What for Fruit?

• Twentyfifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

on Matthew 12:15-30, 

in which God speaks highly of His chosen servant, 

and Jesus responds to the Pharisees who link him with devilry.

www.FirstChurchBville@gmail.com  @FirstUMCBville  @kerrfunk

• What do you do when you're defied? 

I get grumpy. Perhaps self-righteous.

How productive are you (when you're defied)? 

Me, not so much. I stew.

(therefore pray for me to be a new creation)

• Two defiances connected to today's reading:
the Pharisees defy Jesus –
they challenge him about healing, accuse him of devilry
and Jesus defies the Pharisees by healing on the Sabbath and mysteriously slipping free from their ill intent.

• Jump back to Matthew 7:20, in the Sermon on the Mount:
Jesus says, “You will know them by their fruit.”
Jesus is talking about watching out for false leaders.

• What for fruit do the Pharisees have? Jealousy.
When up against person / idea they don't like?
They seek to discredit or destroy.

When Jesus is challenged, what for fruit? He heals.

• What for fruit do the Pharisees have?
Their teaching burdened others & created outcasts
Jesus' teaching inspired others, healed them.

In the same way, (especially as election season rolls around)
we can evaluate leaders, policies, directions, issues...
by the fruit they produce

And keep in mind, we're evaluated by our fruit.

• If you cannot heal, at least do not hurt.
Wesley set these rules over 250 years ago:
Do no harm. Do good. Keep the ordinances (practice holy living).

• If you cannot heal, at least do not hurt.
And do speak healing. Don't burden. Don't cast out.

• And recall the quotation from Isaiah: a bruised reed he won't break,
a smoldering wick he won't snuff out?
These are not top tier performers, but Jesus rejects none, casts none out, offers instead easy burden.

• This is Kingdom of God. It is who I want to be and where I want to be.

• Hymn 407 Close to Thee