Preparing for Sunday - Matthew 7:15-20

February 28, 2013 by Bret Capranica Preparing for Sunday

Read Matthew 7:15-20.
What are the characteristics of the False Prophets mentioned?
What is "sheep's clothing" referring to? How do you know?
Where in their lives(v 15) does the False Prophets "ravenous" nature exist? How does this fit with looking at the external fruit of the False Prophets?
What is a False Prophet?
What is most important to pay attention to when examining whether a teacher is a true or false teacher?
When Jesus calls us to examine a teacher's "fruit" what is He referring to? How do you know from this passage?
When Jesus refers to bad trees being cut down and thrown into the fire, what is he referring to? What does this say about the False Prophets and their relationship to God?

From this passage, what is the inevitable connection between what is taught and how one lives?
Why is a person's character so revealing about the nature of their faith?
How can you tell if you have a healthy faith or a diseased faith?
What would some of the diseased fruit look like specifically when you are examining a person's life to see if they were true or false teachers?
Who are some false teachers today that would fit this text? Why do you say that? What evidence would you point to?
How can we protect ourselves against the presence and/or the effects of false prophets in our own church?

How are you praying for our church as a whole, our elders, and people specifically so that we are vigilant about False Prophets? How should you be praying? Pray for our church, leaders, and members now.
Who in your life is regularly impacted by well known False Prophets? How are you praying for them? What could you do in future conversations to help them begin to see the dangers of false teaching, or the effects on a person's character such teaching can have (or is having)?
How should the discussion about "fruit" or a peson's character impact how you share the gospel, what you expect from those who profess faith?
How can you specifically examine your own life to see what kind of fruit you are producing?
Pray for those who will attend Sunday who need Christ. Pray they will be opened to the work of the Holy Spirit to convict them of sin and righteousness.
Pray for those who are leading the service Sunday: Dawson Bryant, music; Mark Krystyniak, Elder's Prayer and Scripture Reading; Bret Capranica, teaching.
Listen to the music we will sing this Sunday - meditate on the words. How do these songs enhance what will be taught this week?