Make The Tree Good...the Wayfarer 7/30/13
Make The Tree Good
7/30/13
7/30/13
“Either make the tree
good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt:
for the tree is known by his fruit.”
(Matthew 12:33)
The tree that Jesus is speaking about
here is nothing less than the immortal soul.
We have the ability to decide what kind of “fruit” we bear while living in this body. Once this life is over, it is too late to change the type and amount of fruit that we have borne.
Jesus is talking here to the Pharisees who have actually accused him of doing His miracles by the power of Beelzebub. Let’s go back and pick up on the beginning of this dissertation:
We have the ability to decide what kind of “fruit” we bear while living in this body. Once this life is over, it is too late to change the type and amount of fruit that we have borne.
Jesus is talking here to the Pharisees who have actually accused him of doing His miracles by the power of Beelzebub. Let’s go back and pick up on the beginning of this dissertation:
“Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind,
and dumb: and he healed him insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
And all the people were amazed, and said, Is this not the son of David?
And all the people were amazed, and said, Is this not the son of David?
But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth
not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of devils.”
(Matthew 12:22-24)
The importance of this
is that the people were seeing Jesus as the son of David, where his lineage
lay. This is what the prophets had all prophesied of the Messiah, and the
Pharisees had reason to fear that Jesus would be seen as that Messiah,
especially in view of the messages he gave while teaching.
This is why they had to try to
convince the common folk that Jesus was a warlock, or something evil. Jesus’
answer to this attack clearly negates their charges and further clarifies just
who he really is.
“And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every
kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or
house divided against itself shall not stand:
And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?
And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil his house.
He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”
And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?
And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil his house.
He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”
(Matthew 12:25-32)
Jesus tells them quite clearly that
his ability to perform miracles comes from God himself. He asks if it is
possible for Satan to cast out Satan. Most would recognize the statement that a
house divided cannot stand; it is well quoted in our history books and often
quoted by politicians today. Once again, however the reference as to where it
came from, not being politically correct is left out. This brings us back to
the verse with which I began this message. Jesus’ point is that good will show
through if it is truly good. The same applies to evil. Our lives show the
fruits of our hearts, not the fruits of our ability to pose and posture as
being more righteous than those around us.
"Either make the tree good, and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasures bringeth forth evil things.
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words shalt thou be condemned.”
(Matthew 12:33-37)
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasures bringeth forth evil things.
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words shalt thou be condemned.”
(Matthew 12:33-37)
Listen to those around you and the
things that they speak, this will tell you what kind of tree they are. If all
they may do is to run down their fellow man and brag about themselves, they
have not shown the treasures of the heart that we need to seek. If they speak
softly, and kindly of others, and look for ways to help those in need, they are
well down the path to being justified when the final day comes. This is why I
insist vehemently that a preacher should preach the gospel, not the gossip. Both
show the treasures of the heart, but only one is justified by the Holy Spirit.
Those who use "fruits " in justification should first inspect their own fruit, and truly be aware of just exactly what fruits have been borne, too often, just as the Pharisees chose to do, they attempt to "inspect fruit" without having any idea of what fruit has in fact been borne, and use this as an excuse to attempt to judge others without knowing them just to justify their own particular concerns, instead of the concerns of our Lord. If those who insist on inspecting fruits would concentrate on bearing fruit themselves, far more fruit would actually be borne!
Those who use "fruits " in justification should first inspect their own fruit, and truly be aware of just exactly what fruits have been borne, too often, just as the Pharisees chose to do, they attempt to "inspect fruit" without having any idea of what fruit has in fact been borne, and use this as an excuse to attempt to judge others without knowing them just to justify their own particular concerns, instead of the concerns of our Lord. If those who insist on inspecting fruits would concentrate on bearing fruit themselves, far more fruit would actually be borne!
“Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered
saying, Master, we would see a sign of thee.
But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous
generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but
the sign of the prophet Jonas:
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three days in the heart of the earth.
The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and behold a greater than Jonas is here.
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold a greater than Solomon is here.
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept and garnished.
Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.”
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three days in the heart of the earth.
The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and behold a greater than Jonas is here.
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold a greater than Solomon is here.
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept and garnished.
Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.”
(Matthew 12:38-45)
Jesus tells them that they will be
given no further sign than that of the prophet Jonah.
Imagine, this whole dissertation is caused by miracles being performed! What more sign could they have needed than to see a lame man walk and a dumb man speak?
They were so blinded by their own perceptions of their righteousness that they could not accept the Savior promised by all the prophets through time.
Jesus’ reference to the time he had to spend in the heart of the earth was a clear reference to the fact that he must be sacrificed and resurrected to provide a means of justification to God for the sins of man.
He goes on to tell them that Nineveh would rise up in judgment, because they at least listened to the preaching of Jonah and repented, whereas these refused to hear the words of the very Son of God. He then goes on to remind them of the extent that the queen of Sheba was willing to go to hear the wisdom of Solomon.
This showed the humility of even a royal personage in order to find God, as opposed to their stubbornness and failure to listen.
Imagine, this whole dissertation is caused by miracles being performed! What more sign could they have needed than to see a lame man walk and a dumb man speak?
They were so blinded by their own perceptions of their righteousness that they could not accept the Savior promised by all the prophets through time.
Jesus’ reference to the time he had to spend in the heart of the earth was a clear reference to the fact that he must be sacrificed and resurrected to provide a means of justification to God for the sins of man.
He goes on to tell them that Nineveh would rise up in judgment, because they at least listened to the preaching of Jonah and repented, whereas these refused to hear the words of the very Son of God. He then goes on to remind them of the extent that the queen of Sheba was willing to go to hear the wisdom of Solomon.
This showed the humility of even a royal personage in order to find God, as opposed to their stubbornness and failure to listen.
It is all too common even now to find that
most still search for an ability within themselves to become better, more righteous
people instead of accepting the simple truth that Christ Jesus has paid the
price that is necessary to redeem our sin.
Once that is accepted, in the heart, not just the mind, then we have the ability to show His love and influence others for him.
If we refuse to accept His sacrifice and resurrection, we are doomed as was the man at the end of this dissertation who allowed not only one evil spirit to return to his body, but took the seven others with him.
The same applies to overcoming any and all sin in our own lives.
Once that is accepted, in the heart, not just the mind, then we have the ability to show His love and influence others for him.
If we refuse to accept His sacrifice and resurrection, we are doomed as was the man at the end of this dissertation who allowed not only one evil spirit to return to his body, but took the seven others with him.
The same applies to overcoming any and all sin in our own lives.
We are incapable of doing anything to
overcome our sins and problems without the help of our Intercessor, Jesus, and
to try to do it without His help will only result in condemnation in the end.
We are told that with God all things are possible.
We know this to be true.
We may only reach God through Jesus who gave himself a perfect sacrifice that we can reach the Father.
We are told that with God all things are possible.
We know this to be true.
We may only reach God through Jesus who gave himself a perfect sacrifice that we can reach the Father.
Pray constantly, repent constantly,
evaluate your own fruit and see what kind of tree you are, and may become with His
help.
I close once again with the love of a simple
sinner saved by grace, a soldier in the service of my Savior, Christ Jesus,
2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)
12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Amen and Amen
the Wayfarer
the Wayfarer
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