Ask, Seek, Knock, and Ask Again ~ Matthew 7:7-8

Good afternoon and welcome to the Panhandle. Girl's Camp and Vacation Bible School have come and gone. Now it's on to Boy's Camp and Falls Creek Youth Camp. But today it's time to sit down together and dive into God's Word. Today our surfing takes us to Matthew 7:7-8.

Matthew 7:7–8

“Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened.”

The walk with God is a walk of prayer, a life in fellowship. And as we pray we need to understand the God to whom we are praying. It is this knowledge which under-girds our faith, because faith is not a blind wish; it is response to evidence. The more we understand God the more see Him for who He is and the more our faith is deepens. Some one once said, “It is better to have a small faith in a great God than a great faith in a small God.” And there is no god greater than or God!

Ask, Search, and Knock are in the present imperatives which means they are continuous actions. Ask, seek, and knock remind us that we are to pray actively and persistently. We should not think that, having asked once, that to ask again is wrong. Because of Matthew 6:7 ~ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words, I use to worry about this. But we are told to be persistent, in fact the progression of words “ask,” “seek,” “knock” may suggest a growing awareness of our dependence upon God.¹

Pray; pray often; make prayer your business, and be serious and earnest about it. Ask, like a traveler asks the way. Seek, like you have lost something of value. Knock, as guest desiring to enter into a friends house. Sin has shut and tries to bar the door that opens to God, against us; by prayer we knock, by prayer we are heard, and by prayer the door is open to us. Do not let prayer be your last resort, but instead your first course of action.

Matthew Henry says this in his commentary, “This is made to apply to all that pray aright; every one that asketh receiveth, whether Jew or Gentile, young or old, rich or poor, high or low, master or servant, learned or unlearned, all are alike welcome to the throne of grace, if they come in faith.”²

For those who do not have a saving relationship with Christ Jesus these words are a reminder to:

Ask: At the door of mercy; you who are destitute of all that is spiritually good, God will hear you and grace will be given to you. You have no claim on God's grace except through His mercy.

Seek: Without Christ Jesus you are lost to God, and His kingdom. Seek Christ Jesus with all your heart, and invite Him into your life as your Lord and Saviour, there can be no salvation except through Him. Through Christ Jesus you will be restored to favor as a child of God.

Knock: Be sincere in your appeal: Eternity is at hand! If you die in your sins, you will not spend eternity with God, but an eternity separated from Him.

Matthew 7:7 — “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” We must get it out of our heads that God is stingy or miserly or tight-fisted with His grace and goodness. He delights in showering us with good things—but we have to present Him with our requests.³ Prayer is always heard. Your prayers are not in vain if they are sincerely directed to God. The truth and faithfulness of our Lord, Christ Jesus is our pledged of prayer's success.—You will receive—you will find—it will be opened. “Bring Christ Jesus' word, and Christ Jesus' sacrifice with you to the throne of God, and not one of heaven’s blessings will be denied you.”⁴

Well thanks for coming by and sitting a spell. I pray our time together was helpful, and encouraging. Until next week may or Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus richly bless you and yours.

Biblesurfer

1 Augsburger, M. S., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1982). Matthew (Vol. 24, p. 18). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

2 Henry, M., & Scott, T. (1997). Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary (Mt 7:7). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems.

3 Stanley, C. F. (2005). The Charles F. Stanley life principles Bible: New King James Version (Mt 7:7). Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles.

4 Clarke, A. (2014). The Holy Bible with a Commentary and Critical Notes (New Edition, Vol. 5, p. 95). Bellingham, WA: Faithlife Corporation.