Teaching | You Know a Tree by Its Fruit | For the Sake of Others E01
Summary
Tyler Staton examines Jesus' teaching on "fruit" in Matthew's Gospel, questioning common metrics of spiritual progress like moral decisions or religious practices. He argues that true spiritual health is measured by the tangible fruit of love for others, warning against spiritual illnesses like pity, self-centered wellness, and scrupulosity that hinder genuine formation. The teaching culminates in the concept of "first fruits," where our lives become early signs of God's renewed world through small, consistent acts of sacrificial love.Episode description
How do you measure your spiritual growth? Tyler Staton, lead pastor of Bridgetown Church, tracks the theme of fruit and fruitfulness through the gospel of Matthew, showing us that for Jesus, love is the goal of spiritual formation. Tyler shares common ways that we lose sight of this goal and challenges us to reorient our spiritual practices around becoming people of love.
Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 7v15-20, Matthew 12v1-37, Matthew 22v34-40, Matthew 20v29-33
This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Sarah from Highlands Ranch, Colorado; Jenny from Eagan, Minnesota; Andrew from Fort Wayne, Indiana; Kathy from Keizer, Oregon; and Kevin from Pleasanton, California. Thank you all so much!
If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.