True and False Prophets

ENGAGE

Opening Illustration / Image / Question: Have you ever trusted someone—only to find out later they weren’t who they claimed to be? Maybe it was a friend, a leader, or even someone online. At first, everything seemed right. They said the right things, acted the right way—but over time, the truth came out. And the damage was real. Now take that idea and raise the stakes: what if the deception isn’t just personal—but spiritual? What if it affects your soul?

Why This Matters Now: We live in a time where voices are everywhere—podcasts, social media, churches, influencers—all claiming to speak truth. Not all of them are from God. If we don’t learn to discern, we won’t just be confused—we’ll be led astray.

Bottom Line Introduced: Not everyone who speaks for God is sent by God.

TENSION

The Struggle: How do I know who is truly from God and who isn’t? Everyone claims truth. Everyone quotes Scripture. Everyone sounds convincing. So how can I tell the difference?

Why This Is a Real Issue Today: False teaching isn’t always obvious. It often sounds close to the truth. It can come from people who look like Christians, talk like Christians, and even lead in religious spaces. Without discernment, people can follow a false gospel without realizing it.

What’s at Stake: If we ignore this, we risk being spiritually deceived, led away from Christ, and ultimately standing before God thinking we were right—when we were not.

Transition to the Text: Jesus doesn’t leave us guessing. In one of His most direct warnings, He tells us exactly what to watch for—and the consequences if we ignore it.

TRUTH

(Resolve the tension through the biblical text)

Text

(Insert Scripture reference — Logos will auto-link)

Beware Of False Prophets

Matthew 7:15 ESV

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Exegesis: There has always been a history of false prophets in the world. They come and go making claims that they cannot back. Ultimately, they drag people away from God with their false and violent claims. Why Jesus would say this is because over the next 2000 years false teachers and false prophets would pop up constantly throughout history teaching different gospels, leading others astray from the one true gospel. It would be no different in the first century as many would come around saying they are disciples of the messiah and use manipulative tactics to bring people into their fold.

Application: Why this matters is because of how Christ describes these false prophets: Ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing. They come in looking just like the rest of us on the surface. They say the “right” things and “do” the right things and there’s nothing really concerning at first look. But at some point, the mask comes off and they bite and devour the flock. We should always be prepared. Peter tells us that Satan walks around like a roaring lion.

Big Idea: (Single memorable takeaway for this movement)

You Will Recognize Their Fruits

Matthew 7:16–20 ESV

16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

Exegesis: How can we tell these false prophets apart from everyone else? Christ says by their fruit. This is one of those moments we exercise righteous judgment because the Lord has given us the characteristics of Godly people. Ephesians 5, Galatians 5, and Colossians 3 are just a few of those locations. What we now have is the life that is found in Christ Jesus and that looks a certain way. As we have put off the old and put on the new, it changes our lives. The we we talk, the way we interact with the world, our families, our friends. That being said, we have been also been given the signs to look for these false prophets.

2 Timothy 3:1–5 ESV

1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

This passage gives us a general understanding of these false prophets and verse 5 sums it up: they have the appearance of godliness, but deny its power. They look like Christians on the surface, but when you get involved with them, you will see them live out Psalm 14:1

Psalm 14:1 ESV

1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.

Application: So what do we do with this information? It would be very easy for us to become skeptical of every person ready to punish them at a moment’s notice. But what these tell us is there is a group of people that exist in conjunction with the body of Christ that look like Christians, but have no true form of transformation. These are not people that understand their weaknesses, confessing them to God, repenting of their actions, and growing closer to God. Rather quite the opposite. They bite and devour. They chew up and swallow. They target the weak, dragging them away from God, manipulating, dividing, and persuading others after sin and false gospels. This is the fruit that they bear. You won’t get good fruit from bad seeds. You won’t get an orange on an apple tree. Observe the fruits of their labor and you will know who they belong to.

Big Idea: (Memorable, clear, repeatable)

Not All Will Get In

Matthew 7:21–23 ESV

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Exegesis: In our hymn book we have a song called “There’s A Great Day Coming.” In the last verse it says ‘There’s a sad day coming.’ Why? When the sinner shall hear his doom, “Depart, I know ye not.” This is going to be a sad day for many people. While we know it will be well for those that fear God and do His will, it will be a sad day for these false prophets. They will stand before God and say, “See all the things I did!” See how much I worked for you! See all the things I built? I did so much! Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. I preached your word! Depart. I was an elder, a deacon! Depart. I came to church every Sunday! Depart. I went on mission trips, I fed the hungry, I clothed the naked, I gave to the poor! Depart because you did not do my will.

Application: While Jesus focuses in on false prophets in this passage, His words are applicable to us. I can do a lot of good things claiming Christ the whole way through, but if I neglect His will, then it is pointless. If the fruit I bear is not in accordance with His will, I am no different than these false prophets. So I must crucify the flesh, walk in the light, seek after Him everyday of my life. John 15:1-5

John 15:1–5 ESV

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

CONCLUSION

Restate the Bottom Line: Not everyone who speaks for God is sent by God.

Final Illustration / Challenge: Imagine standing before Jesus, confident in everything you’ve done—only to hear, “I never knew you.” That’s not written to scare us emotionally—it’s written to wake us up spiritually. The issue isn’t sincerity. The issue is submission. Am I truly following Christ, or just associating with Him?

This isn’t just about spotting false teachers “out there.” It’s about examining our own lives. What fruit am I producing? Am I abiding in Christ—or just appearing religious?

Call to Action: Jesus makes it clear: it’s not enough to say “Lord, Lord.” We must do the will of the Father. That begins with surrender.

If there is sin in your life—repent. Turn from it. If you’ve been following your own way—submit to Christ. If you have not obeyed the gospel—believe in Him, confess His name, and be baptized for the remission of your sins.

Don’t be deceived. Don’t delay. Abide in the true Vine—and bear fruit that lasts.