Foundations for Our Future (140) 

by: The Rev. Dr. Jon Shuler

Beware

Today’s verse could not be more important for a church which wants to be built upon the Rock that is Jesus Christ, especially at this moment in human history. False prophets are everywhere, and believers must beware. (Matthew 7:15)

If we are to know what a false prophet is like we must first understand what a true prophet is like. A true prophet speaks the truth of God. He does not make up ideas, he does not water down God’s commands. He may be called to help us interpret what God has revealed, but he is never called to abrogate what has clearly been given. When someone wants us to follow only the Lord God Almighty, they point us to what God first revealed to Israel. They will always point us to God’s Word. The Ten Commandments will be held up as the test of truth. And a true prophet will always point us to Jesus and his specific teaching and commandments.

The false prophet will lead us elsewhere. Are we being invited to break the Word of God? If so we are hearing from a false prophet. It is usual subtle, but always they will first weaken our allegiance to, then encourage us to break, God’s word. Today such false prophets are everywhere, and print, video, digital, and social media are the prime carriers of their lies. Some even pretend to speak as Christians.

Beware! 

Foundations for Our Future (141) 

by: The Rev. Dr. Jon Shuler

Recognizing False Prophets

The first steps of a true follower of Jesus should be to learn to “abide” in his word. When they do, they will “know the truth and the truth will set them free.” (John 8:31,32) When the word of Jesus abides in us, and we abide in him, we will not be led astray, or at least not for long. Like a bright shining light the truth of Jesus will guide us, or correct us. When that is our plumb line, no false prophet will delude us.

But the warning the Lord is giving us about false prophets (Matthew 7:16) could not be more critical now. All around us are voices that are not being guided by the Lord. Some are simply confused people, but some are positively determined to go against God. Even worse, some are speaking evil. What we must look for is “their fruits.” But what does that mean? Christ means the people who are following those who are false.

Absolutely the most central thing to look for is whether the followers are turning their lives over to Jesus and his teaching, or are they becoming followers of the person and his or her teachings? Are they reading his books and stopping there, or are they laying down his book going to the Lord’s word? Are they embodying the teaching Jesus gave or the teachings of others?

Without a doubt, the media sources that are surrounding most of us, are conveying the messages of false prophets. They are not dressed in religious garb, but they are leading the people of God astray.

Beware.

Foundations for Our Future (142) 

by: The Rev. Dr. Jon Shuler

Healthy Trees          

The Lord has warned us to beware of false prophets, and now he goes on to likening the good and bad influence of those teaching to two different trees. (7:17) The healthy tree bears good fruit and the diseased tree bears bad fruit. Both trees are still alive, taking in water and nourishment, but only one is healthy. Only one is producing what the tree was created to produce.

One of the hardest things for people in our present age to face is this: some people are having an influence in our lives completely contrary to God’s intention. They are in the same world we are, but they are bringing forth bad fruit. They are not living according the their Creator’s plan, and they are leading others to disobedience and death. What is even more concerning is that many in the church of Christ Jesus do not see this reality plainly. They are being deluded and deceived.

Again let us ask: “How do we know the good from the bad?” Jesus says pay attention to their fruit. What is going on in their lives? What is going on in the lives of those who follow them? Is it glorifying God? Is it honoring his holy Word? Or is it leading people to doubt and deny the truth?

The Lord Jesus taught his disciples that they must abide in his word if they are to belong to him, to be his disciples. And if they do they “will know the truth and the truth will set them free.” (John 8:31,32) That is our sure guide to healthy and unhealthy. Life saving or destroying.

Foundations for Our Future (143) 

by: The Rev. Dr. Jon Shuler

Diseased Trees       

When our Lord says something more than once we should pay special attention. Today we see an example of this. (Matthew 7:18) At first glance he seems to say the same thing he said in the previous verse, but look carefully. The word “cannot” stands out and calls us to attention. The diseased tree cannot bring forth good fruit. Those who eat of its fruit will catch its disease. It cannot bring health and healing. 

In this present moment of Pandemic we are all on heightened alert to avoid contracting Covid 19, or inadvertently spreading it. Why? Well first of all because nobody likes to be ill, but even more so now we are terrified of getting a very serious case. Perhaps even one that will end our life. The whole world has altered its behavior. But what about the church in the light of Jesus’ teaching?

There are influences abroad that have the capacity to kill your soul. They are destructive of all that is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise. (see Philippians 4:8)

Beware.

Foundations for Our Future (144) 

by: The Rev. Dr. Jon Shuler

Cut Down

Have you ever had to cut down a diseased or dead tree? If it was much admired when younger we generally feel sad to see it go, but we understand why it had to be cut down. The same is true of the human condition. A day is coming when God’s servants will be welcomed in to the garden of God’s delight, or God’s enemy’s will be “cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matthew 7:19) We must face this painful and challenging fact.

The truth about our coming judgment is not bad news, it is loving news. To tell someone you love about imminent danger is loving. To warn those you love of disastrous consequences if they do not change course is loving. Why does the world see this as a reason to attack the gospel? The world is trying to warn us about Covid, but not about eternal things. Why?

The more you read and pray over the Word of God, the more you will see that there really are only two paths through this life. It is a binary journey. It will lead us to life or death. The world and those seduced by it will not ultimately succeed in their quest to live without God. They will not be able to triumph over his purposes. His Word will judge them on that great Day. And the world despises that message.

The false prophet, the false teacher, the false communicator is trying to hide that truth from us.

Foundations for Our Future (145) 

by: The Rev. Dr. Jon Shuler

Recognize Them

This section of the Sermon on the Mount has remained with us for some days because it is so important. A friend told me one time there are only two topics that dominate human life, politics and theology. He was right. The former dominates this life, and the latter prepares us for our eternal destiny. All holy Scripture was written for our learning. Not so our minds alone would know the truth, but so we would allow God to conform our lives to his purpose. So we would begin to be prepared for eternity.

Over and over in his ministry Jesus confronted people who were saying one thing but doing another. They were teachers, priests, mothers, business leaders, lawyers, doctors, in short every kind of man and woman. And consistently the Lord speaks and shows us that what matters is how people live. How they act and treat others. What really motivates them on the inside. What are they like in secret?

The wonderful thing about the teaching Christ gives us about false prophets is that it is applicable by all of his followers. We need not be deceived. The Lord tells us to test their fruit. What is their life producing? We can see what is happening because of false teaching, if we know his Word. We will not be deceived. But we do have to pay attention. We have to be alert. We have to recognize them. (Matthew 7:20)

Foundations for Our Future (146) 

by: The Rev. Dr. Jon Shuler

Buckle Up!

The first time I went on a high tech modern roller coaster with my boys, I was scared almost out of my wits. I let out an involuntary scream when we crested that first rise and plummeted what seemed straight down. I was so unhappy with myself, for my screaming went on for most of the ride, that I got back in line to go again. This time, alone, I made it all the way without letting out a scream. I buckled up my emotions as well as my body. I have never ridden another coaster. Today’s passage requires that we buckle up. (Matthew 7:21-23)

This story of the roller coaster comes into my mind today as we draw near the summing-up of the Sermon on the Mount. Remember the context. The crowd was probably a sizable gathering of those who thought they wanted to be disciples of this young rabbi. Little by little his teaching has put before them the absolute nature of God’s will for them if they follow. Much that he has said has been difficult, for his first hearers and for us. But as Peter will one day say, even as many who began to follow were turning away: “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:58)

Jesus today speaks to those who imagine themselves to be his followers, but who are in danger of completely missing what he has been saying. It is, for me, nearly the most sobering thing that Christ ever said: “I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:23)

Foundations for Our Future (147) 

by: The Rev. Dr. Jon Shuler

Saying & Doing

We must remain with this section of the sermon for another week, however difficult for all of us. We hear the Lord say that some who know who he is, who can even say to him “Lord, Lord” on that great Day, will not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 7:21) How can that be if they knew him?

Some modern churches have mistakenly fallen into a truncated gospel, actually no gospel at all, that makes people think that simply knowing about Jesus is enough. Or, perhaps more accurately, that if they have a ”relationship” with him that all will be fine. Now it is true that the Lord Jesus calls us all to be in a deep and lasting relationship of love with him. Of that there is no doubt. But the mistake is to imagine that if that is true it does not matter how we live or behave. If we are really his, if Jesus is to really know us, we will do “the will of [his] Father, who is in heaven.”

Do you remember how our Lord taught us to pray? (Matthew 6:10) “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” When Jesus life and ministry on earth was ending he could say “your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42) This pattern is that which must characterize his true followers. It is not saying that we will follow that proves us, but if we actually do follow him.

Foundations for Our Future (148) 

by: The Rev. Dr. Jon Shuler

Says or Does?

We must not be deceived in this section of the sermon. It is too critical for us. There must not be error here. There will be a right saying of “Lord, Lord,” and a wrong saying. (Matthew 7:21) Do you see that? “Not every one who says Lord, Lord,” Jesus says. He makes, as he always does, a clear distinction between two paths. One is religious behavior that is outward, and one that is inward, from the heart. One will see heaven’s door open, and the other will see it barred.

Thomas Jefferson, though much revered for his contribution to our American founding, was determined to tailor the Word of God to his own intellect. He made a copy of the New Testament in which he cut out all the parts he did not like. In that action he prefigured many in our own day, some even in the church, who want a Jesus after their own making. But he is the Lord of Life. He is one with the Triune Majesty of God Almighty. All that ever was or will be was created through him. Christ is the one who is speaking today. Christ is the one we must learn to obey.

Does this mean we earn our salvation after all? No it does not. But Christ Jesus is stating clearly that we are to be doing the will of the Father, if we are truly his. We cannot claim him as Savior and ignore him as Lord.

Foundations for Our Future (149) 

by: The Rev. Dr. Jon Shuler

Mighty Works

Many of us have been moved from time to time by the story of some mighty work. I remember my first visit to a steel mill, and feeling awe at the enormity and power of the machinery producing great rolls of steel. It was the same the first time I was present when what seemed to me to be a dramatic healing. I was shaken by the sight. During the 1970’s in England we were present in gatherings when men seemed to be performing extraordinary miracles, much like Jesus identifies today. (Matthew 7:22) I was a very young Christian, and I was both attracted and repelled, I must confess.

Of course I wanted to see sick people healed, as we all do. I wanted to see terribly demonized people set free. I wanted to hear the living voice of the Lord through a modern day prophet. But something deep inside me was saying:”Beware.” Today I believe that warning was from the Holy Spirit.

Time revealed that many of those so called miracle workers had hidden lives that were very disordered. Some later utterly forsook the Lord, others were revealed to be frauds, living in large homes and preying on gullible people. Some were just very confused people who had an inadequate understanding of God’s Word.

Do I not believe in miracles? Of course I do. I have seen God act in power, and I have been humbled by it. Do I pray that people will be healed and delivered? Yes I do. But I know this, that it is the ordinary daily doing of the will of God that alone proves who is and who is not a disciple of Jesus. It is never miracles alone.