There’s a reason why you hear me say often: “Fruit Matters!”; and even more importantly... it better be ‘good fruit’ (Matt. 7:17-18).

If you took the time to look that passage up (and I hope you did), you’ll see what Jesus went on to explain why this good fruit matters...because “every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire”(19). This theme seems to be constant throughout scripture. A short parable found in Luke 13:6-9 relays another insightful story where a landowner who planted a fig tree came three years in a row looking for good fruit, but found none. He ordered for the tree to be cut down. It seems that fruit really does matter in that story as well.

Do you recall one of the bold utterances made by John the Baptist found in Matthew 3 that was directed to...of all people...the ‘religious experts’ of the day? He began by calling them ‘snakes’ or ‘vipers’ (Matt. 3:7). Then...he asked them: “Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?”

His very next statement of warning was they better ‘bear fruits worthy of repentance’, even cautioning them not to find comfort or security just because they were descendants of Abraham’ (9).

Would you please now underline those first few words in vs. 10- “even now...the ax is laid to the root of the trees...”. Even. Now.

Of course we know that this exchange of dialogue occurred over 2000 years ago as the dawn of a new dispensation was about to unfold with the coming of Jesus, who John was the ‘forerunner’ to. And he tells us all plainly...the wrath of God is on the way and ‘even now’...the “ax is laid to the root of the trees...and every tree that does not bear ‘good fruit’ is being ‘cut down’...and being thrown into the fire.”

What’s interesting here is he goes from talking about ‘trees’ bearing fruit in vs.10 to a ‘threshing floor’ where ‘wheat’ is being gathered into the barn (12). I say interesting because Jesus would later tell a parable about a field where wheat was growing and then some ‘tares’ popped up. It’s the parable of the wheat and tares found in Matt. 13:24-30. You might take a moment and read through that now.

Something else we learn in this same chapter (13) comes early on right after Jesus had told the parable of the ‘sower’ (13:1-9). It wasn’t an overly dramatic story and the multitudes who heard it probably could identify with what Jesus told them about what happens to any kind of seed that is sown on various soil types. I would be surprised if any walked away from that sermon in wonder and amazement as if they had just heard some earth shattering message. But the disciples sensed there was something ‘more’ woven in that simple telling of a man who sowed some seed. So they came to ask Jesus in private ...what was He trying to convey in that illustration.

And Jesus explained it to them, offering up an often overlooked detail as to whom the ‘mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed to’ (10-11)- “It has been given to you (disciples) to know...but not to them (those who have yet to truly come to Jesus with their whole heart). He even explains why this happens, quoting from Isaiah how people will ‘have eyes, yet will not see, they will hear but not understand... because their hearts have grown dull...’(14-15). Let’s not forget God’s indictment against His own people...how they ‘always go astray in their hearts’ (Heb. 3:10,13; 2:1; Matt. 24:12).

Now we are back to the parable of the wheat and tares, and once again...after Jesus ‘sent the multitude away and went into the house...’ (Matt. 13:36)...His disciples came to Him asking for an explanation to the most recent parable they had just heard. And He answers them with a detailed revelation laid out for us all to read in vs. 37-43. Would you take a moment to read that now, please?

Who were these ‘angels’ instructed to ‘gather up first’, according to vs. 30? Also, when does this ‘harvest’ begin to take place, according to vs. 39? Real quick now, flip over and read 1 Cor. 10:11 to confirm that Paul indicates that we... are living at the ‘end of the age’. Also note Heb. 1:1-2...'these last days'...

Do you know how easy it would be to tell the difference between a ‘tare’ and ‘wheat’ that is ready to harvest? Wheat produces (good) fruit, and tares don’t. In fact, wheat that has matured changes color and now reflects the color of the golden ‘sun’. And because it has a head heavy with fruit, it tends to bend over in a posture of humility. But the tares stand out, upright and proud...but with no fruit. And this is who the reapers/angels are sent out to ‘gather up first’ as they are ‘bound and burned’ (30,40).

There’s something funny I have noticed over the years...how smug and secure ‘church folks’ can be as they wait for God to ‘lower the boom on all those sinner folks in the world’. In fact, the smugness comes from thinking they’ll watch all this unfold as they take the ‘rapture bus’ out just before things get bad. And yet...why do we seem to miss that little detail that Peter lets us in on...as to where ‘judgement’ will first begin (1 Pet. 4:17; Ezek. 9:4-6)?

Oh...another little detail that’s easy to miss is where Jesus describes ‘tares’ as...’every cause of sin and those who practice lawlessness’ (41). Did you see that? And a few verses previous to that, Jesus differentiates between ‘sons of the kingdom’ and ‘sons of disobedience’(38). It seems I read elsewhere how John did the same thing in 1 John 3:4-10 & 5:18. Do you have those underlined yet, in your Bible? And what about John 8:34-35?

Then...there is that infamous group of folks who obviously had ‘called upon the Lord’ at some point in their walk, saying ‘Lord, Lord’...and then went on to do some great and notable things...’in the name of the Lord’ (Matt. 7:21-22; 1 Cor. 13:1-3). And yet...what chilling response were they greeted with by the Lord in Matt. 7:23...and for what ‘reason’ were they turned away?

So who are the ones protected from the ‘evil one’ as explained in 1 John 5:18, and Ps 91:1-11? Sounds like it’s those who are ‘abiding’ under the shadow of the Almighty; and those who are truly ‘abiding’ in Him...no longer do what...according to 1 John 3:6? Oh...but you were told that it’s not possible for a born again child of God to actually ‘go and sin no more?

Interesting....and ‘who told you that’? (Gen. 3:11)