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Scripture:
Matthew 7:16-20
Intro:
Fruit in God’s Word is the end result of effort. It
is what one produces in any purpose, or program
undertaken.
1. The lost. (Isa. 5:4; Jer. 2:21; Mt. 15:12-14)
2. The saved. (Ps. 1:1-3; Jer. 17:8)
I. The Human Race. (Eccl. 7:20,29)
A. The tree started sin. (Gen. 2:17)
1. Tree of life: Eternal life. (Gen. 2:9; 3:22;
Rev. 22:2)
2. Tree of death: Eternal death. (Gen. 2:17)
a. Thorns: curse. (Gen. 3:17-18; Heb. 6:8)
b. Terrors of lost. (Jude 12)
B. The tree stopped sin. (I Pet. 2:24)
1. Tree of death: Cross. (Phil. 2:6-8)
2. Tree of life: Christ. (I Cor. 1:18)
II. The Hopeless Lost. (Mt. 15:13; 7:20)
A. The fruit of the lost. (Lk. 13:6-7)
1. The heart is the center. (Isa. 1:5-6; Rev.
3:10-19; Lk. 6:45; Jer. 17:9)
2. The heart’s production is identified. (Mt.
15:18-19)
a. The sinful flesh: Fruit (activities). (Gal.
5:19-21; I Cor. 6:9-10)
b. The sorrowful state: Men and women. (II Pet.
2:20-22)
B. The future of the Lord. (Lk. 13:6-7)
1. God’s judgment. (Rev. 1:29-32)
2. God’s justice. (Rev. 21:8; 21:27; 22:15)
III. The Happy Saved. (Mt. 7:20; Ps. 1:3; 104:16)
A. His fruit in two spheres.
1. Spirit fruit. (Gal. 5:22-24)
a. Love foremost. (Mk. 12:30-31; Mt. 22:37-38; Jn.
13:34-35; I Jn. 4:20; 3:15)
b. Lead the others: Permeated with love.
2. Soul fruit. (Prov. 11:30; Jer. 17:8)
a. Seed of tree planted produces the same: Like
begets like. “After own kind.”
b. Saint unproductive in a withered tree. (Ps.
92:12-14)
1. Wrong soil. (Ps. 1:3)
2. Wrong supply. (Ps. 104:16; Prov. 11:25)
B. His fruit is in the Saviour. (Jn. 15:1,5)
1. Wrong life suffers. (Mt. 12:33)
2. Right life spiritual.
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