Fruit From Bad And Good Trees

Introduction

I. 	Trees are a beautiful part of creation.
A. 	Trees were created on the third day after God had made the dry land. Gen. 1:9-13.
B. 	Adam was given all of the trees of the garden for food except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Gen. 2:15-17.
C. 	The first sin took place as Eve and Adam ate the forbidden fruit.  Gen. 3:1-6.
II. 	Today’s lesson will relate to bad fruit from corrupt trees and good fruit from good trees.
 
Body

I.    Trees that produce corrupt fruit should be destroyed.
A. 	Wicked and violent men are compared to luxuriant trees.  Ps. 37:35-40.
1. 	We should understand from this that appearance may be deceptive.
2. 	Many times those who are evil appear to prosper.
3. 	They will ultimately be punished.
B. 	John, the baptizer, warned the Jews that the axe was ready to cut down the false Jewish beliefs.  Luke 3:7-9.
C. 	Jude spoke of ungodly men, who turned the grace of God into lasciviousness and denied the Lord, as being “autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the root….” Jude 3-16.
D. 	False prophets are discussed in the context of corrupt trees.  Matt. 7:15-23.
1. 	Trees which do not produce good fruit are to be cut down.  Vs. 19.
2. 	Perhaps we have just thought of trees that are not producing good fruit and have not considered those that produce evil fruit.
C. 	The tree producing immorality must be cut down.  I Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21.
1. 	All of these sins must be removed if a person is to produce good fruit.
2. 	Carefully consider each of the sins listed in these passages.
3. 	Add to this list lying, unbelief and any other sinful actions.  Acts 5:1-11;        Rev. 21:8.
D. 	We need to get rid of these sins before they get to be full grown trees.
1. 	It is easy to cut down or pull up trees when they have first sprouted.
2. 	After they have grown for an extended time, and especially when they reach maturity, even bulldozers have difficulty removing the trees.

II. 	  Trees producing good fruit should be cultivated and encouraged.
A. 	The righteous man is compared to a tree firmly planted by streams of water.        
Ps. 1:1-3.
1. 	David also contrasts the righteous man with the boastful wicked.  Ps. 52:1-9.
2. 	The righteous one praises God because he flourishes as a palm tree.                   Ps. 92:10-15.
B. 	In the description of the glorified Zion, the faithful are called “trees of righteousness.”  Isa. 61:1-3.
C. 	The man trusting in Jehovah is like a “tree planted by the waters.”  Jer. 17:7-8.	
D. 	Even though there are laws against corrupt fruit or works, there is no law against the fruit of the Spirit.  Gal. 5:16-23.

Fruit From Bad And Good Trees, page 2.

Conclusion

I. 	We have considered the fruit of trees which is both bad and good.
A. 	Remember that it is important to cut down bad trees before they become so large in our lives that they are difficult to remove.
B. 	On the other hand cultivate the good fruit or the good trees so that they will grow to maturity.
II. 	Begin to produce good fruit by becoming a Christian as you produce, repentance, confession and baptism as a sequel to your faith.  Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Gal. 3:26-27.
III. Eliminate sin from your life by repenting, confessing and prayer.  Acts 8:22; Jas. 5:16.

Prepared by:
   David Arnold
   August 1, 1999