Sermon on the Mount
Pt 14
Beware of False Prophets
Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 "Therefore by their fruits you will know them. [NKJV]
OPENING REMARKS
I. Deception
No one likes to be deceived.
No one likes being taken advantage of.
No one likes being conned!
1. It does not matter whether it is our personal lives (family & friends), our public lives (work, politics, etc.), or our spiritual lives (religious beliefs).
2. Because we do not like to be deceived most of us will become knowledgeable of the many situations we may be involved in order that we may know what is going on.
3. However and unfortunately, this is not as true concerning our spiritual lives. When dealing with religious matters most of us are trusting individuals. We find it easy to trust those who speak on behalf of God. Our thoughts are: Surely, when someone speaks on the behalf of God – They Must Be Telling the Truth!
II. Unfortunately | Telling the Truth | that is not the case w/deceivers.
Beginning with
. Book of Genesis (Ch. 3 – The serpent was more cunning …)
. OT – Deuteronomy 13:1-5 [see below]; Isaiah 30:9-10; Jeremiah Chs. 5-23, etc.)
. NT era (Acts 20:28-31a [see below]; Romans 16:17-20; Galatians 1:6-10; 2 Timothy 3:1-14; 2 Peter 2:1-17 [see below]; Jude vv. 4-10 – called false prophets/teachers)
. Today (Jesus Seminar Group; Name It & Claim It; Liberal Denominations/Prominent Churches – denying the Word of God) theses present themselves as the messengers of God – yet their message has been found not to be totally truthful – just enough mixture of truth and error to sound plausible to the average hearer.
1. Moses warned against:
Deuteronomy 13:1-5
If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, [2] and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, Let us go after other gods--which you have not known--and let us serve them, [3] you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams … that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God … to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.
2. Paul warned against:
Acts 20:28-31a
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch[.]
3. Peter warned against:
2 Peter 2:1-17
But there were also false prophets among the people [those who heard the prophetic word – 1:16-21], even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them … many will follow their destructive ways … by covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words …These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, to whom the gloom of darkness is reserved forever.
NOTE: Be aware that false prophets/teachers have and do exist. Just as their message was convincingly cunning in the beginning – so too is it just as gullible today. It is an easy thing to be cheated by those who know how to cheat. THE BLIND WILL LEAD THE BLIND EASILY DOWN THE BROAD ROAD OF DESTRUCTION (Ch. 7:13) W/O ANY OBSTACLES AT ALL TO HINDER THEIR JOURNEY!
Matthew 15:10-14
[10] Then He [Jesus] called the multitude and said to them, Hear and understand:
[11] Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.
[12] Then His disciples came and said to Him, Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?
[13] But He answered and said, Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.
[14] Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.
TEXT
Matthew 7:15-20
I. Warning of False Prophets
1. Jesus warns us – Beware of them!
Calling these who deceive concerning the truth to be false prophets and warns us to beware of them.
15
Beware
. To take heed, guard, watch, keep yourself.
. The word is emphatic – a second person present active imperative verb. Means: You are to do this!
1) What is a prophet?
. One who foretells of things to come. A biblical prophet is one sent from God.
2) What is a false prophet?
. One who deviates from the truth in a deceptive way to fool the hearers of his message into thinking that God has sent him to deliver to them.
. Paul warns that such individuals, who are spreading a false gospel, are to be accursed –
Galatians 1:6-9
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves
1) Approaches Two Ways:
. Outwardly – Who come to you in sheep’s clothing
. Inwardly – they are ravenous wolves.
a) Outwardly: they come in sheep’s clothing.
False prophets/teachers outwardly appear as all ministers and sheep of God in their profession, behavior, call, position, and message. They come in a deceptive manner. Pretending to be what they are not.
John MacArthur
False prophets do not deceive the flock by impersonating sheep but by impersonating the shepherd, who wears sheep’s clothing in the form of his wool garments. Just as the ancient false prophets often wore the [same type] of garments of the true prophets, so false shepherds often disguise themselves as true shepherds [The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Matthew 1-7, 465].
2 Corinthians 11:12-15
But what I do [preaching the gospel of God – v. 7], I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
b) Inwardly: they are ravenous wolves.
False prophets/teachers inwardly they are found to be merciless and ferocious. Much like the rulers of Israel of old displaying the destructive nature of wolves with their prey.
Ezekiel 22:27
Her princes … are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people and to get dishonest gain.
II. How To Know False Prophets
1. Know What is Real.
A. A person’s basic character – his inner motives, standards, loyalties, attitudes, and ambitions – will eventually show through in what he does and how he acts [John MacArthur, p. 468].
B. The best way to tell a fake is to know the real thing inside and out. It is said that bank tellers are taught to only handle real money continuously. Then when they encounter a fake (counterfeit) bill they immediately know that it is not the real thing.
. This holds true for the believer as well [1 Thessalonians 5:21a] | Prove all things.
. This we accomplish by studying God’s Word [2 Timothy 2:15] and about His Word [2 Timothy 4:13].
Acts 17:10-15
… These [Bereans – v. 10] were more fair-minded [lit. noble (margin)] than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. …
1 Peter 3:15
… Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear[.]
2. Know them by their fruit.
16
You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
Matthew Henry
You cannot always distinguish [a tree] by their bark and leaves … but by their fruit ye shall know them. The fruit is according to the tree [A Commentary on the Whole Bible: Matthew to John, vol. 5, Reference Library Edition, p. 94].
John MacArthur
False prophets can disguise and hide their bad fruit for a while with ecclesiastical trappings, biblical knowledge, and evangelical vocabulary. They can cover it by belonging to Christian organizations, associating with Christian leaders, and by talking about divine things. But how they talk, act, and react when not in the view of Christians will eventually expose their true loyalty and convictions. What is in the heart will emerge, and corrupt theology will result in a corrupt life. False teaching and perverted living are inseparable, and eventually will become manifest.
John 15:1-8
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
Jesus’ Examples:
17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
. A fruit tree may be beautiful, decorative, and often pleasant shade in the summer. But its primary purpose is to bear fruit, and it is therefore judged by what it produces and not by how it looks. … Similarly a prophet – used in this passage … of one who speaks for God – is judged by his life, not simply by his appearance or his words. … A person’s basic character – his inner motive, standards, loyalties, attitudes, and ambitions – will eventually show through in what he does and how he acts [John MacArthur, 467-8].
. Occasionally a good tree may produce a bad piece of fruit here and there. However, overall their production of fruit is found to be of a good quality. But if bad fruit is constantly being produced the tree is said to be good for nothing. Such too are false prophets and as the bad tree is to be destroyed, so too, the false prophet.
CONCLUSION
The text has warned us to be aware that there are many false prophets (men & women) who are out to deceive and mislead you concerning Godly matters in relation to your soul. These charlatans care not about you. Instead their desire is to build their own kingdom, reputation, and legacy – (cf. Romans 1:18-32). Be aware of this!
1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
INVITIATION
Lost –
If you have found today that you have been following a false way – do not be ashamed but confess it unto God and seek His mercy through His Son, Jesus Christ.
I urge you today to come to God in repentance and faith. Repent of your sinful nature, way, lifestyle and trust by faith in the substitutionary work of Jesus Christ. As our hymn of dedication this morning says: Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus.
Believer/Church –
To you who know the Lord be on guard against false prophets/teachers.
I urge you too: Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus and seek God’s Spirit to guide you in His Word so that when you are confronted with either open or slight-of-the-hand deception you will be aware of it and able to stand against the wiles of the devil and his agents [Ephesians 6:10-12].
COME WORSHIP THE LORD
. Our Invitation is open to all:
. Come to Christ
. Come if you need to pray
. Come be a part of us
. Come share with us what the Lord would have you to do
Bruce Allen | Underwood Baptist Church | January 27, 2008
bea0210@hotmail.com | http://ebenezer.reformedblogs.com
