Jesus describes a genuine Christian as someone who produces the fruit of Christ likeness. A tree is known by the fruit it produces. Jesus’ disciples’ lives are led by His Word and they bear out the truth that they are His disciples, not just by what they claim, but by what they do, what they choose and how they respond to the trials of this life.

Luke 6:43-45 English Standard Version (ESV)

A Tree and Its Fruit

43 “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."

We can only follow Jesus this way if we have been radically changed by Him. If Jesus has touched us, it will show in our lives.

a. A good tree does not bear bad fruit: To live this way, to produce this fruit with your life, you must be good at the root, at the heart. The kind of love and mercy Jesus talks about is only possible if we are bearing fruit for God.

b. Every tree is known by its own fruit: This fruit is the inevitable result of who we are; eventually (though it may take a time for the harvest to come) the good or bad fruit is evident, revealing what sort of "tree" we are.

c. Jesus wants to perform a radical change on heart in us. We need the transforming work of God to do it in our lives from the inside out.

Conclusion - Ask yourself these questions: Am I marked more by a merciful spirit or by a critical, judgemental spirit? What is the fruit that is produced in your life? Am I blaming God or others for my problems, or am I working on removing the log in my own eye? Am I frequently judging my own life (even the words that come out my mouth), down to the thought level, by God’s Word? Am I truly born again? Is pleasing Christ the focus of my life? To love others, especially those who have wronged us, as Jesus commands, we must focus on showing mercy to others, but on judging our own sins.