KNOWN BY ITS FRUITS

MEMORY VERSE: Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. Matthew 12:33

 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: James 1-3

BIBLE READING: Matthew 12:33-37

Some people brought a man who was possessed with a devil to Jesus Christ (Matthew 12:22-29). The demon in the man made him blind and dumb. Jesus healed him; he regained his sight and began to speak. Everyone rejoiced with the man and praised the name of the Lord. Within a short space of time, the news of his healing traveled around the city. When the Pharisees heard it, they belittled the great work Jesus had done in the man’s life. Matthew 12:24 says, “But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.” Jesus knew what they were thinking so He said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand” (Matthew 12:25-26)? He said many other things to them to prove that He healed the man by the power of Holy Spirit. 

Today, we will look at something He said in Matthew 12:33, “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.” There are several lessons we can learn from this verse. Firstly, you know a tree by its fruit. On a mango tree, you will find mangoes and on an orange tree you find oranges. You will never find an orange growing on a mango tree. A tree is known by the fruit it produces not by its leaves or branches. The tree here is the man and the fruits are his works. You know a man by his works (fruits) not by his appearance (leaves or branches). Sometimes back, four young girls between the ages of twelve and fifteen sat opposite me on a bus, and they began to talk. As they talked – and they talked so loud that everyone around them could hear them – i wept inside. They were talking about contraceptive injections -  one of them had just had it and was showing others the mark on her hand. They were talking about sex – the things they had tried - at a point i had to change my seat as these girls were raw. I couldn’t imagine these young girls, at that age,  being exposed to such. When you look at them, they looked innocent but they are not. Looks can be deceptive. You know a man by his deeds (actions) not by his confessions. Recently, one of my sisters was telling me a story about a lady who met a brother online . The brother came across as a Christian-  always talking about church, always encouraging her to read her bible and all that. Fully convinced that he was a child of God they started to court. It was then she realized that the brother wasn't a Christian brother at all. At times he will video- call her and ask her to do unthinkable things. Friend,  a man is known by his conduct not by what he claims to be. Single sisters be aware, not every brother who quotes the bible is a child of God. Remember, Satan can also quote the bible. A tree is known by its fruit not be its location. Regardless of where you plant an orange tree it will produce oranges. Also a mango tree will produce mango regardless of where it is planted. 

NOTE: The only way to identify a tree is by its fruits. 

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world