January 14, 2013
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 12:33-37
OBSERVATIONS
We saw from Leviticus 1-7 that God takes sin seriously, and here jesus proves it again. “But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.” Yikes, every empty (careless) word?
Jesus point here is that our lives reflect our hearts. If we are typically cruel with our words, it is because their is a cruel spirit in our hearts. If we do not have a cruel heart, then even when we say something cruel (which we will, we all fail in this way), it will bother us, we will be sorry for it.
We are not accepted or rejected based on our words or deeds (fruit), but they do reveal whether our hearts have been changed or not. God has made it possible to experience heart change (He has made the tree good) by Jesus’ death and resurrection and the Holy Spirit. In Christ we are born again, a new creation, the Spirit of God in us has changed our hearts, and now with the Spirit’s help we can produce good fruit. If after all this we do not produce good fruit, or demonstrate repentance when we produce bad fruit), we show that our hearts are still closed or hardened.
Jesus is blunt with the religious leaders. Their plotting against Jesus, their lack of mercy for sinners, their pride in their religiosity, their lack of concern for justice, their harsh and cruel words towards others… these things show that their hearts do not belong to God, but to Satan (see John 8:44). To call them “brood of vipers” is another way of saying offspring of the serpent (Genesis 3:15), the children of Satan. How does He know… by their fruit.
What do you notice in this passage?
APPLICATION
No one is sinless by themselves. By God’s grace we are justified (declared innocent), and by His Spirit we are being sanctified (made sinless, a lifetime process). If we are born from above like this, then we will not be happy about lingering sin in our lives, we will hate it when we do or say bad things. This is part of the fruit, our eagerness to admit our sin, repent and do better. This is the fruit that God is looking for, this is the fruit that God is working for in me.
God is showing me some attitudes and behaviours in my life that I need to consider. How do I feel about these areas than are not Christ-like? Does my heart hate it, or is is comfortable with it?
Because of all that God has done in/for me, I have everything I need to change my life, and to start living a more God-like (Jesus-like) life. But I need to make an effort… I need to make EVERY effort to improve my words and actions. For this will show me that God has changed me, made me a good tree (justified) and helping me to be a good tree (sanctified). Read 2 Peter 1:3-8 where Peter bluntly addresses how we should live as God’s children, and what it means if we don’t.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
God, no excuses. I am responsible for my words and actions because I am response-able for my words and actions. I cannot stop sinning completely, but I can hate it, fight it, and over time with Your help overcome it. Either I am a good tree, and my life will increasingly show it, or I am not.
Words
I know people who are very negative. I also know people who are very positive. I know how I feel after being with both types of people. A person speaks out of how they feel as a person. These verses say that a good tree bears good fruit. Also that out of the heart, a person speaks. And finally, that a person will be acquitted or condemned by their words. A person will be held accountable for what they say. That is a bit of a scary thought for people who speak a lot. Also scary for people who don’t think before they speak. Speaking can be harsh, kind of like sticks and stones.
It is one thing to speak kindly to those we love. What about those we don’t love? What about those we don’t even know? I am not always kind to others. I can think of how I treat telemarketers for instance. I often do not have the patience to deal in kindness when I am interrupted, or already stressed with a situation at work or at home.
I want to be known as a person who is positive in my outlook, and in my words. This means to me to try to deflect negative talk, and try to neutralize where possible. I generally look at life in a positive manner, and I hope that I portray this to others.
I pray that my heart will be pure, and that out of it, I will speak in a positive manner. I pray that when people have been around me, that they will feel better for the experience. I pray that Jesus will shine through the words I say, and do not say.
Observations:
The tree is recognized by its fruit. We are like trees planted by the riverside the Psalmist says, being nurtured by the living water. If so, we bring forth good fruit. This good fruit is the fruit of the Spirit. And if the tree does not produce, it will be like the fig tree Jesus encountered with His disciples – it will be cut down and thrown into the fire because it did not produce what it was supposed to produce – good fruit.
Applications:
I am grafted into the living tree – the living vine. I must bear good fruit – the fruit of the Spirit – by my actions and words. They will know we are Christians by our love. Words and deeds must be in sync. Out of the heart comes the issues of life. What am I know for ?
I am here to serve. That must be the driving force in my words and deeds. All for Jesus and that is a possibility if I am lead by the Spirit. SpiritPower. GodStrong. LiveStrong. ChristStrong. SpiritLead.
I am planted by the riverside being nourished and therefor encouraged and directed by Him who gives life and life abundantly.
Lead me and guide me always Lord.
Prayer:
Help me, direct me, lead me Lord this day and every day to live for Jesus by Today God Is First for the joy of the Lord God is my strength.
The joy of the Lord is my strength,
the joy of the Lord is my strength,
The joy of the Lord is my strength,
the joy of the Lord is my strength.
He heals the broken hearted and they cry no more,
He heals the broken hearted and they cry no more.
He heals the broken hearted and they cry no more,
the joy of the Lord is my strength.
He gives me living water and I thirst no more,
He gives me living water and I thirst no more.
He gives me living water and I thirst no more,
the joy of the Lord is my strength.