Twisted Scripture Week 6

Matthew 7:7

Today’s passage comes immediately after the passage we studied last week. This passage can be easily taken out of context if we only read verse 7. We can take this passage out of context and believe that God will give us anything and everything that we ask for. But it is important to note that God is not a genie in a bottle here to give you 3 wishes. He is an Almighty, Sovereign, Loving God Who will give you the things that are for your good.

I. What is the Context of this Passage?

Remember from last week that this is taking place during Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. During this Sermon, Jesus is laying out the laws of the kingdom and showing us how we cannot live up to God’s Standards and need a Savior

This particular passage is dealing with the subject of prayer.

Jesus had already spoken on this subject in Chapter 6.

He spoke about how we are not to make a big show out of prayer. It is to be done in secret (Matthew 6:5-6)

He spoke about the right format of prayer (Matthew 6:7-15)

He spoke about how we are to seek the Kingdom of God first in our lives, and then everything else will be added unto us (Matthew 6:24-34)

The fact that Jesus felt the need to go back to the topic of prayer here in Matthew 7:7-11 shows the importance of prayer to Jesus. It also shows how there was something Jesus wanted to say about prayer that we might have missed.

Prayer as we know throughout the entire Bible is one of the most important aspects of the Christian life. It is as essential to the Christian as breathing is to living. It is how we communicate with our Almighty Creator God

In Jesus’ life and ministry we see the importance of prayer in that He was always finding time to get alone with God in prayer. He is the ultimate example of what a prayer life should look like.

But how does prayer work? Do we really get whatever we want from God if we ask Him for it enough times?

In verse 7 Jesus says to ask and it SHALL be given unto you. Is this a promise that I can ask God for whatever I wish and He will give it to me?

He also says to seek and we SHALL find. Is this a promise that if we desire it bad enough that we will get what we asked for?

He then says to knock and it SHALL be opened unto you. Is this a promise that if we ask God for it enough times, He has to give it to us?

II. What is This Passage Really Saying?

When Jesus says to ask, seek, and knock we see a progressive intensity of prayer. Jesus is telling us here to have intensity, passion, and persistence in prayer.

In this three-fold description of prayer, we see different aspects of prayer and different aspects of its reward.

Prayer is like asking in that we simply make known our requests unto God. The reward of asking is receiving.

Prayer is like seeking in that we search after God, His Word, and His will. The reward of seeking is finding.

Prayer is like knocking until the door is opened, and we seek entrance into the great heavenly palace of God. The reward of knocking is entering through the opened door and into His presence. The greatest reward of them all!

But does this apply to literally anything we pray to God for? Could we each ask God for $1,000,000 and He would give it to us? Could we seek God for the ability to fly and we find it? Could we persistently “knock” at heaven’s door for fame and fortune and He would eventually give it to us?

NO!

To truly understand what is being said in verse 7, we must look at verses 7-11 together, for Christ illustrates His point in the verses following.

In verses 9-10, Jesus uses the illustration of a parent and their child. A parent who truly loves their child wouldnt give their child a rock when he’s asking for bread. And a parent who loves their child wouldnt give their child a snake when he’s asking for a fish.

Jesus makes it clear that God doesnt have to be persuaded or appeased in prayer. He wants to give us not only what we ask for, but even more than what we ask.

But what about times we ask for something and He doesnt give it to us? That can be explained by this illustration: If your child asked you to let them eat rat poison, would you let them?

Sometimes when we ask God for something, we may THINK that what we are asking for would be in our best interest, but remember, God knows better than you or I do. He may not give you what you ask for because it may not be good for you to have.

That poison may appear to be edible and tasty, but when consumed it brings severe harm to the child.

This is why Jesus says in Verse 11 “If ye then, being evil, know how to give GOOD gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give GOOD things to them that ask Him?”

The key word is “Good” gifts. Giving my child on their first birthday a car isnt a “good” gift for them because they are unable to use it. Giving them a snake isnt a “good” gift because it could harm them.

So the next time it seems that God hasnt given you what you’ve been asking for, consider this: Perhaps God isnt giving it to you because it would bring harm to you in some way, or perhaps you arent ready to receive it.

But if you are praying for something that you need, Jesus already promised in Ch. 6 that He would provide it, perhaps He just wants you to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking.

III. How Can We Apply This Passage?