The Sermon on the Mount - Asking & Receiving
The Sermon on the Mount – Asking & Receiving Mt. 7:7-11
PART 2 Receives, Finds, & Opened
Mt. 7:7-11“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
We found last week what it means to ask, seek, and knock.
ASK 154. 1 to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require.
SEEK 2212 to seek in order to find. 1a to seek a thing. 1b to seek [in order to find out] by thinking, meditating, reasoning, to enquire into.
KNOCK 2925 to knock: at the door. (to seek entrance into the will of God)
We found that this includes but is not limited to prayer, study, and effort,
We ask in prayer
For what we need
We seek by the study of God’s word & obtaining wise counsel
Searching for what the Lord says about it, the will of God
We knock on God’s door by persistent efforts
Trying to be in the will of God
(Desire to enter His presence, favor, grace)
This is emphasized by the present tenses in the verbs:
“keep on asking”; “keep on seeking”; “keep on knocking”
Keep on asking for what you need
Keep on searching for what the Lord says about it, the will of God
Keep on trying to be in the will of God (desire to enter His presence, favor, grace)
It is the appointed means of;
1. Obtaining what we need,
2. Learning the precepts he has given
3. And the grace to obey the precepts he has given,
· Prayer includes asking and getting answers from God.
But it is more than just asking;
It is confession, adoration, thanksgiving, and fellowship with God.
· Study includes the gathering of knowledge, by reading, investigation, or reflection
But study is more than acquiring knowledge.
It is an effort to know the heart of God, the mind of God, and the will of God.
· To knock on God’s door is to desire an intimate relationship with Him.
But knocking on God’s door is more than just the desire of fellowship with God.
It includes the total dedication & commitment of our heart, mind, body, and soul to Almighty God.
This week we will look at the results of asking, seeking, and knocking
The Lord wants to give us of His good treasures
asks, seeks, knocks, are followed by three verbs receives, finds, opened
This is God’s response to those who seek his presence.
ASK & RECEIVE (what?)
Prayer obtains mercy
Heb 4:16 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Prayer saves the lost
Rom.10:13 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Prayer restores the backslider
1JOHN 1:9 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Prayer keeps us from falling into temptation
Mt.26:41 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Prayer strengthens the saint
Jude 20 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
Prayer bestows peace
Phil. 4:6 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Prayer heals the sick
James 5:14 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 1Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Prayer accomplishes the impossible.
ACTS 12:5 5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” 9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”
James 5:17 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
Prayer imparts wisdom
JAMES 1:5 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
Prayer reveals the will of God
Luke 11:9 9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
PRAY BELIEVING
JAMES 1:6 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Prayer must be according to the will of God
1 John 5:14 14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
SEEK & FIND
You will find Him if you seek Him w/ all your heart w/all your soul Dt 4:29
find God
Lord grant that you may find rest, Ru 1:9
Rest
So you will find favor Pr 3:4
Favor & good understanding in the sight of man & God
They (my words) are life to those who find them (The words of life) Pr 4:22
And I find knowledge and discretion. Pr 8:12
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom Pr 3:13
The word will find good, Pr 16:20
If you find it,( Hope ) then there will be Pr 24:14
Will find compassion. Pr 28:13
They will find gladness and joy, Is 35:10
There are few who find it. Mt 7:14
The way that leads to life
Loses his life for My sake will find it. Mt 10:39
Find life
Find mercy 2Tm 1:18
Find grace to help in time of need. Heb 4:16
Prov.28:5 5 Evil men do not understand justice,
But those who seek the Lord understand all.
Seek the Lord & find understanding
Ps34:10 10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
Seek the Lord & find good things
Ps69:32 32 The humble shall see this and be glad;
And you who seek God, your hearts shall live.
Seek the Lord & Your heart shall live
Ps105:3 3 Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
Seek the Lord & Your heart shall rejoice
Ps119:2 2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the whole heart!
Seek the Lord & be blessed
Ps119:45 45 And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
Seek the Lord’s precepts & walk at liberty
Prov.2 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you,
2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;
3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
4 If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;
8 He guards the paths of justice,
And preserves the way of His saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice,
Equity and every good path.
Prov.2:10 10 When wisdom enters your heart,
And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
11 Discretion will preserve you;
Understanding will keep you,
12 To deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks perverse things,
13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness
To walk in the ways of darkness;
14 Who rejoice in doing evil,
And delight in the perversity of the wicked;
15 Whose ways are crooked,
And who are devious in their paths;
16 To deliver you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words,
17 Who forsakes the companion of her youth,
And forgets the covenant of her God.
18 For her house leads down to death,
And her paths to the dead;
19 None who go to her return,
Nor do they regain the paths of life—
20 So you may walk in the way of goodness,
And keep to the paths of righteousness.
Prov.8:17 17 I love those who love me,
And those who seek me diligently will find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring riches and righteousness.
(The love of God, riches, honor, enduring riches & righteousness)
Lam3:25 25 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
Rom 2:7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;
KNOCK & IT WILL BE OPENED
What is it that the will be opened to us?
The Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, Nu 22:31
Can open the eyes of those that would curse you that they would bless you
And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes 2Ki 6:17
The eyes of those under you to serve you
Then God opened her eyes and she saw Gn 21:19
God can open our eyes to see His provision
He opened her womb, Gn 29:31
That we might be fruitful
The eyes of the blind will be opened Is 35:5
That we might honor Him
The Lord God has opened My ear; Is 50:5
That I might know His voice
And opened the doors of heaven; Ps 78:23
That we might receive Blessings both spiritual & physical
He opened the rock and water flowed Ps 105:41
That we might know that nothing is too hard for God
The Lord has opened His armory Jer 50:25
That He might fight for us
Their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; Lk 24:31
That we might know Him as Lord, Savor, & King
He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. Ac 14:27
That we might believe in Him
Then He opened their minds Lk 24:45
That we might comprehend the scriptures
My ears You have opened; Ps 40:6
That we might listen
The Lord opened her heart Ac 16:14
That we might receive Him
Lord opened the gates of the prison, Ac 5:19
That we might be free
A door was opened for me in the Lord, 2Co 2:12
For effective service has opened to me, 1Co 16:9
That we might serve Him while ministering to others
The earth opened its mouth Rv 12:16
That we should be protected from our enemies
I have opened your graves Ezk 37:13
That we should live again in the resurrection
You will see the heavens opened Jn 1:51
I see the heavens opened up and the Son Ac 7:56
We might see Him & meet Him in the air
The temple of God which is in heaven was opened; Rv 11:19
That we might worship Him
And I saw heaven opened, Rv 19:11
That we might know the righteous judgment of Christ
And books were opened; Rv 20:12
That we might be judged (rewarded) according to our works
And another book was opened, Rv 20:12
That we might know those who have obtained eternal life
“In that day a fountain will be opened Zch 13:1
That we might drink from the fountain of living waters
When we ask, seek, and knock
We are Blessed. Ps 119:2. 2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the whole heart!
It Leads to joy. Ps 70:4; 105:3. 3 Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
It will End in praise. Ps 22:26. 26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise the Lord.
Let your heart live forever!
We are Promised that. Ps 69:32. 32 The humble shall see this and be glad;
And you who seek God, your hearts shall live.
We Shall be rewarded. Heb 11:6. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
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1 NU Therefore confess your sins