Watch Out Who You Follow

Well, let's take our Bible. Let's turn back to Matthew chapter 7. We were there in our scripture reading earlier verses 15 to 20 Now I will ask us to turn to another verse Later on in the message really in the conclusion of the message and that is acts chapter 20 so you can mark acts chapter 20 But you can have your Bible there at Matthew 7. We're gonna be in verses 15 to 20 really for quite some time this morning Now I said last week. I've said this several times That we have turned the corner in our study of the sermon on the Mount and that means here at the conclusion Now this is not my conclusion.

This is Christ's conclusion Scholars tell us that at verse 13 all the way to the end of the chapter Christ is concluding this sermon and he's teaching what he's teaching on purpose as a Part of how he is wrapping up what he has been teaching now. I want to give us a warning here You know usually when the preacher says the word conclusion we close our Bible some of you use your Bible on an electronic device You know that tricks the pastor when I look out and see you on your electronic device I automatically think you know their text messaging while I'm preaching We live in a different day I know that but you know think about it sometimes when the pastor or the preacher says the word conclusion You close your Bible you turn your Bible off you start thinking about lunch You start thinking about maybe a work email you start thinking about getting to the car or things like that Well, I want to say this to you don't do here Even though this is the conclusion this is extremely important and I've said this phrase before we really need to be on the edge of our seat spiritually Because the conclusion is is very purposeful Now I have explained to you that all throughout this conclusion Jesus is using very simple and very relatable Illustrations and this is all about teaching truth now These are vital truths and really these truths lead to life death decisions.

This is all about life and death And even though we do live in a day a different day a different culture a different time We can easily relate to these illustrations. Sometimes we need a little help this morning I'm gonna give you a little help with some of the illustrations that we see in these verses But notice starting in verse 13 and 14 Jesus talks about two paths. We studied this last week We have the narrow path and we have the broad path Then in verses 15 to 20, which is where we are this morning.

Jesus is talking about two trees We have a good tree and we have a bad tree and then next week We'll look at verses 21 to 23 and Jesus talks about two claims the one who claims true salvation and they don't have it and then the one who really does possess true salvation and then in verses 24 to 27 Jesus talks about two houses the one who builds his house on the the rock and that would be Christ Jesus And then the one who builds his house on the sand and these are individual lessons But yet they're all tied together for this ultimate purpose Jesus has this grand purpose in the conclusion and we must remember what that ultimate purpose is Jesus was calling those listening to a time of decision.

This is all about life in the kingdom. He's drawing a line in the sand Jesus is intentionally bringing those listening to this earthly yet eternal fork in the road of life Simply this was decision time. Now, how do we know that? Is it because the music director started playing some soft music? We've been in no circumstances. Have we not I mean, is it because there's this invitation and we have music And we're moving people towards this emotional decision.

Well, we know that's not the case But remember this key word helps us here this key word in verse 13 this word inner It shows us what Jesus is doing Remember the language tells us that Jesus was calling those listening to make a decision Right then and right there and he's doing that all throughout the rest of the conclusion Now although we as a church have pushed back some from so much of the man-centered decisionism We know what that is.

We've pushed back from so much man-centered decisionism in our church culture We must understand that God has always always called people to a point of decision I gave you an example last week with Israel and Elijah Give you another example this morning after Israel Finally came into the promised land. God was using Joshua to confront the people with a decision.

They had a decision They could continue to serve the pagan gods of the Egyptians and the Canaanites or they could choose they could choose to decide And to serve the true and the living God that had just delivered them out of slavery and into the promised land It was decision time for Israel the people Joshua 24 15 Joshua said choose this day see the Lord see the language See what he's saying choose this day whom you will serve whether the God your father served in the region beyond the river or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell But as for me what is Joshua saying as for me and my house?

We will serve the Lord see the decision that had to be made now right here Jesus calls those who are listening Into the kingdom through what the narrow gate the narrow gate is Jesus folks and now he's giving them And this is a much-needed warning and he warns those listening that not all who claim to speak for God Concerning the kingdom and kingdom matters actually speak for him He is saying they will be imposters. They will be fakes. They will be false teachers fake teachers imposters Now we really need to see how all this is connected When someone comes to that earthly yet eternal fork in the road of life.

I like that phrase When someone comes to the earthly yet eternal fork in the road of life, what are they facing? They are facing the true and narrow way that leads to life or they're facing the broad path the broad way And that leads to destruction and death and when someone is striving They are striving to enter through the narrow gate so as to get on that narrow path that leads to life Jesus is saying beware beware of those who will mislead you here beware Because there are many faults and fake teachers who don't actually speak for me John MacArthur says it like this.

I love the language You know when I read people's quotations I'm just wishing I can say it like this and a lot of times I expound on what they say But notice how John MacArthur expresses this and I'm quoting Just as there is a misleading gate and a misleading way see I like that Just as there is a misleading gate and a misleading way There are also misleading preachers and teachers who point to that gate and promote that way the wrong way And then he continues the false gate has false prophets Standing in front of it who seek to lead people into the false way and hinder them from entering the true way And look folks this goes on all the time It goes on all the time And as a matter of fact sometimes it goes on right next to you and I'm gonna get to an example in the conclusion of the message So that is what we have here in the verses this morning.

This is a warning This is a very very serious warning and a much Needed warning and this is why I call the message notice the title watch out who you follow Watch out Who you follow because Jesus is calling those listening to watch out who they follow when it comes to what? Kingdom matters now in verses 15 to 20 Jesus gives a sure warning here It's sure Concerning the reality of these false teachers and then he gives the sure way that we can identify These false teachers and what we'll do this morning is this will divide these verses up into what I call two major truths These will be easy for you to follow and as always I do encourage you to take notes So that you can go study and you can retain what the Lord wants to teach us So let's jump right into our verses Let's look at what I'm calling a Sure warning number one Jesus gives a Sure warning out of verse 15.

Let's put our eyes back on the verse beware of false prophets Who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves Now there's a lot going on here then meets the eye and really there's a lot here in one verse and this might surprise you First of all with a language Jesus was reminding the Jews of their past He was reminding them of their past see those listening were Jews and so when Jesus mentioned prophets This would have gotten their attention.

See they knew the prophets of old Great prophets of the northern kingdom like Elijah and Elijah They knew who they were great prophets during the Babylonian exile like Daniel and Ezekiel They knew who they were and even the great prophets during the restoration of Israel after they came Babylonian captivity Zachariah Hagia and Malachi.

That's just a few and see they knew all about the old prophets and They certainly would have perked up when Jesus mentioned the false prophets They knew how Jeremiah had confronted the false prophets if you look in the book of Jeremiah Jeremiah 6 and 8 There were those who prophesied that they would be peace for the Jews when there was no peace and Jeremiah confronted them They knew how Ezekiel described the false prophets in Ezekiel 22 verses 27 to 28 And they knew how the prophets Zephaniah described the false prophets in his day in Zephaniah 3 and there were many many more folks So when Jesus mentioned the false prophets when he used this language No doubt many of the Jews would have remembered their past because for centuries They were a nation and a people of true prophets and false prophets false prophets and true prophets Now those listening could not have seen this but Jesus was pointing to their future as well See their future and the future of the church was filled with false prophets and false teachers of all sorts I ran across a list and I grabbed it now.

I didn't write everything down. It was just too much Notice this list in Matthew 24 verse 23 to 24 Jesus warned of false Messiah's or false Christ's In 2nd Corinthians 11 13 we see false apostles in Acts 15 1 2nd Corinthians 11 4 and Galatians 1 7 we see false evangelists in 1st Timothy 4 verses 1 to 5 in 2nd Peter 2 1 and then Jude verse 4 We see false teachers and in Acts chapter 20.

We're gonna turn there later verses 29 to 30 We see false elders and look this is a complete list But it's very sobering as a matter of fact the commentator where I got this from he said this was a horrific list Now I just mentioned acts 20 starting in verse 17 What do we see Paul is having his last words with the elders of the Ephesian Church? Remember that Paul had a wonderful ministry there at Ephesus He started that church and later he even placed Timothy there as pastor and look the church there at Ephesus It was the flagship church of the region.

It was a very prominent Imported church, but Paul tells them that after he leaves them Savage wolves will come in from among them from the inside Not the outside so he says beware because they will not spare the flock So when Jesus mentioned false prophets now these individuals couldn't see it But he was pointing to their future the church and the work of the church was hounded by false teachers of all types Yes, even Ephesus was attacked from the inside and even the band of disciples Judas he was a false teacher the worst kind But with a specific language Jesus was sounding the alarm about false teachers With this language here Jesus was sounding the alarm about these false teachers in the verse He gives a brief but very sharp description of the people now.

Let me give us some details here first He gives a definition First he gives a definition of these prophets. They're false prophets. That's the definition They are fake prophets. I use the word imposters earlier. These are not true. They're fake They're false. This means they do not have a true call of God This means they do not have the true message of God that was always the mark of the Old Testament prophets They were not sent from God and they did not have the message of the one true God So Jesus gives an easy definition. They were false. They were fake.

They were not of God They did not have the message of God and their motives were not godly Then second he explains the danger of these prophets Now Jesus starts off with this word beware It means to be on guard. It means to be ready It means that danger is at hand and these false prophets were not just slightly wrong and they were But what he is saying is this is they are seriously Seriously dangerous. What does he call them?

Ravenous wolves see the language at the end of verse 15 Ravenous wolves and he uses these two words on purpose See in their day and their time and their land wolves were the most common and dangerous predator when it came to keeping sheep You know, they were an agricultural society keeping sheep was a big part of their culture And the wolf was always looking for an easy land that had wandered away from the flock Maybe one that lagged behind and a wolf could even attack the flock if it was not guarded and this word Ravenous says they were ferocious.

They were Merciless they were killers and they were killers ready to attack the sheep What he is saying was easy for them to see just like a wolf is cunning just like a wolf is merciless Just like he is a merciless killer that preys on the sheep. So is the false prophet He's not just wrong or slightly off. He is dangerous Then third he explains the deception of the prophets He explains the deception of the prophets here Jesus uses some language that we might struggle to understand but those listening there they would have easily understood this He says the false teacher comes dressed in sheep's Clothing look back at the verse Beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing Now that phrase is key.

We need to see what is being said here Now this speaks to the clothing of the shepherd not the sheep We need to see this this speaks to the clothing of the shepherd and not the sheep see scholars Tell us that shepherds wore outer garments because they were out in the elements and they wore outer garments that were made of wool That would have been the wool from the sheep and then also they wore outer garments sometimes that were from the skin of the sheep One scholar said that they used sheep skins and they would have the leather on the outside and then the fleece of the wool On the inside, but what is Jesus saying here?

This isn't a lesson on dress He is telling them that false teachers will come not dressed as sheep, but they come dressed as a shepherd So Jesus is explaining that false teachers will masquerade They will look the part in every way. They are deceptive very deceptive Now with this one verse there is a lot here look at what Jesus is saying to the crowd and especially to his disciples He is giving them a big warning a very important warning He is calling them to be on guard against false prophets false teachers that were sure to come Notice the verse he says who come to you not they may come who come to you Jesus didn't say they may come he said these false teachers will come and he is telling them that false teachers will come as True shepherds in every way and if they are not careful, they will be deceived He is telling them that they can be deceived into thinking that they were sent from God and speak for God But actually they are ferocious wolves and they were devour and they will destroy in every way And look church we must see that this is a sure warning for us today This is a sure warning for us today.

We can say it's for a warning for tomorrow Yes, but we must see that it is a warning for us today so we can be prepared for tomorrow You know some of you will know what I'm talking about and some of you will not have a clue We have guarded you from false teaching and false teachers We have Brother Keith can attest to the hours of study and counseling that we've given in certain circumstances And it's all been about guarding against false teachers and false teaching But we must see this word beware. We must be alert.

They will come we can't wait for tomorrow to be ready We must be ready today and look they come Not with a pitchfork and not in this devil red suit. No, they don't come like that. They come as a shepherd They look the part they sound the part in every way and they would be very very trusted you see So we have a sure warning a sure warning false teachers false teaching. They are sure to come Now let's move on. I want us to see our second major truth Our second major truth.

Jesus gives a sure identity Here we see in verses 16 to 20 that Jesus gives a sure Identity now, let's go back and look at these verses And right now you're probably saying wow you spent that much time on verse 15. We're gonna be here to 2 o'clock No, we're not we'll get through these verses Faster than you know, let's look at verses 16 to 20 You will know them by their fruits Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles are they Even so every good tree bears good fruit But the bad tree bears bad fruit and a good tree can produce fruit nor cannot bad tree produce good fruit Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire and notice a repeat here So then you will know them by their fruits Now just like in verse 15 Jesus uses language and circumstances that these Jews definitely Understood and there is a lot going on here and I want us to see that Jesus gives two illustrations and one big principle two illustrations That lead to this big principle the first illustration grapes and horns You could call it something else.

You could call it figs and thistles. We see that right out of the verses verse 16 This is all about grapes and thorns Now for us this doesn't mean much But for those listening they knew just what Jesus was talking about See they had a certain thorn bush that had a little blackberry Produced a little blackberries and at a distance those little blackberries they could be mistaken for grapes and they also had a thistle and that thistle produced a flower that looked like a fig at a Distance and the Jews listening knew exactly what Jesus was talking about So Jesus is using this illustration from nature and he's saying a thorn bush does not produce grapes He's saying a thistle does not produce figs.

That's obvious grapes Grapes they come from the vine. Do they not and then figs they come from a tree This past Monday, I did a little work at home and then I went over to see my mom and my dad Most of you know that my parents live in Laurel And I went over to see my mom and my dad and we went late lunch and we took a tour of Laurel and my mom Was showing me some of the sights there and I just got a good afternoon to spend some time on my dad And one of the things that we did is we worked on his lawnmower Battery on his lawnmower was dead and we took that out him and as we were driving over To where he keeps his lawnmower.

We rode by my dad's blueberry bushes his muscadine vines He has a trellis that's loaded with muscadine vines and he pointed out the fact that the blueberry bushes were loaded down with Blueberries and he pointed to the fact that the muscadine trellis the muscadine vines are loaded And you know something you don't have to tell me that blueberries grow on blueberry bushes I'm not going to his house and looking for blueberries in the muscadines and I'm looking for muscadines of the blueberries you see And that's exactly what Jesus is saying here Grapes come from the vine and a fig comes from fig trees now, let's move on to the second illustration trees and Fruit we see this in verses 17 and 18 You could call this the good tree and the bad tree.

This is about trees and fruit Now for us this illustration is easier to get than the one before But we may not see a way of communication Here that was common in their day and that was to state the positive and the negative that was common in their day It seems like they were being a part of they communicated Let's look back at the verses and you'll see what I mean even so Bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit a good tree and not produce bad fruit Nor can a bad tree produce Good fruit.

I think you see how it's worded But there is another thing here with the language that we need to see The meaning of the first good in the second good here in verse 17 They are slightly different in their meaning and it is the same with the first bad and the second bad in the verse as well Now for the sake of time, let me just insert the meaning and show you what Jesus is saying here He's saying this a good tree Is good by its nature see that word speaks to the nature a good tree is good by its nature And it produces good useful fruit that second word speaks to the usefulness So Jesus is saying a good tree is good by its nature and it produces good useful fruit But not the bad He says the bad tree is corrupt It is corrupt by its nature and the language speaks to that the bad tree is corrupt it is bad by its nature And it produces that which is useless it produces that which is even destructive So Jesus was using this illustration from nature saying a good tree is Good by nature and it produces useful fruit, but a bad tree is corrupt It is bad by its very nature and it produces useless even harmful fruit and Jesus adds emphasis in verse 18 He says the good tree cannot produce bad fruit and the bad tree cannot produce good you see it Now I've made some confessions from the pulpit and they've gotten me in trouble One confession I made a while back was about my gardening You know when I lived in town I had a garden I filled my backyard up full of a garden But when I moved to the country, I just hadn't planted a garden Don't remind my wife but in all of my gardening years I Really struggle with tomatoes.

I mean every year I tried to grow tomatoes now my wife doesn't eat tomatoes My children don't eat tomatoes and I like a tomato or two, but I just wanted to grow some tomatoes You might laugh but one year I had about two rows of tomatoes and my neighbor's Pet rabbits got into my yard and ate every one of them Yeah, they ate every one of them one year I had a couple of rows of tomatoes and they were doing really well and all of a sudden they died Overnight and then I realized I over fertilized them and I killed them But the one year that I did have tomatoes, I mean I worked hard to have those tomatoes They all had a problem all the tomatoes had what's called blossom in right?

That meant all my tomatoes when you looked at the bottom were rotten useless bad fruit And see if you understand what causes that is caused from a lack of calcium The plant is deficient in calcium. So the stalk the very plant itself is faulty Therefore the fruit is useless. You see how it relates And what Jesus is saying is this a good tree because of its nature produces good fruit But not with the bad now next We need to see that Jesus was giving them a governing principle.

See it's all bills first We see the illustration grapes and thorns figs and thistles the second illustration a good tree a bad tree Good fruit bad fruit and now Jesus is giving them a governing principle that comes from these illustrations grape vines produce grapes figs come from fig trees, right Now notice the principle Like kind produce like kind you need to write that down folks like kind Produce like kind a good tree is good by its nature and it cannot produce bad useless harmful fruit why like kind produce like kind a Bad tree is bad and it is bad by its nature and that bad tree cannot produce good fruit It cannot produce useful fruit.

Why like kind produce like kind Now question do you get blueberries from muscadine vines? No Do you get good useful tomatoes from rotten tomato plants? No, why like kind produce like kind like kind produce like kind like kind always produce like kind So we see that first illustration then we see the second illustration and then we see this governing principle and last we need to say How the principle is applied go back to the text.

We have these bookend statements notice verse 16 You will know them by their fruits and then Jesus launches into the illustrations Which bring forth the principle and then verse 20 so then you will know them by their fruits Two times he says you will know them by their fruit. You will know them by what they produce He is saying pay attention take notice watch and see what is he saying like kind?

Produce like kind like kind produce like kind and you will know them by their fruit You will know them by what they produce So notice with these verses This wasn't an agricultural or a horticultural lesson This was a major spiritual lesson that Jesus was illustrating and he's trying to press upon those listening These listening would have understood the illustrations which shed light which brought to light the vital principle What is the principle like kind produce like kind and the principle applied? You will know them by their fruit.

You will know them by their fruit Why because like kind produce like kind and he is not talking about grapes and thorns He is not talking about thorns and thistles and figs. No, he's talking about false teachers Real people that will walk right into their midst dress like shepherds Now to be honest with you here this isn't easy I Mean identifying false teachers. This isn't easy identifying false teaching.

This isn't easy You know, I don't ask for a show of hands But if I were to ask you if any of you have ever been fooled by a false teacher or false teaching More hands would be raised than you know Especially if we look back to our younger Christian years before we've matured and before we've grown and before we've acquired these Spiritual skills to be able to apply the principle and apply the teaching and know and know Okay, we know the principle we understand the teaching now, what do you do? What do we do? You might say this? Well pastor. This is when you tell us what to do.

I Try to help you to know what to do We're gonna see how my responsibility and your responsibility comes together, but I want to help you here I want to help us see what we do first of all know your grape vines know your thistles know your fig trees You better know them folks know your grapes know your grape vines know your thorn bushes know your thistles and know your fig trees And I'm not talking about fruit.

I'm not talking about agriculture and horticulture I'm talking about the Word of God you've got to know the Word of God You've got to know the doctrines and the teaching of the Word of God You know I once knew a man who thought peanuts grew on trees I Mean he thought peanuts grew on trees He would have bet the farm that peanuts grew on trees. Why was he a dumb man was he an uneducated man? No, he was very educated.

He was just ignorant He just didn't know and so he thought that peanuts grew on trees and listen folks Don't be ignorant now if his peanuts and trees is one thing, but if his false teaching in the Word of God It's a whole nother thing. We're talking life and death folks and Look if you don't know the Word of God Then you will not be ready when the fruit of a false teacher comes your way And you will not be ready when a false teacher comes your way And if you can't know the fruit for what it is you will accept the tree from which it came So first You better know the word Second this takes time and it takes more time This takes time and it more takes more time see folks it takes time for a tree to bear fruit Think about that it takes time for the vine to produce the grapes and listen it takes the right conditions It takes time it takes the right conditions and circumstances and see when things are just right the false teacher steps forward And he bears his fruit he presents his fruit just at the right time Was talking with one of the pastors probably a year or so ago involved in our anchored in truth network He is a church planner pastor very seasoned minister of the gospel Served on a local church staff in various capacities for years and one church within our network planted another church And you know, we told me the story of a man who came from the mother church to the church plant.

He had been there for years But all of a sudden in time and then the right circumstances he stepped forward as what a false teacher And I quizzed him. I said y'all did not know he was like that all those years. He said brother We had no idea time in the right circumstances folks. I Give you some information that I got from the Bible commentator William Barclay give some insights here This has really resonated with me for a couple of days and I've just kept it right off to the side I knew that somehow we would find its way in the message and this will help you notice what he says and I'm quoting the basic Fault of the false prophet is self-interest the basic fault of the false prophet is self-interest the true shepherd cares for the flock more than he cares for his own life The wolf cares for nothing but to satisfy his own gluttony in his own greed The false prophet is in the business of teaching not for what he can give to others But for what he can give to himself And as William Barclay expounds on these verses he gives three insights to the false teacher He says that they do it for for personal gain solely for gain They do it for prestige and they do it to transmit their own ideas.

You see they do it for gain They do it for prestige and they do it to propagate their own ideas and he's right So we have this sure identity you will know them by their fruit You will know them by their fruit how? Like kind produce like kind like kind produce like kind always always always Now I want to take this a little further here To be honest with you at this point in the message. I just wasn't satisfied I just felt like I needed to give us more that will help us.

This is really important I want us to see three things that will help us be able to deal with false teachers and false prophets and false teaching and Then also how we are to react because they're gonna come we have to be ready today and tomorrow number one God ordains it This is gonna surprise you God ordains it false teachers and false teaching is a part of God's plan for his church It's this great mystery folks Paul tells the Corinthian church this truth notice what Paul says in first Corinthians 11 I'm reading verses 18 and 19 remember He's writing to a problematic church all types of division and false teaching there and notice For in the first place when you come together as a church talking about their worship I hear that there are divisions among you and remember what we learned about the divisions in Corinth They were rooted in bad doctrine bad teaching and notice what he says and I believe it in part and then verse 19 for there must be factions divisions among you in order that those who were genuine among you may be Recognized and here we see that God allows he ordains divisions and factions in false teachings and false teachers to do what to prove who is genuine and Also to prove who is false But you know the sad thing here is this there are true believers Immature believers even worldly believers that can be attracted to this and they can be caught up into this And they can suffer I've seen it Years ago, I had a personal friend loves the Lord Still in contact with him But I watched him follow the wrong teacher in the wrong movement and get involved in the wrong church So much so that he alienated himself from from me Brother Keith And you know, we were seriously grieved by the circumstance.

We loved our brother We were grieved because of the direct was going following the wrong man the wrong movement in the wrong church and All we could do was pray And we prayed and we prayed we sacrificially pray We pray fasted for his circumstance and his situation and we prayed and we prayed for more more and look for years We couldn't even talk to him and finally God began to work and God got him out God drew him out of that work and it took a while for the cobwebs to clear it took a while for him to fully Understand what was taking place in his life and I counseled and I counseled and I taught and I taught and one day He called me on the phone and he sobbed like a baby.

He cried like a baby You couldn't understand what he was saying And he said for 10 years I followed the wrong man and the wrong church for 10 years and I wasted it false teacher But God ordains it. I don't understand the mystery of it all But he ordains it number two our responsibility. I want to speak for a minute about our Responsibility see you have a responsibility, but I have a responsibility You have a responsibility as a member and a sheep a part of the flock of God in a local church But me as a pastor in the elders of a church We have a responsibility and also men in the life of the church has a respirable responsibility See a sheep in the church of God You have a responsibility to study the Word of God to walk in obedience to grow in your maturity You do you have a responsibility to learn everything that we're teaching you here to be called up in the work of the church and to study and to walk with God and grow and walk in obedience and study the Word and Attend the work of the church.

It's this cycle folks. You have a responsibility to be caught up in all of what God's doing here and to grow in obedience and maturity and A part of that responsibility is for you to be aware To be where that false teachers and false teaching is sure to come and you know I thought about today and our day false teaching can get into our lap and into our life in so many ways books Internet preaching I mean it's just so available and you must be able to sort through their fruit So as to make the right determination about the source But my responsibility as pastor The responsibility of the elders in the life of this church and then also leaders that God is is Raising up here.

Our Responsibility is much different and listen folks. My Responsibility is so great and we see it right here in Acts chapter 20. This is where I want you to turn over folks I want you to put your eyes on these verses Now, let me give you a little backdrop here This will be the last time he's seen the Ephesian elders Verse 17 says and from my lips he sent to Ephesus the church and he called to him the elders of the church and He gathered them together and he said you yourself know from the first day that I set foot into Asia How I was with you the whole time Serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with great trials Which came upon me because of the Jews and I did did not shrink back from declaring to you anything that was profitable Teaching you publicly from house to house and he's describing the work of God birthing the church there He's really giving his testimony But then he goes on to verse 28 and he shifts This is to the elders be on guard Be on guard for yourselves and for all of the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers pastors shepherds elders to shepherd the Church of God which he purchased with his own blood and I know that after my departure Savage wolves will come in among you not sparing the flock and from among your own selves Men will rise speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them And notice what we have here in verse 17 We see that Paul was addressing the elders God's appointed leaders of the church Verse 28 we see that Paul says to the elders They have a responsibility to guard to guard first to guard themselves Second to guard the flock and then in verse 29 to 30 Paul says that savage wolves will rise up from among themselves From among them from within the church doing what? speaking perverse things remember their own ideas Second drawing disciples to themselves personal prestige and gain you see And what we must see is this folks this could even happen in our own church And we have a responsibility you have a responsibility I have a responsibility the elders have a responsibility to do what to be on guard to be on guard So number one God ordains it Number two we must see our responsibility and then number three We need to stay in a local church We need to stay in a healthy local church stay in a healthy local church I'm gonna say that again be rooted in a life of a local church a healthy local church and look folks We are not perfect when I say healthy Infection when I say healthy, I'm not saying we've arrived We are moving along the road to biblical health and we are healthy theologically.

We're healthy in our methods We're healthy in our leadership. We're healthy in our structure and listen One of the biggest mistakes that I have seen some make is when they leave a healthy local church They leave a healthy local church not perfect. No, there's never gonna be a perfect church This sad I remember years ago ministering to a particular family And you know they would come to me about the smallest of things I mean the most trivial things I Would come to me and won't counsel I was patient.

I was loving I walked him through it they would come for the most Trivial and I don't mean to make fun try things But you know behind the scenes there were some great spiritual things happening They had children questioning their own condition They had children of age that would go home and sit down with mom and dad and they would say I'm listening to what brother Chris is preaching. I don't have that I listen to what he said.

I don't have that see they had children who were under conviction But all along the parents were worried about little trivial and trite things and Eventually, they left a healthy church and they went to a sick church They went to a church with bad doctrine. They went to a church with bad methods They went to a church where they just went the wrong way What am I trying to show you folks?

Stay in a local healthy church Now I want to close with the title of the message Watch out who you follow And that what Jesus is saying here Now I want to show you how this is connected to verse 13 and 14 We must see that Jesus intended for these verses to all be connected for that ultimate purpose Remember those listening was a time of decision That was the big sermon in verses 13 to 14. It was all about the narrow gate the wide gate Which way will you go?

I'll take us back to what you MacArthur said Just as there is a misleading gate in a misleading way There are also misleading preachers and teachers who point to the gate and promote that way Listen folks Don't be the people Who go the wide gate the wide way? Don't be the one don't be the family who goes the way of the odd gate Which way you will you go it all comes back to this? Who do you follow don't follow a false teacher here? Let's pray. We'll commit this to the Lord