By Their Fruit You Will Recognize Them

YOUTUBE VIDEO LINK

FACEBOOK VIDEO LINK

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood                          
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes Sunday Service June 14 2026
Sermon Title–By Their Fruit You Will Recognize Them
Text – Matthew 7:15-20
Rev. Key Min Lee

​Matthew 7, as part of the Sermon on the Mount, teaches us how those who belong to
God's kingdom are to live in this world. The Lord’s concern is not merely what we do
outwardly, but what resides within our hearts. Our actions and way of life ultimately flow
from the condition of our hearts.
In other words, when Jesus Christ is at the center of our hearts, our lives begin to reflect
what pleases God. However, when self occupies the throne of our hearts, our lives will
naturally display the values and desires of this world.
In verse 15, Jesus warns us, “Beware of false prophets.” These false prophets are not
those who proclaim the things of heaven, but those who set their hearts on the world
and encourage others to follow its ways. Outwardly, they may appear to be servants of
truth, yet inwardly they are like ravenous wolves. The Holy Spirit does not dwell within
them; instead, they are influenced by the spirit of this world—a spirit that deceives and
leads people away from God (2 Peter 2:1–3). Like Balaam, they are driven by worldly
desires and lead God’s people into sin and compromise (Revelation 2:14).
This is why Jesus says in verse 16, “Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs
from thistles?” The Lord is teaching us that the fruit we bear reveals the spirit that is at
work within us. Scripture makes it clear that different roots produce different fruits.
The Apostle Paul, in the book of Romans, speaks of two kinds of fruit: the fruit that
leads to death and the fruit that leads to eternal life. When we were slaves to sin,
whatever fruit we produced ultimately led to death. But when we became servants of
God, we began to bear fruit that leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life
(Romans 6:20–22). God is concerned not merely with our activities, but with the kind of
fruit our lives are producing.
As we journey through life, the most important question is not simply what we have
accomplished. Rather, have we pursued love and borne the fruit of Jesus Christ? Or
have we followed the desires of the world and produced the fruit of the flesh? Those
who bear the fruit of Christ’s love become instruments of God’s grace. They bring
peace to the brokenhearted, freedom to the oppressed, and hope and joy to those who
are weary and discouraged (Luke 4:18–19).
Dear brothers and sisters, what truly matters is the fruit that our lives are producing.
Through godly fruit, many souls are comforted, brought to repentance, and drawn back

to the Lord. The fruit of our lives has the power to become a channel of God’s grace to
others.
Today, let us examine our hearts before the Lord.
What kind of fruit are you bearing in your life today?
Does your life reveal the fruit of Christ, or the fruit of the world?
May we be found bearing fruit that glorifies God and leads others into His everlasting
kingdom. Amen.