Blog - The Beatitudes / Sermon on the Mount Part 7
Matthew 7:7-14 NIV
Jesus continues His sermon on the mount by exhorting His listeners to petition God for their needs – and trusting that God will hear and answer those petitions with good things. In that section, we see that He’s also talking about relationship and salvation as well as meeting our physical needs.
The ask, seek, knock progression implies that we are to continually approach God for all these things. He completes the thoughts by saying that these actions will be answered and fulfilled by God:
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
The “how much more” phrase in this next section is used to show comparison of a lesser thing with a greater truth. In our imperfection, we give good gifts to our children, so imagine the perfect gifts the Father will give us.
9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
This next verse is quoted often as the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.” Jesus makes simple what the Scribes and Pharisees had made difficult to understand and to achieve.
12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
In John 10:7, Jesus declares that He is the gate for the sheep to come in and out safely. He uses this metaphor to explain that He is the only way for salvation, safety, and spiritual life. So He encourages the listeners to enter through that narrow gate:
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Q: How can I do better as asking, seeking, and knocking in petition to our good God?
Q: How can I be more intentional in following the Lord, the narrow gate?
Prayer: Father, we ask for your Word and your Spirit to convict us, strengthen us, and help us to intentionally communicate and follow You in all things. Help us walk in the ordered steps You have laid out for us and grant us your grace, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Jesus continues His sermon on the mount by exhorting His listeners to petition God for their needs – and trusting that God will hear and answer those petitions with good things. In that section, we see that He’s also talking about relationship and salvation as well as meeting our physical needs.
The ask, seek, knock progression implies that we are to continually approach God for all these things. He completes the thoughts by saying that these actions will be answered and fulfilled by God:
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
The “how much more” phrase in this next section is used to show comparison of a lesser thing with a greater truth. In our imperfection, we give good gifts to our children, so imagine the perfect gifts the Father will give us.
9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
This next verse is quoted often as the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.” Jesus makes simple what the Scribes and Pharisees had made difficult to understand and to achieve.
12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
In John 10:7, Jesus declares that He is the gate for the sheep to come in and out safely. He uses this metaphor to explain that He is the only way for salvation, safety, and spiritual life. So He encourages the listeners to enter through that narrow gate:
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Q: How can I do better as asking, seeking, and knocking in petition to our good God?
Q: How can I be more intentional in following the Lord, the narrow gate?
Prayer: Father, we ask for your Word and your Spirit to convict us, strengthen us, and help us to intentionally communicate and follow You in all things. Help us walk in the ordered steps You have laid out for us and grant us your grace, in the name of Jesus. Amen.