The Grove: The Fruit Test

Introduction

Announcements/Review

Review: New name: THE GROVE

Dec 11 - Next week: Guest Preacher - Jared Campbell

Dec 18 - 2 weeks from now: Christmas Worship Night

Last week: Psalm 1

We don’t want to seek the counsel of the wicked, make the sinners our community, or dwell among the scoffers (sit as a “rabbi” who gives evil counsel). We want to be like the blessed man—a tree planted by streams of water (that is, the Word of God) finding life and joy in God. A group—a grove—of trees like the tree described in Psalm 1. How do we do this?

Surround yourself with people who love and follow God.

Strive to be a person who loves and follows God.

Stay planted in God’s Word and God’s ways.

Hook

Mint Oreos with TOOTHPASTE

Oatmeal cookie with RAISINS

Caramel apple ONIONS

NASTY.

Some more deadly examples:

Grapes vs. Pokeweed berries

You’re not going to find onions growing on an apple tree. You’re going to find apples on an apple tree.

You know a tree by its fruit.

If you pluck all of the fruit off of that tree, guess what: it’s going to bear more of that same fruit the next season. You can’t make an apple tree grow onions, you can’t make a pokeweed shrub grow grapes. A tree, bush, shrub will always grow its characteristic fruit.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve talked A LOT about abiding in Christ, bearing fruit, being trees planted by streams of water that are planted in God and His Word. Tonight, we want to spend some time talking about “HOW DO WE EXAMINE OUR FRUIT, HOW DO WE TRACE IT TO THE ROOT, AND HOW DO WE CHANGE IF IT’S BAD FRUIT?”

READ THE TEXT

Luke 6:39–49 ESV 39 He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. 41 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye. 43 “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

Background Context

Sermon on the Mount

Luke has collected teachings from the Sermon on the Mount

This is towards the end of the Sermon

This sermon was given to A GREAT MULTITUDE

Disciples

Apostles

Cured demoniacs and sick

Pharisees

In this sermon on the mount he has described who is blessed, who is cursed

He has given the beatitudes (those who are blessed)

He has given the woes (those who are cursed)

He gives commands that differentiate his followers from sinners, and from the world

He commands his followers to be merciful, forgiving, leaving condemnation and judgment to God

He is giving all of these commands and descriptors of what his followers should look like (if they are fruit trees, what should their fruit look like if they are follower-of-Christ trees)

1. Using Scripture as your guide, assess your actions to see if they are good or evil (6:43–45).

Define Your Terms

Good (Fruit) (kalos)

Dictionary:

1. To be desired or approved of

2. that which is morally right, righteousness

3. possessing or displaying moral virtue

4. benefit or advantage to someone or something

Greek/Logos:

1. good, fine, advantageous, fitting, beautiful

2. fine value: pertaining to having acceptable characteristics or functioning in an agreeable manner, often with the focus on outward form or appearance

THIS IS FRUIT WORTH SELLING AT A GROCERY STORE

3. Fine moral character: pertaining to a positive moral quality, with the implication of being favorably valued—good, fine, praiseworthy

Bad (Fruit) (sapron)

Diseased, rotten, putrid, stale, rancid, decaying, having no value

Possibly “seedling”: these trees when they grew produced tasteless or bitter fruit. “By its very nature, such a tree cannot produce good fruit and is, therefore, considered to be of no value.” (Louw-Nida)

THIS IS FRUIT YOU THROW AWAY

Good (Actions) (agathos)

positive moral qualities of the most general nature

pertaining to having the proper characteristics or performing the expected function in a fully satisfactory way

Evil (Actions) (poneros)

Wicked, bad, immoral, worthless, guilty, useless

DBL: morally corrupt, wicked, worthless, of serious fault, so as to have no value

Louw-Nida: pertaining to being morally corrupt and evil

Heart: Inner self, your mind, heart,

Bear: To produce results, to do, to make

Produce: To bring before, to bring to, to present

Cognition: Beliefs and Understandings

Affection: Desires and Feelings

Volition: Commitments and Choices

Tracing Your Fruit to the Root

Do you ever slow down to think: why did I do that?

Behavior (acting)

Emotions (feeling)

Thoughts (thinking)

Motivations (wanting)

Identity (beliefs about self)

Theology (beliefs about God)

Behavior (acting): acted harshly with your words towards a parent

Emotions (feeling): felt angry, frustrated, annoyed

Thoughts (thinking): thinking that life would be easier if your parent wasn’t around or it’d be better if they did what you want. You’re thinking “why does this have to happen to me” I wish I had someone else as a parent

Motivations (wanting): You’re wanting respect, you’re wanting value, praise, control.

Identity (beliefs about self): You believe that your way is the best way. You believe that people should respect you and value you more than themselves.

Theology (beliefs about God): You don’t believe that God’s way is the best way. You don’t believe that God and obedience to Him is more valuable. You don’t believe that God is your authority and in control.

Theology: God is the authority and the one on the throne, he gets to call the shots. God’s way is best and what he wants you to prioritize and pursue are his ways, not your own. What God wants is for you to be committed to his ways, not you committed to your own earthly happiness. I’m not saying that God doesn’t want you to be happy and you can’t be happy if you follow God. I am saying that the priority is obedience to God, not your own happiness. If your heart truly desires God you will find happiness in serving him.

Identity: You are a follower of Him, he is working things together for your good and his glory in regard to his salvific plan. You are an heir with Christ

Motivations: Glorifying God, loving others

Thoughts: Thank you Lord for my parents, you gave them to me for a reason, and you know better than I do. Please help me to learn what you are teaching me in this process and help me to be an encouragement to my parents. I know that my parents are sinners who need Jesus and I am a sinner who needs Jesus. With Jesus’ help I can honor and love my parents.

Emotions: contentment, gratefulness, love, gentleness, joy

Behavior: immediate obedience, humility, respect, words of kindness

Behavior (acting):

You have a panic attack about an upcoming test or social interaction and you are crying uncontrollably or shaking

Emotions (feeling):

fear, anxiety, dread

Thoughts (thinking):

I can’t do this, I’m terrified, I don’t want to go, it’s going to be terrible, why would my family make me go to this, I would much rather stay at home

Motivations (wanting):

You want to feel safe, you want to protect yourself from others, you want to be in control

Identity (beliefs about self):

I’m the only one who can keep me safe. I’m better off alone than with people who can hurt me. I can control my life and surroundings. I must be the one to take care of myself

Theology (beliefs about God):

God can’t protect me from others, He doesn’t care about me. He’s not truly in control and actively involved in my life.

Theology

God is your loving Father who wants good things for you, and he will provide and protect you. He is the good shepherd, he will never forsake you.

Identity

You are a beloved child of the King. You are one of his flock, his creation. You can find safety and security in Him. You are indwelt by the Holy Spirit–God himself.

Motivations

You want to live in faith, boldness, and confidence, walking in faith for God. You want to be obedient—loving others as He has called you to do.

Thoughts

God has given me these promises. While I may not know what will happen and I am not in control, I know who is. If something is difficult or hard for me, I know that God is using it for my good even if I am uncomfortable.

Emotions

Safe, confident, bold, and secure in Christ

Behavior

Going to interact with others, taking a test, whatever it is and being obedient because you know that God has it in control, he will take care of you, and the outcome in the end will be good because God keeps his promises, he simply calls you to trust in Him and be obedient.

A Case Study of 2 Rich Men

The Rich Young Ruler

Luke 18:18–30 ESV

18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’ ” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Fruit/External Behaviors

Root/Heart Worship

Zacchaeus

Luke 19:1–10 ESV

1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Fruit/External Behaviors

Root/Heart Worship

2. (ASK GOD TO) Fill your heart with the good treasure of God and His Word (6:43–45).

(Amend to say “ASK GOD TO fill your heart...”)

No matter how hard you try, you cannot change your heart. No amount of discipline, radical external behavior, or circumstance can change your heart. You need God to change your heart.

It would be impossible to change the roots of a tree that is planted so that it grows onions instead of apples. An apple tree will always bear apples. So let’s say you’re here tonight and all you see is bad fruit? What do you do!? You can’t just “change the roots” of a tree, it’s impossible. That’s right it is. That’s why you need God. That’s why you need to ASK GOD to fill your heart. If your life is characterized by sinful actions, you need to repent of that sin, trust in Jesus’ sacrifice, and commit to following Christ as Your Lord, and you need to ask Him to help you.

Jeremiah 13:23 ESV

23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.

Deuteronomy 10:12–16 ESV

12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? 14 Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. 15 Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day. 16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.

Deuteronomy 30:6 ESV

6 And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

The difference in the two trees was seen in their fruit, but that was an overflow of the roots, what was in their heart. All of us have bad treasure and evil fruit unless God has changed our hearts.

You can read your Bible all you want

You can do all the good works you want

You can go to church all the time

You can serve

You can sing worship songs

You can pray all the time.

IF GOD HASN’T CHANGED YOUR HEART, if you don’t desire and treasure God above all else, IT DOESN’T MATTER. Eventually the truth will come out.

An apple tree can have all of the apples taken off. Next year, apples will come back. It takes a year, but it’ll show.

You can “clean yourself up” for a time, but eventually the truth will reveal itself about what you treasure.

YOU CANNOT DO IT ON YOUR OWN.

Ask God to change your heart desires, your heart treasure.

THEN. Pursue him with every ounce of your being

3. Devote EVERY PART of your life, for EVERY DAY of your life, to following CHRIST (6:46).

Luke 6:46

Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you

Ok, so God has changed your heart, changed your desires, now you desire God: do what he tells you to do.

Doing what Christ says takes work. It takes time. It’s hard. The way of following Christ is not easy or a “one-time thing.”

Committing to follow Christ is a life-time commitment that will affect every part of your life.

I don’t want you to be deceived or uninformed about this.

It’s the best thing ever, it’s worth it, it’s an absolute joy, but it is not easy, it is HARD.

You will need to daily remind yourself.

DON’T GIVE UP ON THE PROCESS. When you get discouraged, or if you feel like you’re stuck. Ask other believers for help but keep going and keep trusting in the promises of God.

Luke 9:23–24 ESV

23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

Closing