Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Albert Einstein is often quoted as saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.”

Whether or not he said it is debatable, but it still seems like a good definition.

Of course, perhaps it is not so much that insanity leads us to do the same thing over and over again expecting different results, but the fact that when we do the same thing over and over again expecting different results, we go insane!

Perhaps it’s the chicken or the egg conundrum.

Either way, people do this with their physical, as well as, their spiritual lives.

This is what Jesus was pointing out at this point in the Sermon on the Plain.

So as we dive into the text, let’s keep that definition of insanity in mind.

Because what Jesus is pointing out is something we ought to all understand by way of experience and yet for some reason can’t get through to ourselves—about ourselves (and others).

In our pursuit of sanity, we need to see three ways we can act insane.

Grant it, two of these three ways, we probably don’t actually do because we know better.

But that’s the point.

The first way we can act insane is to expect a better product.

The second way we can act insane is to expect a different product.

Lastly, we expect a better and/or different person.

Expect a Better Product

Expect a Different Product

Expect a Better/Different Person

Expect a Better Product

The first way we can act insane is to expect a better product from an inferior tree.

In essence, there are two types of trees: good ones and bad ones.

But let’s define those words because these words may mean different things to different people.

The word that Luke wrote and Jesus used for good is kalos.

It means good, but with idea of beautiful, fair, well.

The word “calligraphy” comes from this word and another word to mean “beautiful writing.”

In this case, we have the idea is that of being healthy.

Thus when Jesus used the word for the tree and its fruit—its product, he used it in the sense of its being healthy.

A healthy tree produces healthy fruit.

You can probably guess what “bad” means in this context.

The word that is used here is not the normal word in Greek for “bad.”

That word would be “kakos,” where we get our word “cacophony” —bad sound.

That’s not the word used here.

Instead this word means spoiled or rotten, even harmful.

So a “bad” tree is a spoiled, rotten, or harmful tree which can only produce spoiled, rotten, harmful fruit.

This seems to be a no-brainer, which is often the case with Jesus’s parables.

He would often use the no-brainer experiences and knowledge that people have to bring a new revelation to them.

In this case, its trees and fruit.

One does not need to be an orchard farmer to get this idea.

If you were to go to an orchard to pick some apples and you see two apple trees near each other; one that had nice green leaves with no spots or scab and one that had spots and scab on it with wilting yellowed leaves, which tree are you going to pick apples from?

It’s really a no brainer—the healthy tree.

Why?

Because healthy trees produce healthy fruit.

But let’s say that your young child goes to pick fruit and picks from the sickly tree.

You try and warn that child not to choose that tree, but they do it anyway.

Looks like they’re going to have to learn for themselves.

He/She picks an apple and takes a bite and spits it out.

It’s sour.

It’s bitter.

It’s spoiled.

The look of bad fruit is all over their face.

That was gross!

Clearly, he has learned his lesson.

But no!

He just picks another piece of fruit.

You can’t help but think, “What’s wrong with him?

Didn’t he learn his lesson the first time?”

He bites it and sure enough, out comes the apple and the same look of nastiness written all over the youngster’s face.

Surely, he’ll choose the healthy tree this time.

But no!

He keeps expecting better fruit from a spoiled, rotten tree.

He expects it to produce a better product it is incapable of producing because there’s something wrong with the tree itself!

And you would say, “What do you expect from a sickly tree, except sickly fruit?”

But let’s put it in a different light.

Let’s update the language.

You go out and buy a television.

You take it home and out of the box, the screen doesn’t turn on.

It’s just black.

You return the television and exchange it for another one—the same brand.

You get it home and it doesn’t turn on.

So you take it back.

Do you exchange it for the same brand?

Probably not.

That’s insane!

In fact, you probably tell others not to buy that brand.

The factory that television is produced by is a bad factory and thus produces a bad product.

The thing about it is that you couldn’t see and tour the factory before you bought the television.

But the television tells you about the factory.

Luke 6:44 (ESV)

for each tree is known by its own fruit.

A good, healthy tree will be known by its good, healthy fruit.

A bad, spoiled tree will be known because it produces bad, spoiled fruit.

Expecting a Different Product

But insanity doesn’t just keep going back to a spoiled, rotten tree looking for healthy fruit or buying a television from a company that can’t seem to figure out how to make a working television.

It will also look for a product different from the producer.

Luke 6:44 (ESV)

For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.

This too ought to be a no-brainer.

Fig trees have big, broad leaves.

They would certainly not be mistaken for a thorn bush.

Grapes grow on vines, and while some bramble bushes can resemble grapevines from a distance, a person can quickly tell before getting to them that there are no grapes on them.

Only thorns.

No one tells his wife that he’s going to get some figs and takes off heading in the direction of the briar patch in their back yard.

That would be insane.

Thorn bushes have never and will never produce figs.

Yet if we go to thorn bushes looking for anything other than what it can give, then there is something wrong with our thinking.

We need to rethink things.

One ought not go to a Mexican restaurant looking for French cuisine.

You don’t go to a sports stadium to watch a chess match.

One doesn’t go to Auto Zone to do her grocery shopping.

You probably shouldn’t get sushi from a gas station.