Lemon Tree Can'T Make Apples — E.A. Johnston

Christ’s Two Contrasts in Luke 6

I have two back-to-back lessons for us today, friends. They are both brief, but pungent with eternity, because they are the words of Christ, and they are each found in Luke's Gospel. You can turn in your Bibles there now, friends.

We will be in chapter 6, and in verses 43 through 49. In this striking passage of scripture, we find our Lord Jesus making some contrast between two things, two trees, two kinds of fruit, two men, two foundations, and two different destinies.

I cannot emphasize the importance in this passage, friends, because sometimes we just don't take Jesus literally. We just don't believe he really meant what he said. At least our behavior says that about us.

Good Trees and Genuine Fruit

Let's look at this first lesson from the word of God here in Luke's Gospel, in verses 43 through 45. And may the Spirit of the Lord bless the reading of his holy word. For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit, neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

For every tree is known by its own fruit. Let me pause here, friends, to make a distinction between religious works and behavior. A church member can be the most active individual in their church, serve on every committee, and still be a corrupt, unconverted person in their behavior.

One does not outbalance the other. The fruit here Jesus speaks of is not our religious works, but our actions, our daily behavior, our words, our thoughts, how we are. That's the fruit God has his eye upon, not our religious service.

The Pharisees had much religion in their daily activity, but they were corrupt trees with rotten foundations. They were religious men, but unconverted men. Let's get back to our text. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

Let me pause here again, friends, to say our Lord Jesus is stating the obvious here, and we need to pay attention. He says it's against nature for figs to grow out of thorns, for grapes don't grow in a bramble bush either.

I have a lemon tree outside my window, and I delight every year in picking those lemons when they are bright yellow and ripe, but I'd be a fool if I went out to that tree to look for apples. A lemon tree can't make apples.

Do you see what I mean? The natural condition of a thing will produce that of its own kind. Remember that, friends, when it comes to dealing with the souls of men, Jesus goes on to say, A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil, for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

I'll never forget the church elder who could pray like a saint in church but who swore like a sailor at work, or the Baptist deacon I knew who served on every committee at church but who loved to tell filthy stories and dirty jokes.

You may defend a loved one in your family by saying, Well, my spouse talks that way at the house but, you know, he does teach Sunday school, or my son lets loose like a sailor when he gets mad but he got saved when he was little.

Don't let your affections for someone bias your opinion of them, because if you do, it will hinder the effectiveness of your prayers for them. You'll be praying for them to be better persons rather than praying for them to be converted persons.

Behavior Reveals the Heart’s Condition

This is a very serious matter, friends, and we must pay close attention to what Christ has to say on this matter of one's behavior. Jesus says a good man will act this way and an evil man will act another way.

Good meaning converted, evil meaning unconverted. You can be a good person and yet be in a natural condition on your way to hell. Good people don't go to heaven, only forgiven people get to go there. I was at lunch with a very religious person who often talked about God and prayer and church on this particular occasion.

This person told a joke using the name of Christ as a cuss word. It wasn't funny. It was sad to me to see a religious lost person totally deceived in their perceived opinion of themselves in regard to eternity.

Jesus said men will speak either out of the good treasure of their heart or out of the evil treasure of the heart because that person will be true to their nature. They behave that way because that's who they really are.

Obedience as the Test of a Foundation

Then Jesus connects his discourse with another contrast of two things, two foundations, and he introduces it with the following words. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Whosoever cometh to me and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like. I will stop there, friends, to say that this is where the rubber meets the road. How you live in your daily life speaks volumes to the foundation you rest upon.

If you're a sacrificing person at church who likes to bring cookies to folks and do nice things, yet you're as mean as a snake to the people you live with, all is not well with your soul. If you're in church every Sunday with a smile on your face as your spouse sits beside you, but you're unfaithful during the week, all is not well with your soul.

Your foundation is rotten, and it will soon be broken up, and down you will go to the hell you deserve. Years ago, when I was a Sunday school teacher in a big Baptist church, I had 100 people in my class each week, and in a few years, 80 of them were divorced because of infidelity.

Now what does that tell you, friends, about someone's condition? We live in a day of an easy-believed gospel, that folks swallow as they accept their Jesus and get their free ticket to heaven. But you can't be one way at church and another at home.

Conversion, Destiny, and the New Birth

Your condition will determine your destiny if you die in a natural condition. It matters little, even if you were the chairman of the deacons. You must be born again. You must be converted. A lemon tree can't make apples.

Let us pray.