Cross in front of Founders Hall

Day

1

Good Fruit from a Good Tree

Lent 2021

Read Matthew 12:22-50

Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. 30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. 33 Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” 38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 43 When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.” 46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.

“A tree is recognized by its fruit.” What fruit do others see from you? What careless words would condemn you, what careless actions? These words of Christ cut to the heart when we honestly reflect on the “fruit” we seem to produce. Our sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit. Our flesh is all too willing to carry out those contrary desires. Our Lord directs us to look upon another tree, the tree of His cross. This tree bears fruit, the fruit of forgiveness, and faith. While we are certain to look for moral behaviors as evidence, Jesus looks for repentance. The fruit giving account on the last day are the words that give witness to a need for Christ and His life giving salvation that washes and cleanses, ransoms and redeems. The fruit God produces in us is a true confession of Christ and His saving work. The faith He works in us that openly depends on His mercy. But this is the power of God’s grace, not only does He produce in us the fruit of repentance and confession of Christ’s saving work, but despite our sinful condition which does not perfectly obey God’s commands, He also produces other fruit of the Spirit who is at work in each of us: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5)

Prayer

Father, thank You for Jesus my Savior who has redeemed me. Continue to produce in me a heart of repentance that gives true confession to the saving work accomplished for me. Grant that my life may also evidence the working of the Holy Spirit in the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. Amen.

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