Matthew 7:15-20 Beware of false prophets! You will know them by their fruit.

 Matthew 7:21–24

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father •in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, •cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them•, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ NKJV

Do not be deceived. The fruit of Holy Spirit is evident in the lives of those who are doers not just  hearers of the Word of God. Do  not trust those who say they are  followers of Jesus but whose lives  show otherwise. Keep evil far from you. Those who sow in peace will reap peace. Those who sow in love create unity. Those who sow dissension will reap chaos in their lives and the lives of all those they touch. The fruit of the Spirit begins and ends with love. Jesus came to proclaim it. Carla

Matthew 7:15-20

15 “•Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. NKJV

The way to tell false teachers from teachers of truth is by their fruits. Fruits here refers to more than their deeds; it includes their doctrine (16:12; 1 John 4:1–3). A person speaking in the name of God is to be tested by the doctrines of Scripture. The same principle still holds true today. Speakers and teachers should be tested against the truths in God’s Word (Jude 3; Revelations 22:18, 19). The NKJV Study Bible

Jesus teaches that people—godly and ungodly—are distinguishable by their deeds (Ephesians 2:8–10).

Beware Meaning “be alert” or “be watchful.” False prophets refers to those whose teaching contradicts Jesus’ teaching. Beginning in Matthew  5:17, Jesus has reinterpreted the established religious and social norms of His day. Here, He portrays those who contradict His instruction as false prophets—people who falsely claim to speak on God’s behalf  (2 Peter 2:1). Sheep’s clothing refers to disguises that portray innocence.

Ravenous wolves describes those seeking to undermine Jesus’ teaching for personal gain.

By  their fruits refers to people’s deeds—the natural outcomes of their choices and inclinations.

Grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles are images drawn from horticulture and would have resonated with Jesus’ audience, as first-century Palestine was primarily an agrarian society. In the Greek text, this rhetorical question is phrased in a way that expects a negative answer (“Of course not!”).

In other words, teachers of righteousness act righteously. False prophets act wickedly in accordance with the nature of their testimony. Jesus repeats these statements for emphasis in the following verse. You will recognize them by their fruits.  Faithlife Study Bible

Matthew 12:33–35

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks…

Luke 6:43–44

“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 

Matthew 3:10

And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 

James 3:12

Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

Matthew 24:1–51

Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Every day after school, the young son of a well-known Rabbi would enter his house, place his backpack on the dining room table, leave the house through the back door and head into the woods behind the house.
At first, the Rabbi gave little thought to his son's ritual. Until it continued, for days, and then for weeks. Every day, out into the woods for almost a half hour. The Rabbi grew concerned.
"My son," he asked one day. "I notice that every day you leave our home to spend time in the woods. What is it you are doing there?"
"Oh papa," the son replied. "There is no need to worry. I go into the woods to pray. It is in the woods that I can talk to God."
"Oh," the Rabbi said, clearly relieved. "But you should know, as the son of a Rabbi, that God is the same everywhere."
"Yes, papa. I know that God is the same everywhere. But, I am not."

This little boy knew, instinctively, that there are two spaces in our lives. And both are important.
In the first space, we generate activity, productivity (to-do lists), accomplishment, and achievement (and yes, busyness, worry and a wee bit of stress). In this space we carry our calendars, our smart phones, our iPads, and our to-do lists.
But there is a second space. In this space we find sanctuary, quiet, reflection, contemplation, and meditation.
In this second space we find replenishment, spiritual nourishment and renewal. And in this space is born prayer, music, poetry, friendship, amazement, awe, wonder, renewal, and if we are lucky, unrepentant napping.
“God is the same everywhere. But, I am not.”

Today, I am grateful for the wisdom of a Rabbi's young son. Because there are times when I lose my way. When I am untethered and not at home in my own skin. I am easily riled, disconnected and wearied. Can you relate? In our world so full of the flurry of diversions and distractions and news fatigue, I see the toll untethering takes.
And this disconnect matters more because we forget that we are here to “walk one another home”.
I forget that replenished, I’m at my best for you... and for us.
It's not just about being drained. It’s almost like a paralysis. I am not present. I can't absorb beauty. I go through the motions, as if I have lost touch with all the good stuff: gladness, wonder, grace, empathy, compassion, hope, passion and the sacrament of the present. Sabbath Moments

Matthew 6:8-15 For God so loved the world that He sent Jesus that through Him the world could be saved!!

 Luke 6:37–7:10

“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”…

Sometimes in the stillness of the night I think of the works of mankind and become afraid. The apathy and disdain that exists for others, like us who are created in the image of God, I fear will extinguish the light that has come into the world. Sometimes words cannot express the sadness that I feel for the marginalized and oppressed in our society. I am overcome. Then in the stillness I can hear the words of our Father  that through His Son the world could be saved. My only prayer is that His Kingdom will come and His mercy and grace will overcome the darkness. In Him, with Him and in the unity of Holy Spirit there is hope. When we love God and  abide in His command to love others in the manner that He loves us we are saved from the sin that threatens to destroy us. The love of God covers a multitude of our sins  in the sacrifice of Jesus. Carla

Matthew 6:8-15 

8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

In this manner, therefore, pray•:

Our Father •in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

•On earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

As •we forgive our debtors.

13 And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. NKJV

The prayer is composed of six requests. The first three ask for the kingdom to come (verse 9, 10) and the last three are for God to meet the needs of His people until the kingdom arrives (verses 11–13). Hallowed be Your name is not an ascription of praise to the Father. The verb is an imperative and means “May Your name be hallowed.” This recalls Ezekiel’s prophecy in Ezekiel 36:25–32, where the prophet says Israel has profaned God’s name among the nations. One day God will gather His people from the nations, cleanse them, and by this means vindicate the holiness of His great name. The hallowing of the Father’s name means the arrival of God’s kingdom. The NKJV Study Bible

The focus changes here from hypocrites to Gentiles (ethnikoi). In Graeco-Roman religions, repetition was used to pester the gods so they would grant someone’s request. After describing how not to pray, Jesus gives a positive example.

Matthew 6:9–13 and the parallel passage of Luke 11:1–4 provide a model for prayer. The Gospels make no explicit claims regarding Jesus’ intentions for creating this prayer, but the context indicates that He is teaching people how to pray (Luke 11:1–4).

“Your will be done” Jesus prays similar words as He faces arrest and crucifixion (Matthew 26:39, 42).

The people of rural Galilee were poor and oppressed, and resources such as food were scarce. This prayer reflects the real needs of people living in difficult times. The language used here for debt can reflect an Aramaic idiom referring to sin.

The Greek term used here for the evil one may indicate a specific entity such as the devil; (Ephesians 6:16) or evil in its many forms.

Forgiveness results in forgiveness. Since God has forgiven members of His kingdom, they must forgive others. Faithlife Study Bible

Matthew 3:17–6:2

And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil…

Luke 12:2–12

For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops…

Mark 3:21–6:29

But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”…

Matthew 2:11–3:4

And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way…

It’s normal to feel disheartened, or discouraged, about our world.

You may have heard this expression: “If you’re not concerned, you’re not paying attention.”

Pain is real. And shock is real. And yet. There is something in our DNA that knows we still have the capacity to choose.

This I know: closing our eyes or shutting down, is not the choice.

Staying informed matters.

Bearing witness matters.

And, making sure our heart and soul are replenished, and refreshed, and grounded, matters.

Today, I was guest preacher at the Interfaith Community Sanctuary in Seattle. My topic, “Walking one another home.” And I began with this quote, from Etty Hillesum. “Ultimately, we have just one moral duty. To reclaim large areas of peace in ourselves, more and more peace, and to reflect it towards others. And the more peace there is in us, the more peace there will also be in our troubled world.”

Yes. That’s the gift.

The space that enables me to see the sufficiency that is already there.

Maya Angelou’s reminder, “Let nothing dim the light that shines from within.”

There are times—it seems more frequent now—when we are not “rested”. We are tired, fatigued, weighed down, troubled, or just plain worn out.

Sometimes it is for good reason. Sometimes it is not.

Add to the mix the reality that we absorb, or consume, many, many times the amount of information and data—daily, hourly—than we did not that long ago. We are, quite literally, bombarded.

So, it's not just about being tired. There's something else going on. Almost like a paralysis, or a disconnect. Those times when we are not present. Those times when we can't even absorb beauty or wonder. Those times when we go through the motions, as if we have lost touch with some of the good stuff: gladness, longing, focus, zest, compassion, appetite, hope and passion.

Yes… making sure our heart and soul are replenished, and refreshed, and grounded, matters.

So, the questions for every one of us are these...

Where do we go to replenish the well?

Where do we go to nourish the soul?

Where do we go to be bathed in peace?

Here's the deal: Sometimes we don't have to go anywhere. We just need to stop. And pay attention.

“I don't deny that there should be priests to remind men that they will one day die. I only say it is necessary to have another kind of priests, called poets, actually to remind men that they are not dead yet.” GK Chesterton

I’ve recently been drawn to the life and writing of Etty Hillesum. At the age of 29, Etty died at Auschwitz, but the last two years of her life led her into a deepening relationship with God. And into great solidarity with those who suffered.

She wrote, “There is a really deep well inside me. And in it dwells God. Sometimes I am there, too... Dear God, these are anxious times... We must help You to help ourselves. And that is all we can manage these days and also all that really matters: that we safeguard that little piece of You, God, in ourselves.” (An Interrupted Life: The Diaries)  SabbathMoments 

Matthew 5:9 Wherever we sow Peace… God is with us.

Matthew 5:44–45

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. NKJV

Blessed are those who seek reconciliation and not division. Blessed are those who seek to unite the world and its people. Blessed are those who seek the good of all and not just a few. Jesus came with angels singing peace, peace to the people on earth. He came to seek all of humanity. Only in the  power of Holy Spirit  can we forgive and bless those who hurt and use us…impossible for us? Probably. But it is possible in Him who has forgiven us. To forgive is Divine. Carla

Matthew 5:9

Blessed are the peacemakers,

For they shall be called sons of God. NKJV

The Beatitudes are comprised of three elements: a pronouncement of blessing, a quality of life, and a reason why the recipient should be considered blessed. The first element is found in the word Blessed (Psalm 1:1), which introduces each beatitude. The second element does not describe different groups of people, but a composite picture of the kind of person who will inherit Christ’s kingdom. The third element looks ahead to some aspect of the coming kingdom. The NKJV Study Bible

blessed (Gk. makarios) (5:3; Luke 6:20–22; Romans  4:7, 8; James 1:12, 25) Strong’s #3107: This Greek word is derived from the root mak, which means “large” or “lengthy,” and means “fortunate” or “happy.” The Greek word was used in Greek literature, in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the OT), and in the NT to describe the kind of happiness that comes from receiving divine favor. The word can be rendered happy. In the NT it is usually passive; God is the One who is blessing or favoring the person.

Jewish literature of the time valued those who worked for peace. For instance, 2 Enoch reads “Blessed is one who gives peace and love” (52:11). Those whose lives reflect the ethics of Jesus will be clearly identified as children of God (Romans 8:14). Faithlife Study Bible.

Romans 8:14

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 

James 3:18

Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Luke 6:35

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 

Romans 14:19

Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

I read a statement made in the Irish Times by a Connemara man after he was arrested for a car accident. "There were plenty of onlookers, but no witnesses."
In answering the email exchange question, I’m answering another go-to question I received this week, “What exactly do we do?”
Today, I have an answer. I am a witness. You are a witness.
As a witness, I choose to pay attention—to be present—while I am here.
In a world that rewards “dog eat dog”, I choose mercy.
In a world where demeaning someone is applauded, I choose to honor dignity.
In a world where exclusion and marginalization are real, I choose the Gospel: “You belong. Your humanity is not up for negotiation. Your presence does not require anyone’s permission.”
What does this look like? Oh, it’s the little gifts my friends. It makes a big difference to hug the hurt. To kiss the broken. To bandage the wounded. To hold a hand. To befriend the lost. To love the lonely. To stand up for the humiliated. Little gifts of compassion, connection, dignity, empathy, kindness, generosity, peace that leave people better than we find them.
When people learn that I am a minister, they’re often curious to ask what I “believe”. And when I visit different churches, some people like to ask me. They can’t help themselves.
Okay, here you go:
God has a heart for those who are left out, forgotten, and excluded.
God's grace is bigger than anything which distances and separates and wounds us.
You are God's beloved child, and God's love for you is unconditional.
And when I see acts of exclusion, or acts that disparage inclusion, I feel it, viscerally, and my beliefs matter, and they summon and fuel a choice: I want to be a witness to God’s Mercy and Grace.
And in such moments of heartache, I have the courage to hold a hand the needs to be held.
One friend calls this the Gospel’s marching orders: “take care of the poor, take care of the sick, welcome the stranger and be kind to those in prison.”

“Is indifference really a sin, some might ask?  Well, only if you take seriously the weight of God’s instructions to be kind and tenderhearted towards one another, to love one another fervently, to listen and bear with another, to speak the truth in love, to confess our sins to one another so that we may be healed, to forgive as we have been forgiven, to welcome the stranger, to share our bread with the hungry. To do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God. Only if you believe that in Christ there is no longer Greek nor Jew, slave nor free, male nor female for all of us are one in Christ.” Thank you, Ruth Haley Barton. “Sabbath Moments”