The Wednesday after the Twenty-Third Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on November 6, 2024 by under
Scripture: St. Matthew 7:12-23 (NKJV)
7:12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Devotion
False prophets are producers of bad fruit. The bad fruit that they produce is their false doctrine, their false teachings. This is what Jesus is primarily warning against. There may be a sense in which the bad fruit is bad behavior, but it is primarily, and most importantly, doctrine. Jesus teaches us that we can tell who truly is a spokesman for God and who is a deceptive wolf. The way that we can tell is not through miraculous signs like prophecy, healing, or any other spectacular event. It is not even through good, godly behavior. The way we can tell the difference is by the doctrine that the pastor teaches. What he teaches or does not teach is proof positive of what kind of tree he is, either good or bad.
We shouldn’t just look at how nice and peaceful a pastor or a group of people are. That doesn’t really tell the story. Many people are enamored with groups like the Amish. People say things like, “aren’t they just such nice people?” But it is their doctrine that matters, not how nice they are. It is really important that we discern who is true and who is false, because the consequences are more than just temporary.
Collect: Absolve, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy people from their offences, that from the bonds of our sins which, by reason of our frailty, we have brought upon us, we may be delivered by Thy bountiful goodness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
