Notes

What is a more terrifying thing than to hear from Jesus, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness" (Matt 7:23)? Probably...nothing. There is nothing worse. And therefore we should listen oh-so-closely when Jesus tells us to BEWARE. Beware the false prophets, who look like sheep (v15), and may even truly believe themselves to be real followers of Jesus (v22). Beware of them, and be aware--that we are not led astray by them...or that we ourselves are not them. But there is a problem-- they look like sheep. They (to some extent) act and sound like sheep. And they even do good works and mighty works in Jesus' name! How on earth are we supposed to know who is real and who is not?...And just for fun, let's add into the fray the fact that real believers are not yet perfected and can go through bad seasons and look like non-believers. Now we're nice and confused, but we can't afford to be. The stakes are too deadly. How will we recognize them Jesus?!? "You will recognize them by their fruits." (v16a, v20) Notice there are two references, because Jesus says this twice for emphasis. Good trees (healthy trees) produce good fruit. Bad trees (diseased trees) produce bad fruit. How do you know if a tree is good or bad? Not simply by the way the tree looks on the outside, because a tree that looks pretty and healthy on the outside can actually be unhealthy. You will know what kind of tree you have when you pick a piece of fruit and take a bite. It does not take long knowing someone to begin to see the fruit in their lives. The longer you know someone, and the closer you are to them, the more fruit you will see. What is the fruit that you see? Because no matter what the person looks like and no matter what they think of themselves, the fruit is the teller. False prophets may say and do things in Jesus name, but they do not do the will of our "Father who is in heaven." (v21) Perhaps you have a (very important) follow-up question: What is the good fruit?! What is the will of God the Father in heaven?! I think that the first answer is to keep reading God's Word, for the love of God's Word is one of the good fruits (Josh 1:8), and in it we find God telling us His will (which, if we are daily meditating on it, we will begin to know it enough to to have a red flag go up when we see something that doesn't align with it). So...Beware. Be aware. Be shrewd. Be Berean. Know God and His Word. May we not hear "I never knew you."

notes

3795 Notes 1230797987 1453753154 What is a more terrifying thing than to hear from Jesus, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness" (Matt 7:23)? Probably...nothing. There is nothing worse. And therefore we should listen oh-so-closely when Jesus tells us to BEWARE. Beware the false prophets, who look like sheep (v15), and may even truly believe themselves to be real followers of Jesus (v22). Beware of them, and be aware--that we are not led astray by them...or that we ourselves are not them. But there is a problem-- they look like sheep. They (to some extent) act and sound like sheep. And they even do good works and mighty works in Jesus' name! How on earth are we supposed to know who is real and who is not?...And just for fun, let's add into the fray the fact that real believers are not yet perfected and can go through bad seasons and look like non-believers. Now we're nice and confused, but we can't afford to be. The stakes are too deadly. How will we recognize them Jesus?!? "You will recognize them by their fruits." (v16a, v20) Notice there are two references, because Jesus says this twice for emphasis. Good trees (healthy trees) produce good fruit. Bad trees (diseased trees) produce bad fruit. How do you know if a tree is good or bad? Not simply by the way the tree looks on the outside, because a tree that looks pretty and healthy on the outside can actually be unhealthy. You will know what kind of tree you have when you pick a piece of fruit and take a bite. It does not take long knowing someone to begin to see the fruit in their lives. The longer you know someone, and the closer you are to them, the more fruit you will see. What is the fruit that you see? Because no matter what the person looks like and no matter what they think of themselves, the fruit is the teller. False prophets may say and do things in Jesus name, but they do not do the will of our "Father who is in heaven." (v21) Perhaps you have a (very important) follow-up question: What is the good fruit?! What is the will of God the Father in heaven?! I think that the first answer is to keep reading God's Word, for the love of God's Word is one of the good fruits (Josh 1:8), and in it we find God telling us His will (which, if we are daily meditating on it, we will begin to know it enough to to have a red flag go up when we see something that doesn't align with it). So...Beware. Be aware. Be shrewd. Be Berean. Know God and His Word. May we not hear "I never knew you." notes 10000000003795

Arc

editing

Matthew

Matthew 7:15-23

NT

esv

mine

"Beware of false prophets,

who come to you in sheep's clothing

(false prophets) look like nice people or God-fearing people

but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

concessive

ground

You will recognize them by their fruits.

You will recognize the false prophets by their fruits.

Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

(not really a question) Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles.

So, every healthy tree bears good fruit,

(In the same way) every healthy tree bears good fruit,

but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.

negativepositive

A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit,

nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

actionresult

comparison

Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

bilateral

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven,

but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord,

did we not prophesy in your name,

and cast out demons in your name,

and do many mighty works in your name?'

series

And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

situationresponse

ideaexplanation

progression

discourse

3795 Arc 1230797987 1453750309 editing Matthew 7 15 7 23 Matthew 7:15-23 40 NT esv mine i61419 i61420 i61401 "Beware of false prophets, i61421 i61402 who come to you in sheep's clothing (false prophets) look like nice people or God-fearing people i61403 but inwardly are ravenous wolves. concessive 2 ground 1 i61422 i61423 i61404 You will recognize them by their fruits. You will recognize the false prophets by their fruits. i61424 i61405 Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? (not really a question) Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles. i61425 i61426 i61406 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, (In the same way) every healthy tree bears good fruit, i61407 but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. negativepositive 2 1 i61427 i61408 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, i61428 i61409 nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. i61410 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. actionresult 2 negativepositive 2 1 negativepositive 2 1 comparison 1 1 i61411 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. bilateral 1 i61429 i61430 i61412 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, i61413 but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. negativepositive 2 i61431 i61432 i61414 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, i61415 did we not prophesy in your name, i61416 and cast out demons in your name, i61417 and do many mighty works in your name?' series i61418 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' situationresponse 2 ideaexplanation 1 progression ideaexplanation 1 1 1 1 esv 25 a 50 discourse 10000000003795