4/16/23 - Beware The Wolves - Matthew 7:14-20 - Pastor Jason Fritz

In Matthew chapter 7 Jesus brings the Sermon On The Mount to an end. Previously he has spoken of two gates. One is narrow and the other is wide. The narrow gate is restrictive (only one way and few enter) but it leads to life. You can’t earn your way through and you certainly don’t deserve what’s on the other side, but by God's grace he opens it for you through Jesus. The wide gate is broad and easy to enter, however, it leads to destruction. As we learned two weeks ago, the wide gate represents man’s vain attempt to gain heaven through his own efforts. 

Now there are some who stand at the crossroads of these two gates and want to help you make a decision. They want to direct you toward the wide gate. This is not in your best interest. They stand there like a crosswalk guard holding up a “GO!” sign and escorting you through uninterrupted. Jesus describes them in this way...

“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 from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but 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 fruits.
-Matthew 7:15-20 

This is a stern warning. These people lead others to hell and cause disunity within the church. It’s interesting that the warning is not: “Beware of the cults, the culture, the atheists or the government." Instead, Jesus says we should be looking for people in the church who appear as servants. In reality, they are using us and they know exactly what they are doing. In other words, the greatest threat to the church is not from without but from within. Jesus gives us what we need to identify and respond to the wolves in sheep’s clothing.