The King's Church in Ilford
Bearing the Fruit of Love
Matthew 7: 15-23
Introduction
In this passage Jesus calls us to be wary of false prophets. So, what is a prophet? A prophet is someone who hears God's words and communicates them to other people.
A false prophet claims to represent God, but does not come with the godliness that should be evident in one who walks with God. In both this passage and the parallel passage in Luke (Luke 6: 44-46) we are warned not to call Jesus 'Lord' unless we do His will. 'No Lord' is a contradiction.
This passage comes towards the end of the Sermon on the Mount and underlines some of the principles that Jesus has already laid down:
1. Righteousness - Matthew 5: 20. Our righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees. Firstly, our confidence is in the work of Jesus Christ, not in our own work. We are forgiven because He who was perfect suffered in stead of us. We are not forgiven because we do good deeds. Secondly, we are to obey not only the letter of the law as the scribes and Pharisees did, but also the principle of the law, which is love.
2. Integrity - Matthew 6: 1-18. We are warned that when we practice our devotions towards God: giving, fasting and prayer, we must not do so with the motive of receiving praise from people, but to please God. This is also true of our ministry.
The true disciple is in Christ
Jesus brings a similar teaching to this in John 15. Jesus teaches us to abide (remain) in Him as a branch remains in the vine. Any branch that has a healthy connection to the vine receives good nutrients from the vine and yields lots of delicious grapes. The branch that does not receive from the vine does not produce fruit and is taken away and burned.
If we are in a healthy relationship with Jesus Christ we should be receiving from Him. This will produce the fruit of love, kindness, godliness etc… which are in keeping with His character and flow from Him. If we are not producing love we have to question the quality of our relationship with Jesus.
The true disciple produces love
James teaches us that if there is goodness in our hearts then good things should come out of our mouths (James 3: 8-15). How can we bless God and curse people who He made in His image? How can a fountain bring forth both drinkable water and undrinkable water? If we are in Christ we should receive love, kindness and humility from Him into our hearts, out of that well of goodness we should bring forth praise, encouragement and loving truth. The false prophet has 'jealousy, bitterness and selfish ambition' in their hearts and out of that bring forth unkind words and deeds. 'Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks' (Luke 6: 44-46).
The true disciple's confidence and boasting are in the Giver, not the gifts
Let's be clear about what this passage doesn't mean. Jesus is not undermining the value of spiritual gifts and authority. These are established by God for the purpose of advancing His kingdom. Jesus Himself commanded the use of them. What Jesus is saying is that a person can have and use spiritual gifts and authority and yet be outside the whole value system of His Kingdom. There was an expression from the Old Testament 'is Saul also among the prophets' (1 Samuel 19: 20-24). Saul was known to be full of hatred and envy, yet God in His grace enabled him to prophesy.
Paul is careful to make it clear that spiritual gifts are to be used out of the motivation of love. In 1 Corinthians 12 – 14 Paul teaches that we should 'Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy'. Paul's great teaching on love is in the context of spiritual gifts. We are to use them 'for the common good' (1 Corinthians 12:7).
You will notice also that these false prophets did not come to Jesus on the basis of His work, but their work. 'Hey Jesus, take a look at how powerful our ministries are. Surely we deserve a place in heaven!'. Our place in heaven is entirely on the basis of God's grace in sending Jesus to take upon Himself the penalty that we deserved. Grace is the unmerited favor of God. We have done nothing to deserve our access into God's presence. We can add nothing to the work of Jesus that gives us that access. Jesus said "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven." (Luke 10: 20).
Let's face it, all the power and authority that we have is from God anyway, so how can we boast about what we couldn't do except for Him? Here are verses from a couple of great Hymns:
Forbid it Lord that I should boast
Save in the death of Christ my God
All the vain things that charm me most
I sacrifice them to His blood
(When I survey the wondrous cross – Isaac Watts)
I will not boast in anything
No gifts no power no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
(How deep the Father's love for us – Stuart Townend)
Paul states: 'God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1: 28-30).
The ABC to the discerning of false prophets
Jesus warns us to be on our guard against false prophets. So, how do we recognize them?
· Accountable to God, but not His people?: The Scriptures are clear that there is authority in the Church, God establishes it and other believers recognize it. Often a false prophet will avoid coming under the authority of a Church and it's leaders. Also, we are to give others room to test what we believe we've heard from God. If the heart is deceitful (and it is – Jeremiah 17:9) then we need to be humble in the bringing of prophecy, we could be mistaken about what we think we've heard. If we are quoting Scripture we can safely state 'this is the Word of the Lord'. If we are bringing prophecy we should say 'I believe God is saying…' and give space for leaders and prophets to test the word.
· Bruising words: Prophecy is from God. God is love. All prophesies are therefore rooted in love. Whether words of warning, of correction, of praise or encouragement, prophecies should always do people good. The word of God brings strength, comfort, encouragement (1 Corinthians 14: 3), and even conviction resulting in repentance. The goal is the good of the hearer.
· Chaotic relationships: A prophet who is a/ unaccountable to others in the Church, b/ not motivated by love and c/ bringing hurtful words to people and refusing to allow them to be tested, will of course produce a lot of damaged relationships, confusion and hurt.
The Bible tells us that the sign of Christian maturity is love (Ephesians 4: 11-16). Be wary of the person who comes claiming to speak from God, but their words are without care or kindness. Immature 'prophets' can do a lot of damage.
What are we to do?
· Let's be sure that we are genuine and bearing fruit. Let us abide in Christ. Let's give attention to our relationship with Him. Let's practice the 'secret devotions' of giving, praying and fasting for the sake of our relationship with Jesus, not in order to look good in front of other people.
· Let us give attention to the state of our hearts, the motivation of our words and deeds, and to obeying the will of our Lord and Saviour. If we have been speaking and acting out of hatred, envy, selfishness and other ungodly motives we need to repent. We need to turn to Jesus, throw ourselves on Him, and walk more closely with the Holy Spirit.
· We must 'Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy'. Let our motives in the asking for and use of spiritual gifts must be love. We use them out of the love of God and of people created in His image. We don't use them in order to gain recognition for ourselves.
· We must be cautious when we weigh prophecy. If the person bringing it is unkind and walking outside of the will of God the word may well also not be from God, 'Beware of false prophets'.
Matthew 7: 15-23
15"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16"You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?
17"So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.
18"A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.
19"Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20"So then, you will know them by their fruits.
21"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
22"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
23"And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
James 3
8But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
9With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;
10from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.
11Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?
12Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.
13Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.
14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.
15This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.
John 15
1"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
3"You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
5"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
6"If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
7"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8"My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.
9"Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.
10"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
11"These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
Matthew 5
20"For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 6
44"For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush.
45"The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.
46"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Psalm 19:1