Please turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 7.
If you don't have a Bible, please raise your hand.
We'd love to give you a copy you can have.
Take one with you.
There's one here in the front.
Thank you.
Connor, you did a fantastic job with your announcements.
Matthew is the first book in the New Testament,
which is about the last fourth of the entire Bible.
The first book in the New Testament, before Mark.
We're in Matthew chapter 7, verses 7 to 12 this morning.
We need to pray for the reading and preaching of God's Word.
Father, there are many things we can learn and store up in our minds.
Lord, we need you to move those truths so that what we know and believe to be true transforms our lives.
So that our faith does not remain theoretical, but functions day to day.
And Lord, that's what we desire this morning.
That our faith in you as our Heavenly Father would become more real, more functional.
Every day of our lives.
And that the good news of Jesus Christ, His life, death, and resurrection,
which has given us, your people, the right to be called the children of God,
might be more real in our hearts this morning.
So please do that work by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
If you're able, please stand so we can honor God as we read from His Word.
Matthew chapter 7, verse 7 to 12.
All of you have left for us.
Ask, and it will be given to you.
Seek, and you will find.
Knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds.
And to the one who knocks, it will be opened.
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?
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?
So, whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them.
For this is the law and the prophets.
This is God's holy and authoritative Word.
Please be seated.
Sometimes, nailing down what Christianity is all about can seem elusive to us.
After all, there are thousands of Christian denominations.
Who can say, truly, that this is what Christianity really is all about?
Certainly not me.
There's only one person who has the authority to tell us definitively what being a Christian is all about.
And that's Jesus.
The Christ.
The Messiah.
After whom all Christians are named.
And this morning, we're in Matthew 7, 7-12, which is nearing the close of Jesus' most famous sermon,
often called the Sermon on the Mount.
And in this passage, Jesus sums up His entire sermon.
And, in fact, He sums up more than His entire sermon.
We can say, it's not far-fetched to say, that the entirety of the Christian life is summed up in this passage.
What does it mean to be a Christian?
What does it look like to be a faithful Christian?
A mature Christian?
According to verses 7-11, it involves relating to God as our Heavenly Father.
And according to verse 12, it involves treating our neighbors the way we like to be treated.
Christian maturity, defined in this way, looks like this.
Becoming more childlike in our relation to God.
And becoming more Christ-like in our relation to man.
That's my main point for this morning, and I'm going to talk about it in two parts.
First, whatever you wish, ask God.
And second, whatever you wish, do to others.
First, this passage is the second-to-last teaching block of the Sermon on the Mount,
before Jesus concludes His entire sermon with the importance of obedience.
And leading up to this passage, for those of you who need a refresher,
and those of you who are just joining us for the first time,
Jesus taught us not to judge our fellow Christians with hypercritical, arrogant, and hypocritical judgment.
If we do that, then we are irrigating for ourselves the divine seed of judge and lawgiver,
by harping on the small sins of others, while we give a pass to our big sins in our own lives.
He also taught us not to be anxious about life, about the needs of our lives,
what we'll eat, what we'll drink, what we'll wear,
because our Heavenly Father feeds us and takes care of us and provides for us.
It is pointless to worry about tomorrow,
for worrying about tomorrow does nothing to help us for tomorrow.
It accomplishes nothing.
Instead, it just preoccupies us when there is already enough for us to be occupied with today.
So instead, we should concern ourselves with seeking God's kingdom and His righteousness.
Before that, Jesus taught us to not store up treasures here on earth.
Since earthly wealth is fleeting by nature and do not last beyond this life,
every form of earthly wealth has an expiration date.
Instead, Jesus taught us to store up our treasures in heaven,
seeking His purposes and His priorities,
because when we do that, those rewards that we pile up for ourselves in heaven will never perish.
Those who love and serve money can never love and serve God.
Jesus also taught us not to practice our righteousness before men,
to be seen by others and to be praised by them,
because if we do that, that kind of self-centered and self-exalting righteousness
is no righteousness at all.
Instead, we should pray in secret, fast in secret,
do our righteous deeds to be seen by God and not to be seen by others.
And as if those things weren't hard enough already,
Jesus also taught us not to retaliate against evildoers.
He told us to love not only our families and friends and neighbors,
but also to love our enemies.
Pray for those who harm us and persecute us.
Jesus taught us not to swear falsely or to take oaths.
Instead, He taught us to be so truthful that everything we say,
yes or no, can be taken at face value and is as good as an oath.
He taught us that adultery is evil,
but not only that, He taught us that lusting after someone,
just lusting after someone with our eyes and in our own hearts
is tantamount to adultery of the heart.
He taught us that murder is evil.
And not only that, murder in the heart,
when we harbor sinful anger towards someone,
and bitterness against someone,
and unforgiveness towards someone,
that that's tantamount murder of the heart.
When we look at God's law and all that Jesus taught us,
it corrects our delusion that we can keep God's law on our own,
in our own strength.
We have all of us fallen short of all of these commandments
that God gives us through Jesus.
It's relatively easy to look good on the outside.
It's relatively easy to act apart,
convince people around us that we're pretty good people,
or even maybe mature Christians.
It's harder to convince God who sees inside our hearts.
So Jesus in this sermon in the mouth chisels away
at all of our pretensions, our outward pretensions,
and He drills down to the very core of our heart.
He tells us, stop looking good on the outside,
and actually be good on the inside.
But how can we do that?
Who is sufficient for these things?
There's so much evil and selfishness in our hearts.
Jesus knows that if we actually pay attention to His words,
we will be driven to despair.
Last week was a pretty busy week,
and I got desperate.
So I asked my four-year-old daughter
to go to the grocery store to pick up something for me.
I was joking with her, of course.
It was fun to interact with her in that way.
She misunderstood my question at first,
because she was like,
there's no way that's what he's asking me.
And she's like, you mean this?
And I'm like, no, no, no, that's not what I mean.
This is what I mean.
And then when she realized what I was saying,
she like half laughed and half snorted.
I can't do that.
You do that.
That's exactly what she said.
That's the effect that discernment amount is meant to have on us.
As children of God who are weak,
who are poor,
we ought to cry out to God,
our Heavenly Father,
and say,
I can't do that.
You do that.
Our spiritual need is meant to drive us to our knees in prayer.
Our spiritual poverty is meant to drive us to prayer to God,
asking God for what we do not have.
And that's why the Sermon on the Mount,
Matthew chapters 5 to 7,
is deliberately structured to bring the focus and attention
on what is at the very center of the sermon,
the Lord's Prayer.
The prayer that our Lord taught us,
taught God's children to pray.
The prayer of God's children.
This is also why Jesus concludes His Sermon on the Mount
with this passage.
Right before He concludes at the end,
very end,
with the importance of obedience,
before He tells us and hammers us
with the importance of obedience,
He tells us here how we can obey.
How we can have the strength and the power to obey.
How we can receive the grace from Jesus Christ to obey.
How we can receive the power from His Spirit
to obey what He tells us to do.
So in verses 7 and 8,
Jesus encourages us to pray,
and with it He gives us some shocking promises
that seem way too good to be true.
Jesus says,
Ask, and it will be given to you.
Seek, and you will find it.
Knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives.
And the one who seeks, finds.
And to the one who knocks, it will be opened.
Jesus' promise is simple, but powerful.
If only we took Jesus at His word,
it would completely transform our prayer lives.
We give all kinds of excuses for why we don't pray, don't we?
As much as we should.
We're so busy.
We have so many responsibilities.
There's not enough time in life.
But don't we make time for things that we deem truly important?
And necessary.
We still make time to eat.
We still make time for sleep.
We still make time for work.
We still make time for vacation.
So then, the real reason, underneath all of our excuses,
for why we don't pray as much as we should,
is that we don't really think that prayer is all that important.
We don't really think that prayer really works.
How many times have we told people,
I'll keep you in my prayers.
I'll lift you up in prayer.
And I forgot all about it.
Why do we never get around to it?
Because we don't think prayer really makes a difference.
As Christians, we believe sometimes that prayer is important in theory,
but too often not in practice.
In 2 Kings 5, we're told the story of Naaman,
who's the commander of the Syrian army.
Even though he occupies such a high rank and position in society,
he suffers from a debilitating skin disease called leprosy,
where his skin begins to decay and fall out, fall apart.
Very shameful disease.
A stigmatized disease.
But one day he hears that there is a prophet in the land of Israel,
named Elijah, who does many miracles and wonders
and can actually heal him of his leprosy.
So he makes a long journey with his retinue,
with heaps of gold for payment for this important prophet.
And finally, when Naaman arrives at the door of Elijah,
Elijah doesn't even deign to come out to meet him.
He sends his messenger to Naaman,
to tell Naaman,
wash in the Jordan River seven times,
which is the river in Israel,
so that you can be cured.
And then Naaman turns around in a rage
and leaves huffing and puffing.
Who does this prophet think he is?
I'm a very important person.
I came a long way to see him.
And he wants me to wash in the Jordan River?
There are scores of rivers that are way better and cleaner
and more beautiful than this river in Syria.
Why do I have to wash in this stuff?
And as he's turning around in a rage,
his servants, who are much wiser and faith-filled than he is,
tell him,
But, but sir, did the prophet really tell you,
go wash and be cured?
If so, isn't that an amazing thing?
He said, if you wash there, you will be cured.
Why not do it?
So Naaman humbles himself.
He washes in the Jordan River seven times,
and he's cleansed of his leprosy
and becomes the convert.
What is the difference
between the posture of Naaman
and the posture of his servants?
The difference is faith.
Naaman believed the word.
Naaman did not believe the word of the prophet,
at least initially.
Naaman's servants believed the word of the prophet.
That is what happened, as he said.
If you hear the word of the prophet with faith,
then you realize what an amazing promise that is.
Do you hear the promise that Jesus is making here?
Ask, and you will receive.
Seek, and you will find.
Knock, and the door will be opened.
What an incredible promise that is.
If you see it with the eyes of faith,
you mean all I need to do is ask?
You really mean that all I need to do is seek?
It says in James chapter four, verse two,
you do not have because you do not ask.
Why are our Christian lives so impoverished?
Why do we not obey Jesus' teachings
in the Sermon on the Mount more perfectly?
Because we do not pray,
your kingdom comes,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
God, make your rule and kingship
evident and apparent in my life and in my heart.
Why are we wrapped with anxiety
and know not how to receive
and to rest in the provision of God
for his children?
Because we do not pray,
give us this day our daily bread.
Why are we harassed by
and fall to temptation so often?
Because we do not pray,
lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
19th century Christian pastor J.C. Ryle,
an ancient pastor once said,
what is the reason that some believers
are so much brighter and holier than others?
I believe the difference in 19 cases out of 20
arises from different habits about prayer,
private prayer.
I believe that those who are not eminently holy
pray little,
and those who are eminently holy pray much.
It seems too easy, doesn't it?
It seems too good to be true.
I think even now,
the enemy is sowing seeds of doubt
and skepticism in your mind.
But what if?
It really is as simple as that.
You do not have
because you do not ask.
Then we're left without excuse.
God Almighty has offered His hand to help us,
and all we need to is avail ourselves of that.
But does this mean that anyone
can ask God for anything,
and He will give it to them?
Like a free vending machine?
Is God like a cosmic genie
that gives us unlimited wishes,
not just three?
Let's look at the passage a little bit more closely.
It says in verse 8,
that everyone who asks receives.
But who is?
Everyone.
We get an answer in verse 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?
Everyone means every one of God's children.
Since only children can call upon God as Father.
Who then are the children of God?
All people,
Christians and non-Christians,
can in one sense be called offspring of God.
In the general sense that we are His creatures,
we are created by Him.
Acts 17, 28, 29,
Paul addresses non-Christians in such a way.
He says,
We are indeed His offspring.
But the Greek word that is translated there
as offspring is genos,
where we get the word generation.
It's kind of a generic word.
It's an impersonal word that refers to a generation,
or a kind.
It's saying that all humankind
are created in the image of God.
We share in some part His resemblance,
His likeness.
It's not a word that means children
that's used here in our passage.
That word,
that's used here in Matthew 7,
is never used to refer to unbelievers,
or to non-Christians.
So here in our passage,
Jesus is referring to the spiritual children of God.
Those who belong to God.
They're the ones that 17 times,
throughout a certain amount,
that is addressed to,
that can address God as our Father.
Now,
Jesus is addressing believers,
Christians,
those who have been adopted by God,
and therefore can call upon Him,
Allah, Father.
But what exactly does it mean to be children of God?
In Luke 18, 15 and 17,
Jesus welcomes the children,
even infants,
into His midst,
so that He might bless them.
He says,
Let the children come to Me,
and do not hinder them,
for to such belongs the kingdom of God.
Truly I say to you,
whoever does not receive the kingdom of God,
like a child,
shall not enter it.
But what does it mean,
to receive the kingdom of God,
like a child?
Jesus doesn't explain any further,
because,
in the immediately preceding passage,
in Luke 18, 9 to 14,
He had told us exactly what it means,
to receive the kingdom like a child.
And that's the parable of the Pharisee,
and the tax collector.
In that parable,
as many of you know,
the Pharisee,
the self-righteous Pharisee,
and this poor,
humble tax collector,
they both go to God to pray,
in the temple.
The self-righteous Pharisee,
just barges in,
to the middle,
and goes right into the center.
And then he's looking up to God,
boldly in heaven,
knowing that God is happy with him,
and smiling upon him.
And he says to God,
thank you,
for making me,
not like that tax collector.
I give 10% of all my income,
to you.
I fast,
not once,
twice a week.
But in stark contrast,
the tax collector stands far off,
because he does not feel worthy,
to approach God.
He does not look up to heaven,
he's looking down,
because,
how can he,
a sinner such as he,
dare to look upon God?
And as he looks down,
he beats his chest.
God,
be merciful to me,
a sinner.
And Jesus,
in his kindness,
teaches that it's not,
the Pharisee,
the self-righteous Pharisee,
but the tax collector,
that goes home,
justified by God.
It's the tax collector,
that's humble and poor,
before God,
that God declares,
righteous,
and fit,
to enter into kingdom,
and enter into his presence.
It means,
that the kingdom of God,
belongs to,
people like children.
It means,
that the kingdom of God,
belongs to those,
who humbly acknowledge,
their spiritual poverty,
their neediness,
and their dependence,
upon God.
And so that means,
if you think,
right now,
here this morning,
that you're a pretty good person,
oh,
I'm a pretty good person.
I think I deserve,
to get into heaven.
I think,
I've done better,
than most people.
I think God,
should let me in.
You're exactly,
the kind of person,
that's not fit,
to enter the kingdom of heaven.
But if you're here,
this morning,
thinking,
I am a sinner,
in need of a savior,
I am not worthy,
to be in the presence of God,
I have sinned against him,
rebelled against him,
who can save me?
And you're turning,
from your sin,
and God says,
you are the one,
who can enter,
into the kingdom of God.
That's what it means,
to be children of God,
those who have been humbled,
before God,
dependent on him.
How is it,
that sinners are justified,
before God?
John 1, 12, 13 tells us,
but to all,
who did receive Jesus Christ,
who believed in his name,
he gave the right,
to become children of God,
who were born,
not of blood,
nor of the will,
or the flesh,
nor of the will of man,
but of God.
Only those,
who believe in Jesus Christ,
for salvation,
are given the right,
to become children of God.
Ed briefly mentioned this,
when he was leading us,
through the worship,
we haven't coordinated that,
I think that's the spirit,
prompting us.
This is vividly illustrated,
in the example,
of Barnabas,
not Barnabas,
sorry,
Barabbas,
at Jesus' crucifixion.
In Matthew 27,
the Pilate,
the Roman governor,
at the time,
gives the Jewish crowd,
a choice.
At every Passover,
the highest Jewish holiday,
the Pilate released,
one Jewish criminal,
to extend amnesty,
and to let them go free,
without any punishment.
And he offers to the crowd,
two options.
One,
Jesus,
who was framed,
and charged falsely,
by the envious Jewish leaders,
the Son of God,
the Messiah,
the Savior of the world,
and on the other,
Barabbas,
a dangerous insurrectionist,
and murderer,
who is on death row.
But the Jews,
who are stirred up,
by their envious leaders,
choose Barabbas.
They choose Barabbas,
to go free,
so that Jesus can be crucified.
And Barabbas,
his name in Aramaic,
means,
Son of the Father.
Jesus,
the Son of God,
literally takes the place,
of this Son of the Father,
so that he is saved.
Jesus serves,
as the substitute.
The innocent Son,
takes the place,
of the guilty Son,
so that he might be justified,
free,
and saved.
That's the picture,
of what God is accomplishing,
for his people,
at large.
Since God,
refers to his people,
repeatedly throughout the Bible,
as his Son,
collectively.
We see this,
in Exodus 4,
22-23.
God threatens Pharaoh,
who is the king,
of the Egyptians,
who are enslaving,
his people Israel.
And he threatens him,
with these words.
He says,
Israel,
my people,
Israel is my firstborn son.
Let my son go,
that they may serve me.
If you refuse,
to let him go,
behold,
I will kill your firstborn son.
On the night,
of the Passover,
God sends,
a destroying angel,
who goes through,
all the homes,
and kills,
all the firstborn males,
of the Greek family,
in Egypt.
Except,
the households,
that have listened,
to God's instructions,
and have sacrificed,
the Passover lamb,
and daubed,
its blood,
on the door.
So that when,
the destroying angel,
goes through the town,
and sees on the door,
the blood,
of the Passover lamb,
the destroying angel,
passes over,
and spares,
that son.
Is it no wonder then,
that in the New Testament,
Jesus is called,
our Passover lamb.
That he is called,
the lamb of God,
who takes away,
the sin of the world.
Do you think,
it's a coincidence,
that this substitutionary,
exchange between Jesus,
and Moravus,
took place,
on Passover?
Do you think,
it's coincidence,
that Jesus died,
he was crucified,
on the cross,
on Passover?
In order to save,
God's son,
which is us,
the people of God,
God's only son,
Jesus,
had to take,
our place.
Do you want,
to become a child,
of God?
Then humble yourself,
before him,
acknowledge that,
you are a sinner,
in need of a savior,
and receive him,
and believe in his name,
that he died,
for your sins,
and was raised to life,
raised from the dead,
on the third day.
Then God,
the father,
will give you,
the right,
to become,
children of God.
And it's only,
the children,
who have,
the right,
to ask the father,
to pray,
expecting,
to receive.
Imagine,
if,
you go out,
on the street,
walking around the mall,
and a random kid,
comes up to you,
and pulls your sleeves,
says,
hey,
can you buy me,
those pair of shoes?
I think most,
normal people,
would not,
at that moment,
be like,
oh yeah,
sure.
Yeah.
No,
you would look around,
like,
hey kid,
where's your parent?
Right?
Because it's weird,
that this stranger,
this random kid,
is asking you,
to buy him something,
that his parents,
should be buying for him.
Do you have a parent?
And if he didn't have,
a parent now,
you'd be,
rightly concerned,
then you should probably,
call the police,
connect him,
so he can,
find his parents.
It's only the children,
who get to ask,
their father,
for things.
In this way,
the fatherhood of God,
is the linchpin,
of Jesus' exhortation,
for us to pray to him.
Pray to God.
So Jesus continues,
that analogy of fatherhood,
in verses 9 to 11,
he says,
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?
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 gifts,
good things,
to those who ask him?
Jesus is not denying,
that there are cruel,
neglectful,
abusive parents.
There are.
Jesus knows,
that better than anyone else.
He says in verse 11,
if you then,
who are evil,
know how to give,
good gifts to your children.
Jesus states,
plainly here,
that all earthly parents,
are evil.
That they are sinners.
Without exception,
every single parent in the world.
But even so,
most earthly parents,
will provide for their children's basic needs,
won't they?
A stone superficially resembles bread.
A snake superficially resembles,
the most common type of catfish,
that you would have found,
in the Lake of Galilee.
In Jesus' times.
So,
giving your child,
a stone instead of bread,
this snake,
instead of a fish,
is a very cynical,
and sadistic thing to do.
Oh, you want bread?
Here,
this stone.
It looks like bread.
But what,
what parent,
does that?
give a stone instead of bread,
a stone that will break,
your child's teeth,
a serpent that will bite,
your child.
We expect any parent,
with basic decency,
and even a minimal sense of responsibility,
to give the child bread,
and fish,
when they ask for bread,
and fish.
How much more,
than will our Father,
who is in heaven,
who is not evil,
like us,
but good,
good through and through.
Give good things,
to those who ask.
I'm using several analogies,
examples from parenting,
this morning,
because it's relevant,
to this passage,
because that's exactly,
what Jesus does.
God intends,
for our parental relationship,
earthly parental relationships,
to resemble,
to be modeled,
after our relationship,
with our Heavenly Father.
My children,
often ask me,
if they can eat something,
it's not because,
we don't give them,
stuff to eat.
It's because,
they usually want a snack,
some kind of junk food.
When they come to me,
slightly after dinner,
and they're like,
Dad,
can I have something?
It's like,
what do you mean?
I know exactly,
what they want.
Before they come,
it's like,
oh dad,
I'm hungry.
I mean,
my older kids,
they're not going through,
the same,
or my little one does.
But dad,
I'm hungry.
What do you mean?
You just ate.
It's like,
oh do you want some more rice?
He's like,
no,
I'm hungry.
Sure,
I know exactly,
what you're hungry for.
So they ask me,
it's some kind of candy,
or some kind of junk food,
that they want,
it's because we ration it out,
so they get to have one candy.
So my youngest one,
always comes,
can I have my candy,
candy of the day?
It's her,
it's her Halloween stash,
from last October,
with a few additions here and there,
that we have,
that she has been diligently consuming,
one at a time,
every single day.
I think she finally ran out this past week.
We control their diet,
and junk food,
why?
Because we want our children to have a healthy diet.
Because we want them to grow up healthy and strong.
That's why they ask me,
dad,
can I have this?
Dad,
can I eat this?
Usually the request is about junk food,
but occasionally,
they'll ask me if they can eat something healthy.
Like,
they'll take a piece of fruit,
and be like,
can I have this fruit?
And my answer to them usually,
unless it's like,
right before dinner or something,
I want to eat dinner first,
my answer to them usually is,
yeah,
you could eat as many as you want.
Because that's the Father's heart.
If they ask me for something that is good for them,
as long as it's within my power,
and means to provide it for them,
I'm going to give it to them.
If I don't have enough money to get them what they need,
I'll sacrifice my own needs,
so that they can have what they need.
And if I'm like that,
and I'm evil,
how much more will our Heavenly Father do so much more for us?
Our Father who is in Heaven
gives good things to us when we ask Him.
Isn't that a wonderful promise?
That He gives good things
to those who ask Him.
Parents don't give their children
whatever they ask for, do they?
That's because children don't always know
what's good for them.
They ask for all kinds of things
that are bad for them,
and that's why they need parents.
They need guardians.
A parent who grants everything
that their kid wants
will spoil them rotten.
That's a very unloving thing to do.
Likewise, our Heavenly Father,
He hears and answers
all of the prayers of His children.
But like any good father,
sometimes His answer to our prayers
is no.
It says in James 4, verse 3,
you ask and do not receive
because you ask wrongly
to spend it on your passions.
God is not going to answer our prayers
for things that fuel our pride
and sinful passions
because God knows better.
Because He loves us.
You might have been praying faithfully every day
that you might win the jackpot.
But God's not going to answer that prayer
because He says in His Word
that the deceitfulness of riches
choke the Word of God in our hearts
so that it doesn't grow
and it leads to our eternal perdition.
He says in 1 John 3, 22,
whatever we ask,
we receive from Him.
In 1 John 5, 14 and 15,
and this is the confidence
that we have toward Him,
that if we ask anything
according to His will,
He hears us.
And if we know that He hears us
in whatever we ask,
we know that we have
the requests
that we have asked of Him.
So our loving Father
does not give us
everything we ask for.
He gives us
every good thing
we ask for.
How much more will your Father
who is in heaven
give good things
to those who ask Him?
So what is it then
that we should ask for?
What is it that we should seek?
Ask and it will be given to you.
Seek and you will find.
Jesus told us exactly
what we should seek
earlier in Matthew 6, 31 to 33.
Therefore do not be anxious,
saying,
what shall we eat?
Or what shall we drink?
Or what shall we wear?
For the Gentiles seek
after these things
and your Heavenly Father
knows that you need them all.
But seek first
the kingdom of God
and His righteousness
and all these things
will be added to you.
We are to seek
God's kingdom first.
We are to seek
His righteousness first.
We are to seek
the purposes
and the priorities
of God first
in our lives.
And when we do that
and our purposes
are aligned with His,
God says,
ask anything you wish.
I'll give it.
This is the meaning
of Psalm 37,
verses 3 to 4.
Trust in the Lord
and do good.
Dwell in the land
and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself
in the Lord
and He will give you
the desires
of your heart.
Not whatever sinful desire
you have,
but when you delight yourself
in the Lord,
when you trust in Him
and befriend faithfulness,
when your desires
and what you seek
in life
is aligned
with His desires.
Because you delight in Him,
God says,
I will give you
all that your heart
desires.
It's an amazing promise.
Our earthly fathers
are finite.
They have limited knowledge.
Even the best of them
can only do
what seems best
to them.
And sometimes
they make mistakes.
And what they think
is best
is not actually
what is best.
But in contrast,
our Heavenly Father
knows what is best
for us.
He always gives us
what is good
that we may share
His holiness,
it says in Hebrews 12,
verse 10.
Our earthly fathers
can only see
a few consequences
or steps ahead.
But our Heavenly Father
sees all.
He knows all.
In the past,
the present,
and the future.
And this truth
is such an encouragement
toward prayer.
It's an invitation
to explore
the extent
of God's grace
and generosity.
Assured of the fact
that our good,
loving Heavenly Father
will only give
good things to us.
So I want to ask you,
have there been
some bitter pills
that you'll have
to swallow in life?
You can rest assured
that even those things
are for your good.
Because God's promises
in His Word
that for those
who love God,
all things work
together for good.
Romans 8, 28.
Are there things
in life that you're
hesitant to pray for
because you're not sure
whether it's a good
thing or not?
Just ask away.
Because our Heavenly Father
will only give you
what is good.
Our earthly fathers
have finite resources.
Even the wealthiest
of them have limits
of what they can
actually afford
for their children.
But our Heavenly Father
has no such limits.
And every loving parent
knows the pain
of wanting to give
what is the very best
for their child
and being unable to
because of their limitations.
Our Father in Heaven
has no limitations
like that.
Psalm 89, 11.
It says,
The heavens are yours.
The earth
also is yours.
The world
and all that is in it,
you have founded them.
Our Heavenly Father
has both
the wealth
and the will
to give
good things
to His children.
Beloved child
of God,
do you
relate to God
as your loving
Father?
Do you know
that He cares
for you?
Do you know
that He takes
an interest
in you?
That He's concerned
about you?
Do you know
that He provides
for you?
That He is
zealously protected
over you?
Do you know
that your Heavenly Father
has good plans
and good purposes
for you?
Do you know
that your Heavenly Father
has great hopes
and dreams
for you?
Do you know
that He is more eager
to bless you
than you are eager
to receive blessings
from Him?
It grieves
our Heavenly Father
so much
that many of us
entertain
these harsh
and critical
thoughts
of Him.
We imagine
that God
is this severe
and stingy
and stringent
Father
who is aloof
and distant
from us,
too busy
for us
and annoyed
of us.
This grieves
our Heavenly Father
because not only
is it false,
but because that
false view of God
alienates us
from Him.
It separates us
and distances us
from our Heavenly Father.
But it makes us
reluctant to approach
Him in prayer.
But we must know
God truly
in the way
that He has actually
revealed Himself
to us.
Our Heavenly Father
is extravagant
in His generosity
toward us.
He delights
in us.
Zephaniah 3.17
says that
our Father
rejoices over us
with gladness.
He criets us
with love.
He exalts
over us
with loud singing.
That's how
our Heavenly Father
loves His
precious children.
We must remember
this truth
about our Father.
John Oman
writes in his book
Communion with God
that if we did this,
if we remember this,
he says,
then we would not
be able to bear
one hour's absence
from Him.
Instead,
we find it difficult
to spend
even one hour
with Him.
Let then this
be the first thought
that we have
of the Father,
that He's full
of eternal love
to us.
I've been reading
some news articles
lately that with
the rise of AI
that these criminals
have gotten
an upgrade
and instead
of kidnapping
kids,
they will just
generate AI voices
of these kids
and then call
the parents
when the kids
are not unable
to pick up
their phone
and then mimic
their voices
and basically
use them as ransom
to extort money
from these parents.
And I'm reading
these articles
that have how
many parents
are being extorted
to giving away
thousands and tens
of thousands
of dollars
to these criminals.
And most of the time
these parents
are not dumb.
they suspect
that this is
a criminal enterprise
and that what
they're saying
is false.
But nevertheless,
they send
the money.
They wire
the money.
Why?
Because if there's
even just a
one percent chance
that what
those criminals
are saying
is true,
their child
is there
and it's just
money
that stands
between the life
and freedom
of their child,
the heart
of the parent
and the heart
of the father
is take my money.
Take my life savings.
Do you feel like
that prophecy
that Lauren shared
that you're worth
nothing,
you're trash,
disposable good
thrown out
on the river?
No,
you are the treasure.
God says
in Exodus 19,
5
that his people
are his treasured
possession.
I want to share
a quote from
Paul Miller's book
of Praying Life.
It's a little longer
but it's worth
quoting in full.
Just follow on with me
and I'll project
it to you on the screen.
Let's do a quick
analysis on how
little children ask.
What do they ask
for?
Everything
and anything.
If they hear
about Disneyland,
they want to go
there tomorrow.
How often
do little children
ask?
Repeatedly,
over and over again.
They wear us out.
Sometimes we give in
just to shut them up.
How do little children
ask?
Without guile.
They just say
what is on their minds.
They have no awareness
of what is appropriate
or inappropriate.
Jesus tells us
to watch
little children
if we want to learn
how to ask
in prayer.
The second thing
we must do
in learning to pray
is believe
like a child.
Children are
supremely confident
in their parents'
love and power.
Instinctively,
they trust.
They believe
their parents
want to do them good.
If you know
your parent loves
and protects you,
it fills your world
with possibility.
So you just
chatter away
with what is
on your heart.
But as we get older,
we get less naive
and more cynical.
Disappointment
and broken promises
are the norm
instead of hoping
and dreaming.
Our childlike faith
dies a thousand
little deaths.
Jesus encourages us
to believe
like little children
by telling stories
about adults
who acted like children.
The parable
of the persistent widows
who won't take
no foreign answer
from an unjust judge.
And the parable
about a man
who badgers his neighbor
to lend him three loads
for a friend
who has come at midnight.
On the rare occasion
when Jesus encounters
an adult
who believes
like a child,
he stands
on a soapbox
and practically yells,
pay attention
to this person.
Look how he
or she
believes.
So be more
childlike
in your relationship
to God our Father.
Whatever you wish,
ask Him.
It is this kind
of relationship
with and our confidence
in our Heavenly Father
that enables us
then to obey
verse 12.
So whatever you wish
that others
would do to you,
do also to them
for this is the law
and the prophets.
Whatever you wish,
do to others.
I'll be brief
in my treatment
of this
because we're going
to come to it again
in Matthew chapter 22.
This is what is commonly
called the golden rule.
This moniker
is attributed
traditionally
to Roman Emperor
Alexander Severus
from the 3rd century.
He was not himself
a Christian
but because he was
so impressed
by the depth
and the comprehensiveness
of Jesus'
ethical principle
that it is said
that he inscribed
this saying,
this verse,
this teaching,
in gold
in his bedroom chamber.
And henceforth,
people came to call it
the golden rule.
It's what Jesus
later says
in Matthew 22,
37, 40,
as to love your neighbor
as yourself.
Which is taken
from Leviticus 19, 18.
Paul calls this
in Romans 13,
love is the fulfillment
of the law.
Galatians 5, 14,
the whole law
is fulfilled
in this one saying,
you are to love
your neighbor
as yourself.
They're all echoing
what Jesus says
here in this verse.
This command
is so comprehensive
that if you obeyed it,
you would literally
be obeying
the fullness
of God's commands
in all of his scriptures.
That's why Jesus says,
this is the law
and the prophets.
How is this so?
Because this command
gets at the very root
of all the sin
and wickedness
and evil
in our world.
This is as it says
in James 4,
1 to 3,
what causes quarrels
and what causes fights
among you?
Is it not this,
that your passions
are at war within you?
You desire
and do not have,
so you murder.
You covet and cannot obtain,
so you fight and quarrel.
You do not have
because you do not ask.
You ask and do not receive
because you ask wrongly
to spend it on your passions.
It's because we covet
and we desire
what belongs
to someone else
because our desires
are at odds
with each other's desires
that we fight
and quarrel
and make war.
Why is there war
in Ukraine?
Why is there war
in Gaza?
Why is there discord
with you and your
family members,
your housemates,
your friends?
It's because of
our desires,
sinful desires
that are at odds
with each other.
Why do we murder?
Why do people murder?
Because to get
what they want.
Why do people
commit adultery?
Because they desire
someone else's wife
or someone else's husband.
Why do they steal?
Because they want,
they desire
someone else's things.
why do they lie
so that they can
protect themselves
and keep what they want?
It's at the root
of every sin.
Sinful desires.
And the golden rule
commends us
to stop thinking
about our self,
the self,
and to start thinking
about others.
It turns our selfishness
on its head
due to others
what you would have them
do to you
and in doing so
it solves
the very root
of our problem.
It's a sin
at its very heart.
We find variations
of the golden rule
throughout many cultures
and centuries.
For example,
Jewish Rabbi Hillel
of the first century
famously summarized
the Old Testament law
this way,
Do not do to your neighbor
what is hateful to you.
This is the whole Torah.
The rest is commentary.
The first century
Greek philosopher
Philo writes,
Whatever things
anyone hates to suffer,
let him not do.
So,
remember,
the Chinese philosopher
Confucius
writes in Analects,
What you do not want
done to yourself
do not do to others.
It's kind of ubiquitous.
You find this rule,
a version of it
at least,
everywhere in the world.
But have you noticed
the consistent difference
between all of those things
by other teachers
and the saying of Jesus?
What is the difference?
All the other
so-called golden rules
are formulated negatively.
Don't do to others
what you don't want
them to do to you.
But Jesus' teaching
is formulated positively.
So,
whatever you wish
that others would do
to you,
do also to them.
For this is the law
and the prophets.
Instead of simply telling us
not to do what we don't
want others to do to us,
Jesus calls us
to be proactive
and be attentive
to the needs
of others
and to care for them.
We should treat others
the way we want
to be treated.
These variations
of the golden rule
that we find
in other cultures
and societies
are based on the idea
of equity
and reciprocity.
and at its very root,
actually,
it's selfish.
Do this for others
so you have a society
where others
do the same thing
to you.
Don't do this to others
so that they
don't do that
to you.
But what Jesus
is calling us to hear
is a selfish,
sacrificial love
that gives
even when it hurts.
it entails
foregoing
our own desires
and needs
to meet the needs
of others.
Considering others
more significant
than ourselves.
Looking out
for others' interests
not just our own.
If we obey
the negative formulation
of the golden rule
we will never
you know
sock our enemy
in the face
because we don't want
to be attacked
like that ourselves.
But we're not
going to go beyond
that
to love
our enemies
and to pray
for those
who persecute us
as Jesus
commands us
to do
in Matthew 5.44.
If we obey
the negative formulation
of the golden rule
we might never steal
from someone
because we don't
want to be stolen
from
but it's not
going to make us
go beyond that
to be generous
toward others
sacrificially.
Jesus' command
goes beyond
equity
and reciprocity
it goes to
sacrificial love
and this is a very
difficult thing
for us to do
because
it means loss
for ourselves.
If you're a parent
and then
you have to wake up
in the middle of the life
middle of your
sorry not middle of your life
middle of your
your sleep
to attend
to your crying child
you really want
to just sleep
but your spouse
is soundly asleep
and then you say
to yourself
well
I'm going to die
to myself
my selfish desire
and needs
because how I would
want to be treated
in a situation
is for my spouse
to go
so I'm going to do
that for her
I'm going to do
that for him
I'm going to go
attend to the child
and you know
what happens
when you do that
you're really
really tired
the next morning
you've lost sleep
when there's someone
that you meet
a neighbor
who is poor
and you must
share your money
with them
or you must
share your bread
with them
as Jesus commands us
to and you give it
to them
you know what
happens
you're that much
poorer
you're that much
hungrier
when
when you are
hurt by someone
you are wronged
by someone
and instead of
taking matters
into your hands
and seeking justice
taking vengeance
well that's only fair
that's only right
instead of doing that
you
you eat that
harm
you
bear the loss
yourself
you know what happens
that still
really really hurts
and it feels like
losing
how can you possibly
live like that
you can only
live like that
if you have
this unshakable
confidence
that you can ask
your father
whatever you wish
so that you can
do to others
whatever you wish
for yourself
that when you
give
and you give
and you have
less and less
and less
to trust
that no my
God
my father
is going to
provide for me
when you're
hurting
and hurting
and wrong
you trust
oh but my
father sees
he's the king
he is the judge
there will be
justice in the end
and I will be
rewarded for all
that I have
done
it's only
when you
as a child
of God
can say
whatever
you wish
I'm going to
ask
and I will
receive
it's only
when you have
that confidence
you can go
to others
and do
for them
whatever you
wish
that's why
the greatest
commandment
is always
given in two
parts
love the
Lord your
God
with all
your heart
soul
mind
and strength
it is the
first
and greatest
commandment
and the
second
is like
love your
neighbor
as yourself
because you
cannot have
love of neighbor
without the
love of God
I've mentioned
to you
before
and I'll
conclude
with this
that this
sermon
is structured
in a way
so that the
first half
of it
mirrors the
second half
this passage
we looked at
this morning
is mirrored
by Matthew
5
17
to 20
there Jesus
says in
verse 17
do not
think that I
have come
to abolish
the law
and the
prophets
I have not
come to
abolish
them
but to
fulfill
them
and then
Jesus
mentions
the law
and the
prophets
again
in our
passage
this is
the law
and the
prophets
what
to do
to others
what you
happen to
you
Jesus
says he
fulfills
that law
Jesus
says he
fulfills
that love
of neighbor
how does
he do
it
we are
sinners
we deserve
hell
and eternal
punishment
and eternal
separation
from God
but Jesus
came as
our neighbor
as our
brother
and he
said I
will do
for them
what I
would love
to have
them do
to me
is they
were in
my shoes
I'm the
only person
that can
save them
I'm the
only person
that can
die for
their sins
and to
be the
sacrificial
Passover
lamb
so I
will go
to the
cross
and I
will die
so that
I can
perish
but they
might live
forever
Jesus
was the
perfect
neighbor
he's the
one who
treated us
and loved
us as
he loved
himself
for it
says in
Mark 10
45
even the
son of
man came
not to
be
served
but to
serve
and to
give his
life as
a ransom
for the
many
it's only
when we
know God
like that
and we
know that
love
that we
can be
changed
to love
other people
in the same
way
let's pray
together
father
thank you
that we
get to
call upon
your
father
thank you
that you
have given
to us
your
children
here
the right
to become
children
of God
father
help us
to
live
like
him
give us
the faith
and the
confidence
to live
like our
father
is the
king of
kings
and the
lord
of the
kings
and the
king of
you
king of
you
and the
you
and the
king of
as our
neighbor
as our
brother
that we
might find
our way
to you
rather than
we might be
found by you
to be
reconciled
to you
in the
precious name
of your
son
Jesus
Christ
we
pray
amen
ho