Be Seen: Petition

Be seen:Petition

Matthew 7:7-12

INTRODUCTION

How to treat others

New part of Sermon on Mt.- started last week- judging.

Now- treat others the way you want to be treated.- Golden Rule

Example= How God loves us (7-11)- the way we want to be treated.

God’s love is perfect.

God’s love is greatest example- John 3:16

Matthew 7:7–12 ESV

7 “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! 12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

4 Truths Concerning God’s Love

(as contrast to man’s love- verses above)

1. God’s Love is Wise

Matthew 7:7 ESV

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

God Uses Wisdom

He doesn’t give us a blank check.

ILL– Giving your child your debit card.

“Make good choices....”

He sees the big picture—the Kingdom Picture.

He sees clearly- no log in his eye- perfect

He is not bound by time.

He sees the whole parade at once.

Ultimately what is best is not “Your Best Life Now”- it is “His Kingdom Come”

5 Qualifications for Kingdom Prayer

A. You Must be a Member of the Kingdom

“Father”= part of the family= His Kingdom

B. You Must Live in Obedience to the Kingdom.

1 John 3:21–22 ESV

21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

C. You Must Be Motivated by the Kingdom

James 4:3 ESV

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

D. You Must be Submissive to the Kingdom

1 John 5:14 ESV

14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

Also- in His name-- what He wants.

E. You Must Persevere for the Kingdom

Matthew 6:33 ESV

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Ask, seek, and knock- present imperative tense—calls for a long term response- continued way of life.

Keep on asking, seeking, knocking

Progression– less aggressive to more aggressive.

2. God’s Love is Intimate (7)

Matthew 7:7–8 ESV

7 “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.

ILL- who do you let in your house when they knock?

We let in those who we know, trust, love.

We need God directly- reason we ask, seek, knock

We need God to apply His Word

An assumption of Fellowship and intimacy with God

What the Pharisees were missing

They had all the answers- didn’t need God

ILL– IRS and TurboTax

We need accountant or computer program because we cannot understand the IRS

Ignorance is no excuse

We have enough to be responsible/ but not enough to be independent

Holy Spirit

John 14:26 ESV

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

3. God’s Love is Complete (9-10)

Matthew 7:9–10 ESV

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?

Love honors both Physical and Spiritual needs of others.

Bread or Stone= Physical

Fish or snake= clean vs. unclean- against God’s Word

ILL-- Physical danger of snake-- Snakes on our property.

I had 3 come out of the ground in winter when I was putting in a fence post.

This is a spiritual reference. Jews would have seen physical and spiritual reference.

Our love must have both physical and spiritual

Jesus- We can’t send hungry away with just a blessing.

James 2:15–16 ESV

15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?

ILL– Parents- love your kids physically and spiritually

Co-workers/ friends- physical and spiritual.

4. God’s Love is Perfect (11-12)

Matthew 7:11–12 ESV

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! 12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

God Does not Trick His Children

God is not taking us literal trying to catch us off guard.

“You asked wrong.”

ILL– Aurora and Tithonus

Aurora= goddess of the dawn (Greek Mythology)

Tithonus=her lover- a mortal

She asked Zeus for him to have eternal life. She forgot to ask for eternal youth– eternally grew old.

We are to reflect God’s perfect love (12)

Matthew 7:12 ESV

12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

12- opposite of narcissism= preoccupation with self.

We want to label everyone we don’t like as a narcisist in our world.

We are all narcissists to some extent.

Verse is outside of our fallen nature.

Reverse the nature- not about me.

I want you to think of me 1st.

HOWEVER, I will think of you 1st.

God wants to change our nature.

only possible with God.

CONCLUSION

Man is fallen

Adam and Eve

Man needs salvation.

ILL– The Gods Must be Crazy (1980 South African film)

- assumes man is basically good.

Technology is what is bad. (Coke bottle brings sinful desires to a perfect tribe)

Oprah– man is good. (Against common experience)

Have you been changed?

Do you treat people differently because you have been changed?

Reason we need a time of salvation.

We need a new nature.

Only possible through Jesus Christ.