Teaching Notes

There are times when a tree needs to be pruned, the dead leaves pulled off. It is the same with us. There are sometimes "dead" things that need to be pulled off our lives so that the good leaves can continue to grow (picture by James S. Williams).

The Corrupt Tree VS. The Good Tree

Matthew 7:17-23 (The Message)



15-20 Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don't be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook. These diseased trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned.



Notes: The scripture talks to us about being careful of people that are not sincere. They may have a lot of outward appearances that seem nice, but what is on the inside is they are corrupt. The may rip you off or do harm to you because they are not sincere. What does sincere mean?



Answer: A sincere person is someone that is honest, trustworthy, truthful, straight forward in what they say and do. In other words, they will not say one thing and do something else. This scripture talks about the preacher, but we can understand that it also can mean anyone that is "speaking" for God. How do we speak for God? If we say we are believers then our lives speak to others that we belong to God. But if our lives are not saying the same thing we are professing, we are not sincere. This is the actions of a corrupt "tree". The usage of tree is to reflect growth. A tree brings forth fruit. That which comes from the tree (actions) tells what kind of tree you are.



For example an apple tree when it's fruit comes, will bring forth apples. It won't bring forth watermelon! So when the scripture talks about us being trees it is so that we can understand we have fruit that comes from our lives (that fruit can be good or it can be bad). Let's ask God to help us be sincere so that our fruit can be good fruit that lines us up with what a good tree should look like.

Prayer: Lord help us to be sincere in what we say and do. Help us to be "preachers" of your goodness. Help our lives to speak to others of your goodness because that is what they see in us.