Matthew 7:15-23 | Followers of Jesus Bear The Fruit of Jesus (Talk is Cheap)

We all admire 'straight shooters'. Those people who are able to speak the true and hard things - without beating around the bush or using muddy language. Jesus of Nazareth is the straightest of shooters - and we benefit from his clear warning in these sentences. He tells us to beware those will ill-intent, deception, and hypocrisy. He gives us relevant tools for identifying these "false prophets" and "wolves". He warns us that it's possible to say, "Lord, Lord..." and yet never know him. His cautionary words provide a safeguard against those who would do harm, and yet also point inward at our own hearts - protecting us from our own hypocrisy and self-idolization.