The Sermon on the Mount: Asking, Seeking, Knocking: The heart of the Father

In the nineteenth of his series on the Sermon on the Mount, Pastor Shane looks at the good gifts that the Father knows we need, rather than what we want. Click here for the recording of this 7/20/25 Service, and you can fast-forward to 28:37 to get to the start of the sermon.

Our text comes from Matthew Chapter 7.7-12

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what person is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 So if you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

12 In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

Introduction

• Because of the fall, all of us, at our core, are selfish

• Sanctification is a lifelong process of pushing back against our inherent selfishness; taking off the old man, and putting on the new man

• If we are not careful, we take this self centeredness into our reading of Scripture, looking for what we can get

• That is why I find the prosperity gospel so offensive- it treats scripture as a guaranteed lottery

v7

• Ask and it will be given to you
  Will you be given the thing you ask for?

• Seek and you will find
  Will you find what it is that you are seeking?

• Knock and it will be opened to you
  Will you get ingress to the area you wish for?

• On its face, this appears to be a guarantee that we get whatever we want

v8

• Everyone who

  • Asks, receives

  • The one who seeks, finds

  • To the one who knocks, it will be opened

• Caveat- this entire passage is based on the character and knowledge of the father, and not the child

V9-10

• This verse shows the benevolent nature of a father, who

  • When his son asks for bread, does not give him a stone

  • When his son asks for a fish, does not give him a snake

• The reaction of the father, and his gifts, is a manifestation of his inherent goodness and love for his child

v11

• If you, who despite being evil (poneros- of negative moral quality) know how to give good gifts, to your children,

• How much more will your heavenly father give good gifts to those who seek him

• Are you seeking the gift, or the giver of the gift?

v12

• In all your dealings with people

  • Treat them

  • The way you want them to treat you

• Because this is what scripture dictates (the Law and the Prophets)

Practical application

1. What is your god picture?  (don’t confuse your heavenly father with your earthly father)

2. What you ask for, and what he gives you, may be vastly different

3. Are you a consumer, or a seeker of the Father?

4. His gift(s) to you are based on what he knows is best for you rather than what you want

5. We are to treat people the way we would want to be treated in similar circumstances