This sermon was preached at St Peter’s Evangelical-Lutheran Church, Public Schools Club, Adelaide, 9am
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
Prayer: Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.
Our Gospel reading for today comes from the last part of the Sermon on the Mount, and is a very pertinent reading for our times. Just before our reading we actually read some very famous words of Jesus, where he teaches what is often called, “The Golden Rule”. So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
This is one of the most famous quotes of Jesus, and we often find people who are interviewed on TV who might say something like, “I’m not religious, but I just believe that we should do to others what you would have them do unto you.” In other words, I’m not religious, but I’m happy to live according to something that Jesus actually said!
In the words that follow, Jesus actually then does something for us, which is easy for us to hear, but he actually teaches the truth about something. One of the most important things in life is that someone should tell us the truth even when we don’t need to hear it. For example, let’s say we go to the doctor, and we have a serious condition, actually, even though it might be hard for us to hear it, it is much better that the doctor just lay it all out, and tell us what the problem is and what the treatment is. Doctors do for us what they would want someone else to do for them, in other words: tell us the truth about our situation, so that we can then undergo the treatment, and know what we have to do.
Jesus in a similar way, in this Sermon on the Mount, tells the people this Golden Rule, and then immediately afterwards tells the people some hard truths, that are going to be difficult for them to hear. He tells them, if you are going to be my followers, you can’t just go along with whatever crowd you find yourself with. You need to be discerning and you need to be careful and you need to search carefully about how things really are. You see, there are many people in this world who only care what things look like, they only care with the appearances of things. As long as things look a certain way, then everything is fine. But you must be a person who cares how things really are. And in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us how things really are.
He says: Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Now, these are the words that come just before our reading today, and before we get to our reading, it is really worth our while to think about them first. Many people who convert to Christianity have to ask themselves the question: what church should I join? Which church is the true one? Many people from outside might look at the disunity of Christian churches all throughout the world, and say: Why should I become a Christian, if all of you can’t agree on anything?
There are many very large and very old churches all throughout the world. And many Christians and non-Christians alike have a common prevailing opinion: the real church is a large church, and a small church is a sect. However, Jesus teaches the complete opposite: a large church, or a large group is not necessary the true path at all. Jesus says: Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Actually, people often feel as though there is a certain safety in numbers. But Jesus warns us here, and says: be careful of the numbers, because they can give a false impression. A large group can look like it’s proof that things are happening, that things are going well, but in actual fact, it can be a situation where everyone is being led to destruction together.
Also, a large group, and the comfort and the safety of a large group, makes it easy for people to hide. It gives a certain ease, where not too much is required of us that will make us uncomfortable. But Jesus says: The gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction. On the other hand, Jesus says: The gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life.
So, for the sake of Jesus and his kingdom, sometimes we have to walk a path that is hard, and we should not worry if a large crowd of people would say otherwise. The most important thing is to follow the words of Jesus, and to recognise where his kingdom is to be found, even when it is hard road, even when it is a road which is not easy.
Now, I’d like to say a little something about the Roman Catholic Church, and the pope. Now, in doing this, firstly, I want to say, that I am not trying to be unfair or unkind to many very faithful Catholics throughout the world, some of whom are very genuine Christians. It has always been a teaching of the Lutheran Church, that true Christians are to found in all kinds of places and in all kinds of churches.
However, being the largest church in the world, for example, there is always a temptation to think: we are the biggest, we must be right. Jesus teaches this is not true. But also, with the safety of numbers, many Catholics will think: the true church has a pope. If you don’t have a pope, then you don’t have the church. In all my years as a pastor, I have found this to be one of the greatest reasons why many Catholics don’t leave their church, even though they might have profound disagreements about other things. It’s a big obstacle finally to put away the idea: no pope = no church.
But what this does too is it means that many Catholics hide behind the Pope and behind the large numbers of the Roman Catholic church and say: I don’t need to be accountable before God, because I will just go along with whatever the pope says and whatever the church teaches. However, what if the pope speaks wrongly, or if the church teaches wrongly? Then what?
So, in our reading, today, Jesus is actually telling us that we have to be responsible for these things ourselves. We have to look at the wide gate, look at the narrow gate, and decide between the two. We need to be personally accountable before God, and not to hide behind the numbers. Many Eastern Orthodox Christians sometimes say this too, and say: There are so many thousands of us, we can’t all be wrong. Or, even Muslims might say this: There are so many millions of Muslims throughout the world, we can’t all be wrong.
But we all know, that there are many, many people all throughout the world, that might hold certain opinions about things, who are actually wrong about them. But our attitude in Christianity should be this. Even if everyone in the world were wrong about everything, I have a Saviour Jesus Christ who is right about everything, and he is my teacher, and I will follow him, no matter what the cost, and no matter what the price.
And so, when people convert to Christianity, the spotlight shines on them personally, in such a way that they find that they have to stand before God, by themselves. And so, how are they going to do it, with their sin? They need a Saviour, Jesus Christ, who will stand in their place, who will take their sin upon his shoulders, and pay the debt which they owe to God with his own life and his own blood. There are no large groups of people that can replace this Jesus, who can replace this Saviour, there is no pope, no organisations, no group, no easy, wide path that can steer us away from this reality. If we are going to be saved, we must be saved by Jesus and his blood and his righteousness alone, because he is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and no one comes to the Father except by Him.
And so, in the verse which we just read about the narrow gate and the wide path, Jesus is describing for us in a little way what this Way looks like, when he says about himself, “I am the Way”. Sometimes, it might feel to us a lonely way, but with Jesus there is no loneliness, because He is with his people, and he promises to be with them always to the end of the age.
So, now, we come to our Gospel reading, where Jesus says: Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognise them by their fruits.
Firstly, here, Jesus tells us that each Christian person is a judge of doctrine. We must not leave the job to others – the job rests with us. It is part of what it means to be a Christian who has been given the Holy Spirit, and been renewed in the Holy Spirit, and given the new life from God.
But then, also, Jesus tells us that there will be false prophets. He tells us in advance that there are going to be false prophets, and so, it should be of no great surprise to us, when at some time in our life, we come across one, or two, or three, or 500 of them.
St John writes in his first letter: Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.
So, the way in which the history of things always works is that after the true prophets comes the false prophets. After the true Messiah comes false Messiahs. After the apostles, come false apostles. After the teachers of God’s truth, come the teachers of the devil’s lies.
Now, also, the nature of a false prophet is also such that they cover up their true nature. Even though they are full of untruth, they cover their lies up with truths. Even though they are actually full of evil things, they cover up their evil with all kinds of virtues. So, even though they are wolves—animals which devour the sheep—they give themselves the appearance of being a sheep.
Now, Jesus goes on to use another picture. He says: You will recognise 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, not 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 recognise them by their fruits.
So, Jesus first of all pictures false prophets as wolves who are dressed up as sheep. But then we recognise them by their fruits. What this means too, is that it sometimes takes us time to recognise the fruit. For example, someone might move house, and the real estate agent says that there is a nice plum tree, and a nice peach tree in the backyard. But they can’t remember which one is which, because they look similar. And so, when the right time of year comes, then there appears some orange fruit on one tree, and some purple fruit on the other – and the person says: Now, I know which tree is which.
Sometimes, it’s a bit more obvious, as Jesus says. You can’t get grapes from a thornbush, or figs from a thistle! But then sometimes, if a tree is diseased, then eventually, it will produce bad fruit, or won’t produce much fruit, and such like. If the tree is diseased, then Jesus says: Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. There will be a judgment upon the bad tree – it won’t be left there, it will be cut down and burned.
Now, many people sometimes use this passage to talk about doctrine and good works. As if doctrine and teaching are the tree, and then the good works which come are the fruit. However, it’s not always like this. Many times, the sheep’s clothing that wolves use, are good works. Then later, we see the wrong teaching, we see the wrong doctrine, the falsehood of their words, as the fruit which comes forth.
But sometimes, too, it can be the other way around – the wolf clothes himself with an appearance of theological correctness, but for the wrong reasons and with the wrong attitude, in such a way to build up their own sense of personal righteousness. And then, later, the bad fruit come forth, of arrogance, pride, and all kinds of things like this.
So, the two things go together: teaching, doctrine, but then also good works. Both of these things are the fruit by which we recognise a good teacher, not one without the other.
However, Luther made a wonderful quote that our faith should die a thousand times so that we might have the truth. What he means is that there are many times in our lives where we might realise that we were wrong about something. If this happens, then that’s okay. As Christians, and as pastors too, we can always be corrected, and learn something from Jesus and his Word that we didn’t know before.
So, as I said before, when Jesus says: Beware of false prophets, it means that if you hear your pastor say something that you don’t think is right, you should take him aside sometime and tell him. This is so important because St Paul says: I pray that all of you may agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. So, if you don’t agree about something, we should talk about it, and work out together what the truth of the matter is. We pastors must be convinced in our own minds when we preach that what we’re speaking is the truth. And Luther said, that even a pastor shouldn’t ask God for forgiveness after preaching, because you shouldn’t apologise to God for speaking his Word. And he says, if a pastor can’t say this, he shouldn’t preach!
But of course, sometimes we do get something wrong, and then it’s important that people say something. Because you don’t know if the Holy Spirit might use you personally to correct a pastor or whoever, and to change his mind, for the benefit of everyone.
Now, let me say a little something about church history. 500 years ago, there was a great crisis in the church, where the preaching Gospel of the free forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ which receive by faith had become silent in the church. And then, Martin Luther, began to preach it again, together with others, but the Roman church rejected it, and wanted to silence it again. And so, they saw very clearly that they couldn’t be in the same church as those who wanted to destroy and silence the Gospel. It became very clear that there was a problem, and that they had to remove themselves.
St Paul says that the church is a pillar and buttress of the truth. The church has the Word of God, and that Word is the only thing it has to speak, because that Word is the eternal truth of the living God. Where there are two competitive things in the church, and both are held to be the truth, then there is a witness against that church that they are not a pillar and buttress of the truth.
Now, all throughout church history, there always has been some wrestling and fighting, and this is for a very good reason, because the truth must always be defended, it must always be stood up for. There must always be controversies, there must be questions, there must be fights. As St Paul says: There must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognised. So, it is always a good thing when Christians have to study, and work things out, and talk, and even fight a little bit. Because the truth must be defended.
Now, in the 19th century, there was also another crisis in the Lutheran church, where the Lutherans and the Reformed were forced together into one. This meant, that there were many things—for example, the Lord’s Supper—where there were two opposing doctrines, and two opposing opinions in the church. And therefore, the union church can no longer be called a pillar and buttress of truth, it can only be a pillar and buttress of politics. And this goes against then, what Jesus says, when he says: Beware of false prophets. There must be truth spoken in the church, and the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
In some sense, this has been a great trouble in the Lutheran Church ever since those times. Now, in the last 100 years, we have seen another crisis. We see a crisis where many in the church don’t believe that the Bible is the Word of God, but that some of it might be the Word of God, but not all of it. And we of course, know that the parts that are not God’s Word of God are those things which simply don’t agree with what we already know. When the Word of God is taken down like this in the church, then only chaos can ensue. There can be no umpiring that goes on between so-called liberals and so-called conservatives—one must prevail. What we see so much, all throughout the world, is that the liberal, false, evil view prevails. And the reason why it prevails is because people want safety in numbers, they want churches to all come together into one as part of the ecumenical movement, truth doesn’t matter, no one can say that anything is wrong, we all have to be polite, and then we wake up one day and we wonder how things got so bad. We wonder why in the church Christianity as we know it is always being destroyed. We wonder why the church almost everywhere throughout the world is losing the faith and giving it up willingly. We wonder why so many churches are leading people to destruction.
The reason is that people don’t believe there is such a thing as a false prophet anymore. They don’t believe that there really is a need to beware of them, to recognise them. They don’t believe that it’s possible that a tree in our back garden might get a disease, and therefore might need to be chopped.
Then people look at their own church and say: Well, Jesus promised that the gates of hell wouldn’t prevail against the church, and that he would be with us always to the end of the age. Yes, that’s true, but at the same time, he also told us to beware of false prophets, to contend for the truth and what is right. Many churches that flourished at certain times in church history don’t exist in those places anymore. Many of the countries that are now dominated by Islam were once places with many Christians. There will always be a church on earth until the end of the age, but also every tree that does not bear good fruit cut down and thrown into the fire.
So, we must stand up for the truth, we can’t let the truth be overshadowed by those who want to destroy it and silence it, even if it means walking a lonely path, or entering through a narrow gate.
So, we know that we have a wonderful Saviour, Jesus Christ. We know that he has died for us and risen for us, that he has suffered in our place, and cancels the debt of our sin which was against us. And we trust in Jesus to lead us forward, we follow after him, and we ask him to help us to recognise what is false, and to recognise those who speak the lie as false prophets, and to avoid them, and to come out from them. Life is too short and eternity is too long that we should listen to wolves in sheep’s clothing.
And so, may the Holy Spirit gives us great wisdom, and pour out upon us his gifts, so that we cling to our Good Shepherd, and run from strangers, so that enter the narrow gate and avoid the broad way that leads to destruction, so that we stay with Jesus, and avoid the false prophets. May the Holy Spirit strengthen us in this, and lead us forward with joy and confidence in the Word of God, together with God the Father and His Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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