By Their Fruits

🌳 By Their Fruits

Text: Matthew 7:17–18
Theme: Types of hearts that are corrupt or bring about corrupt fruit

🌱 Introduction

A corrupt tree comes from a corrupt seed. If the seed of thought is corrupt, then the tree will be corrupt, and the fruit of that tree will be corrupt (cf. Mt. 12:33).

Illustration: Just as planting an apple seed will never yield an orange tree, planting corrupt thoughts will never yield righteous fruit.

I. 💔 An Impenitent Heart – Romans 2:5

  • Definition: Impenitent = unrepentant, not sorry, not contrite, a hard heart.

  • Fruit of Reprobation – detestation, dislike, damnation (2 Tim. 3:8).

  • Pharaoh hardened his heart again and again, and it plagued him to destruction.

  • God delights in a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17; 34:18; Isa. 57:15; 66:2).

Quote:
“Of all the things that break God’s heart, none is so deadly as a heart that will not break.” – Anonymous

Illustration: A diamond is nearly unbreakable, but a broken seed brings life. The impenitent heart is like the diamond—hard, cold, lifeless. But the contrite heart, like a broken seed, brings forth new growth.

II. ⏳ An Impatient Heart – Exodus 32:7–9

  • Israel misjudged God’s timing; they acted on what they thought had happened, not the reality.

  • Stiff-necked = stubborn, hardened, rebellious, proud (Eccl. 7:8).

    • Causes us to turn out of the way.

    • Produced the golden calf (idolatry).

  • The golden calf represents anything that keeps you from trusting God:

    • Fear 😨

    • Anxiety 😟

    • Impatience ⌛

    • Bitterness 😠

    • Resentment 😤

    • Grief 😢

    • Doubt ❓

    • Uncertainty 🌫️

  • Solution: Cast it down and burn it (Ex. 32:20; 2 Cor. 10:5).

Quote:
“Patience is the grace of man who looks for the coming of the Lord. Impatience is the spirit of the man who thinks God has forgotten.” J.C. Ryle

“Faith rests in quiet patience. Doubt is always in a hurry.” A.W. Tozer

Illustration: Like a child in a car asking every five minutes, “Are we there yet?”, impatience doesn’t change the distance to the destination—only the comfort of the journey. Israel’s impatience led them to build a calf instead of trusting God’s timing.

III. 🕊️ An Impure Heart – Matthew 5:8

  • A pure heart is blessed (Psalm 1:1; Jer. 17:7–8).

  • Fruit of the heart shows up in the tongue:

    • Pure heart → pure words

    • Impure heart → corrupt words

  • Scripture warnings:

    • Corrupt minds → corrupt disputings (1 Tim. 6:5).

    • Can’t tame the tongue without cleansing the heart (James 3:8).

    • Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45; Mt. 12:34).

Quote:
“The tongue is but a little member, yet it boasts great things. But remember, the tongue is only the messenger; the heart is the true source.” – Charles Spurgeon

Illustration: A well with muddy water cannot give clean refreshment. Likewise, if the well of the heart is impure, the words drawn from it will always come out tainted.

✨ Closing Thought

Every corrupt tree produces corrupt fruit. The remedy is a repentant, patient, and pure heart—only possible through Christ’s transforming work within.

Application: What kind of fruit are you bearing? If the tree of your heart is corrupt, repent, and spend time in the incorruptible seed of the word of God (1 Peter 1:23).

Jeffrey smith