Let's say there are three kinds of people:
(1) people who judge themselves and others,
(2) people who judge others, and
(3) people who refuse to judge anyone and who judge anyone else who does.

The first group of people are doing just as Jesus did and tells us to do. The second and third groups are both judgmental. You can see the difference in Jesus' words,

“How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.” (Luke 6:42 NASB)

Jesus begins by speaking to the judgmental crowd, “Don't you see the log that is in your own eye?” He's saying that they are blind. Some judgmental people are that way because they only see the evil in others and they are blind to their own wretchedness. Other judgmental people are that way because of their tolerance. They make themselves blind to evil, particularly the evil that is in them. Seeing evil in others only holds up a mirror to their own filth, so they don't want to look at all. All these spiritually blind people congratulate themselves on their fervor or on their tolerance. They are all hypocrites.

See what Jesus at the end, “Take the log out of your own eye and then help your brother.” How do you do this? By confessing your sin. This means that you judge yourself. Turn your hymnal to page 156. This section can give you a template on how to actually do this every day. Ask yourself the questions. Be honest and confess your wretchedness. Be bold and seek the Lord's forgiveness. It is yours for the sake of Christ and your Baptism in His name.

Christians judge themselves. They also judge others. When anyone tries to say that Jesus said not to do so, politely explain that “Judge not, lest ye be judged” is condemning those who judge others and not themselves and those who refuse to judge anyone, especially themselves.

We have to be clear-eyed about this. Every day must start with confession that de-planks our eyes. This isn't to get us ready for a day of judging others as we drive around in our judgment mobiles with our bull-horns. This is to get us ready for a day without virtual reality goggles on, so that we can see the world and ourselves and our Savior for who and what they really are. The world is wretched; so are we. Our Savior Jesus really did die for me and was punished for my wretchedness and blindness and judgmental and tolerant heart.

Take the plank out of your eyes. The only way is to gouge it out with the cross. It'll hurt. Judging yourself is painful. But it is also refreshing—no more excuses, no more rationalizations, just the truth. I was blind and now I see my Savior who died for me.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.