Wesley's 10th Discourse
- Pastor Gary
- 8 hours ago
- 20 min read
We are beginning a new sermon series based on the Sermon on the Mount. As part of this we will also be studying Wesley's original sermons. These sermons are a part of the rich history and doctrinal teachings of Methodism.
Below you will find a study guide our small groups and Bible study groups will be using during this series. Also there is an Ai translated version of Wesley's original sermon to aid in your reading (Wesley's Quotes and key ideas are in bold). Also there is a preached sermon video from youtube if you are like me and find listening as a better avenue for the content.
Keep growing!
SERMON 30*
UPON OUR LORD’S SERMON ON THE MOUNT
DISCOURSE 10
“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye. “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine; lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, who, if his son ask bread, will give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will give him a serpent? If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good gifts to them that ask him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.” Matt. 7:1–12.
1. Our blessed Lord, having now finished his main design, having first delivered the sum of true religion, and carefully guarded it against those explanations of men whereby they would make the Word of God of no effect, and having next laid down rules concerning that right intention which we are to preserve in all our outward actions, now proceeds to point out the principal hindrances of this religion, and concludes all with a fitting application.
2. In the fifth chapter, our great Teacher has fully described inward religion in its various parts. He has there set before us those dispositions of the soul which make up real Christianity, those tempers contained in that holiness without which no one shall see the Lord, those affections which, flowing from their proper source, from a living faith in God through Jesus Christ, are in themselves truly and essentially good, and acceptable to God. In the sixth, he has shown how all our actions likewise, even those that are indifferent in their own nature, may be made holy, and good, and acceptable to God, by a pure and right intention. Whatever is done without this he declares to be of no value in the sight of God; whereas whatever outward works are thus devoted to God are, in his sight, of great price.
3. In the former part of this chapter, he points out the most common and most dangerous hindrances of this holiness; in the latter, he urges us by various motives to break through them all, and to secure the prize of our high calling.
4. The first hindrance he warns us against is judging. “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Judge not others, that you be not judged by the Lord, that you bring not condemnation upon your own head. “For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged; and with what measure you use, it shall be measured to you again:” a plain and righteous rule, by which God allows you, in a sense, to determine for yourselves in what manner he shall deal with you in the day of judgment.
5. There is no state of life, nor any period of time, from the moment we first repent and believe the gospel until we are made perfect in love, in which this warning is not necessary for every child of God. For occasions for judging will never be lacking, and the temptations to it are without number, many of which are so skillfully disguised that we fall into the sin before we even suspect the danger. And beyond all description are the harmful effects produced by it, always to the one who judges another, thereby wounding his own soul and exposing himself to the righteous judgment of God, and often to those who are judged, whose hands are weakened, whose progress is hindered, if not entirely turned out of the way, and caused to turn back even toward destruction. Yes, how often, when this root of bitterness springs up, many are defiled by it, and by this means the way of truth itself is spoken against, and that worthy name by which we are called is blasphemed.
6. Yet it does not appear that our Lord designed this warning only, or even chiefly, for the children of God, but rather for those who do not know God. These cannot but hear of those who are not of the world, who follow after the religion described above, who strive to be humble, serious, gentle, merciful, and pure in heart, who earnestly desire greater measures of these holy tempers which they have not yet attained, and who wait for them while doing good to all and patiently suffering evil. Whoever goes this far cannot be hidden, any more than a city set upon a hill. And why then do not those who see their good works glorify their Father who is in heaven? What excuse have they for not walking in the same path, for not imitating their example and following them as they follow Christ? Instead, to excuse themselves, they condemn those whom they ought to imitate. They spend their time in searching out their neighbor’s faults, instead of correcting their own. They are so occupied with others going out of the way that they never enter into it themselves, or at least never make progress, never go beyond a lifeless form of godliness without its power.
7. It is to these especially that our Lord says, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the beam that is in your own eye?” You consider the weaknesses, mistakes, and faults of the children of God, but you do not consider your own condition—your deep impenitence, your pride, your self-will, your love of the world, which make your whole life an abomination before God. Above all, with what careless indifference do you go on, as if standing over the edge of destruction! And how then, with what grace or modesty, can you say to your brother, “Let me remove the speck from your eye,” when there is a beam in your own? “You hypocrite!” who pretend to care for others, and yet have no care for your own soul, who make a show of zeal for God, when in truth you neither love nor fear him. First cast the beam out of your own eye: cast out the beam of impenitence, and know yourself, see and feel that you are a sinner; cast out the beam of pride, humble yourself deeply before God; cast out the beam of self-will, learn to deny yourself and to seek the will of God; cast out the beam of love for the world, and seek your happiness in God alone; above all, cast out that great beam of careless indifference, and consider that one thing is necessary. Know and feel your true condition—that you are a frail, guilty creature, quickly passing away. And then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
8. But what is the proper meaning of these words, “Judge not”? What is the judging that is here forbidden? It is not the same as speaking evil, although it is often joined with it. Speaking evil is telling something bad about a person who is not present, whereas judging may refer either to the absent or the present. Nor does it necessarily involve speaking at all, but may consist only in thinking evil of another. Yet not all thinking evil of others is the judging which our Lord condemns. If I see someone commit theft or murder, or hear him blaspheme the name of God, I cannot avoid thinking ill of him; yet this is not sinful judging, nor is there anything in it contrary to love.
9. The judging which is condemned here is thinking of another in a way that is contrary to love, and this may happen in several ways. First, we may think someone to be guilty when he is not, we may charge him in our own minds with words he has never spoken or actions he has never done, or we may judge his way of acting to be wrong when in fact it is not; and even where nothing can justly be blamed, either in the thing itself or in the manner of doing it, we may suppose his intention was not good, and so condemn him on that basis, while God, who searches the heart, sees his sincerity.
10. But we may not only fall into sinful judging by condemning the innocent, but also, secondly, by condemning the guilty more than they deserve; this kind of judging is an offense against both justice and mercy, and yet it is one into which we easily fall unless we are filled with strong and tender love. Without this, we quickly suppose that one who is in fault is more in fault than he truly is, we undervalue whatever good is found in him, and we are hardly persuaded that anything good can remain in a person in whom we have found anything that is evil.
11. All this plainly shows a lack of that love which thinks no evil, which never draws an unjust or unkind conclusion from any situation whatsoever. Love will not conclude, from a person’s falling once into open sin, that he is accustomed to doing so, that he is habitually guilty of it; and if he was once habitually guilty, love does not conclude that he is so still, much less that, if he is now guilty of this, therefore he is guilty of other sins also. All these evil reasonings belong to that sinful judging which our Lord here warns us against, and which we are especially concerned to avoid, if we love either God or our own souls.
12. But even if we do not condemn the innocent, nor condemn the guilty beyond what they deserve, we may still not be entirely free from this snare; for there is a third kind of sinful judging, which is the condemning of any person at all where there is not sufficient evidence; and even if the facts we suppose are ever so true, this does not excuse us, for they ought not to have been supposed, but proved, and until they were proved, we ought to have formed no judgment at all; nor are we excused even when the facts admit of strong proof, unless that proof is brought forward before we pass sentence, and compared with the evidence on the other side; nor can we be excused if we ever pass a full sentence before the accused has spoken for himself, for even a Jew might teach us this lesson of justice, apart from mercy or brotherly love: “Does our law judge any man before it hears him and knows what he does?” yes, and even a Roman could reply, when asked to condemn a prisoner, that it is not their custom to judge any man before he has faced his accusers and been given opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge laid against him.
13. Indeed, we could not easily fall into sinful judging at all, if we would only observe that rule which another of those heathen Romans declares to have been the measure of his own practice: “I am so far,” says he, “from lightly believing what any man says against another, that I do not easily or immediately believe a man’s testimony even against himself; I always allow him second thoughts, and often counsel as well;” go, you who are called a Christian, and do likewise, lest the heathen rise up and condemn you in that day.
14. But how rarely should we condemn or judge one another, how soon would this evil be removed, if we would walk according to that clear and express rule which our Lord himself has taught us: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone,” this is the first step you are to take; “but if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established,” this is the second step; “if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church,” either to the overseers of it or to the whole congregation, you have then done your part, then think of it no more, but commit the whole matter to God.
15. But suppose you have, by the grace of God, cast the beam out of your own eye, and now clearly see the speck or even the beam which is in your brother’s eye, yet take care that you do not receive harm yourself while trying to help him; still “do not give what is holy to dogs,” do not lightly judge any to be of this number, but if it clearly appears that they deserve this name, then “do not cast your pearls before swine,” beware of that zeal which is not according to knowledge, for this also is a great hindrance in the way of those who desire to be perfect as their heavenly Father is perfect; for those who desire this cannot but desire that all mankind should share in the common blessing, and when we ourselves first receive the heavenly gift, the divine evidence of things not seen, we wonder that all do not see what appears so plain to us, and we doubt not that we shall open the eyes of all with whom we have any conversation, therefore we are ready to attack all we meet without delay, and to force them to see, whether they will or no, and by the failure of this unrestrained zeal we often suffer in our own souls, to prevent this wasting of our strength our Lord adds this necessary warning, “do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and tear you.”
16. “Do not give what is holy to dogs,” do not conclude that any deserve this name until there is clear and undeniable proof, such as you can no longer resist, but when it is plainly and unquestionably shown that they are unholy and wicked men, not only strangers to God but enemies to all righteousness and true holiness, then do not give that which is holy, the holy thing especially so called, to such persons, the holy and peculiar doctrines of the gospel, those which were hidden for ages and generations and are now made known by the revelation of Jesus Christ and by the inspiration of his Spirit, are not to be forced upon those who reject them and do not even acknowledge the Holy Spirit; not that the ministers of Christ can refrain from declaring them publicly, for they must speak whether men will hear or whether they will refuse, but this is not the case with private Christians, they are not under any obligation to press these great and glorious truths upon those who oppose and blaspheme them, but rather to lead them forward as they are able to receive it, not beginning with the highest doctrines of remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit, but reasoning with them in their own way, and upon their own principles, about righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come, which is the most likely way to awaken them.
17. “Do not cast your pearls before swine,” be very unwilling to form this judgment of any man, but if the fact is plain and undeniable, if it is clear beyond all dispute, if they do not even attempt to hide their condition but rather glory in it, making no pretense to purity of heart or life, but working all uncleanness with eagerness, then do not speak to them of the mysteries of the kingdom, of the things which eye has not seen nor ear heard, which therefore cannot enter into their hearts, since they have no spiritual sense by which to receive them, do not speak to them of the exceeding great and precious promises which God has given in the Son of his love, for what understanding can they have of being made partakers of the divine nature who do not even desire to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust; just as much knowledge as swine have of pearls, and just as much desire for them, so much knowledge and desire have they for the deep things of God who are immersed in the pleasures, desires, and cares of this world, therefore do not offer these things to them, lest they trample them under their feet, despising what they cannot understand, and speaking evil of what they do not know, and it is not unlikely that this would not be the only harm that follows, but that they would turn again and tear you, returning evil for good, hatred for your goodwill, such is the enmity of the natural heart against God and the things of God, and such treatment you must expect if you offer them the offense of trying to save their souls.
18. Yet even of these you need not completely despair, who for the present turn again and tear you, for if all your arguments and persuasion fail, there is still another remedy, and one that is often found effective when no other means succeed, and that is prayer; therefore whatever you desire or need, whether for others or for your own soul, “ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you,” the neglect of this is another great hindrance to holiness, for still we do not have because we do not ask, and how meek and gentle, how humble and full of love toward God and man we might have been by this time, if we had only asked, if we had continued steadfast in prayer, therefore now at least ask, and it shall be given to you, ask that you may fully experience and perfectly practice the whole of that religion which our Lord has here described, and it shall be given you to be holy as he is holy, both in heart and in all manner of life, seek in the way he has appointed, in searching the Scriptures, in hearing his word, in meditating on it, in fasting, and in partaking of the Lord’s Supper, and surely you shall find, you shall find that pearl of great price, that faith which overcomes the world, that peace which the world cannot give, that love which is the beginning of your inheritance, knock, continue in prayer and in every appointed way, do not grow weary or discouraged, press forward to the goal, refuse to take no for an answer, do not let him go until he bless you, and the door of mercy, of holiness, and of heaven shall be opened to you.
19. It is out of compassion for the hardness of our hearts, so slow to believe the goodness of God, that our Lord is pleased to expand upon this promise, and to repeat and confirm what he has said: “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened,” so that none need fall short of the blessing, and no one need be discouraged as if asking, seeking, or knocking might be in vain, only remember always to pray, to seek, to knock, and not to faint, and then the promise stands firm, more firm than the pillars of heaven, for heaven and earth shall pass away, but his word shall never pass away.
20. To remove every excuse for unbelief, our Lord further illustrates what he has said by appealing to what we experience in ourselves: “What man is there among you, who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone, or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?” will natural affection allow you to refuse a reasonable request from one you love, or to give something harmful instead of something good; therefore from what you know in your own hearts you may be fully assured that asking God will never result in harm, but will certainly bring good, for “if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven, who is pure and perfect goodness, give good things to those who ask him,” or as it is expressed elsewhere, give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him, in whom are contained all good things, wisdom, peace, joy, love, and all the treasures of holiness and happiness which God has prepared for those who love him.
21. But that your prayer may have its full effect with God, see that you are in charity with all people, for otherwise it is more likely to bring a curse than a blessing upon your own head, nor can you expect to receive any blessing from God while you do not have love toward your neighbor; therefore let this hindrance be removed without delay, strengthen your love toward one another and toward all people, and love them not in word only, but in deed and in truth; “therefore all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets.”
22. This is that royal law, that golden rule of mercy as well as justice, which even a heathen emperor caused to be written over the gate of his palace, a rule which many believe is naturally written on the heart of every person who comes into the world, and this much is certain, that it commends itself, as soon as it is heard, to every person’s conscience and understanding, so that no one can knowingly break it without condemning himself in his own heart.
23. “This is the law and the prophets,” whatever is written in that law which God formerly revealed to mankind, and whatever commands God has given by his holy prophets since the world began, are all summed up in these few words, they are all contained in this short direction, and this, rightly understood, includes the whole of that religion which our Lord came to establish upon the earth.
24. It may be understood either in a negative or in a positive sense; if taken in a negative sense, the meaning is, “Whatever you would not that others should do to you, do not do to them,” here is a plain rule, always ready at hand and easy to apply, in all matters concerning your neighbor, make his case your own, suppose the situation changed, and that you were in his place, and then take care that you do not allow any attitude or thought, speak any word, or take any action which you would have condemned in him if your situations were reversed; if understood in a direct and positive sense, the meaning is, “Whatever you could reasonably desire from him, if you were in his situation, that do, as far as you are able, to every person.”
25. To apply this to some clear examples, it is obvious to every person’s conscience that we would not want others to judge us, or to think evil of us without cause, much less would we want anyone to speak evil of us or to make known our faults or weaknesses, apply this then to yourself, do not do to another what you would not want him to do to you, and you will no longer judge your neighbor, you will not lightly or without cause think evil of anyone, much less will you speak evil, you will not even mention the real fault of a person who is absent, unless you are fully convinced that it is absolutely necessary for the good of others.
26. Again, we would want all people to love and respect us, and to treat us with justice, mercy, and truth, and we may reasonably desire that they would do us all the good they can without harming themselves, and that, in outward things, their abundance would supply our lack, their comforts would give way to our necessities, and even their necessities to our greatest needs; now then let us walk by the same rule, let us do to all as we would have them do to us, let us love and honor all people, let justice, mercy, and truth govern all our thoughts and actions, let our abundance supply our neighbor’s needs, and let us willingly give up our own comfort, and even what we think necessary, when it is required to meet the urgent needs of another.
27. This is pure and genuine morality, do this and you shall live; “as many as walk by this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy,” for they are the true people of God; but it must be remembered that no one can walk by this rule, and no one ever has from the beginning of the world, no one can love his neighbor as himself unless he first loves God, and no one can love God unless he believes in Christ, unless he has redemption through his blood, and the Spirit of God bearing witness with his spirit that he is a child of God; therefore faith is still the root of all, both of present and eternal salvation, and we must still say to every sinner, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved,” you shall be saved now, that you may be saved forever, saved on earth, that you may be saved in heaven; believe in him, and your faith will work through love, you will love the Lord your God because he first loved you, you will love your neighbor as yourself, and then it will be your joy and your glory to grow in this love, not only by avoiding what is contrary to it, every unkind thought, word, and action, but by showing all the kindness to every person which you would desire them to show to you.
Week 10 - Clearing the Beam
Walking in Mercy, Wisdom, and Trust
Scripture: Matthew 7:1–12
Wesley Text: Sermon on the Mount, Discourse 10
Introduction
By the time Jesus reaches this point in the Sermon on the Mount, He has already described what true holiness looks like on the inside (our hearts and motives) and on the outside (our actions and practices). Now, He turns to some of the greatest obstacles that keep us from actually living this way.
John Wesley reminds us that these are not small issues. Judging others, misdirected zeal, and prayerlessness quietly derail genuine faith. Jesus does not lower the standard—but He does show us a better way forward: humility before God, wisdom with others, persistence in prayer, and love that treats people the way we ourselves hope to be treated.
This week invites us to slow down, look honestly at our own hearts, and relearn how to live in grace with both God and neighbor.
GATHER
Purpose
To become aware of how easily judgment creeps into everyday life—and how it affects our relationships.
Personal Discovery
When you hear the phrase “Judge not,” what situations or people immediately come to mind?
Where do you notice yourself being most critical—family, church, work, social media, or community life?
How do you usually feel after judging someone—closer to God, or more distant?
Group Discussion
Why do you think judging others feels so natural, even for sincere Christians?
Wesley says judging harms both the one who judges and the one being judged. How have you seen this play out?
How does judgment differ from discernment or accountability?
GROW
Purpose
To understand what Jesus actually forbids, what He permits, and how prayer reshapes our hearts.
Summary
Wesley carefully explains that Jesus is not forbidding all moral discernment. We must recognize right from wrong. What Jesus condemns is unloving judgment—thinking the worst of others, assigning motives we cannot know, exaggerating faults, or condemning without evidence.
Jesus’ image of the beam and the mote confronts our tendency to fix others while ignoring our own spiritual condition. Real clarity comes only after humility. Only those who have faced their own sin honestly can help others gently.
Jesus also warns against misdirected zeal—offering deep spiritual truths to those who are clearly hostile or unready. Wisdom matters. Finally, He reminds us that prayer is not optional. Growth in holiness depends on asking, seeking, and knocking—trusting God’s goodness like a child trusts a loving parent.
All of this leads to the Golden Rule: treating others not as they deserve, but as we ourselves hope to be treated—an ethic rooted in grace, not self-righteousness.
Personal Discovery
Which type of judging described by Wesley do you most struggle with:
Condemning the innocent
Exaggerating the guilty
Judging without enough evidence
What “beam” might God be inviting you to deal with first in your own life?
How consistent is your prayer life when it comes to asking God to shape your heart—not just fix your circumstances?
Group Discussion
Why is humility a prerequisite for helping others spiritually?
How do we balance bold faith with wisdom when sharing spiritual truths?
What keeps people from asking God persistently for growth in holiness?
GO
Purpose
To practice holiness through mercy, prayer, and intentional love.
Take It Home – Mark of Holiness
This week’s mark of holiness is Merciful Wisdom—a life that refuses harsh judgment, seeks God earnestly, and treats others with grace.
Ask yourself daily:
Would I want to be treated the way I’m treating this person?
Scripture Readings for the Week
Monday: Matthew 7:1–5
Tuesday: Romans 2:1–4
Wednesday: James 1:5
Thursday: Luke 11:9–13
Friday: Micah 6:8
Saturday: 1 Corinthians 13:4–7
Sunday: Matthew 7:12
Memory Verse
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” — Matthew 7:12 (KJV)
Prayer Prompt
Lord, show me where I have been quick to judge and slow to love.Remove the beam from my own eye.Teach me when to speak, when to wait, and when to pray.Make my life a reflection of Your mercy, wisdom, and grace.Amen.
