Matthew 12.33-37

In Matthew 12:33-37, Jesus is finishing up a monologue about His singular focus and identity.  He is not in league with Satan, and He is certainly not driving out demons by the power of demons themselves.  He is God.  He is only God.  There is no duplicity in His person or in His character.  He is good.  He is right.  He is just.  He is powerful in and of Himself—not from some outside, sinister power.  It is fitting, then, that Jesus would close this monologue by exhorting the Pharisees to whom He speaks to the same oneness of character.

³³ “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. ³⁴ You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. ³⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. ³⁶ But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. ³⁷ For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Do you see the thread of integrity running through this text?  Jesus is exhorting His audience, and His 21^st century readers, to oneness, integrity, authenticity.  Are you the same person every day of the week?  Are you the same person when no one’s looking?  Who are you deep down inside?  Is it the same as you are outside?

The issue goes back to verse 30, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”  We have to pick a side.  And the question I want to ask you from this text is this: Who are you—really?

When Jesus talks about fruit and a tree, He is talking about who you are at your core.  It’s like when a guy has a huge crush on a girl.  He can pretend they’re just friends for a while, he can treat her pretty much like he treats any other girl, and he can even deny liking her for a while.  Eventually, though, the truth comes out.  First he tells his best friend, but he warns him not to tell anyone.  Soon he can’t keep it quiet much longer, and it gets to more of his friends.  Then, he “accidentally” lets it slip to one of her friends—you know, so she can nonchalantly pass on the news.

My point is that you can’t hide something you feel that strongly about, at least not forever.

So the question, again, is this: Who are you—really?

When you’re under pressure, when you’re alone, when you’re with friends, when you want a promotion, when you’re facing a deadline, when your family makes you mad…  Who are you?  Which side comes out?  Because eventually, no matter how hard you try, the “side” that comes out is the true one—it’s who you really are.  Sooner or later that girl is going to know the guy has a crush on her; he can’t hide it forever.

The example Jesus gives of this is words.  This is maybe one of the easiest ways to tell what is at the core of a person.  What we say, what we joke about, what we talk about with our best friends—that’s who we really are.  What we scream in anger, when the filter’s not running at 100%—that’s who we really are.

Jesus’ example is words, but let’s not leave it there.

I heard recently of a fairly prominent Christian—you would know their name if I said it—who liked to drink occasionally.  They never got drunk—not even close, really—they just liked a drink every so often.  But one day, the thought crossed their mind, “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this, but no one has ever told me I look more like Jesus when I drink.”  That drink was their last.

When you fudge the numbers at work, do you look more like Jesus?

When you joke with your friends, do you look more like Jesus?

When you’re alone with your computer late at night, do you look more like Jesus?

When you choose what music to listen to, do you look more like Jesus?

When you think about your relationships with the opposite sex, do you look more like Jesus?

When you take a test at school, do you look more like Jesus?

That’s the question: Who are you—really?  And the answer to that is the answer to Matthew 12:30, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

Jesus said that only good trees can bear good fruit.  Re-examine the tree of your life—the roots, the water source, the branches, the sunlight you soak up.  Then prune those things that can cause a tree—even a big, strong one—to rot from the inside out.  Because Jesus wants integrity.  He wants to know who you are.  And He wants you on His side.  Completely.


Ben Cross