Beware of False Prophets
John McKain
Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets!! This is the message of our Lord in Matt. 7:15-20. And oh what a frightful warning it is. The multitude gathered on the hillside was viewed as sheep who needed a true shepherd; wandering sheep who needed to find the right sheep fold; lost sheep who needed to enter the narrow gate; wounded sheep who needed ministry. And our Lord says, ''Beware of false prophets!'' For if those searching souls continued to follow the shepherds in Israel, the Pharisaic religious leaders, they would miss the way into the Messiah's kingdom. Listen to what Jesus says:
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Scripture frequently refers to God's children as sheep; those who belong to God are called His flock. And folks, sheep need shepherds. One reason is that sheep are among the most unintelligent creatures God has created. A cow will come home, but never a sheep. Sheep seem bent on wandering aimlessly and would starve to death if a shepherd did not lead them to pasture. They would die of thirst if a shepherd did not take them to springs to drink. Perhaps that is why God has likened us to sheep. We are not independent. We are not self-sufficient. We cannot get along without a shepherd. We need the guiding counsel and care of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
But Jesus gives a warning, ''Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.'' Jesus says we have need of being on guard. We have need of being on watch. We have need of casting a wary eye.
There are two things that we shall do this morning. We will describe the false prophet and we will look at how to identify a false prophet.
I. First, a description of a false prophet.
The first thing that our passage tells us about the false prophet is that he or she is not easily discernible. The false prophet is a person who comes to us, and who at first has the appearance of being everything that could be desired. They ar ...
John McKain
Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets!! This is the message of our Lord in Matt. 7:15-20. And oh what a frightful warning it is. The multitude gathered on the hillside was viewed as sheep who needed a true shepherd; wandering sheep who needed to find the right sheep fold; lost sheep who needed to enter the narrow gate; wounded sheep who needed ministry. And our Lord says, ''Beware of false prophets!'' For if those searching souls continued to follow the shepherds in Israel, the Pharisaic religious leaders, they would miss the way into the Messiah's kingdom. Listen to what Jesus says:
(READ)
Scripture frequently refers to God's children as sheep; those who belong to God are called His flock. And folks, sheep need shepherds. One reason is that sheep are among the most unintelligent creatures God has created. A cow will come home, but never a sheep. Sheep seem bent on wandering aimlessly and would starve to death if a shepherd did not lead them to pasture. They would die of thirst if a shepherd did not take them to springs to drink. Perhaps that is why God has likened us to sheep. We are not independent. We are not self-sufficient. We cannot get along without a shepherd. We need the guiding counsel and care of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
But Jesus gives a warning, ''Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.'' Jesus says we have need of being on guard. We have need of being on watch. We have need of casting a wary eye.
There are two things that we shall do this morning. We will describe the false prophet and we will look at how to identify a false prophet.
I. First, a description of a false prophet.
The first thing that our passage tells us about the false prophet is that he or she is not easily discernible. The false prophet is a person who comes to us, and who at first has the appearance of being everything that could be desired. They ar ...
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