TEXT:  Mat. 24:4-5

INTRODUCTION:

A.      THERE ARE ALWAYS MEN TO LEAD GOD'S PEOPLE ASTRAY.

          1.  Aaron( Ex. 32 ).

          2.  Jereboam( 1 Kings 12 ).

          3.  Ahab & Jezebel( 1 Kings 17 ).

B.      JESUS WARNED OF THOSE WHO WERE TO COME

          ( Mat. 7:15; Acts 20:29-30 ).

C.      SAVED PEOPLE CAN BE LED ASTRAY( 2 Pet. 2:18-21;  Gal. 5:4 ).

D.      WE NEED TO CONSIDER FOR A MOMENT JESUS' WARNING.

I.      MOST DON'T MEAN TO STRAY - THEY ARE DECEIVED.

A.      MANY ARE LED ASTRAY BY "SMOOTH-TALKERS"( Rom. 16:17-18 ).

B.      SOME FOLLOW ANY NEW THING( Eph. 4:14 ).

C.      SOME ARE LED ASTRAY BY UNINFORMED LEADERSHIP( Mat. 15:14 ).

D.      FALSE TEACHINGS ARE EMPTY WORDS( Eph. 5:6 ).

II.     MEN ARE THE AGENTS OF DECEIT FOR SATAN.

A.      JESUS' WARNING!( Mat. 24:4 ).

B.      THE PHILOSOPHIES OF MEN ARE DEADLY( Col. 2:8 ).

C.      DECEIVERS MANY TIMES APPEAR AS GOOD MEN( 2 Cor.11:13-15 )

D.      SOME COME "IN HIS NAME"( Mat. 24:5 ).

E.      SUCH MEN ARE A COMMON SIGHT( 2 Tim. 3:13 ).

F.      WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING( Mat. 7:15 ).

III.    WHAT IF WE SHOULD BE THE ONE TO LEAD ASTRAY?

A.      GOD PLACED A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY UPON US ( Phil. 2:15 ).

B.      James 3;1;  1 Tim. 4:16.

C.      WOE TO THE MAN WHO WOULD LEAD ANOTHER ASTRAY( Mat.18:6-7 ).

D.      BOTH FALSE TEACHER AND THE TAUGHT ARE

          RESPONSIBLE ( Mat. 15:14 ).

IV.   HOW DOES ONE KEEP FROM BEING DECEIVED?

A.      "TAKE HEED!"

B.      PLACE PROPER VALUE ON THE TRUTH( Prov.23:23; 2 Thes. 2:11-12 ).

C.      STUDY( 2 Tim. 2:15 ).

D.      CHECK UP ON ALL YOUR TEACHERS( Acts 17:11 ).

E.      FALSE TEACHERS - AVOID THEM( Rom. 16:17;  2 John 9-11 ).

F.      ACCEPT GOD'S WORD AS YOUR AUTHORITY( 1 Pet. 4:11; 1 Cor. 4:6 ).

CONCLUSION:  WHAT IS THE WILL OF CHRIST?