Big Idea of the Series: We can read the right Bible verse and still get the wrong message. This series is about slowing down, understanding the text in its context, and learning to read Scripture the way it was meant to be read. Hermeneutics: Learning how to read the Bible clearly and understand what the Biblical authors meant before deciding what the Bible means for us. We want to practice Exegesis over Eisegesis. Exegesis: “What does the Bible say?” Eisegesis: “How can I make the Bible say what I want?” C.L.E.A.R.: Consider what it says - Read the actual text carefully Locate where it sits - Passage, chapter, book, biblical story Explore their world - Culture, history, original audience Ask what it meant - Determine the original meaning Respond in ours - Apply that truth to our lives Matthew 7:1 NLT “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. The assumption becomes: Jesus prohibits making moral judgments about another person’s behavior. Matthew 7:1 NLT “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Matthew 7:15-20 NLT “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. Jesus cannot mean: “Never evaluate whether someone is right or wrong.” Matthew 7:1-2 NLT “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. Jesus is saying: “The standard you hold other people to will be the standard they hold you to.” Matthew 7:3-5 NLT “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye. Jesus isn’t prohibiting correction. He’s prohibiting hypocritical correction. Matthew 7:6 NLT “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you. Before I ask: “What’s wrong with them?” I need to ask: “What’s wrong with me?" Proverbs 27:5-6 NLT An open rebuke is better than hidden love!Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy. Check yourself before you correct someone else.