1. Beware of False prophets.

Be Careful!

How to discern? Hughes shares 4 ways:

1. The false prophet avoids preaching on such things as the holiness, righteousness, justice and wrath of God.
2. The false prophet avoids preaching on the doctrine of the final judgment.
3. The false prophet fails to emphasize the fallenness and depravity of mankind.
4. The false prophet de-emphasizes the substitutionary death and atonement of Christ. (The Sermon on the Mount, Hughes, 254-255)

2. A healthy tree.

“It is appallingly easy to pretend….We have to beware of pretense in ourselves.” (Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, Chambers, 90-91)

3. Recognizable trees.

Sermon Questions:

1. How have you identified false prophets?

2. How can we be prepared for those who might lead us astray without being so worried about these?

3. Who is someone that you continue to see that has healthy fruit (you don't have to share a name)? What identifies them as healthy--or in other words, what characteristics continue to show that they are "attached to the vine?"

4. What do you think Jesus meant by 7:19?

5. Identify several ways in order for a tree to be healthy. How can these ways apply to us spiritually?