Scripture Focus (Matthew 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 the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. [9] Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? [10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? [11] If you then, who are 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!”
I. Jesus Taught Persistency in Prayer (Matthew 7:7)
A. Prayer involves specific requests – “Ask…”
Keep on communicating your need!
B. Prayer involves deliberate investigation – “…seek…”
Keep on looking for God’s answer!
C. Prayer involves true expectation – “…knock…”
Keep on exploring each opportunity!
D. Prayer results in God’s will being affirmed – “…it will be given to you…you will find…it will be opened to you.”
II. Jesus Taught Promises about Prayer (Matthew 7:8)
A. Those who continually ask, eventually receive – “For everyone who asks receives…”
B. Those who faithfully seek, will inevitably find – “…and the one who seeks finds…”
C. Those who humbly anticipate, find welcoming answer – “…and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”
WE ARE COMMANDED TO THE DUTY OF ASKING, SEEKING, AND KNOCKING
GOD IS COMMITTED TO THE DELIGHT OF GIVING, ANSWERING, AND OPENING THE DOOR
III. Jesus Taught the Particulars of Prayer (Matthew 7:9-11)
A. The issue of practicality (Matthew 7:9-10) – “Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?”
Practical lesson: One without ability calls on a greater to meet his need.
Those who pray understand that they have limited ability to meet all of their needs and their wants in life. Those who do not pray either overestimate their own ability, or underestimate God’s desire to bless them with help.
B. The issue of generosity (Matthew 7:11a) – “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children…”
Jesus intentionally contrasts the naturally evil, self-serving hearts of humans with the generous heart of God the Father. People who fall far short of God’s generosity are still often inclined to bless their own children.
C. The issue of supremacy (Matthew 7:11b) – “…how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
If people, who are naturally self-centered, greedy, and monopolizing are motivated to bless their own children with lavish displays of love and provision, should not Christians much more anticipate that God will do more so unto them?