Wolves leave clues:They eventually do wolfy things S31e92 mt7:15

Wolves do wolfy things.  This is how they are eventually recognized as wolves.

In this way, we are to be "fruit-inspectors." By watching the "fruits" of the character and characteristics of wolves, they are identified and protected against.  

watch 7 minutes as we look for these wolf clues.

https://youtu.be/_4RrQzZxLZQ

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Morning, my brothers, brothers and sisters. Today, wolves leave clues. They eventually do wolfy things. This is gonna be from Matthew chapter 7 in the Sermon on the Mount. So let me start in the blueberry patch. Well, earlier this morning, I spent a good bit of time inside a blueberry patch, literally inside a blueberry bush. Well, how did I know that I was inside a blueberry bush? Well, it was the blueberries. Lots and lots of fruit. So I was a fruit inspector and I identified what plant it was from. Now today we're gonna mix two metaphors. One is we're gonna be looking for wolves by checking on their fruit. So we're gonna use the fruit of the wolf to find this wolf in sheep's clothing. Now this is gonna be required, it will require some inspection and alertness and assessment, and yes, judgment. This is from Matthew chapter 7. We're gonna start in verse 15. Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered for from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? So every healthy tree bears good fruit, and the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruit. It says that twice. Oh my goodness, the cautious cautions of Scripture. Now, don't say I didn't warn you, says the Lord. So there are supposed spiritual leader type people, prophets, false prophets here, who are not what they appear. Uh they look like sheep, harmless, innocent, pure, of whom no defense is required. But inside the covering is a wolf, a ravenous wolf. Now the world is actually plural because wolves often come in packs. So someone who definitely does not have your best interests at heart. Uh the word means ravenous, rapacious, rending and robbing. So imagine if you're just walking along on a hike someday, and boom, you run into a wolf or a pack of wolves. A defense is required, a fight must be ready for, a war footing must be established, weapons might be drawn, everything changes when you see a wolf. So what's the right response? Well, be a wolf seer, be a wolf assessor. Now, how? And this is how we're going to mix the metaphors here. How are we going to find wolves in sheep's clothing? Well, they are identified by their fruit. So it's a little crazy. How do you recognize wolves? You recognize wolves by their fruit. So apples don't fall far from their trees. You recognize the presence of apples by the of apple trees by the presence of apples. So if you walk across my yard here with your eyes closed at a certain time of year, you will trip over the fallen apples. You, as the fall as the fruit inspector, will then ask, I wonder if I'm underneath an apple tree. So you may first notice the tree by noticing the fruit. So you may identify the source by identifying the fruit. So what is then this fruit of the ravenous wolf? Well, they start with outward trappings of following Jesus. But after following, after closer inspection and after continuous inspection, the bad fruit from the character and characteristics of their lives, maybe it's financial, relational, organizational, comes out. Okay, so draw with me a couple of conclusions from this wonderful uh little passage. First of all, wolves are dangerous. There's a reason why Jesus states this as a warning. And then secondly, wolves are deceptive. So they are dressed in this way, not to alert you, to you know, not to be shown as first glance of being wolfness. They're externally sheepy, and internally they are still wolves. So how do you discern? Well, wolves leave clues. Write that down. Their history of fruit or lack thereof. So wolves eventually do wolfy things. So wolves bear wolf fruit. This is verse 17. Every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. Now you can't read this passage and conclude that we're not to be judging and assessing and becoming better and more vigilant inspectors. We definitely are to be evaluating the fruit of our spiritual leaders. We'll get to ourselves in a second. Elders, pastors, deacons, Bible study people. But and after you recognize a wolf, it's probably best to keep away. So here's a here's a couple of kickers. Here's the first kicker. Judgment is coming for everyone, and wolves are going to be fully exposed and accurately exposed. So judgment is particularly sharp for those who claim to be prophets and are not. They're liars about the most important thing, which is they pretend to speak for God, but do not actually speak for God. And because of this megaphoned mouthpiece, they have this force multiplier of influence, they're going to be judged more harshly. So punishment might be delayed for a time, but it's going to be perfectly accurate. In my opinion, it's terrifying to read about it. Every tree that does not bear fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. And then here's the final kicker, uh, which is others are going to be considering the fruit of your life. Uh so the call here is to be a fruit inspector of others and leaders, but also to be a fruit bearer. So take this spiritual walk today with sobriety and reverence, take it seriously. Apparently, God is not fooling around with his judgment and asks us to pull out our fruit inspector tools today, not the least of which should be pointed at ourselves every once in a while. So he's calling us to be fruitful, using our gifts in repentance and prayer, in service, and in fellowship. Remember these two things. Wolves leave clues and their history of fruit or lack thereof. So if wolves eventually do wolfy things and wolves bear wolfy fruit. So watch out for wolves by looking for their fruit. In the meantime, you yourself be fruitful.