Luke 6: 39-49
Three Common Spiritual Pitfalls

by Gary DeLashmutt

Introduction

Review themes of this sermon: revolutionary values (vs 20-26) and sacrificial love (vs 27-38).

Jesus concludes with a series of mini-parables with a common theme: the danger of spiritual disaster. He alerts us to three common spiritual pitfalls, and tells us how to avoid each one.

1: Gullibility

Read v. 39. The point here is pretty obvious. If you choose a blind guide, you’re in for real trouble!

The disaster here is gullibility—trusting the wrong spiritual teacher/teaching. We do not live in a spiritually positive or even neutral environment, but rather in a spiritually hostile environment where there is serious spiritual danger. All spiritual paths do not lead to the same goal or God. In fact, Jesus said all but one will lead you into trouble (Matt. 7:13-14). Therefore, you’d better choose our spiritual guide very carefully because this choice will have tremendous impact on your life for good or for ill.

This raises the obvious question: How can we distinguish between true and false spiritual leaders? Jesus answers this question in vs 43-45: “Each tree is known by its fruits.” You must be a FRUIT-INSPECTOR. Certain outward manifestations will indicate their internal spiritual state as authentic or inauthentic. What are these fruits?

Matt. 7:21-23 (the parallel) tells us two “fruits” that are inconclusive.  They may be simply the “sheep’s clothing” that garbs a wolf!

Simply using Jesus’ name and claiming in some ambiguous way that he is "Lord." Virtually every false teacher, from Hitler to Manson to Sun Myung Moon to New Age refers to Jesus. Jesus said many would come “in my name” and deceive people who look no further than this.

Preaching charismatic sermons, even performing dramatic deeds like exorcisms and healings—and claiming these as evidence that they speak for Jesus. Notice that Jesus does not acknowledge that these acts were empowered by God. They may have been faked; they may be empowered by Satan (Mt. 24:24; 2 Thes. 2:9). Whatever their source, dramatic deeds like these are no proof of spiritual authenticity!!

The Bible clearly defines the "fruits" we should look for: All truth is in Jesus—Jesus is the truth. That which conforms to Jesus is true, and that which contradicts Jesus is false. Teaching that agrees with Jesus’ teaching, and a moral lifestyle that agrees with Jesus’ moral lifestyle. When Paul instructs Titus on who to lead the church in Crete, in order to prevent false teachers (v. 10), notice what he insists on:

Moral character that is consistent with the life of Jesus (Titus 1:7-8). Even when someone teaches correct doctrine, if they live a morally corrupt or inconsistent life, we should turn away from them or we will be damaged.

Doctrine that conforms to the teaching of Jesus and the apostles (Titus 1:9). For example, that Jesus is the only Savior of the world rather than one of many saviors (Jn. 14:6), that salvation is a free gift rather than earned by good works (Eph. 2: 8 9), etc. Even when someone lives a morally pure and consistent life, if they contradict biblical doctrine we should turn away from them or we will be damaged.

Jesus gives you the responsibility to practice this kind of discernment ("LET THE BUYER BEWARE")!! I value the trust that you give me because you have checked me out in these two areas, but I don't want the kind of trust that exempts me from this kind of fruit-inspection—and you shouldn't want to give it to me, either!

But this isn’t the only way we can get deceived spiritually. Once we know where to find truth, we also need to use it properly . . . 

2: Hypocrisy

Read vs 41-42. I mentioned Jesus’ humor two weeks ago—ACT OUT WITH LOG. It’s hilarious—but Jesus also views it as tragic. This is the person who knows the correct spiritual source of truth, but who is using it the wrong way. He is a hypocrite.

Is Jesus saying we can/should never correct others, as in “do not judge?” Obviously not, because in vs 42b he speaks of removing our brother’s speck. Other passages also tell us that confrontation and correction is a key expression of biblical love (e.g., Matt. 18). Some of us are seriously deficient in this area, and perhaps even using this passage to rationalize our lack of love!

No, the problem is not that he uses the truth to correct others. The problem is that he is not using the truth to correct himself. The problem is not that he is willing to see faults in others. The problem is that he is looking too hard for faults in others, while refusing to acknowledge his own faults at all!

What is hypocritical about this person? It is that he has forgotten that our first role is always as pupils of Jesus (vs 40—notice “and”). He is the only valid corrector; we never replace his role in others’ lives and we never outgrow the primary need for his correction.

This person thinks he has gotten to the point that he doesn’t need Jesus’ correction, and that he can take his place as the corrector of others’ lives. Because of this fundamental inconsistency, his corrections are invalid, unredemptive, and unauthoritative.

How can we avoid this spiritual pitfall? How do you take the log out of your own eye? Primarily, by remembering that your first and primary responsibility is to heed what Jesus is teaching you. 

In general, we should be more focused on our own character and behavior improvement than on identifying and fixing other peoples'. This creates a humility and integrity that draws others who want to follow Christ.

"(The proud person) is very apt to suspect others; whereas a humble (person) is . . . as suspicious of nothing in the world as he is of his own heart. The proud person is apt to find fault with others . . . and quick to discern and take notice of their deficiencies. But the . . . humble (person) has so much to do at home, and sees so much evil in his own heart, and is so concerned about it, that he is not apt to be very busy with other hearts . . . Humility disposes a person to take notice of everything that is good in others, and to make the best of it, and to diminish their failings; but to have his eye chiefly on those things that are bad in himself, and to take much notice of everything that aggravates them."[1]

In relational conflicts, we should be willing to focus much more on how we have offended the other person rather than on how he/she has offended us.

Jesus describes it as a LOG not because you always "did more wrong" than the other person, but because it is what you are responsible for. This should always be our primary focus: not what others have done to me, but how I have wronged them (and God). This is the one thing that I can do something about; therefore, it should occupy my primary focus!!

How important is this in marriage and close friendships! In conflict, you can always see the other person’s offense more clearly than your own. Their offense always seems more serious than your own. Someone has to have the humility to do this, and then apologize for his offense if there is going to be true resolution.

NOTE: Staying focused on God’s grace will help us in both of the above, because it’s always easier to acknowledge your own faults when you’re confident of God’s acceptance.

3: Passivity

Read vs 46-49. What is the difference between these two people? They both heard Jesus’ words. They both called him “Lord.” Yet one man’s life winds up being unable to sustain the tests of life, while the other one is strong and enduring. The difference is that one man’s faith was active while the other one’s was passive. Spiritual passivity is the breeding ground for spiritual disaster.

There is a passive aspect of biblical faith. We cannot earn God’s acceptance, or supply the wisdom and power to perform God’s will. We have to trust God for these things and acknowledge that unless he gives us these things, we will fail.

But that doesn’t mean that we do nothing besides merely understand what God says and agree mentally that it is true. God always provides us with a way to act on the truth he is teaching us. His Word outlines the action needed, and his Spirit personally shows us what active faith looks like in our personal situations. And it is only as we are willing to act with personal trust that we experience God’s blessing (read Jas. 1:22, 26??).

APPLICATION:

GOSPEL: Suppose we are in front of a door, inside of which is a room full of medicine you desperately need and the doctors who can treat you. You would realize that you could not heal yourself, that you must depend on the doctors and medicine to heal you. You could understand how to open the door, you could even agree that the room contains what you need—and still remain sick—unless you actually open the door and go in for treatment.

In the same way, the issue is not just "Do you understand how Christ’s death provides God’s forgiveness?" or even “Do you agree that Christianity is true, and that you need forgiveness?” You can answer both of these questions affirmatively, and still be separated from God. The key question is "Have you personally received Christ and his gift of forgiveness?" Some of you are at this point. You have the information you need, and you even agree that the information is true. But until you personally receive Christ, you remain separated from God, spiritually dead. Until you do this, you won’t experience God’s forgiveness or transforming presence.

CHRISTIANS: Though our salvation is secure once we receive Christ, our spiritual growth depends on our willingness to act on/obey the truth as Christ teaches it to us. This should be obvious, because all Christians have the same spiritual resources available to them, and God is equally willing and able to change our lives—yet some have their lives changed deeply, while others remain largely the same.

When you study a passage like Lk. 6:20-45 with an open heart, God’s Spirit convicts you about an area of your life. It may be your materialistic values, or your man-pleasing, or your need to begin serving people, or your need to forgive someone who offended you, etc. How do you respond? Do you ask him to show you how to put this into practice—or do you just agree in a passive way that you lack in these areas? As he shows you concrete ways to act on his Word, what do you decide to do? It is these decisions, which no one else sees at the time but you and God, that make the difference between increasing vitality and maturity, and spiritual dryness and increasing lethargy and dullness.

Conclusion

Summarize the three pitfalls. We’re all susceptible to them—but Jesus can deliver us from all of them!!

Footnote

[1] Jonathan Edwards, quoted in Richard Lovelace, Renewal As a Way of Life (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1985), pp. 70, 71.