WEBVTT

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 Turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 7.

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 We've been working our way through Matthew,

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 we've been working our way through the Sermon on the Mount,

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 and here we are in Matthew chapter 7, verses 7 through 11,

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 and our Lord King tells us about prayer.

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 Ask, and it will be given to you.

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 Seek, and you will find.

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 Knock, and it will be opened to you.

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 For everyone who asks, receives.

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 And the one who seeks, finds.

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 And to the one who knocks, it will be opened.

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 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread,

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 will give him a stone?

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 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?

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 If you then, who are evil,

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 know how to give good gifts to your children,

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 how much more will your Father who is in heaven

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 give good things to those who ask him?

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 Well, in this section on the Sermon on the Mount,

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 Jesus compels us to pray,

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 to ask, and to seek, and to knock.

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 He's been calling us, his disciples,

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 to a righteousness that exceeds the Pharisees.

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 You can look at that on chapter 5, verse 20.

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 That is a high call.

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 But if you look over at chapter 5, verse 48,

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 you see this call.

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 You, therefore, my disciples,

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 must be perfect,

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 as your heavenly Father is perfect.

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 And so, before we talk about this call to prayer

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 Jesus is making on us,

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 you've got to be reminded

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 of what he's been calling us to

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 in this sermon all along.

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 It's a call to holiness.

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 Let me highlight some things.

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 We know we're not supposed to murder people,

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 but we're not supposed to hate them either.

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 We're not supposed to commit adultery with people,

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 but we're not to lust in our hearts for others either.

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 We know we're not supposed to hate our enemies,

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 but Jesus calls us to the high call.

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 We're to love our enemies.

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 We know we're not to live for the dot

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 and store up treasures on earth,

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 but we're to live for the line

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 and store up treasures in heaven.

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 We know we're not to be anxious about our lives,

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 but seek first the kingdom and his righteousness.

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 We know we're not to be sinfully critical,

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 ungraciously judgmental of our brothers and sisters.

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 Rather, we're to take the log out of our own eyes

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 so that we can take the speck

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 out of our brother and sisters.

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 This is high call stuff.

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 This is calling to holiness,

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 a righteousness that exceeds the Pharisees,

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 the very professional religious folk of the day.

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 This is a call to holiness,

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 to perfection.

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 It's beyond us.

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 Jesus is calling us to the impossible.

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 Now maybe you got one of these down.

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 Maybe you're like,

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 yeah, you know, I'm never anxious.

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 Never anxious.

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 Well, how about the rest of the Sermon on the Mount?

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 If you read through it like most of us read through it,

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 you're like, no, I cannot do that.

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 That's beyond me.

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 That's exactly the point.

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 The Sermon brings us to an end to ourselves.

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 It exposes in us our constant need for our God.

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 Our constant need to depend on our Father

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 for only what He can give,

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 the good gift of holiness.

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 And that's the point of why Jesus

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 is brought us to this part of the Sermon.

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 He's bringing it to application.

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 He's turning us to response.

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 And the first response He calls us to here

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 is to pray,

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 to ask, seek, and knock.

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 You can't do it, brother and sister in Christ.

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 You can't do it.

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 You can't live out the Sermon on the Mount

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 in your own power.

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 You can't.

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 But God can give you the grace you need.

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 And we must humble Himself, ourselves, and seek Him.

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 So this morning, brother and sister in Christ,

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 you need to hear this.

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 Your Father in Heaven wants you

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 to come to Him.

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 He wants you to ask Him

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 for the good, holy things.

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 To give you what only He can

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 to live a life that only He can enable.

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 And so this morning, in this passage,

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 I want you to see three things.

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 We are to pray persistently.

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 We are to pray with promise.

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 And we are to pray paternally

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 with an eye to our Father.

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 We are to be persistent

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 in our prayerful pursuit

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 of perfection,

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 of holiness.

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 That's the call.

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 So let's look at this first point.

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 Pray persistently.

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 If you look at chapter 7, verse 7,

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 ask and it will be given to you.

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 Seek and you will find.

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 Knock and it will be opened to you.

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 For everyone who asks, receives.

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 And the one who seeks, finds.

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 And to the one who knocks,

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 it will be opened.

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 There are three words of persistence

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 that you need to understand.

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 You already see them.

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 Ask, seek, knock.

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 And so again, remember,

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 at this point in the sermon,

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 this was a sermon Jesus preached.

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 He's walked us through

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 the call to holiness

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 and now He's calling us to respond.

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 And He's saying, pray.

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 Pray, ask, seek, and knock

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 for the very things

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 I've just called you to.

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 Call upon your Father.

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 Here's what I love about Jesus.

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 He says, okay,

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 if you've got kind of a lust issue

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 in your heart,

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 just don't go work it out.

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 Call upon your Holy Father.

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 Ask Him for purity.

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 Seek Him for a godly life.

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 Knock on His door

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 to open ways unto holiness

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 that only He can.

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 To be persistent

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 in our prayerful pursuit

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 of perfection.

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 We're never going to be perfect

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 on this side of glory.

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 But that doesn't mean we strive.

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 We don't strive.

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 We strive.

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 He's called us to this.

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 And He is able to

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 give us what we need.

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 These three verbs,

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 ask, seek, and knock,

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 are commands.

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 Scholars call them imperatives.

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 Have you ever seen

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 a war movie

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 and there's a commander

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 and He has His groups

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 around Him

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 and there's explosions

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 and rumbling

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 and He says to His team,

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 team, it's imperative

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 that we get hill number 473.

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 It's imperative.

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 It's vital.

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 It's essential.

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 It's necessary.

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 That's what an imperative is.

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 There's urgency.

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 And so Jesus is saying,

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 in light of this call

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 to holiness,

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 holiness,

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 it is imperative

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 that you call upon

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 your Father in Heaven

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 to give you what you need.

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 It's imperative that you ask.

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 It's imperative that you seek.

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 It's imperative that you knock.

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 In the original language,

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 these imperatives

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 are in the present tense,

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 which means

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 it has an ongoing force.

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 And so you could say it like this.

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 Keep asking.

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 Keep seeking.

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 Keep knocking.

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 Do you know why?

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 Because the Sermon on the Mount

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 is a call on us

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 all the way through

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 until we see Jesus face to face.

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 We're to keep asking.

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 Keep seeking.

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 Keep knocking.

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 It's persistent.

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 Persistent asking,

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 seeking, and knocking.

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 And not only do these

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 three imperatives

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 have this ongoing force,

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 they have increasing urgency.

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 Did you notice that?

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 We move from asking

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 to clicking up a notch

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 to seeking

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 to clicking up a notch

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 to knocking.

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 My youngest daughter,

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 Mary, embodies this.

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 Let me show you how.

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 This is how it works out.

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 Mary has a particularly strong bond

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 with my wife, Jenny.

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 And so Mary's

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 at the dining room table

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 and it begins with an ask.

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 Mom, where are my stretchy pants?

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 Mom!

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 Mom!

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 Mom!

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 Mom!

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 The ask.

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 And it's persistent.

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 But then when Jenny doesn't respond,

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 the asking continues,

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 but it moves into seeking.

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 Mom!

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 Where are you?

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 Mom!

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 Mom!

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 Where are you?

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 I'm up in my room.

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 Walk, walk, walk.

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 Step, step, step.

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 And if the door is closed,

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 Mom!

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 Where are my stretchy pants?

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 Will you let me in, please?

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 You know what my little daughter illustrates?

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 She's pursuing her parent

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 for what she needs.

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 She will not be denied.

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 We, as children of our father,

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 we ask

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 and then we seek him

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 and then we knock on his door

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 to open up

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 so that he can provide what we need.

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 This pursuit,

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 this persistence,

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 it's a pursuit

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 of our heavenly father

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 who has what we need

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 for holiness.

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 He is the object of our pursuit.

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 He is the one

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 that gives us

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 what we need

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 for holiness.

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 That's not in the bottom

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 of a crackerjack box.

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 Our father gives that.

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 So if you're anxious

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 about something

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 or you're tempted

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 to be critically judgmental

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 of someone else,

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 ask your father.

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 Go to him.

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 Ask him for a peace

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 that transcends all understanding.

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 Ask him for a humility

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 that sees your own sin

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 for what it is

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 and you can help others.

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 Ask him.

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 Seek him.

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 Knock on his door for that.

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 Let me ask this question.

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 What is the need

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 for the persistence?

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 Why the ongoing asking,

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 ongoing seeking,

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 ongoing knocking?

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 What's up with that?

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 Well, I've already alluded to it.

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 We are to pray persistently

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 because we are

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 in persistent need.

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 Jesus knows us really well.

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 And the kind of persistent need

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 we have

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 is the need

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 for God's grace

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 to make us

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 holy,

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 holy,

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 holy.

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 To grow us in holiness.

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 The fancy word is

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 sanctification.

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 The process of being made

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 more and more like Jesus

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 in our everyday lives.

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 We need persistent

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 for that.

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 It's a persistent,

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 prayerful pursuit

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 of paternal perfection.

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 Holiness.

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 Holiness.

00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:18.940
 We are asking him

00:12:18.940 --> 00:12:19.600
 for the grace

00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:20.879
 that he alone provides

00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:23.300
 to make us like him.

00:12:23.299 --> 00:12:27.099
 That's why this is a persistent need.

00:12:27.299 --> 00:12:28.419
 You need it everyday.

00:12:30.719 --> 00:12:31.419
 God says,

00:12:31.719 --> 00:12:32.259
 I am holy.

00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:33.500
 You be holy

00:12:33.500 --> 00:12:34.259
 for I am holy.

00:12:34.979 --> 00:12:36.199
 We need his help.

00:12:40.759 --> 00:12:41.199
 Now,

00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:42.000
 if you fail to make

00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:42.559
 the connection

00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:43.099
 between

00:12:43.099 --> 00:12:44.959
 what Jesus is calling us

00:12:44.959 --> 00:12:45.459
 to here

00:12:45.459 --> 00:12:46.799
 and what has proceeded

00:12:46.799 --> 00:12:47.740
 in the Sermon on the Mount,

00:12:47.740 --> 00:12:49.700
 you know what you are

00:12:49.700 --> 00:12:50.519
 going to ask your father for?

00:12:51.539 --> 00:12:52.200
 You are going to be

00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:53.740
 content to ask him

00:12:53.740 --> 00:12:55.840
 for Green Bay Packer tickets.

00:12:58.000 --> 00:12:58.620
 You are going to be

00:12:58.620 --> 00:12:59.519
 asking him for things

00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:00.940
 that are good things,

00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:01.220
 but

00:13:01.220 --> 00:13:05.740
 not the greatest things.

00:13:08.379 --> 00:13:09.899
 Your father wants you

00:13:09.899 --> 00:13:11.680
 asking him

00:13:11.680 --> 00:13:13.000
 for good things

00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:14.019
 unto holiness.

00:13:16.100 --> 00:13:17.159
 Throwing Packer tickets,

00:13:17.240 --> 00:13:17.460
 great.

00:13:17.740 --> 00:13:21.120
 So,

00:13:21.220 --> 00:13:21.899
 what we see here

00:13:21.899 --> 00:13:22.960
 with this persistent

00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:23.879
 praying

00:13:23.879 --> 00:13:25.440
 is Jesus

00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:26.320
 commanding us

00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:27.000
 to depend

00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:28.200
 persistently

00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:29.100
 on our

00:13:29.100 --> 00:13:30.159
 father.

00:13:31.440 --> 00:13:32.139
 It's essentially

00:13:32.139 --> 00:13:32.879
 an act of

00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:33.919
 ongoing dependence

00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:34.899
 is what we're being

00:13:34.899 --> 00:13:35.379
 called to.

00:13:36.659 --> 00:13:37.500
 It's a call

00:13:37.500 --> 00:13:38.620
 to ongoing humility.

00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:39.779
 It's a call

00:13:39.779 --> 00:13:40.620
 to abiding

00:13:40.620 --> 00:13:41.860
 in our God.

00:13:43.159 --> 00:13:44.139
 We need him

00:13:44.139 --> 00:13:44.820
 in order to live

00:13:44.820 --> 00:13:45.399
 the life he's

00:13:45.399 --> 00:13:46.039
 called us to.

00:13:46.039 --> 00:13:49.599
 Are you seeing this?

00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:52.579
 Are you seeing

00:13:52.579 --> 00:13:53.179
 the need?

00:13:57.319 --> 00:13:58.500
 How do you respond

00:13:58.500 --> 00:13:59.120
 to what Jesus

00:13:59.120 --> 00:14:00.059
 is calling you to?

00:14:00.740 --> 00:14:01.620
 How do you respond

00:14:01.620 --> 00:14:02.000
 to this?

00:14:02.699 --> 00:14:03.819
 How do you respond

00:14:03.819 --> 00:14:04.500
 to this call

00:14:04.500 --> 00:14:05.480
 to persistent praying?

00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:06.420
 I can imagine

00:14:06.420 --> 00:14:07.480
 two kinds of responses.

00:14:07.620 --> 00:14:08.039
 The first

00:14:08.039 --> 00:14:09.100
 kind is the way

00:14:09.100 --> 00:14:09.800
 that I typically

00:14:09.800 --> 00:14:10.740
 respond to something

00:14:10.740 --> 00:14:11.240
 like this

00:14:11.240 --> 00:14:12.139
 and that is

00:14:12.139 --> 00:14:12.740
 to go into

00:14:12.740 --> 00:14:13.300
 pragmatic

00:14:13.300 --> 00:14:14.940
 list mode.

00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:16.100
 So,

00:14:16.180 --> 00:14:16.500
 it goes something

00:14:16.500 --> 00:14:16.940
 like this.

00:14:17.700 --> 00:14:18.039
 All right,

00:14:18.100 --> 00:14:19.159
 Jesus is calling me

00:14:19.159 --> 00:14:20.440
 to pray persistently.

00:14:20.700 --> 00:14:20.920
 Okay,

00:14:21.100 --> 00:14:21.700
 I got it.

00:14:21.820 --> 00:14:22.120
 Check.

00:14:22.120 --> 00:14:23.560
 Now,

00:14:23.620 --> 00:14:24.259
 the reason why

00:14:24.259 --> 00:14:24.899
 I don't pray

00:14:24.899 --> 00:14:25.620
 persistently

00:14:25.620 --> 00:14:26.100
 is,

00:14:26.620 --> 00:14:27.399
 well,

00:14:27.620 --> 00:14:28.299
 it's a lack

00:14:28.299 --> 00:14:29.259
 of discipline.

00:14:30.080 --> 00:14:30.480
 Check.

00:14:31.159 --> 00:14:31.679
 And so,

00:14:31.799 --> 00:14:32.480
 what I need

00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:33.740
 now,

00:14:33.899 --> 00:14:34.820
 more than anything

00:14:34.820 --> 00:14:35.320
 else,

00:14:35.460 --> 00:14:37.060
 is a list

00:14:37.060 --> 00:14:37.659
 of things

00:14:37.659 --> 00:14:38.299
 to be praying

00:14:38.299 --> 00:14:39.019
 for so that

00:14:39.019 --> 00:14:39.799
 I can be praying

00:14:39.799 --> 00:14:40.740
 more persistently.

00:14:40.899 --> 00:14:41.539
 Or better yet,

00:14:41.820 --> 00:14:42.899
 I need to wake

00:14:42.899 --> 00:14:43.580
 up earlier

00:14:43.580 --> 00:14:44.980
 in order to pray

00:14:44.980 --> 00:14:45.360
 more.

00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:46.180
 Or maybe even

00:14:46.180 --> 00:14:46.639
 better yet,

00:14:46.980 --> 00:14:48.120
 what are the books

00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:48.720
 on prayer

00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:49.460
 that I can be

00:14:49.460 --> 00:14:50.200
 praying so that

00:14:50.200 --> 00:14:50.740
 I can be more

00:14:50.740 --> 00:14:51.539
 persistent in my

00:14:51.539 --> 00:14:51.879
 praying?

00:14:52.299 --> 00:14:53.199
 What do I need?

00:14:53.319 --> 00:14:53.899
 Do I need to get

00:14:53.899 --> 00:14:54.519
 more accountability

00:14:54.519 --> 00:14:55.379
 in my life?

00:14:56.699 --> 00:14:57.319
 Do I need to

00:14:57.319 --> 00:14:57.740
 listen to more

00:14:57.740 --> 00:14:58.240
 sermons?

00:14:58.500 --> 00:14:59.379
 What do I need

00:14:59.379 --> 00:14:59.860
 in order to be

00:14:59.860 --> 00:15:00.419
 more persistent

00:15:00.419 --> 00:15:01.059
 in my praying?

00:15:04.120 --> 00:15:05.039
 A few Sundays

00:15:05.039 --> 00:15:05.319
 ago,

00:15:05.399 --> 00:15:05.799
 I preached

00:15:05.799 --> 00:15:07.559
 a sermon

00:15:07.559 --> 00:15:08.319
 and I made

00:15:08.319 --> 00:15:09.159
 an illustration.

00:15:09.459 --> 00:15:10.159
 It's the difference

00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:11.480
 between the

00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:12.039
 Christian life

00:15:12.039 --> 00:15:12.759
 as a rowboat

00:15:12.759 --> 00:15:13.379
 and the Christian

00:15:13.379 --> 00:15:14.519
 life as a sailboat.

00:15:15.659 --> 00:15:16.179
 And when we

00:15:16.179 --> 00:15:17.279
 respond to a call

00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:18.360
 like this by saying,

00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:18.899
 what do I need

00:15:18.899 --> 00:15:19.639
 to do more?

00:15:20.039 --> 00:15:20.579
 It's like

00:15:20.580 --> 00:15:21.920
 grabbing a

00:15:21.920 --> 00:15:22.440
 rowboat.

00:15:22.940 --> 00:15:23.340
 Okay,

00:15:23.420 --> 00:15:24.060
 I just need

00:15:24.060 --> 00:15:24.980
 to pray more.

00:15:28.820 --> 00:15:29.580
 That's not what

00:15:29.580 --> 00:15:30.280
 Jesus is getting

00:15:30.280 --> 00:15:30.680
 at here.

00:15:33.080 --> 00:15:33.860
 The problem

00:15:33.860 --> 00:15:34.639
 Jesus is putting

00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:35.280
 his finger on

00:15:35.280 --> 00:15:35.960
 is not a lack

00:15:35.960 --> 00:15:36.639
 of discipline.

00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:39.360
 The problem

00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:40.100
 that Jesus is

00:15:40.100 --> 00:15:40.920
 putting his finger

00:15:40.920 --> 00:15:41.980
 on is a lack

00:15:41.980 --> 00:15:43.020
 of understanding

00:15:43.020 --> 00:15:43.879
 our desperate

00:15:43.879 --> 00:15:45.080
 need for him.

00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:46.980
 that's where

00:15:46.980 --> 00:15:47.440
 it starts.

00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:50.220
 And that leads

00:15:50.220 --> 00:15:50.800
 me to the

00:15:50.800 --> 00:15:51.500
 second kind

00:15:51.500 --> 00:15:52.139
 of response.

00:15:52.259 --> 00:15:52.660
 The Sermon

00:15:52.660 --> 00:15:53.160
 on the Mount,

00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:54.460
 it exposes

00:15:54.460 --> 00:15:55.120
 our constant

00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:56.540
 need for God's

00:15:56.540 --> 00:15:57.800
 grace as his

00:15:57.800 --> 00:15:58.200
 disciples.

00:15:58.520 --> 00:15:59.240
 It exposes,

00:15:59.379 --> 00:16:00.000
 it shows us,

00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:00.840
 we can't live

00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:01.720
 this without him.

00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:05.360
 And so if we

00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:06.420
 don't need more

00:16:06.420 --> 00:16:07.320
 discipline,

00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:08.020
 what we need

00:16:08.020 --> 00:16:08.820
 more of is

00:16:08.820 --> 00:16:09.620
 God himself

00:16:09.620 --> 00:16:10.160
 and the grace

00:16:10.160 --> 00:16:10.800
 he provides.

00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:11.759
 That's what we

00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:11.940
 need.

00:16:12.940 --> 00:16:13.520
 That's what

00:16:13.520 --> 00:16:13.900
 we're going

00:16:13.900 --> 00:16:14.100
 to.

00:16:14.340 --> 00:16:14.900
 That's where

00:16:14.900 --> 00:16:15.740
 Jesus is bringing

00:16:15.740 --> 00:16:16.480
 us to here.

00:16:17.340 --> 00:16:18.440
 You can't live

00:16:18.440 --> 00:16:19.060
 this on your

00:16:19.060 --> 00:16:19.320
 own.

00:16:21.040 --> 00:16:21.960
 So ask,

00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:22.480
 seek,

00:16:22.800 --> 00:16:23.020
 knock,

00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:23.840
 depend on

00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:24.780
 your heavenly

00:16:24.780 --> 00:16:25.540
 father for

00:16:25.540 --> 00:16:25.880
 this.

00:16:27.420 --> 00:16:28.120
 Keep asking.

00:16:28.940 --> 00:16:29.580
 Keep seeking.

00:16:30.440 --> 00:16:31.160
 Keep seeking

00:16:31.160 --> 00:16:31.760
 your father.

00:16:33.400 --> 00:16:34.100
 And then when

00:16:34.100 --> 00:16:34.740
 you've got that

00:16:34.740 --> 00:16:35.200
 sense of

00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:36.200
 desperation in

00:16:36.200 --> 00:16:36.640
 place,

00:16:37.220 --> 00:16:38.820
 that's when you

00:16:38.820 --> 00:16:39.160
 start looking

00:16:39.160 --> 00:16:39.580
 for books.

00:16:40.780 --> 00:16:41.420
 That's when you

00:16:41.420 --> 00:16:41.760
 start looking

00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:42.360
 for accountability.

00:16:42.600 --> 00:16:43.000
 That's when you

00:16:43.000 --> 00:16:43.360
 start looking

00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:43.840
 for help.

00:16:44.299 --> 00:16:45.419
 But you need

00:16:45.419 --> 00:16:46.980
 first to attend

00:16:46.980 --> 00:16:47.879
 to your heart.

00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:50.120
 Are you

00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:50.460
 desperate?

00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:53.100
 Do you want

00:16:53.100 --> 00:16:53.559
 holiness?

00:16:55.639 --> 00:16:56.600
 Are you

00:16:56.600 --> 00:16:58.460
 motivated to

00:16:58.460 --> 00:16:59.039
 pursue your

00:16:59.039 --> 00:17:00.460
 father for the

00:17:00.460 --> 00:17:01.019
 only thing he

00:17:01.019 --> 00:17:01.939
 can give you

00:17:01.939 --> 00:17:02.899
 for it?

00:17:04.339 --> 00:17:05.240
 Do you want

00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:05.379
 it?

00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:06.859
 Do you want

00:17:06.859 --> 00:17:07.359
 holiness?

00:17:08.519 --> 00:17:09.539
 Do you want

00:17:09.539 --> 00:17:10.619
 the sermon on

00:17:10.619 --> 00:17:10.980
 the mount?

00:17:10.980 --> 00:17:12.319
 Do you want

00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:13.000
 that for your

00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:13.620
 life?

00:17:19.140 --> 00:17:19.960
 We're to pray

00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:20.759
 persistently

00:17:20.759 --> 00:17:21.860
 because we

00:17:21.860 --> 00:17:23.240
 are in

00:17:23.240 --> 00:17:24.360
 persistent

00:17:24.360 --> 00:17:26.500
 need of

00:17:26.500 --> 00:17:27.500
 God's grace.

00:17:29.579 --> 00:17:30.880
 We're to pray

00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:31.680
 persistently.

00:17:31.860 --> 00:17:32.400
 And the second

00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:33.079
 point I want you

00:17:33.079 --> 00:17:33.839
 to see here is

00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:34.819
 we're to pray

00:17:34.819 --> 00:17:36.019
 with promise.

00:17:36.019 --> 00:17:36.079
 promise.

00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:39.259
 If you look at

00:17:39.259 --> 00:17:39.980
 verses 7 and

00:17:39.980 --> 00:17:40.920
 8 you see the

00:17:40.920 --> 00:17:41.819
 imperatives right?

00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:42.879
 Ask, seek, and

00:17:42.879 --> 00:17:43.139
 knock.

00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:44.099
 But what you

00:17:44.099 --> 00:17:44.740
 also need to

00:17:44.740 --> 00:17:45.359
 see is that

00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:46.420
 every imperative

00:17:46.420 --> 00:17:47.519
 is met with a

00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:48.059
 promise.

00:17:49.059 --> 00:17:50.619
 Ask and it

00:17:50.619 --> 00:17:51.359
 will be given

00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:51.859
 to you.

00:17:52.379 --> 00:17:52.779
 Promise.

00:17:53.500 --> 00:17:54.359
 Seek imperative

00:17:54.359 --> 00:17:55.299
 and you will

00:17:55.299 --> 00:17:56.799
 find promise.

00:17:57.740 --> 00:17:58.859
 Knock imperative

00:17:58.859 --> 00:17:59.980
 and the door

00:17:59.980 --> 00:18:00.519
 will be opened

00:18:00.519 --> 00:18:01.119
 unto you.

00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:02.119
 Promise.

00:18:02.119 --> 00:18:02.319
 promise.

00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:02.439
 promise.

00:18:04.200 --> 00:18:05.240
 Every imperative

00:18:05.240 --> 00:18:05.960
 is met with a

00:18:05.960 --> 00:18:06.439
 promise.

00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:08.519
 Jesus in

00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:09.319
 verse 8 is

00:18:09.319 --> 00:18:11.139
 emphasizing the

00:18:11.139 --> 00:18:12.379
 certainty of

00:18:12.379 --> 00:18:13.000
 knowing that

00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:13.720
 your heavenly

00:18:13.720 --> 00:18:15.339
 father when

00:18:15.339 --> 00:18:16.879
 sought for

00:18:16.879 --> 00:18:18.379
 holiness will

00:18:18.379 --> 00:18:19.599
 say yes.

00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:19.719
 promise.

00:18:21.799 --> 00:18:22.819
 It's his joy to

00:18:22.819 --> 00:18:23.119
 give it.

00:18:25.059 --> 00:18:25.480
 Your heavenly

00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:26.859
 father hears

00:18:26.859 --> 00:18:27.539
 your persistent

00:18:27.539 --> 00:18:29.619
 prayers and

00:18:29.619 --> 00:18:30.319
 persistently

00:18:30.319 --> 00:18:31.579
 answers them.

00:18:32.839 --> 00:18:33.399
 He wants good

00:18:33.399 --> 00:18:33.819
 for you.

00:18:34.659 --> 00:18:35.759
 He wants you to

00:18:35.759 --> 00:18:36.639
 share in his

00:18:36.639 --> 00:18:37.759
 holiness more

00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:38.559
 than you want

00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:38.819
 to.

00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:43.279
 Jesus in

00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:44.439
 this with these

00:18:44.439 --> 00:18:45.219
 promises he

00:18:45.219 --> 00:18:46.079
 wants us to be

00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:47.759
 certain that if

00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:49.559
 we are persistent

00:18:49.559 --> 00:18:52.279
 praying God will

00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:53.819
 persistently answer.

00:18:56.019 --> 00:18:56.919
 Did you hear the

00:18:56.919 --> 00:18:57.279
 word if?

00:19:00.339 --> 00:19:01.500
 Is Jesus saying

00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:02.259
 here that we can

00:19:02.259 --> 00:19:03.179
 ask the father for

00:19:03.179 --> 00:19:04.119
 anything we want

00:19:04.119 --> 00:19:05.019
 and we can be

00:19:05.019 --> 00:19:05.659
 certain that we

00:19:05.659 --> 00:19:06.599
 will receive it for

00:19:06.599 --> 00:19:07.000
 anything?

00:19:07.960 --> 00:19:08.879
 Is he saying

00:19:08.879 --> 00:19:09.179
 that?

00:19:10.579 --> 00:19:11.720
 He's not saying

00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:12.039
 that.

00:19:13.079 --> 00:19:14.500
 He's not saying

00:19:14.500 --> 00:19:14.859
 that.

00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:16.039
 We all know

00:19:16.039 --> 00:19:16.679
 that's the case.

00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:18.480
 And we could

00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:18.980
 probably make an

00:19:18.980 --> 00:19:19.539
 argument just

00:19:19.539 --> 00:19:19.940
 from our own

00:19:19.940 --> 00:19:20.339
 experience.

00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:20.899
 I'm guessing

00:19:20.899 --> 00:19:21.420
 you have prayed

00:19:21.420 --> 00:19:22.980
 for things that

00:19:22.980 --> 00:19:23.339
 you have not

00:19:23.339 --> 00:19:23.759
 received.

00:19:26.779 --> 00:19:28.099
 The issue here

00:19:28.099 --> 00:19:29.639
 is the kind of

00:19:29.639 --> 00:19:30.700
 promise that

00:19:30.700 --> 00:19:31.519
 Jesus is making.

00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:34.299
 There are

00:19:34.299 --> 00:19:35.180
 classically two

00:19:35.180 --> 00:19:36.019
 kinds of promises.

00:19:36.920 --> 00:19:37.559
 There are

00:19:37.559 --> 00:19:38.119
 unconditional

00:19:38.119 --> 00:19:39.000
 promises and

00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:39.359
 there are

00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:39.799
 conditional

00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:40.339
 promises.

00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:42.180
 The unconditional

00:19:42.180 --> 00:19:43.119
 promise is when

00:19:43.119 --> 00:19:44.279
 party A commits

00:19:44.279 --> 00:19:45.059
 to doing something

00:19:45.059 --> 00:19:45.859
 for party B

00:19:45.859 --> 00:19:47.839
 and it has no

00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:48.679
 bearing on what

00:19:48.679 --> 00:19:49.519
 party B does.

00:19:50.199 --> 00:19:50.779
 Party A is going

00:19:50.779 --> 00:19:51.279
 to follow through.

00:19:51.379 --> 00:19:52.359
 The classic example

00:19:52.359 --> 00:19:53.059
 is for us

00:19:53.059 --> 00:19:53.500
 Christians.

00:19:55.259 --> 00:19:56.039
 God says,

00:19:56.339 --> 00:19:56.859
 I will never

00:19:56.859 --> 00:19:58.439
 leave you nor

00:19:58.439 --> 00:19:59.919
 forsake you.

00:20:00.719 --> 00:20:01.179
 Period.

00:20:03.179 --> 00:20:03.939
 Nothing can

00:20:03.939 --> 00:20:04.799
 separate you from

00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:05.379
 the love of God

00:20:05.379 --> 00:20:06.119
 in Christ Jesus.

00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:07.559
 Period.

00:20:09.259 --> 00:20:09.740
 Unconditional

00:20:09.740 --> 00:20:10.240
 promises.

00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:13.720
 But a conditional

00:20:13.720 --> 00:20:14.519
 promise is a

00:20:14.519 --> 00:20:15.539
 promise that goes

00:20:15.539 --> 00:20:16.240
 something like this.

00:20:17.400 --> 00:20:18.620
 Let's say one of

00:20:18.620 --> 00:20:19.720
 my children wants

00:20:19.720 --> 00:20:20.500
 to use the car.

00:20:23.640 --> 00:20:25.559
 And I, as his

00:20:25.559 --> 00:20:26.039
 father,

00:20:27.640 --> 00:20:33.160
 knowing that

00:20:33.160 --> 00:20:33.620
 there's other

00:20:33.620 --> 00:20:34.579
 areas of his life

00:20:34.579 --> 00:20:35.399
 to attend to,

00:20:36.980 --> 00:20:38.000
 says,

00:20:38.519 --> 00:20:40.199
 son, I would

00:20:40.199 --> 00:20:40.819
 be glad

00:20:40.819 --> 00:20:42.279
 for you to

00:20:42.279 --> 00:20:42.839
 use the vehicle.

00:20:43.339 --> 00:20:44.319
 I promise

00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:45.079
 that you can

00:20:45.079 --> 00:20:45.799
 use the vehicle

00:20:45.799 --> 00:20:47.819
 if you

00:20:47.819 --> 00:20:48.339
 clean your

00:20:48.339 --> 00:20:48.619
 room.

00:20:50.259 --> 00:20:50.899
 That's a

00:20:50.899 --> 00:20:51.359
 conditional

00:20:51.359 --> 00:20:51.939
 promise.

00:20:56.579 --> 00:20:57.460
 And what we

00:20:57.460 --> 00:20:58.220
 see going on

00:20:58.220 --> 00:20:59.059
 here in Matthew

00:20:59.059 --> 00:20:59.899
 chapter 7,

00:21:00.019 --> 00:21:00.939
 7 through 8,

00:21:01.439 --> 00:21:02.419
 are conditional

00:21:02.419 --> 00:21:03.000
 promises.

00:21:04.579 --> 00:21:05.019
 Ask.

00:21:05.939 --> 00:21:06.480
 And it will

00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:07.240
 be given to

00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:08.399
 you.

00:21:09.720 --> 00:21:10.359
 There are

00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:11.359
 three conditional

00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:12.839
 promises going

00:21:12.839 --> 00:21:13.000
 on.

00:21:13.059 --> 00:21:13.639
 Three conditions.

00:21:14.779 --> 00:21:15.579
 You may not

00:21:15.579 --> 00:21:16.259
 see them,

00:21:16.659 --> 00:21:17.419
 so I want to

00:21:17.419 --> 00:21:18.099
 draw them out

00:21:18.099 --> 00:21:18.639
 for you.

00:21:19.960 --> 00:21:20.599
 You ready?

00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:22.439
 Condition one

00:21:22.439 --> 00:21:22.879
 is this.

00:21:23.439 --> 00:21:23.980
 You've got to

00:21:23.980 --> 00:21:24.519
 be a Christian.

00:21:25.199 --> 00:21:25.859
 Condition two

00:21:25.859 --> 00:21:26.359
 is this.

00:21:26.659 --> 00:21:27.039
 You've got to

00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:27.519
 be a Christian

00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:28.240
 who's actually

00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:28.879
 asking.

00:21:29.720 --> 00:21:30.259
 And condition

00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:31.379
 three is this.

00:21:31.859 --> 00:21:32.279
 You've got to

00:21:32.279 --> 00:21:32.819
 be a Christian

00:21:32.819 --> 00:21:34.159
 who's asking

00:21:34.160 --> 00:21:35.200
 according to

00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:36.019
 God's will.

00:21:36.560 --> 00:21:37.140
 Those are the

00:21:37.140 --> 00:21:37.560
 conditions.

00:21:38.980 --> 00:21:39.400
 And God

00:21:39.400 --> 00:21:39.800
 says,

00:21:40.140 --> 00:21:40.440
 you meet

00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:41.480
 those and

00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:42.080
 I will

00:21:42.080 --> 00:21:43.040
 give you

00:21:43.040 --> 00:21:44.060
 what you're

00:21:44.060 --> 00:21:44.980
 asking for.

00:21:45.980 --> 00:21:46.519
 You're going

00:21:46.519 --> 00:21:47.200
 to find what

00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:47.519
 you're looking

00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:47.840
 for.

00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:48.440
 I'm going

00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:48.820
 to open

00:21:48.820 --> 00:21:49.279
 the way

00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:49.700
 for you

00:21:49.700 --> 00:21:50.060
 to walk

00:21:50.060 --> 00:21:50.259
 in.

00:21:51.980 --> 00:21:52.440
 Now,

00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:52.759
 I want to

00:21:52.759 --> 00:21:53.279
 help you

00:21:53.279 --> 00:21:53.620
 see that

00:21:53.620 --> 00:21:54.160
 more clearly.

00:21:54.400 --> 00:21:54.540
 So,

00:21:54.880 --> 00:21:55.600
 condition one,

00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:56.080
 you've got to

00:21:56.080 --> 00:21:56.640
 be a Christian.

00:21:57.960 --> 00:21:58.440
 If you look

00:21:58.440 --> 00:21:58.779
 at verse

00:21:58.779 --> 00:21:59.140
 seven,

00:21:59.320 --> 00:21:59.920
 ask and it

00:21:59.920 --> 00:22:00.160
 will be

00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.720
 given to

00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:02.140
 you.

00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:04.460
 Seek and

00:22:04.460 --> 00:22:05.880
 you will

00:22:05.880 --> 00:22:06.400
 find.

00:22:07.019 --> 00:22:07.759
 Knock and

00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:08.140
 the door

00:22:08.140 --> 00:22:08.519
 will be

00:22:08.519 --> 00:22:09.339
 opened unto

00:22:09.339 --> 00:22:10.960
 you.

00:22:11.640 --> 00:22:12.019
 So,

00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:12.440
 the really

00:22:12.440 --> 00:22:12.860
 important

00:22:12.860 --> 00:22:13.539
 question we

00:22:13.539 --> 00:22:13.920
 need to

00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:14.500
 answer is

00:22:14.500 --> 00:22:14.740
 this.

00:22:14.980 --> 00:22:15.480
 Who's the

00:22:15.480 --> 00:22:15.779
 you?

00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:18.700
 And that's

00:22:18.700 --> 00:22:18.960
 where you

00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:19.680
 flip back to

00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:20.519
 chapter five,

00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:21.339
 verse one.

00:22:23.960 --> 00:22:24.779
 We have the

00:22:24.779 --> 00:22:25.500
 answer to that

00:22:25.500 --> 00:22:25.920
 question.

00:22:27.120 --> 00:22:27.579
 Seeing the

00:22:27.579 --> 00:22:27.960
 crowds,

00:22:28.160 --> 00:22:28.880
 Jesus went up

00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:29.120
 on the

00:22:29.120 --> 00:22:29.760
 mountain and

00:22:29.760 --> 00:22:30.080
 when he

00:22:30.080 --> 00:22:30.760
 sat down,

00:22:31.780 --> 00:22:32.700
 his disciples

00:22:32.700 --> 00:22:33.400
 came to

00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:33.660
 him.

00:22:35.320 --> 00:22:35.920
 And he

00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:36.420
 opened his

00:22:36.420 --> 00:22:37.280
 mouth and

00:22:37.280 --> 00:22:38.400
 taught them,

00:22:39.140 --> 00:22:40.080
 his disciples.

00:22:41.520 --> 00:22:42.200
 Who's the

00:22:42.200 --> 00:22:42.500
 you?

00:22:43.840 --> 00:22:44.320
 His

00:22:44.320 --> 00:22:45.140
 disciples,

00:22:46.500 --> 00:22:47.500
 followers of

00:22:47.500 --> 00:22:47.860
 Jesus.

00:22:48.860 --> 00:22:49.620
 That's who the

00:22:49.620 --> 00:22:50.380
 promise is to.

00:22:51.020 --> 00:22:51.740
 You've got to

00:22:51.740 --> 00:22:52.320
 be a follower

00:22:52.320 --> 00:22:54.000
 of Jesus to

00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:54.640
 be certain

00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:55.860
 that God

00:22:55.860 --> 00:22:56.200
 the Father

00:22:56.200 --> 00:22:56.520
 is going to

00:22:56.520 --> 00:22:57.780
 answer your

00:22:57.780 --> 00:22:58.120
 prayers.

00:22:58.119 --> 00:22:59.159
 you've got to

00:22:59.159 --> 00:23:00.299
 be a child

00:23:00.299 --> 00:23:00.919
 of the

00:23:00.919 --> 00:23:01.379
 Father.

00:23:01.859 --> 00:23:02.299
 That's the

00:23:02.299 --> 00:23:02.879
 first condition.

00:23:03.339 --> 00:23:03.839
 The second

00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:04.619
 condition is

00:23:04.619 --> 00:23:04.939
 this.

00:23:06.379 --> 00:23:07.039
 You need to

00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:07.500
 be asking.

00:23:08.699 --> 00:23:09.319
 Did you

00:23:09.319 --> 00:23:09.619
 notice?

00:23:10.179 --> 00:23:10.739
 Ask,

00:23:11.739 --> 00:23:13.419
 and it will

00:23:13.419 --> 00:23:13.819
 be given to

00:23:13.819 --> 00:23:14.000
 you.

00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:14.959
 Seek,

00:23:15.719 --> 00:23:16.099
 and you

00:23:16.099 --> 00:23:16.459
 will find.

00:23:16.899 --> 00:23:17.359
 Knock,

00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:17.859
 and the

00:23:17.859 --> 00:23:18.079
 door will

00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:18.399
 be opened

00:23:18.399 --> 00:23:18.819
 unto you.

00:23:20.879 --> 00:23:21.859
 James says

00:23:21.859 --> 00:23:22.639
 it this way,

00:23:23.219 --> 00:23:23.699
 James 4,

00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:23.939
 2.

00:23:23.940 --> 00:23:26.000
 you have

00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:26.440
 not

00:23:26.440 --> 00:23:28.660
 because

00:23:28.660 --> 00:23:30.180
 you

00:23:30.180 --> 00:23:31.840
 ask

00:23:31.840 --> 00:23:32.420
 not.

00:23:34.900 --> 00:23:35.440
 Does

00:23:35.440 --> 00:23:36.240
 God know

00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:36.900
 our needs

00:23:36.900 --> 00:23:37.759
 before we

00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:38.220
 ask?

00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:39.400
 Absolutely.

00:23:40.320 --> 00:23:40.759
 Does,

00:23:41.019 --> 00:23:41.940
 is he able

00:23:41.940 --> 00:23:42.480
 to meet

00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:43.440
 your needs?

00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:44.140
 Oh yeah,

00:23:44.380 --> 00:23:44.740
 he's all

00:23:44.740 --> 00:23:45.140
 powerful.

00:23:45.320 --> 00:23:45.880
 He owns a

00:23:45.880 --> 00:23:46.279
 cattle on a

00:23:46.279 --> 00:23:46.500
 thousand

00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:46.680
 ills.

00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:48.299
 Does he

00:23:48.299 --> 00:23:48.779
 even want

00:23:48.779 --> 00:23:49.100
 to meet

00:23:49.100 --> 00:23:49.539
 your needs?

00:23:49.740 --> 00:23:50.160
 Oh yes,

00:23:50.200 --> 00:23:50.660
 he does.

00:23:50.660 --> 00:23:52.340
 But if

00:23:52.340 --> 00:23:52.700
 you don't

00:23:52.700 --> 00:23:53.160
 ask,

00:23:53.880 --> 00:23:54.600
 he won't

00:23:54.600 --> 00:23:54.980
 give it.

00:23:56.100 --> 00:23:56.920
 So why?

00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:57.900
 What's up

00:23:57.900 --> 00:23:58.380
 with that?

00:23:59.300 --> 00:23:59.960
 Our God,

00:24:00.040 --> 00:24:00.460
 our Father,

00:24:00.580 --> 00:24:01.040
 wants us

00:24:01.040 --> 00:24:01.900
 depending on

00:24:01.900 --> 00:24:02.140
 him.

00:24:02.900 --> 00:24:03.759
 He wants

00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:04.320
 us coming

00:24:04.320 --> 00:24:04.800
 to him.

00:24:05.620 --> 00:24:06.180
 We are

00:24:06.180 --> 00:24:06.700
 dependent

00:24:06.700 --> 00:24:07.360
 upon our

00:24:07.360 --> 00:24:07.740
 Father.

00:24:10.800 --> 00:24:11.640
 This past

00:24:11.640 --> 00:24:11.940
 week,

00:24:12.100 --> 00:24:12.900
 I have

00:24:12.900 --> 00:24:13.560
 been asking

00:24:13.560 --> 00:24:14.160
 myself the

00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:14.420
 question,

00:24:14.540 --> 00:24:14.940
 what is it

00:24:14.940 --> 00:24:15.600
 that I want

00:24:15.600 --> 00:24:16.120
 that I don't

00:24:16.120 --> 00:24:16.500
 have?

00:24:16.880 --> 00:24:17.519
 Because I'm

00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:18.040
 not asking

00:24:18.040 --> 00:24:18.500
 for it.

00:24:19.500 --> 00:24:20.120
 And I

00:24:20.120 --> 00:24:20.519
 started thinking

00:24:20.519 --> 00:24:20.920
 about our

00:24:20.920 --> 00:24:21.259
 church,

00:24:21.579 --> 00:24:21.879
 and I

00:24:21.879 --> 00:24:22.099
 started

00:24:22.099 --> 00:24:22.440
 thinking,

00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:23.500
 what is it

00:24:23.500 --> 00:24:23.900
 that I want

00:24:23.900 --> 00:24:24.119
 to see

00:24:24.119 --> 00:24:24.599
 happen that

00:24:24.599 --> 00:24:24.920
 I haven't

00:24:24.920 --> 00:24:25.339
 been asking

00:24:25.339 --> 00:24:25.660
 for?

00:24:26.599 --> 00:24:26.839
 And you

00:24:26.839 --> 00:24:27.019
 know what

00:24:27.019 --> 00:24:27.379
 it is?

00:24:28.220 --> 00:24:28.940
 That God

00:24:28.940 --> 00:24:29.420
 would add

00:24:29.420 --> 00:24:29.759
 to our

00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:31.379
 numbers by

00:24:31.379 --> 00:24:32.059
 conversions,

00:24:32.940 --> 00:24:34.440
 by people

00:24:34.440 --> 00:24:35.059
 coming to

00:24:35.059 --> 00:24:35.539
 faith in

00:24:35.539 --> 00:24:36.660
 Jesus through

00:24:36.660 --> 00:24:38.000
 our corporate

00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:38.700
 witness of

00:24:38.700 --> 00:24:39.299
 the gospel,

00:24:40.019 --> 00:24:40.339
 and they

00:24:40.339 --> 00:24:41.059
 being added

00:24:41.059 --> 00:24:41.480
 to our

00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:41.960
 numbers.

00:24:42.339 --> 00:24:42.799
 We're so

00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:43.299
 grateful for

00:24:43.299 --> 00:24:43.680
 the people

00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:44.059
 God is

00:24:44.059 --> 00:24:44.379
 bringing

00:24:44.379 --> 00:24:44.759
 here.

00:24:45.400 --> 00:24:45.779
 But we

00:24:45.779 --> 00:24:46.720
 want God

00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:47.220
 to bring

00:24:47.220 --> 00:24:48.299
 people who

00:24:48.299 --> 00:24:49.039
 have yet to

00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:49.480
 hear about

00:24:49.480 --> 00:24:49.819
 Jesus,

00:24:49.819 --> 00:24:50.319
 they hear

00:24:50.319 --> 00:24:50.899
 about Jesus

00:24:50.899 --> 00:24:51.299
 through our

00:24:51.299 --> 00:24:51.599
 witness,

00:24:51.779 --> 00:24:52.000
 and they

00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:52.460
 come to

00:24:52.460 --> 00:24:52.919
 Christ.

00:24:54.179 --> 00:24:54.639
 Oh man,

00:24:54.679 --> 00:24:55.000
 I started

00:24:55.000 --> 00:24:55.619
 praying that.

00:24:57.460 --> 00:24:58.399
 What is it

00:24:58.399 --> 00:24:58.839
 that you

00:24:58.839 --> 00:25:00.279
 want from

00:25:00.279 --> 00:25:00.799
 your Father

00:25:00.799 --> 00:25:01.679
 unto holiness

00:25:01.679 --> 00:25:02.919
 that you

00:25:02.919 --> 00:25:03.299
 don't have

00:25:03.299 --> 00:25:03.659
 because you

00:25:03.659 --> 00:25:03.960
 haven't been

00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:04.259
 asking?

00:25:05.639 --> 00:25:06.240
 Maybe it's

00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:06.619
 something with

00:25:06.619 --> 00:25:07.079
 your marriage,

00:25:07.179 --> 00:25:07.500
 maybe it's

00:25:07.500 --> 00:25:07.879
 something with

00:25:07.879 --> 00:25:08.460
 your parenting.

00:25:10.279 --> 00:25:10.980
 We have

00:25:10.980 --> 00:25:11.460
 not because

00:25:11.460 --> 00:25:11.939
 we ask

00:25:11.939 --> 00:25:12.159
 not.

00:25:12.299 --> 00:25:12.519
 That's

00:25:12.519 --> 00:25:12.839
 condition

00:25:12.839 --> 00:25:13.179
 two.

00:25:13.779 --> 00:25:14.039
 You've

00:25:14.039 --> 00:25:14.559
 got to be

00:25:14.559 --> 00:25:15.339
 a Christian

00:25:15.339 --> 00:25:15.679
 who's

00:25:15.679 --> 00:25:16.099
 asking.

00:25:16.779 --> 00:25:17.299
 Condition

00:25:17.299 --> 00:25:17.720
 three.

00:25:19.740 --> 00:25:19.980
 You've

00:25:19.980 --> 00:25:20.240
 got to be

00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:20.700
 a Christian

00:25:20.700 --> 00:25:21.039
 who's

00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:21.460
 asking

00:25:21.460 --> 00:25:22.079
 according

00:25:22.079 --> 00:25:22.899
 to God's

00:25:22.899 --> 00:25:23.159
 will.

00:25:24.359 --> 00:25:24.619
 Do you

00:25:24.619 --> 00:25:25.019
 remember

00:25:25.019 --> 00:25:25.859
 the immediate

00:25:25.859 --> 00:25:26.740
 context of

00:25:26.740 --> 00:25:27.799
 what precedes

00:25:27.799 --> 00:25:28.099
 this?

00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:30.119
 Jesus is

00:25:30.119 --> 00:25:30.619
 calling us

00:25:30.619 --> 00:25:31.240
 unto holiness.

00:25:32.839 --> 00:25:33.519
 He's calling

00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:33.940
 us to

00:25:33.940 --> 00:25:34.759
 perfection.

00:25:34.759 --> 00:25:34.879
 perfection.

00:25:37.339 --> 00:25:38.019
 And so

00:25:38.019 --> 00:25:38.379
 when he

00:25:38.379 --> 00:25:38.839
 says,

00:25:40.099 --> 00:25:42.039
 ask and

00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:42.559
 it will

00:25:42.559 --> 00:25:42.920
 be given

00:25:42.920 --> 00:25:43.359
 to you.

00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:43.980
 Seek and

00:25:43.980 --> 00:25:44.240
 you will

00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:44.579
 find.

00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:45.500
 Knock and

00:25:45.500 --> 00:25:45.980
 it will

00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:46.480
 be opened.

00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:47.099
 What's

00:25:47.099 --> 00:25:47.559
 the it?

00:25:49.920 --> 00:25:50.680
 A life

00:25:50.680 --> 00:25:51.279
 pleasing to

00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:51.660
 God.

00:25:54.059 --> 00:25:54.759
 A life

00:25:54.759 --> 00:25:55.299
 lived unto

00:25:55.299 --> 00:25:56.039
 his name.

00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:57.119
 Hallowed

00:25:57.119 --> 00:25:57.740
 be your

00:25:57.740 --> 00:25:58.059
 name.

00:25:58.480 --> 00:25:59.079
 Your kingdom

00:25:59.079 --> 00:25:59.480
 come.

00:25:59.879 --> 00:26:00.359
 Your will

00:26:00.359 --> 00:26:00.759
 be done

00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:01.099
 on earth

00:26:01.099 --> 00:26:01.539
 as it is

00:26:01.539 --> 00:26:01.920
 in heaven.

00:26:04.759 --> 00:26:05.339
 There are

00:26:05.339 --> 00:26:05.700
 some other

00:26:05.700 --> 00:26:06.460
 passages to

00:26:06.460 --> 00:26:06.960
 look at

00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:08.200
 that make

00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:08.859
 a case

00:26:08.859 --> 00:26:10.900
 for God

00:26:10.900 --> 00:26:11.900
 hearing the

00:26:11.900 --> 00:26:12.619
 prayers of

00:26:12.619 --> 00:26:13.619
 obedient sons

00:26:13.619 --> 00:26:14.220
 and daughters.

00:26:14.900 --> 00:26:15.279
 I'm just

00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:15.599
 going to turn

00:26:15.599 --> 00:26:16.019
 you to one.

00:26:16.119 --> 00:26:16.299
 If you

00:26:16.299 --> 00:26:17.019
 would turn

00:26:17.019 --> 00:26:18.059
 to 1 John

00:26:18.059 --> 00:26:18.799
 chapter 3

00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:20.039
 verse 22.

00:26:29.039 --> 00:26:29.960
 1 John

00:26:29.960 --> 00:26:30.200
 3

00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:30.619
 22

00:26:30.619 --> 00:26:31.339
 says this.

00:26:31.339 --> 00:26:34.599
 And

00:26:34.599 --> 00:26:35.199
 whatever we

00:26:35.199 --> 00:26:36.039
 ask we

00:26:36.039 --> 00:26:36.859
 receive from

00:26:36.859 --> 00:26:37.119
 him.

00:26:37.619 --> 00:26:37.939
 Well that

00:26:37.939 --> 00:26:38.659
 sounds great.

00:26:39.579 --> 00:26:40.299
 Whatever we

00:26:40.299 --> 00:26:41.439
 ask we

00:26:41.439 --> 00:26:42.159
 receive from

00:26:42.159 --> 00:26:42.419
 him.

00:26:43.259 --> 00:26:43.759
 And then

00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:44.099
 look at the

00:26:44.099 --> 00:26:44.539
 rest of the

00:26:44.539 --> 00:26:44.819
 verse.

00:26:45.799 --> 00:26:46.419
 Because we

00:26:46.419 --> 00:26:46.899
 keep his

00:26:46.899 --> 00:26:47.899
 commandments and

00:26:47.899 --> 00:26:48.279
 do what

00:26:48.279 --> 00:26:48.959
 pleases him.

00:26:50.199 --> 00:26:50.419
 Do you

00:26:50.419 --> 00:26:51.119
 know how

00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:51.579
 you can be

00:26:51.579 --> 00:26:53.399
 assured that

00:26:53.399 --> 00:26:54.019
 God is not

00:26:54.019 --> 00:26:54.500
 only hearing

00:26:54.500 --> 00:26:55.139
 your prayers

00:26:55.139 --> 00:26:56.000
 but is poised

00:26:56.000 --> 00:26:56.559
 to answer

00:26:56.559 --> 00:26:56.839
 them?

00:26:56.919 --> 00:26:57.519
 He's intending

00:26:57.519 --> 00:26:57.779
 to.

00:26:57.879 --> 00:26:58.399
 He will.

00:26:58.400 --> 00:26:58.480
 He will.

00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:01.280
 You walk in

00:27:01.280 --> 00:27:01.880
 his ways.

00:27:04.040 --> 00:27:04.740
 You walk in

00:27:04.740 --> 00:27:05.440
 obedience to

00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:05.640
 him.

00:27:06.600 --> 00:27:07.200
 We see the

00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:07.660
 very similar

00:27:07.660 --> 00:27:08.019
 thing in

00:27:08.019 --> 00:27:08.600
 John 15

00:27:08.600 --> 00:27:09.019
 7.

00:27:11.420 --> 00:27:12.080
 1 Peter

00:27:12.080 --> 00:27:12.600
 3 7

00:27:12.600 --> 00:27:13.680
 talks to

00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:14.000
 husbands.

00:27:14.100 --> 00:27:14.440
 Husbands

00:27:14.440 --> 00:27:15.120
 live with

00:27:15.120 --> 00:27:15.500
 your wives

00:27:15.500 --> 00:27:15.780
 in an

00:27:15.780 --> 00:27:16.220
 understanding

00:27:16.220 --> 00:27:16.500
 way.

00:27:16.580 --> 00:27:16.700
 And he

00:27:16.700 --> 00:27:17.120
 closes it

00:27:17.120 --> 00:27:17.560
 by saying

00:27:17.560 --> 00:27:19.259
 if you

00:27:19.259 --> 00:27:19.660
 don't your

00:27:19.660 --> 00:27:20.040
 prayers are

00:27:20.040 --> 00:27:20.320
 going to be

00:27:20.320 --> 00:27:20.580
 hindered.

00:27:24.620 --> 00:27:25.300
 So this

00:27:25.300 --> 00:27:26.400
 third condition

00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:27.240
 is a

00:27:27.240 --> 00:27:27.800
 condition in

00:27:27.800 --> 00:27:28.060
 which

00:27:28.059 --> 00:27:29.299
 if we

00:27:29.299 --> 00:27:29.679
 want to be

00:27:29.679 --> 00:27:30.159
 certain that

00:27:30.159 --> 00:27:30.440
 God is

00:27:30.440 --> 00:27:30.619
 going to

00:27:30.619 --> 00:27:31.119
 answer our

00:27:31.119 --> 00:27:31.460
 prayers,

00:27:31.619 --> 00:27:32.000
 one of the

00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:32.379
 steps that

00:27:32.379 --> 00:27:33.000
 we take is

00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:33.279
 to make

00:27:33.279 --> 00:27:33.639
 sure we're

00:27:33.639 --> 00:27:34.099
 walking in

00:27:34.099 --> 00:27:34.720
 obedience to

00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:34.879
 him.

00:27:37.859 --> 00:27:38.839
 So three

00:27:38.839 --> 00:27:39.319
 conditions.

00:27:40.700 --> 00:27:41.099
 You've got to

00:27:41.099 --> 00:27:41.619
 be a Christian,

00:27:42.059 --> 00:27:42.460
 you've got to

00:27:42.460 --> 00:27:42.919
 be a Christian

00:27:42.919 --> 00:27:43.500
 who's asking,

00:27:43.940 --> 00:27:44.339
 and you've got

00:27:44.339 --> 00:27:44.639
 to be a

00:27:44.639 --> 00:27:45.200
 Christian who's

00:27:45.200 --> 00:27:46.220
 asking according

00:27:46.220 --> 00:27:46.919
 to God's

00:27:46.919 --> 00:27:47.339
 will.

00:27:47.720 --> 00:27:48.240
 When these

00:27:48.240 --> 00:27:48.899
 are met,

00:27:49.059 --> 00:27:49.639
 you can be

00:27:49.639 --> 00:27:50.599
 fully confident

00:27:50.599 --> 00:27:52.019
 that God is

00:27:52.019 --> 00:27:52.819
 going to give

00:27:52.819 --> 00:27:53.399
 you what you're

00:27:53.399 --> 00:27:54.259
 asking for,

00:27:54.399 --> 00:27:55.399
 above and beyond

00:27:55.399 --> 00:27:56.099
 what you ask

00:27:56.099 --> 00:27:56.619
 or imagine.

00:27:58.059 --> 00:28:00.460
 So what I've

00:28:00.460 --> 00:28:01.000
 been trying to

00:28:01.000 --> 00:28:01.879
 say is these

00:28:01.879 --> 00:28:02.619
 promises are

00:28:02.619 --> 00:28:03.099
 conditional

00:28:03.099 --> 00:28:03.659
 promises.

00:28:13.519 --> 00:28:14.200
 Another way to

00:28:14.200 --> 00:28:14.700
 talk about it

00:28:14.700 --> 00:28:15.200
 is this.

00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:19.319
 When we want

00:28:19.319 --> 00:28:19.700
 what God

00:28:19.700 --> 00:28:20.119
 wants,

00:28:20.619 --> 00:28:21.500
 God's delighted

00:28:21.500 --> 00:28:22.000
 to give it.

00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:26.500
 we pray with

00:28:26.500 --> 00:28:27.059
 promise.

00:28:27.319 --> 00:28:27.539
 It's a

00:28:27.539 --> 00:28:27.880
 conditional

00:28:27.880 --> 00:28:28.460
 promise,

00:28:29.079 --> 00:28:29.559
 but it's a

00:28:29.559 --> 00:28:29.880
 promise.

00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:33.160
 The last

00:28:33.160 --> 00:28:34.420
 point is

00:28:34.420 --> 00:28:34.779
 this.

00:28:36.579 --> 00:28:37.640
 We pray

00:28:37.640 --> 00:28:39.079
 paternally.

00:28:40.119 --> 00:28:40.420
 Have you

00:28:40.420 --> 00:28:40.640
 heard the

00:28:40.640 --> 00:28:41.500
 word of your

00:28:41.500 --> 00:28:41.940
 maternal

00:28:41.940 --> 00:28:42.380
 grandmother?

00:28:42.539 --> 00:28:42.859
 You're talking

00:28:42.859 --> 00:28:43.599
 about your

00:28:43.599 --> 00:28:44.140
 grandmother on

00:28:44.140 --> 00:28:44.579
 your mother's

00:28:44.579 --> 00:28:44.799
 side.

00:28:44.900 --> 00:28:45.720
 Your paternal

00:28:45.720 --> 00:28:46.819
 grandmother is

00:28:46.819 --> 00:28:47.299
 your grandmother

00:28:47.299 --> 00:28:48.299
 on your father's

00:28:48.299 --> 00:28:48.599
 side.

00:28:48.599 --> 00:28:51.019
 paternal means

00:28:51.019 --> 00:28:52.019
 father.

00:28:52.619 --> 00:28:53.480
 It comes from a

00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:53.899
 Greek word,

00:28:54.159 --> 00:28:55.519
 pater, which

00:28:55.519 --> 00:28:56.240
 means father.

00:28:56.899 --> 00:28:57.399
 And it's the

00:28:57.399 --> 00:28:58.079
 word that's being

00:28:58.079 --> 00:28:59.319
 used in this text

00:28:59.319 --> 00:29:00.240
 in verse 11.

00:29:02.039 --> 00:29:03.139
 How much more

00:29:03.139 --> 00:29:04.799
 will your father

00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:05.919
 who is in heaven

00:29:05.919 --> 00:29:06.879
 give good things

00:29:06.879 --> 00:29:07.500
 to those who

00:29:07.500 --> 00:29:07.959
 ask?

00:29:11.259 --> 00:29:12.399
 In verses 9

00:29:12.399 --> 00:29:12.959
 through 11,

00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:15.620
 Jesus shows us

00:29:15.620 --> 00:29:17.360
 why we can be

00:29:17.360 --> 00:29:18.579
 certain that God

00:29:18.579 --> 00:29:19.400
 will follow through

00:29:19.400 --> 00:29:20.200
 on his promise.

00:29:21.539 --> 00:29:22.740
 If we are going

00:29:22.740 --> 00:29:23.559
 to him and

00:29:23.559 --> 00:29:24.660
 asking for things

00:29:24.660 --> 00:29:25.259
 that are right

00:29:25.259 --> 00:29:26.160
 along his will,

00:29:26.700 --> 00:29:27.759
 we can be

00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:29.420
 absolutely confident

00:29:29.420 --> 00:29:29.960
 that he's going

00:29:29.960 --> 00:29:30.539
 to respond.

00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:31.259
 Why?

00:29:32.420 --> 00:29:33.240
 Because of who

00:29:33.240 --> 00:29:33.680
 he is.

00:29:34.680 --> 00:29:35.640
 His character.

00:29:35.840 --> 00:29:36.039
 You see,

00:29:36.160 --> 00:29:36.840
 the case that

00:29:36.840 --> 00:29:37.600
 Jesus is making

00:29:37.600 --> 00:29:38.680
 here is ultimately

00:29:38.680 --> 00:29:40.440
 prayer is

00:29:40.440 --> 00:29:41.279
 theological.

00:29:41.279 --> 00:29:41.440
 theological.

00:29:42.859 --> 00:29:43.920
 It matters

00:29:43.920 --> 00:29:44.480
 what you think

00:29:44.480 --> 00:29:45.079
 about God.

00:29:47.960 --> 00:29:48.319
 He's,

00:29:48.839 --> 00:29:49.339
 Jesus is

00:29:49.339 --> 00:29:50.619
 grounding our

00:29:50.619 --> 00:29:51.579
 confidence in

00:29:51.579 --> 00:29:52.859
 prayer in

00:29:52.859 --> 00:29:54.579
 God's character.

00:29:55.500 --> 00:29:56.220
 The very

00:29:56.220 --> 00:29:57.200
 fatherhood

00:29:57.200 --> 00:29:59.379
 of God.

00:30:01.220 --> 00:30:02.059
 Let me just

00:30:02.059 --> 00:30:02.599
 read verses

00:30:02.599 --> 00:30:03.279
 9 through 11

00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:03.700
 for you.

00:30:03.700 --> 00:30:05.680
 Or which

00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:06.200
 one of you,

00:30:06.279 --> 00:30:06.960
 if his son

00:30:06.960 --> 00:30:07.720
 asks him

00:30:07.720 --> 00:30:08.279
 for bread,

00:30:08.340 --> 00:30:08.779
 will give him

00:30:08.779 --> 00:30:09.200
 a stone?

00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:09.759
 Or if he

00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:10.480
 asks for a

00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:10.640
 fish,

00:30:10.700 --> 00:30:11.039
 will give him

00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:11.400
 a serpent?

00:30:11.500 --> 00:30:12.039
 That's really

00:30:12.039 --> 00:30:12.380
 kind of

00:30:12.380 --> 00:30:12.680
 interesting

00:30:12.680 --> 00:30:13.220
 questions,

00:30:13.299 --> 00:30:13.559
 don't you

00:30:13.559 --> 00:30:13.740
 think?

00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:15.860
 If you

00:30:15.860 --> 00:30:16.240
 then who

00:30:16.240 --> 00:30:16.700
 are evil

00:30:16.700 --> 00:30:17.080
 know how

00:30:17.080 --> 00:30:17.400
 to give

00:30:17.400 --> 00:30:18.000
 good gifts

00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:18.360
 to your

00:30:18.360 --> 00:30:18.700
 children,

00:30:18.840 --> 00:30:19.299
 how much

00:30:19.299 --> 00:30:19.900
 more will

00:30:19.900 --> 00:30:20.440
 your father

00:30:20.440 --> 00:30:21.019
 who is in

00:30:21.019 --> 00:30:21.600
 heaven give

00:30:21.600 --> 00:30:22.140
 good gifts

00:30:22.140 --> 00:30:22.559
 to those

00:30:22.559 --> 00:30:23.100
 who ask

00:30:23.100 --> 00:30:23.340
 him?

00:30:24.600 --> 00:30:25.039
 Verses

00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:25.500
 9 through

00:30:25.500 --> 00:30:25.799
 11,

00:30:25.880 --> 00:30:26.440
 and 11 in

00:30:26.440 --> 00:30:26.840
 particular,

00:30:27.019 --> 00:30:27.440
 is a kind

00:30:27.440 --> 00:30:27.700
 of an

00:30:27.700 --> 00:30:28.100
 argument.

00:30:29.160 --> 00:30:29.799
 It's called

00:30:29.799 --> 00:30:30.519
 a how much

00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:31.720
 more argument.

00:30:31.720 --> 00:30:33.579
 Jesus is

00:30:33.579 --> 00:30:34.120
 making a

00:30:34.120 --> 00:30:34.680
 case for

00:30:34.680 --> 00:30:34.940
 you to

00:30:34.940 --> 00:30:35.279
 pray.

00:30:36.880 --> 00:30:37.319
 And a how

00:30:37.319 --> 00:30:37.799
 much more

00:30:37.799 --> 00:30:38.519
 argument goes

00:30:38.519 --> 00:30:39.160
 something like

00:30:39.160 --> 00:30:39.539
 this.

00:30:40.920 --> 00:30:41.420
 If the

00:30:41.420 --> 00:30:41.860
 Wisconsin

00:30:41.860 --> 00:30:42.380
 Badgers

00:30:42.380 --> 00:30:42.980
 defense is

00:30:42.980 --> 00:30:43.319
 one of the

00:30:43.319 --> 00:30:43.779
 top ranked

00:30:43.779 --> 00:30:44.960
 defenses without

00:30:44.960 --> 00:30:45.600
 their star

00:30:45.600 --> 00:30:46.299
 linebacker,

00:30:46.660 --> 00:30:47.600
 how much

00:30:47.600 --> 00:30:48.700
 more will

00:30:48.700 --> 00:30:49.559
 their defense

00:30:49.559 --> 00:30:50.900
 dominate when

00:30:50.900 --> 00:30:51.759
 that linebacker

00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:52.360
 is back in

00:30:52.360 --> 00:30:52.740
 the game?

00:30:53.839 --> 00:30:54.160
 Did you get

00:30:54.160 --> 00:30:54.579
 the how much

00:30:54.579 --> 00:30:55.019
 more argument?

00:30:55.779 --> 00:30:56.180
 Let me come

00:30:56.180 --> 00:30:56.400
 in at a

00:30:56.400 --> 00:30:56.779
 different angle.

00:30:59.200 --> 00:31:00.240
 If I feel

00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:01.000
 this good

00:31:01.000 --> 00:31:01.680
 having lost

00:31:01.680 --> 00:31:02.539
 five pounds,

00:31:03.019 --> 00:31:03.860
 how much

00:31:03.860 --> 00:31:04.440
 more,

00:31:04.560 --> 00:31:05.360
 how much

00:31:05.360 --> 00:31:06.120
 more wonderful

00:31:06.120 --> 00:31:06.720
 will I feel

00:31:06.720 --> 00:31:07.180
 if I lose

00:31:07.180 --> 00:31:07.480
 ten?

00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:08.880
 It's a how

00:31:08.880 --> 00:31:09.220
 much more

00:31:09.220 --> 00:31:09.500
 argument.

00:31:13.440 --> 00:31:14.220
 If we think

00:31:14.220 --> 00:31:14.779
 our times of

00:31:14.779 --> 00:31:15.259
 worship are

00:31:15.259 --> 00:31:16.000
 sweet now,

00:31:16.120 --> 00:31:16.759
 how much

00:31:16.759 --> 00:31:18.019
 more will

00:31:18.019 --> 00:31:18.560
 they be

00:31:18.560 --> 00:31:19.920
 joy-filled

00:31:19.920 --> 00:31:20.980
 when we sing

00:31:20.980 --> 00:31:21.519
 to our Savior

00:31:21.519 --> 00:31:22.420
 face-to-face?

00:31:23.320 --> 00:31:23.980
 How much

00:31:23.980 --> 00:31:24.420
 more argument?

00:31:28.220 --> 00:31:28.920
 The how

00:31:28.920 --> 00:31:29.320
 much more

00:31:29.320 --> 00:31:30.060
 argument Jesus

00:31:30.060 --> 00:31:30.820
 uses here

00:31:30.819 --> 00:31:31.480
 touches on

00:31:31.480 --> 00:31:31.939
 something that

00:31:31.939 --> 00:31:32.319
 we can all

00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:33.039
 identify with,

00:31:33.960 --> 00:31:34.779
 a father

00:31:34.779 --> 00:31:35.500
 giving gifts

00:31:35.500 --> 00:31:36.159
 to his

00:31:36.159 --> 00:31:36.480
 children.

00:31:38.339 --> 00:31:38.759
 In verses

00:31:38.759 --> 00:31:39.339
 9 and 10,

00:31:39.399 --> 00:31:39.779
 he just kind

00:31:39.779 --> 00:31:40.159
 of sets it

00:31:40.159 --> 00:31:40.319
 up.

00:31:41.079 --> 00:31:41.980
 He wants

00:31:41.980 --> 00:31:42.599
 us to

00:31:42.599 --> 00:31:43.240
 understand

00:31:43.240 --> 00:31:44.139
 that even

00:31:44.139 --> 00:31:44.559
 though we

00:31:44.559 --> 00:31:45.480
 are sinful

00:31:45.480 --> 00:31:46.179
 at the core,

00:31:46.259 --> 00:31:46.779
 we still

00:31:46.779 --> 00:31:47.500
 have this

00:31:47.500 --> 00:31:48.639
 ability to

00:31:48.639 --> 00:31:48.939
 give good

00:31:48.939 --> 00:31:49.220
 gifts.

00:31:49.639 --> 00:31:49.879
 So for

00:31:49.879 --> 00:31:50.139
 example,

00:31:50.599 --> 00:31:50.899
 he says,

00:31:51.079 --> 00:31:51.379
 which one

00:31:51.379 --> 00:31:51.980
 of you dads,

00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:52.879
 if your son

00:31:52.879 --> 00:31:53.579
 comes to you

00:31:53.579 --> 00:31:54.159
 asking for

00:31:54.159 --> 00:31:54.480
 bread,

00:31:54.579 --> 00:31:54.960
 will give

00:31:54.960 --> 00:31:55.460
 him a stone?

00:31:55.859 --> 00:31:56.240
 And back

00:31:56.240 --> 00:31:56.720
 in the day,

00:31:56.960 --> 00:31:57.960
 a stone would

00:31:57.960 --> 00:31:58.500
 look like a

00:31:58.500 --> 00:31:59.200
 little kind

00:31:59.200 --> 00:31:59.860
 loaf of

00:31:59.860 --> 00:32:00.100
 bread.

00:32:00.640 --> 00:32:01.039
 Which one

00:32:01.039 --> 00:32:01.440
 of you guys

00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:01.920
 would give

00:32:01.920 --> 00:32:03.100
 your son a

00:32:03.100 --> 00:32:03.360
 loaf of

00:32:03.360 --> 00:32:03.620
 bread,

00:32:03.880 --> 00:32:05.039
 a stone if

00:32:05.039 --> 00:32:05.480
 he asked for

00:32:05.480 --> 00:32:05.799
 a loaf of

00:32:05.799 --> 00:32:05.960
 bread?

00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:06.180
 And the

00:32:06.180 --> 00:32:06.559
 answer is

00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:07.279
 nobody would.

00:32:08.220 --> 00:32:08.799
 I don't want

00:32:08.799 --> 00:32:09.240
 my son to

00:32:09.240 --> 00:32:09.600
 break his

00:32:09.600 --> 00:32:10.100
 teeth on a

00:32:10.100 --> 00:32:10.299
 stone.

00:32:11.580 --> 00:32:12.140
 I don't want

00:32:12.140 --> 00:32:12.539
 to do that

00:32:12.539 --> 00:32:12.960
 for him.

00:32:13.900 --> 00:32:14.580
 Jesus' point,

00:32:14.700 --> 00:32:15.039
 nobody,

00:32:15.220 --> 00:32:15.660
 no father

00:32:15.660 --> 00:32:16.019
 would do

00:32:16.019 --> 00:32:16.319
 that.

00:32:18.920 --> 00:32:19.519
 Verse 10,

00:32:19.600 --> 00:32:20.140
 if your son

00:32:20.140 --> 00:32:20.860
 asks for a

00:32:20.860 --> 00:32:21.100
 fish,

00:32:21.140 --> 00:32:21.600
 you give him

00:32:21.600 --> 00:32:22.000
 a serpent.

00:32:22.340 --> 00:32:22.920
 The fish that

00:32:22.920 --> 00:32:23.640
 Jesus is probably

00:32:23.640 --> 00:32:24.259
 talking about is

00:32:24.259 --> 00:32:24.799
 an eel.

00:32:24.799 --> 00:32:26.779
 I know that

00:32:26.779 --> 00:32:27.579
 eels probably

00:32:27.579 --> 00:32:28.579
 don't appeal to

00:32:28.579 --> 00:32:29.200
 your palate.

00:32:30.359 --> 00:32:31.059
 Apparently they

00:32:31.059 --> 00:32:31.839
 did back in

00:32:31.839 --> 00:32:32.180
 the day.

00:32:34.579 --> 00:32:35.579
 What Jesus is

00:32:35.579 --> 00:32:36.119
 saying is,

00:32:36.539 --> 00:32:37.180
 which one of

00:32:37.180 --> 00:32:37.839
 you, if your

00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:38.639
 son is hungry

00:32:38.639 --> 00:32:39.539
 and asks for

00:32:39.539 --> 00:32:41.079
 a delicious

00:32:41.079 --> 00:32:41.680
 eel,

00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:44.379
 would give

00:32:44.379 --> 00:32:44.759
 him a

00:32:44.759 --> 00:32:45.539
 serpent, a

00:32:45.539 --> 00:32:46.319
 poisonous serpent

00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:46.720
 instead?

00:32:48.379 --> 00:32:49.159
 Who would do

00:32:49.159 --> 00:32:49.500
 that?

00:32:51.460 --> 00:32:52.419
 Jesus is setting

00:32:52.419 --> 00:32:53.019
 up his argument

00:32:53.019 --> 00:32:53.460
 that he's going

00:32:53.460 --> 00:32:53.839
 to make in

00:32:53.839 --> 00:32:54.279
 verse 11.

00:32:54.799 --> 00:32:57.339
 He says

00:32:57.339 --> 00:32:57.700
 this,

00:32:58.700 --> 00:32:59.460
 if you

00:32:59.460 --> 00:32:59.759
 then,

00:33:00.279 --> 00:33:01.659
 if you

00:33:01.659 --> 00:33:02.259
 then, who

00:33:02.259 --> 00:33:02.819
 are evil,

00:33:04.059 --> 00:33:04.559
 know how to

00:33:04.559 --> 00:33:05.019
 give good

00:33:05.019 --> 00:33:05.579
 gifts to

00:33:05.579 --> 00:33:06.180
 your children,

00:33:07.980 --> 00:33:09.500
 how much

00:33:09.500 --> 00:33:11.419
 more will

00:33:11.419 --> 00:33:11.940
 your Father

00:33:11.940 --> 00:33:12.460
 in Heaven

00:33:12.460 --> 00:33:13.700
 give good

00:33:13.700 --> 00:33:14.099
 gifts to

00:33:14.099 --> 00:33:14.480
 those who

00:33:14.480 --> 00:33:15.019
 ask him?

00:33:15.899 --> 00:33:17.259
 How much

00:33:17.259 --> 00:33:18.000
 more?

00:33:18.680 --> 00:33:19.099
 So this

00:33:19.099 --> 00:33:20.319
 how much

00:33:20.319 --> 00:33:20.960
 more argument

00:33:20.960 --> 00:33:21.319
 is a

00:33:21.319 --> 00:33:21.919
 comparison.

00:33:22.859 --> 00:33:23.299
 And it

00:33:23.299 --> 00:33:23.960
 makes the

00:33:23.960 --> 00:33:24.500
 point by

00:33:24.500 --> 00:33:25.119
 moving from

00:33:25.119 --> 00:33:25.640
 lesser to

00:33:25.640 --> 00:33:25.980
 greater.

00:33:26.940 --> 00:33:27.420
 And the

00:33:27.420 --> 00:33:28.279
 lesser in

00:33:28.279 --> 00:33:29.200
 this comparison

00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:30.920
 are earthly

00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:32.059
 fathers who

00:33:32.059 --> 00:33:32.700
 have sinful

00:33:32.700 --> 00:33:33.200
 natures.

00:33:33.819 --> 00:33:34.539
 We can

00:33:34.539 --> 00:33:35.039
 still give

00:33:35.039 --> 00:33:35.460
 good gifts.

00:33:35.599 --> 00:33:35.940
 I can

00:33:35.940 --> 00:33:36.420
 give some

00:33:36.420 --> 00:33:36.819
 awesome

00:33:36.819 --> 00:33:37.339
 gifts.

00:33:37.339 --> 00:33:43.500
 But I'm a

00:33:43.500 --> 00:33:44.140
 sinful man.

00:33:44.140 --> 00:33:56.820
 to JavaolУp for

00:33:56.820 --> 00:33:57.380
 troops to

00:33:57.380 --> 00:33:57.759
 Hecpetive организм.

00:33:57.759 --> 00:33:59.020
 zafe

00:33:59.019 --> 00:34:04.559
 How much more is he able to give good gifts to those who ask him?

00:34:06.420 --> 00:34:14.880
 Jesus is making a case for us to pray based upon God's posture of heart to his children.

00:34:14.880 --> 00:34:19.119
 His ability aimed at us in love.

00:34:20.219 --> 00:34:21.619
 He wants good for us.

00:34:21.619 --> 00:34:29.880
 All right, for the sake of going too far, let me just say this.

00:34:31.460 --> 00:34:33.339
 Who would give the better gift?

00:34:33.420 --> 00:34:34.059
 You tell me.

00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:43.779
 A father who is limited in his knowledge and in his ability and in his resources with a sinful nature

00:34:43.779 --> 00:34:50.799
 or a father who is unlimited in his knowledge, unlimited in his ability, unlimited in his resources,

00:34:50.800 --> 00:34:53.280
 and does not have any hindrance of sin.

00:34:53.380 --> 00:34:54.680
 Rather, he's fully holy.

00:34:55.320 --> 00:34:56.760
 Which one will give the better gift?

00:34:59.539 --> 00:35:00.019
 Amen.

00:35:02.720 --> 00:35:03.840
 Our Heavenly Father.

00:35:03.840 --> 00:35:14.600
 The good things that our Heavenly Father gives is good things unto holiness, unto godliness.

00:35:16.060 --> 00:35:17.760
 He delights in that.

00:35:18.260 --> 00:35:19.080
 He is postured.

00:35:19.079 --> 00:35:23.559
 He wants you to share in his holiness.

00:35:26.139 --> 00:35:28.159
 I used to think that holiness was boring.

00:35:30.360 --> 00:35:32.139
 And then I started to think about God.

00:35:33.599 --> 00:35:37.579
 And I started to think about how joy-filled God is.

00:35:37.940 --> 00:35:41.599
 He's the most happy person in the world, in creation.

00:35:42.799 --> 00:35:44.139
 He's also the most holy.

00:35:44.139 --> 00:35:50.059
 God wants you to delight in sharing in his holiness.

00:35:50.619 --> 00:35:55.219
 The good things that we are to ask for are things that pertain to godliness.

00:35:55.219 --> 00:36:06.239
 So we persistently and with promise persevere in this prayerful pursuit of perfection.

00:36:06.500 --> 00:36:07.299
 That's what we do.

00:36:07.300 --> 00:36:11.500
 Jesus is showing us how important theology is to prayer.

00:36:11.500 --> 00:36:15.240
 If you think God's a jerk, you're not going to want to pray to him.

00:36:15.840 --> 00:36:20.560
 If you think God is always angry with you, it's going to affect the way you pray with him.

00:36:20.780 --> 00:36:26.100
 If you think that God spoils his kids, it's going to have an effect the way you pray to him.

00:36:26.099 --> 00:36:35.980
 But if you think God is a heavenly father who gives good gifts according to his wisdom out of love for you and wanting to share in his holiness,

00:36:36.480 --> 00:36:39.119
 it's going to affect the way you pray for.

00:36:43.659 --> 00:36:45.000
 He gives good gifts.

00:36:45.000 --> 00:36:46.000
 Jesus.

00:36:46.000 --> 00:36:47.000
 Jesus.

00:36:47.000 --> 00:36:49.059
 There's one way you can really know that.

00:36:50.320 --> 00:36:54.119
 Because the greatest gift he ever gave is the guy speaking.

00:36:56.059 --> 00:36:56.800
 Jesus.

00:36:59.019 --> 00:37:05.139
 Our father sent Jesus so that we can be brought into his family.

00:37:07.280 --> 00:37:13.300
 Jesus removed our sin and gave us the right to become children of God.

00:37:15.000 --> 00:37:22.780
 This use of your father that we see in verse 11,

00:37:22.780 --> 00:37:31.440
 this is the 11th time in the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus has referenced God as either our father or your father.

00:37:32.139 --> 00:37:38.019
 Jesus wants us to know that through him, this God is our father.

00:37:38.360 --> 00:37:41.400
 In his posture towards us is goodness.

00:37:43.500 --> 00:37:44.039
 Ask him.

00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:47.920
 Ask him for things unto godliness.

00:37:48.639 --> 00:37:49.380
 Ask him.

00:37:51.780 --> 00:37:57.300
 The point of this how much more argument is to compel us to ask.

00:37:58.099 --> 00:38:02.619
 Ask our holy heavenly father and he will give.

00:38:03.519 --> 00:38:04.840
 He will give.

00:38:04.840 --> 00:38:12.280
 There's another how much more argument that I want to make right now.

00:38:13.019 --> 00:38:14.320
 It's not from Matthew.

00:38:14.539 --> 00:38:15.400
 It's from Romans.

00:38:15.780 --> 00:38:16.800
 Romans 8.32.

00:38:17.220 --> 00:38:17.880
 Listen to this.

00:38:19.760 --> 00:38:24.680
 He, our father, who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all,

00:38:24.679 --> 00:38:28.960
 how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

00:38:28.960 --> 00:38:30.379
 You hear the how much more argument?

00:38:31.059 --> 00:38:39.759
 If God gave us Jesus, how much more will he give us everything we need for life and godliness?

00:38:39.760 --> 00:38:43.740
 God wants you to share his holiness.

00:38:44.140 --> 00:38:47.320
 He wants you to enjoy his holiness.

00:38:51.140 --> 00:38:57.720
 Brothers and sisters in Christ, our heavenly father wants to give you good things.

00:38:57.719 --> 00:39:02.239
 He wants you to ask.

00:39:02.239 --> 00:39:03.359
 He wants you to seek.

00:39:03.539 --> 00:39:04.699
 He wants you to knock.

00:39:05.099 --> 00:39:10.339
 He wants you to persistently, in prayerful pursuit, ask him for things.

00:39:10.340 --> 00:39:10.460
 Jesus.

00:39:14.559 --> 00:39:17.100
 The Sermon on the Mount is a call to holiness.

00:39:18.860 --> 00:39:23.980
 And here Jesus is calling us to respond by asking our father for it.

00:39:26.120 --> 00:39:27.940
 To ask, seek, and knock for it.

00:39:30.600 --> 00:39:37.320
 Now, I can imagine that some of us in this room right now are sitting here

00:39:37.320 --> 00:39:41.940
 and you're saying something like this.

00:39:42.120 --> 00:39:42.840
 Maybe you're not.

00:39:42.960 --> 00:39:45.320
 Maybe you just, I just need to put it in your head.

00:39:47.360 --> 00:39:49.700
 You're sitting there thinking, I'm not sure if I want holiness.

00:39:51.280 --> 00:39:54.280
 I'm not sure if I want what the Sermon on the Mount calls me to.

00:39:55.340 --> 00:39:56.620
 How do you respond to that?

00:39:59.000 --> 00:40:02.780
 Ask for your father to give you a desire for it.

00:40:02.780 --> 00:40:09.580
 That God would give you a hunger and thirst for righteousness.

00:40:10.540 --> 00:40:15.260
 That you begin to see the Sermon on the Mount, not as a pileup of to-dos,

00:40:15.700 --> 00:40:20.960
 but a menu of holiness that you just want to take in.

00:40:20.960 --> 00:40:29.320
 Could you imagine if our church is praying more and more,

00:40:29.480 --> 00:40:36.199
 oh God, would you give me these good gifts so that I can be more and more like you in holiness?

00:40:36.440 --> 00:40:39.039
 What if it's more and more of us are praying that way?

00:40:39.039 --> 00:40:44.779
 I think we become more and more like him.

00:40:48.659 --> 00:40:54.739
 Now, you may be sitting here too and you're wondering if you're even a Christian.

00:40:56.820 --> 00:40:59.880
 You're wondering if you are a child of God.

00:40:59.880 --> 00:41:05.320
 Well, if these conditions are true, which I pointed you to in the second point,

00:41:06.140 --> 00:41:10.519
 you have no assurance that your prayers are heard by God on high.

00:41:12.119 --> 00:41:14.820
 But I'm here to tell you there is one prayer that he will hear.

00:41:16.700 --> 00:41:19.180
 One prayer that he will hear from a sinner.

00:41:20.539 --> 00:41:21.220
 And this is it.

00:41:22.360 --> 00:41:27.180
 It's a prayer asking God to forgive in Christ.

00:41:27.179 --> 00:41:31.219
 It's simply going to God in prayer and saying,

00:41:31.779 --> 00:41:33.940
 oh God, I recognize that I'm a sinner.

00:41:34.119 --> 00:41:37.699
 I do not measure up to anything in Matthew 5 and 6.

00:41:38.059 --> 00:41:38.539
 Nothing.

00:41:39.299 --> 00:41:41.079
 It exposes me as a sinner.

00:41:42.179 --> 00:41:43.299
 I stand condemned.

00:41:44.199 --> 00:41:46.719
 There's nothing I can do to make me right in your eyes.

00:41:49.559 --> 00:41:51.239
 And the sinner's prayer is this.

00:41:51.239 --> 00:41:55.579
 Oh Lord Jesus, I receive you as the gift you are.

00:41:55.579 --> 00:42:00.000
 Father, God's gift of salvation to me to forgive my sin

00:42:00.000 --> 00:42:03.500
 and to usher me into the family of God.

00:42:04.019 --> 00:42:06.319
 Father, would you make me a child?

00:42:09.319 --> 00:42:11.619
 When you ask God that,

00:42:12.980 --> 00:42:15.920
 he will give it to you.

00:42:17.219 --> 00:42:18.360
 He promises to you.

00:42:19.179 --> 00:42:20.239
 You can bank on that one.

00:42:20.239 --> 00:42:23.039
 So if you're not a Christian here this morning,

00:42:24.000 --> 00:42:25.299
 cry out to God.

00:42:26.519 --> 00:42:28.899
 Ask him to bring you into his family

00:42:28.899 --> 00:42:31.099
 and he promises he will.

00:42:34.500 --> 00:42:37.179
 This morning, we have this call to pray.

00:42:38.299 --> 00:42:40.679
 To ask, seek, and knock

00:42:40.679 --> 00:42:43.959
 for the good things our Holy Father alone can give.

00:42:43.960 --> 00:42:46.800
 Let's close and pray together for it.

00:42:51.940 --> 00:42:53.980
 Father in heaven, we do thank you so much

00:42:53.980 --> 00:42:56.480
 for sending Jesus on our behalf.

00:42:58.539 --> 00:43:00.840
 Father, we ask that you would give us

00:43:00.840 --> 00:43:02.720
 a hunger and thirst for holiness,

00:43:03.380 --> 00:43:06.320
 that we would want the very thing

00:43:06.320 --> 00:43:07.579
 that Jesus calls us to,

00:43:07.639 --> 00:43:10.579
 to be perfect as you, Father, are perfect.

00:43:10.579 --> 00:43:14.719
 God, we realize that we can't

00:43:14.719 --> 00:43:16.539
 manufacture that in ourselves.

00:43:17.440 --> 00:43:19.940
 But that is something that you will gladly do.

00:43:21.119 --> 00:43:23.460
 And so this morning, we come asking, Father,

00:43:24.539 --> 00:43:26.500
 we come asking that you would pour out

00:43:26.500 --> 00:43:27.860
 your grace upon us

00:43:27.860 --> 00:43:30.539
 to make us more and more like Jesus.

00:43:31.380 --> 00:43:33.639
 That we'd be like Jesus in our hearts,

00:43:33.779 --> 00:43:35.239
 in our minds, in our actions.

00:43:35.239 --> 00:43:39.599
 God, we recognize that

00:43:39.599 --> 00:43:43.319
 that we have nothing to offer unto this.

00:43:45.579 --> 00:43:47.139
 Lord Jesus, you are the vine

00:43:47.139 --> 00:43:48.139
 and we are the branches.

00:43:48.359 --> 00:43:49.679
 Apart from you, we can do nothing.

00:43:52.179 --> 00:43:53.639
 I pray, Father, you would make us

00:43:53.639 --> 00:43:54.979
 humble, dependent people

00:43:54.979 --> 00:43:57.219
 who pray out of a desperation,

00:43:58.479 --> 00:43:59.559
 a desperate longing

00:43:59.559 --> 00:44:00.919
 to be more like our God.

00:44:00.920 --> 00:44:06.440
 God, would you do a work in us?

00:44:08.300 --> 00:44:09.820
 And we ask this in the name of Jesus.

00:44:10.900 --> 00:44:11.180
 Amen.