Ask and it shall be given
The Sermon on the Mount • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 4 viewsNotes
Transcript
Handout
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 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? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Introduction:
Introduction:
Review:
Proper judgment requires consistency. (The Judge must practice what he preaches)
Proper judgement results in restoration of the one in judgement. (The splinter is removed from the eye and healing begins)
Proper judgement guides your actions and reactions. (Don’t give holy things to swine and dogs)
The question:
How do I know if my judgement is fair? How can I discern the difference between a brother, swine, and dogs?
The answer:
Ask! Seek! Knock!
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Jesus has already taught them about prayer (The Lord’s prayer) in chapter 6:5-5.
In Luke 11, we see both of these teachings in one setting. We also see a parable that helps us understand His point. (We will review this parable later in the sermon.)
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say,
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
1. Receiving requires an action.
1. Receiving requires an action.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Ask- what you wish.
Seek- what you miss
knock- when you feel shut out.
We never see an example of “Just wing it and it will all work out” in Scripture.
(Just stand outside on the porch and wait)
We do see many examples of asking, seeking, and knocking.
2. Actions result in reaction.
2. Actions result in reaction.
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Reaction does not guarantee a positive reaction.
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
The items received were needs being met. Not lustful desire.
The principle is that you must ask to receive. You do not receive by default.
3. These reactions are drawn from the natures of God and man.
3. These reactions are drawn from the natures of God and man.
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 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?
And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
Jesus is teaching us that man, although sinful and imperfect, is capable of great sacrifice for our friends!
There are many examples of friendships in the Bible.
David and Jonathan 1 Samuel 18:1-3
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
There are many Proverbs about friendship
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly:
And there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Open rebuke is better than secret love.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart:
So doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not;
Neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity:
For better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
Iron sharpeneth iron;
So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
The Lord taught us about friendship within the Church.
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
The Apostles also taught us about friendship in the church.
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Examples of God’s friendship!
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
1. These good things promised to us are from the Holy Spirit.
1. These good things promised to us are from the Holy Spirit.
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?
These “good things” are for our survival. (Nutrition)
Matthew 6:31-34
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Luke 11 specifically mentions “the Holy Spirit” rather than “good things.”
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
The Holy Spirit promised by the prophets.
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
The spirit of grace and of supplications:
And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced,
And they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son,
And shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
And it shall come to pass afterward,
That I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions:
And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids
In those days will I pour out my spirit.
The Holy Spirit promised by Christ.
And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
The fulfilment of the promises.
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
2. The Holy Spirit leads us into truth and empowers us to obey His Royal Law.
2. The Holy Spirit leads us into truth and empowers us to obey His Royal Law.
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
3. Ask, seek, and knock is the simple answer to whatever need you face.
3. Ask, seek, and knock is the simple answer to whatever need you face.
Wisdom
Strength
Food and drink
Patience
Compassion
Or any other thing!
