MATTHEW LESSON 16

     We will begin our study with Matthew 7:15 "Beware of false
prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are
ravening wolves."

     There has never been a time, in the history of mankind, when
three were more false prophets. There are even men today proclaiming
they are Jesus. We have mentioned it before, but it bears mentioning
again. We are not to believe these people. There will be no question
whether it is Jesus, or not, when he returns. He will appear in the
eastern sky.

     I really believe the Scripture above, may not really be talking
about that though. You see, the people that this was speaking of, claimed
to be Christians; but they were "in sheep's clothing". they were people
pretending to be followers of Jesus Christ. They had an outward form
of Christianity, but their hearts were wicked. They came to a church,
worked hard in it, appeared to be supporting the teachings, and then 
started dropping a word here and there that caused confusion. They were
harder to detect than the enemy from without, because they appeared to be
Christians. ("Having a form of godliness, but denying the power
thereof"). 2 Timothy 3:5  In second John, the lady was warned about
deceivers. These deceivers did not believe that Jesus was God in the
flesh. II John 1:7 "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who
confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver
and an antichrist." II John 1:9 "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth
not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the
doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son." II John 1:10
"If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him
not into [your] house, neither bid him God speed:"

     Sometimes, we wonder just how we can tell who is of God and who
is not. The first thing is: do they believe that Jesus is Immanuel
(God with us) (God in the flesh)? The second thing is: What kind of
fruit do they bear?

     Matthew 7:16 "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather
grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?"  Matthew 7:17 "Even so every
good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth
evil fruit."  Matthew 7:18 "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit,
neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit."

     Everyone has heard the Scripture "Bring up a child in the way he
should go: when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs
22:6). If you teach a very small child not to steal, chances are that
he will never steal. This goes for all sins. The earlier we learn not
to sin, the better off we are.

     We usually are what we have trained ourselves, and our parents
have taught us to be. Environment has a great deal to do with what we
become. A child, who is in church several times a week, will generally
have better morals than someone who has never been exposed to
Christianity.

     Cursing, swearing, telling dirty jokes, etc. are many times a
habit that has been picked up at work or at school. The Bible says not
to fellowship with those of unbelief, because we will all become like
them.

     Peach trees bear peaches, pear trees produce pears, etc. Apples
do not come off a peach tree. We are all part of a family tree. We
must be careful to pattern our lives after Jesus.

     I have used the expression so often, if you plant an English pea;
that is what you will get in return, not butter beans.

     If we are rooted and grounded in the Word of God, and if we study
the Bible and hide its Words in our hearts, then we will be able to use
what knowledge we have to help others get saved. Some of us will be
able to lead a few to God, and some will lead hundreds. We will be
fruit bearers when we work to get people saved. We always influence
them for the good or evil. We spoke of it before, we must not judge,
but we can be a fruit inspector.

     In verse 19, God tells us what will happen if we do not produce
fruit for him. It is very much like having an orchard. We will wait a
few years, prune the trees, fertilize them, work around them, and
water them; but then if they do not produce, we will cut them down.
That is what we see in verse 19.

     Matthew 7:19 "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is
hewn down, and cast into the fire." Matthew 7:20  "Wherefore by their
fruits ye shall know them."

     We can say all day long that we are  Christians, but unless we do
something about it, it is hard to convince God we are serious.

     Matthew 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my
Father which is in heaven."

     You see, this is what we have been talking about in church. Many
people pretend to be Christians, who have not sold out to God. Some
come to church for the fellowship, some come to better their position
in the community, and some come so that they can belong to something.
None of these things will get us to heaven. God wants us totally, or
not at all. Playing church will not get it. Jesus explains, here, what
it takes. Our will must be turned over to God so completely that we,
like Jesus, can say, "Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done",
(in my life). A TOTAL COMMITMENT TO GOD.

     Matthew 7:22 "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have
we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils?
and in thy name done many wonderful works?"  Matthew 7:23  "And then
will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that
work iniquity."

     The fact that they did these things was good, but why did they do
them? Was it for great fame and a lot of money? You see, God looks
more at the reason we did something, than the fact that we did it. If
you have a million dollars and you give a thousand to God, you haven't
done much; but if you have thousand and give it all, then that is
great. God knows you love Him enough to sacrifice self for Him.

     Matthew 7:24 "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine,
and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his
house upon a rock:" Matthew 7:25 "And the rain descended, and the
floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell
not: for it was founded upon a rock."

     You see, we must not only hear the Word, we must do it, as well.
We can go to church and listen, until we are old and gray, but it does
us no good at all, until we start applying the things we learn to our
own lives. A wise man knows the answers to life's problems, because he
searches them out in the Bible and applies them to his own life. The
"Rock" that we must build upon is Jesus Christ (the Cornerstone). It
rains on the just and unjust. Problems will come. The only difference
is a Christian faces problems differently. We pray and ask God to help
us through our problems. They do not overwhelm us, because our strength
is not in ourselves. We depend on Jesus. We just roll them over on
Him, and He takes care of them for us.

     Matthew 7:26 "And every one that heareth these sayings of mine,
and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built
his house upon the sand:" Matthew 7:27 "And the rain descended, and
the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it
fell: and great was the fall of it."

     It was the same "rain" (problem). You see, without a good
foundation, we fall. We must have our feet planted firmly in the Gospel
of Jesus Christ to be able to withstand in the terrible day that is
already around us. Take your eyes off the problem, and get them on
Jesus.  Stand firm, claiming the Word of God as your personal
strength. God is the answer. There is no other way.

     These teachings of Jesus  astonished the ones listening on that
day, and are still astonishing today. He breaks with tradition. He
emphatically teaches that our hearts must be right with God, not just
go through a bunch of rituals. He seems to be interpreting the meaning
of the laws of God, rather than changing them. People were blindly,
systematically keeping the law without having the vaguest idea why
they were keeping them. They were not truly feeling anything. God wants
our hearts, not our formality.

     Matthew 7:28 "And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these
sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:" Matthew 7:29
"For he taught them as [one] having authority, and not as the
scribes."

     Jesus really did not tell them that the law was bad. He told them
His interpretation of the law. He did have all authority. He wrote the
law in the first place. His understanding was not earthly, but
heavenly.  When Jesus took on the form of flesh and dwelt here on the
earth, He related to the difficulty in our lives truly being able to
comprehend the law. I believe the Sermon on the Mount is a truly
indepth explanation to us of what it takes for us to please God.

     Next lesson, we will begin in chapter 8 of Matthew.
















































                   Matthew 16 Questions

1.  How will we know for sure that it is Jesus returning?
2.  How do we know these false prophets will be in the church?
3.  Inwardly, what are they?
4.  Who are these false prophets pretending to be?
5.  In Second John, who are the ones who confess not that Jesus Christ
    is come in the flesh?
6.  In verse 9, it says, "Some people have not God". Who are they?
7.  If you bid false prophets God speed, what will happen to you?
8.  What two things tell whether a person is of God or not?
9.  In Matthew 7:16, how will we know them?
10. Finish this quote, "Train up a child in the way he should go
    ____________".
11. What one thing has a great deal to do with what we become?
12. Cursing, swearing, and dirty jokes are usually picked up where?
13. Why should we not fellowship with unbelievers?
14. What two things help us win people to Jesus Christ?
15. What happens to a tree that does not produce good fruit?
16. In verse 21, it says, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
    shall enter into the kingdom of heaven". Then who will enter?
17. What does it take?
18. In verse 22, we read of people who have ministered to other people
    but are not saved themselves. Why?
19. Who gave the most, the millionaire who gave a thousand dollars or
    the poor man who gave a thousand dollars?
20. Jesus said, if you hear His words and do them, you will be like
    whom?
21. When the problems of the world came, what did this man do?
22. In contrast, what did the man who built on the sand do when
    problems came?
23. We can listen to God's Word until we are old and gray, but when
    does it become useful to us?
24. Who is the rock? The Cornerstone?
25. Why do problems not overwhelm a Christian?
26. Where should a Christian's eyes be fixed?
27. Where must our feet be?
28. What can we claim as our strength?
29. Name two people astonished by Jesus' teaching?
30. Did Jesus change the law?
31. Jesus taught them as whom?
32. What does the author believe the Sermon on the Mount is?