Today's Reading: Matthew 7:15-23
Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 10:1-27; Acts 22:17-29
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves."You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? (Matthew 7:15-16)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The problem with false preachers is that they look like true preachers. They come as preachers of Jesus, preaching in His name, but yet, not preaching correctly about Jesus, so that weak Christians are fooled and fall into unbelief and turn away from Christ!
See what Jesus says about their fruits? Do you gather grapes and figs from thornbushes and thistles? In other words, do you get nourishing fruit from false prophets? No, you get thorns and thistles―things that hurt!
True preaching points you to Jesus, who died for your sins with no strings attached. False preaching points you to Jesus, who gives you some rules to keep in order to get to heaven. True preaching declares Christ crucified as the innocent sacrifice who takes away your sins. False preaching shows Jesus crucified as an example of how to be patient and God will bless you.
True preaching points you to Christ's resurrection from the dead as your victory over sin and death. False preaching says it doesn't matter if Jesus really rose; what matters is that He's in your heart somehow.
True preaching points you to your Baptism, the Word and the Supper as the ways to be certain you are God's child and your sins are forgiven. False preaching points you to yourself: Has your life changed, are you sinning less?
True preaching encourages you to do good works of love and service for your neighbor, not to be saved but in order to love and help them. False preaching says your good works must be done in order to cancel our your own sins and get to heaven.
True preaching is the means by which the Holy Spirit brings you to eternal life. False preaching is the means by which the devil drags you to hell. Thanks be to God that our Lord gives us His Word so that we may rightly distinguish between true and false preachers! In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word; Curb those who by deceit or sword Would wrest the kingdom from Your Son And bring to naught all He has done. (LSB 655:1)