Trees

1. The Hook

The Bradford Pear. For years, people planted these things everywhere. In 1908 the Callery Pear Tree was brought over from east asia to help produce a fruit bearing tree that was resistant to a disease called fire blight. In the 1960s the USDA created a cultivar called the Bradford pear and ornamental tree. These beautiful flowering trees are everywhere now. And you can understand why. New Homeowners love them because They grow fast. They have a nice shape. And for a couple of weeks every spring, they are absolutely covered in beautiful white flowers. You drive through a neighborhood and think, “Man, that is a beautiful tree. I need one of those in my yard.” But then you actually get one. First, you discover those beautiful flowers don’t exactly smell as beautiful as they look. Then the tree gets a little older, a storm comes through, and you discover something else about it: Bradford pears are notorious for weak branch structure. That beautiful tree can literally split apart.

looks can be deceiving. And if you think about it, Jesus has spent a lot of time in the Sermon on the Mount teaching us that very lesson.

2. The Context

At summer Camp every year there is always the time when all the campers arrive and everyone is seated in the bigger gathering hall and thats usually the time where all the do and don’ts of camp week are spelled out for everyone.

What’s funny and most camp directors and counselors will probably tell you is that list of don’ts has probably evolved and grown because kids have done things that have merited there to be a rule for that now.

When we go through this sermon especially Chapter 6 when Jesus talks about people doing things to be seen by others…do you think he just came up with that or do you think he had a certain people group in mind.

Look at this verse Matthew 23:5 “5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,”

Just a little later he will preach these words at them Matthew 23:27 “27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.”

Thats why Jesus in this application portion of the the sermon on the mount he spends time talking about trees and fruit!

3. The Text

WARNING:

Matthew 7:15–16 “15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?”

Description of the False Prophet

They will come to you - These prophets “come to you,” make it their special business to do so, but they only come, they are never sent by God — Lenski

We can’t judge their hearts and motives but it is almost like Its almost like they have an agenda to tear you down.

Dressed like sheep - Much has been written on the phrase “in garments of sheep” but this seems to be the sense: these false prophets, who in reality are fierce wolves, pretend to be gentle, harmless sheep - Lenski

Christians are often associated as sheep but up to this point Christianity was not founded just yet. Jesus is still getting after it in ministry and has not gone to the cross.

Thats why the imagery of a sheep or more about the demeanor of the animal. They are gentle and harmless.

Inwardly bad - their essential nature from their outward appearance. Jesus is speaking of religious teachers who put on a harmless front to deceive their followers but whose real interest is their own profit. Sheep they may appear to be, but their inward character indicates that they will always be wolves who try to further their own interests at the expense of those of the flock. - PNTC

Ravenous - Rapacious - This is the idea of being an extortioner or robber. The septuagint translation of the OT uses this same description in Genesis 49:27 “27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, in the morning devouring the prey and at evening dividing the spoil.””

Wolves - They are violent creatures. This description of false teachers is used a number of times in the NT. They are dividers. Think about when a wolf pack hunts.

John 10:12 “12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.”

Acts 20:29–30 “29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.”

The wolves nature but not name

Romans 16:18 “18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.”

Ephesians 5:6 “6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”

Colossians 2:4 “4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.”

Bad Fruit - “Commentators are divided in their opinions as to what Jesus means by “the fruits” of the false prophets. Some say, their doctrines; others, their works; still others, doctrines and works combined. The answer is found in

Isaiah 8:20 “20 To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.” ;

1 John 4:1 “1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” ;

Hebrews 13:9 “9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.”

Matthew 15:9 “9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ””

Matthew 24:24 “24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.”

Matthew 23:1–3 “1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.”

The answer undoubtedly is that the false prophet’s fruit is the lessons he or she is teaching.

True prophets often manifest sins and faults in their lives; false prophets often have the appearance of holiness as a part of their sheep’s clothing.” - Lenski

QUESTION: Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

The passage uses an absurd image—harvesting grapes from briars or figs from thistles—to establish a fundamental principle: what you gather reveals the nature of what you’re gathering from. Grapes and figs represent genuine spiritual nourishment, which only emerge from the Word, not from human wisdom or false teaching. (Matt 7:16–17)

The humor in the image sharpens the point: it’s not merely unlikely that you’d find grapes on a briar patch; it’s logically impossible. Similarly, false prophets are ultimately identified by their doctrines (Matt 7:16–17), not by external appearances or personal charisma.

This matters because false prophets often appear holy and righteous, while true prophets may struggle with personal failings. Only God can judge hearts and distinguish genuine from hypocritical works. (Matt 7:16–17) Therefore, every prophet must be evaluated against the Word itself—the standard to which even false teachers appeal.

ILLUSTRATION:

Matthew 7:17–19 “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.”

Identify The Bad Fruit to find out the bad tree

Know the teachings of the True Word of God to be able to spot the false teachings and the ear tickling doctrines of the these wolves.

Hunting in the south or really anywhere for that matter you need to be able to identify trees. And to do that you have study which trees exist in your region.

Keep the Good trees

Galatians 6:6–8 “6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

Burn the bad ones

Don’t listen to them

Don’t let them be in your life

The longer we allow them to linger in our lives and in our churches the more opportunity they have to infect us and the church.

Witches’ broom disease in roses and what you have to do.

5. The Invitation

Matthew 7:20 “20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”

The Longer we listen to lies the more real they become. The longer we allow false teaching to fill our ears and infiltrate our the more likely we are to accept it as truth.

Know God’s Word

Look for the Fruit

Get rid of the bad