SERMON NOTES WITH APPLICATION - "BE REAL WITH YOURSELF" - MATTHEW 7:1-7 (TPT)

Pastor William Mathis
1 minute ago
2 min read

New Series: KNOW YOUR BLINDSPOTS

“BE REAL WITH YOURSELF”

Matthew 7:1–7 (The Passion Translation)Year Theme: HIGH AND LIFTED UP

BIG IDEA (For Everybody)

Growth starts with honesty.You can’t heal what you won’t face.Blind spots don’t mean you’re broken—they mean you’re human.

Jesus isn’t canceling accountability.He’s correcting hypocrisy without self-awareness.

POINT 1: TEND TO YOUR BUSINESS (vv. 1–2)

What’s Happening

Jesus warns against biased criticism.Not discernment—judgment fueled by ego.

The same measuring stick you use on others eventually comes back to you.

Cliff Note (Plain Talk)

Be careful how harsh you are—that same energy finds its way home.

Practical Application

Christian: Correction without compassion isn’t Christlike.
Non-Christian: Constant criticism often reveals insecurity.
Gen Z Word: Mind your lane before policing others.
Black Community Word: We don’t heal by tearing each other down—we heal by being accountable with love.
This Week: Pause before critiquing someone and ask, “Is this my business or my projection?”

POINT 2: TRACE YOUR TRIGGERS (vv. 3–5)

What’s Happening

Jesus talks about blind spots—the stuff you can’t see but others can.The issue isn’t having flaws.The issue is ignoring them while magnifying others’.

Self-awareness is the prerequisite for healthy community.

Cliff Note (Plain Talk)

If something in others always sets you off,it’s worth asking what it’s touching in you.

Practical Application

Christian: Confession precedes correction.
Non-Christian: Triggers are teachers—if you listen.
Millennial Word: Self-work is real work.
Black Community Word: Healing ourselves strengthens the whole community.
This Week: Identify one recurring trigger and ask, “What is this revealing about me?”

POINT 3: TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO THRIVE (vv. 6–7)

What’s Happening

Jesus shifts from critique to discernment and prayer.Not everyone deserves access to your wisdom.Not every space is safe for vulnerability.

Then he says:Ask. Seek. Knock.

This is prayer as relationship, not transaction.

Cliff Note (Plain Talk)

Growth requires wisdom about where you give your energyand who you trust with your truth.

Practical Application

Christian: Prayer is partnership, not persuasion.
Non-Christian: Persistence plus discernment builds resilience.
Gen Z Word: Boundaries are spiritual.
Black Community Word: We protect our pearls while still believing in possibility.
This Week: Ask God—or reflect deeply—about where to invest your time, voice, and vulnerability.