Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
Good evening and welcome back!
Tonight, as we have been doing we are going to continue with our Journey Through Matthew and we are going to be moving forward just a few verses.
If you would like to start turning in your Bibles, turn to .
Tonight we will be looking at verses 7-12 primarily and what it means to Ask, Seek, and Knock.
Like the previous section, this is one of my favorites in all of the New Testament.
And I think the reason I like it so much is because Jesus is getting down to the nitty gritty, really giving the people what they need here.
We have already looked today at how Jesus instructed them on how they should be dealing with the sin in their lives.
And now he is going to somewhat change direction and get them to start looking at what it really means to seek out God’s righteousness and God’s plan for their lives.
Remember, this morning we looked very briefly on the subject of worry and Jesus’ words that we are to . . .
Matthew 6:33
But, the question is how do we do that?
What does that look like?
Well, here tonight we are going to see what Jesus says about this and how Jesus says we are to go about approaching this.
So, again we are in , starting in verse 7.
Matthew writes . . .
Scripture Focus
Asking, Seeking, & Knocking
So, Jesus starts out here with just a very basic concept.
Again, Jesus tells them here to . . .
Ask and what you are asking for will be given to you.
Seek and you will find what you are looking for.
Knock and the door you are knocking on will be opened.
Simple enough right?
Not really.
There are couple of key things that come into play here.
First, what are you asking for?
Second, how persistent are you in the asking?
Remember that we have already established from this morning that God already knows what we need.
Also, from last week . . .
Also . . .
Psalm 3
However, Paul tells us that . . .
And . . .
And all of these verses have a very common theme.
That being those things we ask for we will receive so long as they are according to God’s will.
Here is the thing.
God grants what we want so long as it is not contrary to His will and so long as it is something that in the end is not going to harm us.
God told Jeremiah that . . .
Jeremiah 29:11-
I think about our life as one big movie and as we are living it we are watching it for the very first time.
We don’t know what will happen next, but God does.
God has already seen the future and already knows how things play out.
And while we can make any choice we want to make, I believe that God sees each choice we are going to make and puts things in our paths to try and lead us down the right path.
Sometimes we do good, sometimes we do not.
But it is all part of God’s master plan.
And when we are praying God knows the ultimate outcome and even what may be good in the short term could turn out to be a disaster in the long run.
But there is a way to be more in tune with God and what God’s will for us is.
That way is the Holy Spirit.
Jesus also tells us that . . .
John 14:26-
In addition to the teaching of the Holy Spirit, also . . .
Romans 8:26-2
So that is what Jesus can confidently say ask and it will be given to you , seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.
However, there is a second part of this.
When we are asking, seeking, and knocking it is not a one and done deal.
We don’t just pray once and quit.
We don’t just seek out God’s will once and quit.
We don’t just knock on the door of God’s calling once and just quit.
No! We ask and KEEP asking.
We seek and KEEP seeking.
We knock and KEEP knocking.
It is called persistence and perseverance.
The Psalmist writes . . .
Psalm 63:1
Do you see that?
We are to earnestly pursue God.
Also, James . . .
James 1:2-
It is coming to that determination that absolutely nothing is going to keep you from getting in touch with God.
It is answering the question . . .
Romans 8:35-
And when we are pursuing God with all our heart, soul and mind then . . .
romans 8:38-39
The question is though, do you believe that?
Are you convinced?
If you are, then rest assured in Jesus’ promise that . . .
Snakes and Stones
And again, being very practical and realistic with the people he gives them an example that they can understand.
In verse 9, Jesus says . . .
Matthew 7:9-10
Now, the sad thing about the world we live in today, we actually have people who would do these types of things.
There are people who are so overcome by evil and sin that they have absolutely no natural affection for their own children whatsoever.
In fact, Paul warns us about this very thing in . . . .
Verse 26 says . . .
And part of this definition here is the natural maternal instinct and love for their own children.
Want to know why we have abortion in this country?
Here is the answer.
They have a reprobate mind that has been clouded and darkened by sin.
They have lost the basic human quality of love.
However, as bad as it is, it does not reflect the majority of society.
Those who favor much of this are the minority.
They are vocal, but they do not represent the whole of society.
And the same thing was true in Jesus’ day.
Most people, regardless of how messed up they are because of the sin in their lives have a basic human instinct to love and care for at least their own.
This is why Jesus gives them the example here that he does.
Again he asks . . .
Matthew 7:
And their response would have been like ours as well.
“None of us.”
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