THE FRUITFUL RULE (6 OF 6)
Scripture: Matthew 7:15-23
This content is part of a series.
The Fruitful Rule (6 of 6)
Series: Rules for the Redeemed
Dennis Marquardt
Matthew 7:15-23
INTRO: Once when I was babysitting for my Uncle Harold and Aunt Betty I found a wonderful bowl of fresh fruit on their dining room table. Being hungry and seeing such delicious looking fresh fruit I grabbed an apple and was going to bite into it when I suddenly realized that this was no real fruit, it was wax!
It looked like the real thing, it was the right shape, the right size, the right color, it was even the right weight, and the waxing texture was perfect like a polished apple; but there wasn't any real apple substance to it! It wasn't fruit at all!
This is the way some professing Christians appear, they look real, talk like the real thing, they can even be in the same building as real Christians, even the ''texture'' of their lives appear similar to the real thing, but they may not have any real spiritual fruitfulness to their lives!
PROP. SENT: Christianity is much more than just believing the right things, looking like what other people think Christians should look like, it is more than just being at the church building when it is opened, it is more than just sitting in the pew or charismatic worship, it is true fruitful character! REAL CHRISTIANS have fruit that is evident to others, fruit that is consistent with being born again, having a new nature in Christ! You cannot be a real Christian and not produce real fruit!
I. FRUIT VS FAKE MATT. 7:15-20
A. Exterior Matt. 7:15
1. Jesus' point here about prophets who come in ''sheep's clothing'' is that they appear on the surface to be exactly what they say they are, shepherds who take care of sheep, they may even look like sheep!
a. Inwardly however they are ferocious wolves!
b. This news must have been unsettling for the hearers, if this is possible, then how would they ever be sure of having the genuine thing?
c. The real thing can be identified by the FRUIT that is evident in time!
2. This is ...
Series: Rules for the Redeemed
Dennis Marquardt
Matthew 7:15-23
INTRO: Once when I was babysitting for my Uncle Harold and Aunt Betty I found a wonderful bowl of fresh fruit on their dining room table. Being hungry and seeing such delicious looking fresh fruit I grabbed an apple and was going to bite into it when I suddenly realized that this was no real fruit, it was wax!
It looked like the real thing, it was the right shape, the right size, the right color, it was even the right weight, and the waxing texture was perfect like a polished apple; but there wasn't any real apple substance to it! It wasn't fruit at all!
This is the way some professing Christians appear, they look real, talk like the real thing, they can even be in the same building as real Christians, even the ''texture'' of their lives appear similar to the real thing, but they may not have any real spiritual fruitfulness to their lives!
PROP. SENT: Christianity is much more than just believing the right things, looking like what other people think Christians should look like, it is more than just being at the church building when it is opened, it is more than just sitting in the pew or charismatic worship, it is true fruitful character! REAL CHRISTIANS have fruit that is evident to others, fruit that is consistent with being born again, having a new nature in Christ! You cannot be a real Christian and not produce real fruit!
I. FRUIT VS FAKE MATT. 7:15-20
A. Exterior Matt. 7:15
1. Jesus' point here about prophets who come in ''sheep's clothing'' is that they appear on the surface to be exactly what they say they are, shepherds who take care of sheep, they may even look like sheep!
a. Inwardly however they are ferocious wolves!
b. This news must have been unsettling for the hearers, if this is possible, then how would they ever be sure of having the genuine thing?
c. The real thing can be identified by the FRUIT that is evident in time!
2. This is ...
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