The Sermon on the Mount: The tree, its fruit, and being known by God

In the twenty first of his series on the Sermon on the Mount, we examine what Jesus says about false prophets, and the fruit people produce via the life they live. Click here for the recording of this 8/3/25 Service, and you can fast-forward to 21:13 to get to the start of the sermon.

Our text comes from Matthew Chapter 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 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 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 the one 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; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

Introduction

• False prophets have been around since the OT

• They are largely motivated by 3 things- lust of the eye, lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, so says 1 John 2; money, power, sensuality

• They are given an audience by those 1- who lack discernment, 2- a knowledge of the Word, or 3- those who look for someone who tells them what they want to hear

Examining those who declare God’s Word

1. Do they know Jesus?

2. Do they know His Word?

3. Can they communicate it in an understandable way?

4. Do they live an authentic Christian life, according to the Word?

5. Do they lead their family well?

6. Is their life above reproach?

• Do you know enough about your pastor to answer these questions?  If not, why?

v15

• be on guard (prosecho) for false prophets (pseudeoprofetes- falsely proclaiming to speak by divine inspiration)

• They disguise themselves as something they are not- a wolf, dressed as a sheep

• What motivates the false prophet? Money, pride, sensuality

v16

• You will know (epiginosko- to fully recognize) them by the fruit (karpos- the extension of one’s life) of their life

• You don’t harvest grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles

  • Is the person proclaiming God’s word known by the hearer?

  • Does the prophet want to be known?  If not, why?

  • Does the hearer want to know the prophet?  If not, why?

v17-18

• The nature of the tree, produces the nature of the fruit

• Agathos- good, sapros- rotten

• good cannot come from bad, and vice versa

v19-20

• A lack of good fruit leads to destruction

• Thus,

  • It is assumed that a tree will bear fruit

  • the tree is known by the fruit it bears

v21

• Not everyone who calls Jesus “Lord” will enter heaven’s kingdom

• But rather the one who does (poieō- to do, make or practice) the will/desires (thlema) of my father in Heaven

• Talk divorced from action is not discipleship

v22

• Many will say (we can assume, on the day of accountability) “Lord, in your name

  • We prophesied (spoke your word, to your people)

  • We cast out demons

  • We performed miracles”

• They did all these in the name of Jesus

v23

• Then the Lord will declare

  • I never did, nor do I know you now

  • Go away from me, you who do the work of wickedness; you are banished

Putting this into practice

1. There is no substitute for the prophet to be held to the lens of Scripture

2. The genuine and false prophets will be shown for what they are, via the fruit they bear

3. The prophet will give account to Christ

4. There is often too much distance between the pulpit and the pew; is this by design?

5. Sooner or later, churches get the leadership they deserve (dobbins)