Lesson#14

THE PARABLES OF JESUS CHRIST
LESSON #14
THE PARABLE OF SHEEP AND WOLVES (MAT 7:15) AND
THE PARABLE OF GOOD AND BAD FRUIT (MAT 7:16-20)

• MEMORY VERSE: MAT 7:15-16a

• READ MAT 7:13-27 FOR THE CONTEXT OF THESE TWO PARABLES.
• THESE TWO PARABLES ARE STILL PART OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT SPOKEN TO THE DISCIPLES. THEREFORE, THEY RELATE TO THE CHRISTIAN’S LIFE.

• THE IMPORTANT CONCEPTS OR PRINCIPLES IN THESE VERSES (13-27):
• =1= THERE ARE 2 WAYS TO LIVE, ONE OF WHICH LEADS TO DESTRUCTION (13).
• =2= THE WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE IS NARROW AND FEW PEOPLE FIND IT. (14)
• =3= FEW PEOPLE FIND IT BECAUSE OF FALSE PROPHETS AND FALSE TEACHERS WHO ONLY SEEM TO LEAD PEOPLE TO TRUTH. (15)
• =4= YOU CAN RECOGNIZE THESE FALSE PROPHETS AND FALSE TEACHERS BY THE FRUIT OF THEIR MESSAGE. (16) (20)
• =5= WHILE THESE FALSE PROPHETS AND FALSE TEACHERS DECEIVE MANY, THEY CANNOT HIDE THE FRUIT OF THEIR LIVES. (17-18)
• =6= THE END OF THE LIVES OF THE FALSE PROPHETS AND FALSE TEACHERS IS FIRE. (19)
• =7= EVERYONE DOES NOT GET INTO HEAVEN, BUT ONLY THE OBEDIENT. (21)
• =8= MANY PEOPLE THINK THEY WILL GET INTO HEAVEN BY THEIR WORKS. (22)
• =9= THE LORD WILL SAY TO THEM, “I DON’T HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU.” (23)
• =10= A PERSON NEEDS A LIFE STYLE BUILT ON OBEDIENCE TO THE WORD OF GOD. (24)
• =11= WHEN PROBLEMS COME IN THIS LIFE, THAT LIFE STYLE BUILT ON JESUS, THE ROCK, WILL STAND. (25)
• =12= THE LIFE NOT BUILT ON JESUS WILL NOT STAND STRONG THROUGH TROUBLES. (26-27)

• THE PARABLE OF THE SHEEP AND WOLVES (MAT 7:15)
• THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE OF THE SHEEP AND WOLVES (MAT 7:15)
• FEW PEOPLE FIND THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE NARROW GATE BECAUSE OF FALSE PROPHETS AND FALSE TEACHERS WHO DECEIVE THEM. THEY ARE DECEIVED BY THE EXTERNAL CHARACTERISTICS BUT THE INTERNAL CHARACTER IS EVIL.
• WHAT DOES SHEEP’S CLOTHING REPRESENT?
• SHEEP’S CLOTHING REPRESENTS THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE OF GOODNESS, HOLINESS, OR GODLINESS.
• THIS ILLUSTRATION IS PERHAPS AN ALLUSION TO THE ROUGH GARMENTS WORN BY THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS TO CALL ATTENTION TO THEIR POSITION AS A PROPHET AND TO CALL ATTENTION TO THEIR MESSAGE.
• OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS WORE SHEEPSKINS OR GOATSKINS AND OFTEN LIVED THE LIFE OF A HERMIT. (HEB 11:37)
• JOHN THE BAPTIST IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
• WHAT DOES THE PARABLE MEAN BY “FEROCIOUS WOLVES”?
• THIS PHRASE IS A REFERENCE TO THE MOTIVE OF FALSE PROPHETS AND FALSE TEACHERS.
• THEIR MOTIVE IS TO RAVAGE AND STEAL THE SOUL.
• READ JOH 10:7-12
• READ 2PET 2:1-4, 10-22
• READ 1JOH 4:1-3
• READ 2COR 11:2-3, 13-15

• THE PARABLE OF GOOD AND BAD FRUIT (MAT 7:15)
• WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THIS PARABLE?
• A PERSON CAN DISCERN FALSE PROPHETS AND FALSE TEACHERS BY THE FRUIT OF THEIR MESSAGE. EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE DECEPTIVE, THEY CANNOT HIDE THE FRUIT OF THEIR MESSAGE BECAUSE FALSENESS WILL EVENTUALLY SHOW ITSELF.
• WHAT IS MEANT BY GRAPES FROM THORNBUSHES AND FIGS FROM THISTLES?
• GOOD CANNOT COME FROM BAD AND BAD CANNOT COME FROM GOOD. EVERY TREE WILL DISPLAY ITS OWN KIND OF FRUIT BASED ON WHAT IS IN THE HEART.
• READ PRO 23:7
• A MAN SPEAKS OUT OF HEART.
• DISCUSSION: WHAT IS GOOD FRUIT AND A GOOD TREE? WHAT IS BAD FRUIT AND A BAD TREE?

• THE TREE REPRESENTS THE INNER LIFE STYLE OF A PERSON. ALL PEOPLE PRODUCE FRUIT.
• IN OTHER WORDS, THE FRUIT REPRESENTS THE RESULTS OF YOUR LIFE ON OTHER PEOPLE.

• WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN IT SAYS THAT THE BAD TREE IS CUT DOWN AND “THROWN INTO THE FIRE” (19)?
• THE NON-BELIEVER, WHOSE FATHER IS SATAN, WILL SPEND ETERNITY IN THE LAKE OF ETERNAL FIRE.
• SOME IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER:
• =1= WE MUST NOT RELY TOTALLY ON A PERSON’S LIFESTYLE AS TO WHETHER HE IS A FALSE TEACHER OR A FALSE PROPHET. WHY?
• IT IS BECAUSE WE ALL FALL SHORT OF GOD’S STANDARD FROM TIME TO TIME. NO PERSON IS PERFECT AND WITHOUT SIN.
• =2= WE MUST BE CAREFUL FRUIT INSPECTORS:
• WE ARE TO DISCERN GOOD FROM EVIL, BUT WE ARE NOT TO JUDGE WITH CONDEMNATION. THERE IS A FINE LINE BETWEEN THE TWO AND WE NEED THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO WALK THIS FINE LINE.

• SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
• THE BELIEVER SHOULD BE WISE IN DISCERNING THOSE WHO ARE TRUE AND THOSE WHO ARE FALSE.
• SCRIPTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A FALSE PROPHET OR A FALSE TEACHER:
• =1= A FALSE PROPHET OR A FALSE TEACHER BRINGS DESTRUCTIVE HERESIES. (2PET 2:1)
• WHAT IS A HERESY?
• A DOCTRINE THAT VARIES FROM THE ACCEPTED CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE.
• THEY DENY THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
• =2= A FALSE PROPHET OR A FALSE TEACHER HAS PERNICIOUS WAYS (2PET 2:2)
• THEY LEAD AN IMMORAL, SENSUAL, LUSTFUL LIFE.
• =3= A FALSE PROPHET OR A FALSE TEACHER IS COVETOUS (2PET 2:3)
• HIS MOTIVE IS FINANCIAL GAIN.
• =4= A FALSE PROPHET OR A FALSE TEACHER DESPISES GOVERNMENT. (2PET 2:10)
• HE DOES NOT SUBMIT TO ANY AUTHORITY. HE IS PRESUMPTUOUS AND SELF-WILLED.
• =5= A FALSE PROPHET OR A FALSE TEACHER BEGUILES UNSTABLE SOULS. (2PET 2:14)
• HE APPEALS TO NEW CONVERTS TO CHRISTIANITY OR TO BABY CHRISTIANS WHO DO NOT KNOW WELL THE WORD OF GOD.
• =6= A FALSE PROPHET OR A FALSE TEACHER PROMISES LIFE BUT HE CANNOT DELIVER TRUE LIFE. (2PET 2:17, 19)
• ONLY JESUS CHRIST IS THE TRUE LIFE. (JOH 6:35, 51 JOH 10:10 JOH 11:25 JOH 14:6)
• =7= SOMETIMES A FALSE PROPHET OR A FALSE TEACHER HAS OBTAINED THE FULL, PERSONAL HEAD KNOWLEDGE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BUT HAS NOT OBTAINED A HEART KNOWLEDGE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. INSTEAD HE HAS PURPOSELY TURNED AWAY FROM THE TRUTH. (2PET 2:21)
• HOW TO TEST A MESSAGE OR A DOCTRINE:
• CONSTANTLY ASK YOURSELF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
• =1= IS THE MESSAGE OR DOCTRINE TRUE TO JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD? (JOH 16:13, 14 REV 19:10)
• =2= DOES THE MESSAGE OR DOCTRINE CONFORM TO THE REST OF SCRIPTURE? (ISA 8:19-20 2TIM 3:16)
• =3= DOES THE MESSAGE OR DOCTRINE LEAVE YOU WITH PEACE INSIDE?(DEU 13:1-4 COL 3:15)
• =4= DOES THE MESSAGE OR DOCTRINE LEAD A PERSON INTO LIBERTY OR BONDAGE? (2PET 2:17 ROM 8:15)
• =5= IS THE LIFE OF THE MESSENGER A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HIS MESSAGE?
• DOES HIS LIFE HAVE GOOD FRUIT? (MAT 7:15-20 1TIM 3:1-13 GAL 5:22)
• =6= IS THE MESSAGE OR DOCTRINE CONFUSING? DOES THE DOCTRINE KEEP CHANGING DETAILS OVER TIME? (DEU 18:20-22)
• =7= DOES THE MESSAGE HAVE AN ANOINTING OF GOD? (1JOH 2:20)

HOMEWORK
THE PARABLE OF TWO HOUSES (MAT 7:24-27)
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE OF SHEEP AND WOLVES (MAT 7:15) AND THE PARABLE OF GOOD AND BAD FRUIT (MAT 7:16-20)

• LISTEN TO SEVERAL CHRISTIAN MESSAGES THIS WEEK IN CHURCH OR ON TELEVISION OR ON THE RADIO. APPLY THE TEST OF A MESSAGE OR A DOCTRINE TO EACH MESSAGE YOU HEAR. WRITE YOUR OBSERVATIONS HERE:

• PREPARATION FOR THE PARABLE OF TWO HOUSES (MAT 7:24-27)
• THIS IS THE END OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT SPOKEN TO THE DISCIPLES.
• READ MAT 7:21-29 FOR BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT OF THE PARABLE.
• MAKE A LIST OF IMPORTANT CONCEPTS OR PRINCIPLES IN THESE VERSES (21-29)

• WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE OF TWO HOUSES IN MAT 7:24-27?

• WHO IS THE WISE MAN?

• WHO IS THE FOOLISH MAN?

• WHAT DOES THE ROCK REPRESENT?

• WHAT DOES THE SAND REPRESENT?

• WHAT DO THE RAINS, FLOOD, AND WINDS REPRESENT?

• MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 18:2