INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• Silly warning labels illustration. http://www.rinkworks.com/said/warnings.shtml
• Some things we are told are not worth listening to.
• We looked at the two possible paths we can take in life. As we are trying to choose which path in life to take we will have many people trying to influence us to follow their chosen path.
• This is how this text ties into our previous text. We two possible paths and now we see we have two possible types of people from which we can receive counsel concerning which path to take.
• Ultimately we have to decide who we are going to listen to.
• There will be many who will try to give us advice as to what to do with our lives. There will be those who try to lead us down the wrong path.
• Some people will look like they have good advice for us to follow only to find at closer examination, it is not so good.
• Imagine you are hungry and you look at some fruit in a bowel on a table. It looks good so you decide to take a bite out of it only to find out the fruit was plastic.
• You would have saved your teeth had you taken the time to examine the fruit before you took a bite.
• This section of text is one that we must be careful not to just gloss over.
• This is a section of text we need to look at and take very seriously. What Jesus is giving us is not one of those silly warnings that we all laugh at.
• Let’s begin with verse 15
• SLIDE #2
• Matthew 7:15 ( ESV ) 15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
• In verse 15 we are given a warning to be heeded.
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
I. A WARNING TO BE HEEDED (15)
• How many of us have watched some of the infomercials late at night. The next thing you know you have bought some gadget that promises to change your life.
• One that sticks out in my mind was an abdominal machine that you wear around your waste that promises to take away that unsightly stomach. I watched a morning show where Good House Keeping tested this product only to find that it did nothing for you. The company is reviewing the product.
• I remember Rally’s hamburger commercial when I lived in Illinois that describes how their hamburgers were fresh. “FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY”.
• Remember the tie in with the verses we covered 2 weeks ago. As we are choosing which path we are going to follow, we do not want anyone to lead us down the wrong path.
• Jesus tells us that the false prophets are ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing. The word ravenous implies a wolf that loves to kill.
• In Jesus day a prophet was one who was a teacher. Jesus may have been speaking of the Pharisees but we do not know for sure.
• Jesus is telling us that we have to be careful not to follow the false teachers. A false teacher is one who teaches incorrect doctrine.
• These people are called false brothers (2 Cor. 11:26), false apostles (2 Cor. 11:13), false teachers (2 Pet. 2:1), false speakers, that is, liars (1 Tim. 4:2), false witnesses (Matt. 26:60), and false Christs (Matt. 24:24).
• In 1 John 4:1 we are reminded
• SLIDE #4
• 1 John 4:1 ( ESV ) 1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
• We are encouraged not to just believe everything we hear, we need to make sure we are not being fed plastic fruit.
• Paul’s last words to the Ephesian elders, when he met with them for a farewell on the beach near Miletus, included a somber warning about inevitable false teachers.
• SLIDE #5
• Acts 20:29-31 ( ESV ) 29I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears.
• The warnings against following false teachers are all over the scriptures, so the warning must be something important for us to consider.
• Today and in the past the false teachers have drawn in many people.
• We all kinds of people claiming to be the way to God. WE have groups who put on nice commercials who have drawn in many people, but they deny Jesus.
• SLIDE #6
• 1 John 2:22 ( ESV ) Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.
• It does not matter how or what a church does, if they are denying Jesus as the only way to get to God, they are promoting false teaching.
• SLIDE #7
• 2 Corinthians 11:14 ( ESV ) And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
• In the 1970’s, Jim Jones of the People’s Temple was a good example. Mel White in his book entitled “Deceived”, says the following concerning cult leader Jim Jones.
• He knew how to inspire hope. He was committed to people in need; he counseled prisoners and juvenile delinquents. He started a job placement center, he opened rest homes and homes for the retarded: he had a health clinic; he organized a vocational training center, he provided free legal aid; he founded a community center; he preached about God. He even claimed to caste out demons, do miracles and heal.
• There were countless church leaders, politicians including the President of the United States who praised Jim Jones for his work.
• There have been many who have died following a false teacher or prophet.
• We are warned against falling prey to those who do not teach the truth.
• How do we determine if someone is a false teacher? Jesus gives us the answer.
• Let’s look at verses 16-18
• SLIDE #8
• Matthew 7:16-18 ( ESV ) You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
• SLIDE #9
• This verse tells us that there is…
II. AN ASSESSMENT TO BE MADE (16-18)
• How do we tell if a person is a false prophet or teacher? How do we know if they are plastic fruit?
• It is hard to tell just by a quick glance. Jim Jones and most all false teachers do some things that look good on the outside.
• Jesus says that we will know them by their fruits. Fruit is usually a word used to represent what a person does. In Galatians 5:22-23 we have a list of the fruits of the Spirit.
• If you look at verse 16, you see that Jesus tells us that grapes are not found in the thorn bushes, but from a grape vine. Figs do not come from the thistles, but from the fig trees.
• Jesus says that a good tree produces good fruit and a bad tree produces a bad fruit.
• We have to be careful to understand that our works do not give us a ticket to heaven, but the works we do are a result of our relationship with Jesus.
• People who think they are good are good for their own benefit. They pride themselves on their goodness. They say that they do not need God or the church because they are good.
• A Christian is good because of what God did for them and they understand that even at their best, they do not deserve to go to heaven. They know that Jesus is the reason they will go to heaven.
• Our works will be selfless, they will reflect a servant attitude. We are not trying to bring glory on ourselves.
• SLIDE #10
• Colossians 1:10 ( ESV ) so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
• What we do springs from our heart, if the heart is good, the works will be good. If the heart is bad, the works will be bad.
• Have you ever looked at some of the artificial fruit you can buy for decorations?
• Some of it looks good enough to eat, but if you took a bite of it, you would be surprised.
• It is not what it appears to be.
• This is why it is important that as grow closer to Jesus. As we do we become more and more like Jesus and people will see it. When they examine us, they will see that the fruit we produce is good.
• If you do not let Jesus work in your life people will eventually see it.
• False teachers will be known by their fruit. When you are thinking of listening to someone about which path to follow, make sure they are not trying to feed you plastic fruit.
• People will know how we are by our fruit. This does not mean that we will be perfect; it means that the tenor of our lives will point to Jesus. We are good because Jesus is living in us and we give Him the praise and the glory!
• Outside of Jesus what we do is not good.
• SLIDE #11
• John 15:4-5 ( ESV ) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
• People who are not teaching the word of God are going to put people in a position they will wish they had no part of.
• This is found in verses 19-20
• SLIDE #12
• Matthew 7:19-20 ( ESV ) Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
• SLIDE #13
III. A FATE TO BE AVOIDED (19-20)
• Jesus tells us that the fate we want to avoid in verse 19.
• He tells us that the tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and tossed into the fire.
• What is He speaking of? Who is He speaking to?
• SLIDE #14
• John 15:6 ( ESV ) If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
• Jesus tells us that if we belong to Him, we will produce fruit that will show that we belong to Him.
• This is why the way that we live is so very important. Jesus tells us that if we are not producing fruit that we will be cut down and tossed into the fire.
• One of the subjects that people do not like to hear about is hell. Hell is an uncomfortable subject for many because it represents the fact that there is a standard and there is absolute truth and that we cannot just make up our own truth.
• Hell is a place reserved for those who choose to follow the wrong path, for those who choose to follow the false teachers.
• Hell is a place that you cannot con, talk or bargain your way out of.
• It is a fate that we should want to avoid. It is a fate that God does not want you to suffer.
CONCLUSION
• Jesus warns us to beware of the wolf in sheep’s clothing. Jesus warns us of the fate that awaits those who choose to not produce fruit. God loves you and does not want you to be one of the ones that is cut down and tossed into the fire. Be careful!
• Next week we are going to look at a passage that should put a chill into our spine.
