Ye Shall Know Them by Their Fruits, Part 2

Mat. 7:16-20 Sermon on the Mount

Pastor Albert Martin continues his exposition of Matthew 7:15-20, focusing on how to discover false prophets by their 'fruits.' He argues that true fruit is not measured by numbers, zeal, or impressive buildings, but by the quality of converts, specifically the reproduction of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5), the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5), and the marks of true circumcision (Philippians 3). Martin emphasizes that only God can produce these spiritual qualities, and a minister's methods reveal where their confidence truly lies. He applies this touchstone to individual believers, church ministries, and the evaluation of one's own spiritual state, urging a pursuit of 'quality in quantity' in God's work.

3 illustrations in this sermon

The Discovery of False Prophets: By Their Fruits

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Grapes from Thorns, Figs from Thistles

The point: Do not plead ignorance about discerning false prophets, as Jesus commanded all to know them by their fruits.

This analogy from Matthew 7:16 illustrates that a tree's nature determines its fruit; false prophets cannot produce genuine spiritual fruit.

Verse 16, Ye shall know them by their fruits. And then he asked a question. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles? And the answer's obvious.

6:12 - 6:24 Read in full sermon

The Master Sculptor Analogy: Only God Can Produce True Fruit

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The Master Sculptor and Fakes

In this part of the sermon: Martin uses an extended analogy of a master sculptor and three fakes to illustrate that true workmanship is revealed in areas where only the master can produce. He applies this to…

This extended analogy distinguishes between a master artist and fakes by their ability to work with difficult materials like marble, illustrating that only God can produce certain 'hard' spiritual qualities in people, revealing His true workmanship.

There's a master sculptor.

21:43 - 21:45 Read in full sermon

The Touchstone of True Fruit: No Confidence in the Flesh (Philippians 3 & 1 Corinthians 2)

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Evangelist's Burden: Methods vs. Preaching

Driving home: And he said, because I wanted men to respond to an operation of divine power, I chose a method that deliberately cut out the flesh.

Martin shares his personal experience as an evangelist, where pastors told him preaching alone wasn't enough for Sunday evening services, revealing their confidence in gimmicks over God's power.

Let me let my hair down and share a deep burden of my own heart. When I was an evangelist for five years, and spoke in churches all across this country and some in Canada, not all across, but out as far as the Midwest, down south and here in the east, you know what I had evangelical pastors tell me again and again and again and again until I just felt I couldn't take it anymore. Men that I loved. Men to whose churches I came with no guarantee of any amount of money, many of them small country churches.

39:01 - 39:33 Read in full sermon

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