Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?
Notes
Transcript
Protests vs. Rioters
Protests vs. Rioters
On may 25th of this year we were confronted with a horrible video of a Minneapolis police officer with his knee on the neck of George Floyd. We watched in horror as Floyd called for his mother, pleaded with officers that he couldn’t breathe, and then died.
We were all in agreement. What we witnessed was wrong. We all agreed that the perpetrator should be held accountable and that no matter what kind of person Floyd was, that he didn’t deserve what had happened to him.
There were marches planned to honor Floyd and to demand from out government and police departments that this couldn’t happen again.
Everyone was in agreement. Police and protestors, Citizens and elected officials, black, white, hispanic, oriental....marched together to say that this was wrong.
But there were wolves among the sheep. They were called Antifa or agitators. Their goal was not to bring people together, but to stir up strife. They whispered in the ears of those vulnerable people that could be easily manipulated, and the protests turned into riots.
The original message of what happened to Floyd was hijacked by the wolves hiding among the sheep.
Sexual Predators.
Sexual Predators.
Sex. predators practice a similar type of subterfuge. The position themselves in positions of trust, hiding as sheep, when who they really are is much much darker. They are ravenous wolves that seek only to lead astray the vulnerable sheep to the slaughter.
Jesus warns us that false prophets will employee the same tactic, but he also gives us the way that we can sniff them out.
15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?
17 “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.
19 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 “So then, you will know them by their fruits.
What is a prophet?
What is a prophet?
A prophet is simply someone who speaks for God. Someone who claims to have received a message from God and are proclaiming it to others. I use to think of a prophet only in terms of telling the future, bet is could also be doctrinal truths or instruction.
The problem of false prophets is not a new one.
In Deut. 13 we are told that if a prophet gives a prophecy that comes true, but then tries to lead you away from God, they are a false prophet.
In Deut 18 we are told that if a prophet is wrong about a prediction, they are also a false prophet.
24 “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.
You will know them by their fruit.
You will know them by their fruit.
Galatians 5 tells us that the fruit of the flesh is immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying drunkenness, carousing.....
Fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
But here is the deal....someone can fake the fruit of the spirit long enough to cause casualties in the flock.
What Jesus was referring to that you will know them by their fruit is less about them and more about their prophecy.
Do they pervert or contradict the Word of God?
Do they practice what they preach?
Heretic
Charlatan
Prophet
Abuser
Divider
Tickler