What does "every plant not planted by My Father" signify in our lives? Setting the Scene in Matthew 15 • Religious leaders from Jerusalem challenge Jesus because His disciples eat without performing ritual washings (Matthew 15:1–2). • Jesus exposes the hypocrisy of honoring traditions while nullifying God’s commandments (vv. 3–9). • He concludes, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots” (v. 13). • The statement is spoken directly about false teachers, yet its truth touches everyone who claims to belong to God. What “Plant” and “Planting” Picture • Plant = person, teaching, or practice that appears to belong in God’s garden (cf. Isaiah 60:21; 1 Corinthians 3:9). • Planting by the Father = God’s sovereign work of salvation that produces real, lasting fruit (John 15:1–2). • Not planted by the Father = anything springing from human tradition, empty religion, or self-made righteousness. Signs a “Plant” Is NOT from the Father • Roots in tradition rather than in Christ (Colossians 2:6–8). • Fruit that contradicts Scripture—legalism, pride, or license (Galatians 5:19–21). • No perseverance under testing; it withers when challenged (Matthew 13:5–6, 20–21). • Seeks human praise, not God’s glory (Matthew 6:1–2). • Promotes man-centered teaching that denies Christ’s lordship (2 Peter 2:1–3). Evidence You ARE God’s Planting • Rooted in grace through faith in Jesus alone (Ephesians 2:8–9). • Growing love for God’s Word and obedience to it (John 14:21). • Spiritual fruit that blesses others—love, joy, peace, etc. (Galatians 5:22–23). • Ongoing pruning by the Father that deepens holiness (Hebrews 12:10–11). • Endurance; storms may bend you, but they do not uproot you (Psalm 1:3). Living Out the Warning and the Promise • Invite ongoing examination: “Search me, O God, and know my heart” (Psalm 139:23). • Measure every teaching and practice by Scripture, not tradition or popularity (Acts 17:11). • Submit to the Father’s pruning—repent quickly when He shows a diseased branch. • Stay connected to Christ, the true Vine; apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:4-5). • Encourage fellow believers to remain rooted and built up in Him (Colossians 2:6-7). Encouragement to Finish Well “Those who are planted in the house of the LORD will flourish in the courts of our God” (Psalm 92:13). If He has planted you, He will keep you, and the garden of your life will display His glory both now and forever. |
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