“Fruit” Means Obedience, Not Exploits

ALL – Psalm 9:1-12
ALL – Proverbs 2:16-22
OT – Genesis 20:1-22:24
NT – Matthew 7:15-29

Some of the most frightening passages in the Scriptures are those where Jesus describes the kind of people who will NOT be allowed into the kingdom of heaven. Why? Because Jesus talks about people who have an appearance of righteousness—and I have to agree, they appear to be righteous. They appear to be on Jesus’ team. And then it’s easy to begin to wonder, “How can I tell the difference between those who appear to be on Jesus’ team and those who actually are?” And the next question is, “How can I tell whether I merely appear to be on Jesus’ team or whether I actually am?” Scary thoughts. The questions are sobering, frightening and disconcerting because we, so often, judge merely by appearances. We’ve lost the ability to discern between those who are truly Jesus’ followers and those who merely appear to be.

But Jesus tried to help us. He gave us instructions designed to lead us into understanding. And He told us, By their fruit you will recognize them (Matthew 7:16, NIV).

So what fruit are we looking for?

Not ministry exploits, that’s for sure:

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ – Matthew 7:21-23, NIV

Never assume that anyone—no matter how respected, no matter how much of a leader, no matter how famous, no matter how great a Bible teacher, no matter how successful he is in ministry exploits—is a follower of Jesus Christ. Ministry exploits are not the fruit Jesus is after.

So what’s Jesus after? What fruit does he want us to discern?

The simple, humble fruit of daily obedience:

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. – Matthew 7:24, NIV

This talk about fruit came at the end of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. He’d urged men and women to accept pain and persecution for His sake (Matt. 5:3-12), to do good deeds for the Father’s praise (5:13-16), to practice and teach God’s commands (5:17-20), to make peace rather than to be angry (5:21-26), to avoid lust (5:27-30) and divorce (5:31-32), to live a life of truth (5:33-37), to focus on doing good even above getting justice (5:38-42), to love enemies as friends (5:43-48), to give and pray and forgive and fast with the Father in mind (6:1-18), to serve God rather than money (6:19-24), to trust God with earthly needs (6:25-34), to judge themselves instead of others (7:1-6), to ask God for good gifts (7:7-12), and to find and follow the narrow road (7:13-14). Only after all these commands and directions did Jesus begin to describe how to discern between good fruit and bad, good teachers and bad.

How many of the commands Jesus gave in His Sermon on the Mount are commands that cannot be faithfully pursued by every single disciple? How many of them are exclusive to ministers and professionals?

Jesus did not condemn teachers who called Him ‘Lord.” He did not condemn men and women who prophesy, drive out demons and perform miracles in His name. These are all aspects of valid ministry.

But great ministry exploits are not the marks of great teachers and ministers. False teachers may well do great ministry exploits. The fruit of a good minister is the same as the fruit of any other disciple of Jesus Christ: the simple, humble, enduring fruit of daily obedience.

Father, may I and all your people produce this fruit in abundance!

Can anyone share an example of such a fruitful, faithful man or woman of God? Someone whose life may or may not have been filled with great ministry exploits, but whose life was certainly filled with consistent and faithful obedience to Jesus Christ?

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