- Who are some of your favorite preachers or teachers to listen to and learn from? What do you like about them?
As we continue our study of Matthew chapter 7 and near the conclusion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, we see that Jesus gives His listeners a couple of stern warnings. In the preceding verses, Jesus compares salvation to a narrow gate, saying in verse 14, “Those who find it are few.” We pick it up from there in verses 15-20.
Matthew 7:15-20 says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 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. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”
This warning from Christ has to do with prophets or, in our context today, we could call them teachers. The idea of an Old Testament prophet, to most people, is usually someone who foretells the future. It is someone who can predict and say, from God, what is going to happen. In reality though, more than anything, most prophets forth-tell. The one who fore-tells looks to the future and makes a prediction, but a forth-teller speaks on behalf of God.
- What has your understanding of a prophet been? Is it a fore-teller or a forth-teller? What difference might it make in your understanding of the role of a prophet?
- Where does a forth-teller of God’s Word receive their authority today? Is it from themselves or another source? Why is that important?
In verse 15, Jesus warns of false prophets that come in sheep’s clothing, but the key is the word “inwardly.” The inward part of a person reveals their true character. Someone might be able to put on a good show and say all the right things, but who are they deep down? What are their motivations? Who are they seeking to honor, themselves or the Lord?
The idea of a ravenous wolf is one that is seeking to devour. It is not a pretty picture. However, that is how Jesus describes false prophets. They are those who take the teachings of Jesus and leverage them for personal gain. They care more for themselves than for those they are teaching. Jon Courson says, “They will seek to draw men after themselves instead of pointing them to Jesus.” False teachers seek to draw an audience for themselves, while true teachers continually point to Christ as the only One deserving of praise and glory.
In verse 16, Jesus gives a clear call, “You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” How do you discern between a true and false teacher? You will be able to tell from the fruit of their life. Do their actions line up with their words? The source of fruit only grows what it truly is. An apple tree does not grow oranges, and an oak tree does not grow pine needles.
- What are some of the fruits of a true teacher? How do you look out for and see those fruits?
- How have you experienced the love and care of a Bible teacher? How do you know if a teacher’s motives are true?
A teacher of Jesus’ commands must be the first one to follow His teachings. To make it simple, a genuine teacher is obedient to the Lord and His Word. They live in the light, and the Fruit of the Spirit is evident in their life and ministry. They are not one person when they are on stage and another person off the stage.
Reflecting on verses 17 and 18, Leon Morris says, “The sound tree produces good fruit, but not so the worthless one. The worthless tree bears only bad fruit; the nature of the tree makes any other result impossible.” If the nature of a teacher is that of a ravenous wolf, it will surely come to light one day, as Jesus makes clear in verse 19. Yet, in the meantime, followers of Christ must still discern whether the motives of the teachers they listen to and trust are genuine.
A couple of years ago, I sat under a teaching by a long-time pastor and counselor named Dr. Scott Engleman on the idea of Pastor Soul Care. In this session for pastors, he drew attention to this reality of the pastorate, which he called the front stage and the back stage. For most pastors, this is a literal reality as they get up on a stage almost weekly and then make their way off the stage to the backstage. One of my main takeaways was, “The backstage of my private life will always inform the front stage of my ministry life.” This is true for all pastors. When the backstage, the private areas of life, are not aligned with the Lord, the front stage gets out of whack. Dr. Engleman pointed out that one of the most dangerous traps for a pastor is success. I do not believe that most false teachers begin with an intent to deceive. Rather, as their ministry and influence grow, so does their ego.
- What are some of the dangers of success? How have you seen success get to someone’s head?
- How are the dangers of success especially prevalent for a pastor?
A pastor must have accountability. To have accountability, a pastor needs community. I am reminded of Moses in Exodus chapter 17, whose arms grew weary of being raised in battle, so he had Aaron and Hur to stand with him and hold his arms up. A pastor or teacher who isolates themselves from honest conversations and accountability is one who is walking a dangerous path.
- What does it look like for a Christian to have a real Christian community? What are the benefits of community? What holds some people back from authentic community?
Though we began talking specifically about pastors, the front stage and backstage of a person apply to every Christian. There is the way you act and speak when you are at work, and the way you act and speak when you are at church. There are the family members that you talk a certain way around, and the friends that you speak a totally different way around. There are the friends that you are trying to win to Christ, so you act right and speak right when you are with them, and then there are the family members that you have given up on sharing Christ with, so you are not quite as careful about the jokes you make. The call for the pastor and every single Christian is to be grounded in Christ. When Christ is the source of your identity, worth, and purpose, you are the same person no matter who you are around. When someone is grounded in Christ, sure of what He has done for them, it frees them up to be honest about their sin and shortcomings. This leads to true community where confession and honesty are present.
- What does it look like for a Christian for the front stage to match the backstage? Are those the type of people that you surround yourself with?
Referring to verse 19, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and throw into the fire,” Leon Morris says, “Jesus is making it clear that discipleship means a great deal more than religious activity.” Becoming more like Jesus, sanctification, is the end goal. Discipleship happens in one-on-one relationships, in groups, and when the church gathers together.
When I was in college, I heard a sermon by a godly, humble preacher named Alistair Begg. Speaking on the idea of humility, he said something that has stuck with me for years, as clear as day. He said, “Humility is not lived out in a vacuum.” This means it is possible to be humble when you are all alone, but the real test of humility is when you are with others and you find out how humble you really are. While he made a good point, I think we could take it a step further and say that discipleship does not happen in a vacuum. A pastor that is all alone is a dangerous place to be. In the same sense, a Christian that is all alone is a dangerous place to be.