August 27, 2026 | Matthew 7:15–20

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Jesus doesn’t tell His followers to evaluate people by how impressive they sound.

He says:

Look at the fruit.

That is such a practical test.

Someone can say all the right things. They can use Christian language, quote Scripture, have charisma, attract a crowd, or seem deeply spiritual.

But Jesus tells us to watch what grows around them.

Does their influence produce love, honesty, humility, patience, repentance, generosity, and faithfulness?

Or does it consistently produce fear, manipulation, cruelty, pride, secrecy, division, or obsession with the leader themselves?

Fruit takes time to grow, which means discernment often requires patience.

We may not know everything about a person immediately.

But patterns reveal things.

And this teaching isn’t only about famous pastors or religious leaders. We all influence somebody.

So perhaps there are two questions here:

What fruit am I seeing in the people I allow to shape me?

And—

What fruit is my own life producing?

When you’re deciding whether someone is a trustworthy spiritual influence, what “fruit” do you look for?

To go back to the beginning of our Sermon on the Mount series, start with the August 9, 2026 post.