Thursday 28 February 2019

Psalm: Psalm 86

Background

 Verse 15 warns the original listeners to watch out for false prophets, these people don’t teach the truth. Luke describes them as sheep; innocent, calm, tender-looking animals – something that wouldn’t harm you, compared to an untrustworthy wolf. In the Bible, followers of Christ are often described as sheep (see the Parable of the Lost Sheep, Matthew 18:12–14 and Luke 15:3–7).

We then get another metaphor in verse 17. Matthew clearly explains that every good tree produces good fruit and every bad tree produces bad fruit. Matthew is trying to make things plain. There is no way that a bad tree can produce good fruit. So there is no way that a bad person is really a good person. These things are evident in our actions. If our actions do not produce good fruit then we will be cut down as described in verses 19-20.

It’s false prophets who lead us through the wide gates (as explored yesterday). Could wolves in sheep’s clothing be talking to people within our church community? Those of us who look and act like Christians but really are not. It is also a warning that the threat might not be people outside our community, it could quite possibly be coming from within.

Jesus warns us and the original listeners against false prophets and hypocrites for the sake of the kingdom. It is the kingdom that we seek and the kingdom we pray and fight for.

To Ponder:

• Are there times in our lives where we have been the wolves in sheep’s clothing?
• Reflect and listen to ‘Jesus be the centre’ (Singing the Faith  447)
• Pray that you may be guided by this reading today.