“Warning: False Prophets!”
Matthew 24:24-25

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Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas
Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost—November 13, 2022

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Our text is from St. Matthew’s parallel account of Jesus’ teaching in the temple, as recorded by St. Luke in today’s Gospel Reading.  Jesus says: “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.  See, I have told you ahead of time.”

At the time I entered the ministry in 1986, although other major denominations had things we would disagree with, there was broad agreement on Biblical teaching and Christian morality regarding human sexuality and marriage.  It is extremely sad that among major denominations 36 years later, our church body and a few others are the only holdouts that have not given up the teachings of the Bible on these topics, and given in to the false teaching and immorality of the world.

It seems so bizarre it’s almost unbelievable, but last month one denomination actually went so far as to announce that in their statistical reporting they will no longer use the categories male and female, because they no longer believe those categories exist—even though Jesus declared, “In the beginning the Creator made them male and female.”

How did this happen?  How did the once strong teaching and morality of so many churches and denominations completely collapse in less than 40 years, into such idiocy and immorality?

It seems these days that nearly everything comes with some kind of warning label.  From the food we eat, to the medicines we take, to the beverages we drink, we are constantly warned about possible side effects, illness, injury, or other potential problems.

But, it may surprise you to find that even the Bible itself comes with a warning label, a spiritual warning label: “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.  See, I have told you ahead of time.”

“Warning: False Prophets!”  Of course, we expect false religions and false teachers outside of the Christian church.  But, actually, far more dangerous for Christians than the false religious teachers outside church are those on the inside, who claim to be true prophets of Christ, who claim to part of the Holy Christian Church, but in reality are false prophets.  Jesus puts it this way: “Watch out for false prophets.  They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”

False prophets try to pass themselves off as fellow sheep with you in God’s flock, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  The point is, don’t be fooled by their Christian sounding words or even quotes from the Bible.  Remember the devil himself quoted the Bible when tempting Christ.

And don’t be fooled either by the zeal of false prophets and their followers.  St. Paul says in Galatians, “These people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. . .  It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good.”

“Watch out for false prophets.  They come to you in sheep’s clothing.”  They come to you with great zeal and conviction, they come to you with Christian sounding words and even quotes from the Bible.  But, that is the devil’s most devious trick.  As St. Paul says in 2nd Corinthians, “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”

You see, Satan knows that if he sends someone to you who openly blasphemes Christ and outright rejects the Scriptures, you as a Christian probably won’t even listen.  So, Satan tries to trick you by masquerading his deceivers as believers.  That is why St. Peter says, “They will secretly introduce destructive heresies.”

Sadly, in many once strong Christian churches and denominations false prophets have introduced destructive heresies with blasphemous results.  The perversion of false teaching and immorality contrary to Scripture is eating away at these churches and denominations like a cancer and destroying them. As St. Paul warns in Galatians, “Some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the Gospel of Christ. . .  which is really no gospel at all.”  Don’t be fooled by their deceptions.  “Beware of false prophets.  They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”

“For false Christs and false prophets will appear, and perform great signs and wonders.”  Some years ago the Volvo car company had to make a very embarrassing admission.  They like to promote their cars as being the safest and strongest.  And to make the point they had an impressive TV commercial showing one of their cars to be the only survivor in a brutal car crushing contest.  However, it turned out the whole thing was fake.  The only reason the Volvo wasn’t crushed is because it was first reinforced with heavy steel beams.

In the same way, false prophets might seem to perform great signs and wonders.  Some of them will claim to have power to work miraculous healings.  Some will say that if you follow them, you will magically receive financial rewards.  With some false prophets, the impressive sign or wonder they perform is simply the great number of followers they are able to gather, and the large church or organization that they build. A few years ago the cult Scientology opened a big, beautiful building in downtown Kansas City, emblazoned with a huge cross.

But, Jesus declares: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my father in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many wonders?’  Then I will say to them, ‘I never knew you.  Away from me you evildoers.’”  That is a solemn reminder that all false prophets will appear before the judgment seat of Christ, to give an answer for the souls they have led astray.

So, don’t be fooled if false prophets seem to have success and their false teachings a big following.  “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.”

But, it is NOT possible for false Christs and false prophets to deceive the elect.  It is NOT possible for false Christs and false prophets to deceive YOU.  Because, Jesus says, “My sheep listen to my voice.  I know them, and they follow me; I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep; Jesus is YOUR Good Shepherd who laid down his life for YOU.  Listen to his voice, follow him; he forgives all your sins, he grants you eternal life; and no one can ever snatch you out of his hand.  So, it is not possible for false Christs and false prophets to deceive you; for you will follow only your Masters voice.  As Jesus says of his sheep, “They will never listen to a stranger; in fact they will flee from him, because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

Watch out for false prophets!  Be aware that they come to you as wolves in sheep’s clothing, disguised with zeal, masquerading with Christian sounding words and even quotes from the Bible, pretending with great signs and wonders.  Know that usually false prophets will not openly blaspheme Christ or outright reject the Scriptures; that is part of Satan’s trick.  Instead, they will try to secretly introduce destructive heresies.

Watch out for false prophets, and test the spirits.  As St. John says, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.  For many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

Test the spirits by searching the Scriptures yourself to see if what they say is true.  Test the spirits, and when a spirit is found false, do not listen or follow.  “My sheep listen to my voice. . .  But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him, because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”  As St. Paul says in Romans, “Watch out for those who cause disagreements and make people fall by going against the teaching you have learned.  Keep away from them.”

Watch out for false prophets!  And in your life, be yourself a true prophet, a true witness to Jesus Christ.  With your words, with your actions, show that you are his sheep, his disciple.  Follow Jesus and take heed the warning he gives: “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.  See, I have told you ahead of time.”

“Warning: False Prophets!”  Amen.