FBCWest 348 | Ask Seek Knock
Recorded On: 08/11/2019
Bulletin
FBCWest
August 11, 2019
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him
must worship Him in Spirit and truth.”
“How Majestic Is Your Name”
PRAISE AND WORSHIP
SCRIPTURE READING – Psalm 9:1 & 2
“Found in You”
“Won’t Stop”
“Open Up the Heavens”
“Stay and Wait”
GIVING OF SELVES AND OUR OFFERINGS
OFFERTORY PRAYER
SPECIAL MUSIC –
By Pru Hungate
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
MESSAGE Pastor Joe
“THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF JESUS THE MESSIAH”
“The Sermon on the Mount, Part 8: Ask, Seek, Knock”
Time of Reflection
PRAYER TIME –
“Good, Good Father”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Benediction “Only Jesus”
SERMON NOTES
Matthew 7:6 Keeping holy and valuable things
Matthew 7:7 – 11 Ask, seek, knock (Remember what to
Ask, seek and knock for first)
James 1:17
James 4:1 – 3
Matthew 7:12 The Golden Rule
Scritpures
Matthew 7:6 Keeping holy and valuable things
Matthew 7:6 "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. Prayer and the Golden Rule
Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Transcript of Service
Is it go?
I can still recall, giving my first message.
It was on this platform.
An among many reasons, I was.
Intimidated by that first message.
I remember looking at the bulletin and it said.
Message from God.
So if you notice in your bulletins. We don't say message by God. I just say message.
'Cause it's kind of intimidating.
But we've been going through the sermon on the Mount which is not only a message by God, it was a message from God.
And as I shared with you the first week that we looked at this that I was going to breakdown.
The sermon.
Into multiple parts.
Because.
I knew my own limitations and that I'm certainly not Jesus and don't speak with the same authority that he had.
And I also understand who my audience is and you wouldn't wait that long for me to be concluded with a single sermon on the sermon of the Mount so we've broken it down into 7 parts. We're now in the six part.
Part of the problem with breaking it into parts is that sometimes you lose the overall context.
Of the message.
So while I'm going to be speaking on this part. I want to. I'm going to reinvigorate the context.
But the verse verse in this.
Message.
Almost needs to be if you will attach to last week's message about.
Do not judge this to be judged.
And so we kind of look at that word as a sense of Oh. I can't come to any kind of discernment or or whatever about you.
And that People tend to use.
That phrase as a sword rather than as a.
Internal inspection.
And so one of the reasons I come to conclusion that when Jesus said. Do not judge he's not talking about making discernment is this very verse.
So, in Chapter 7 verse 6 Jesus continuing on in his sermon on the Mount says this.
Do not give what is holy to dogs and do not throw your pearls before swine or they will trample them under their feet?
And turn and tear you to pieces.
Now.
Remember we're supposed to not judge and so there are those of you who are just animal People, you love your pets?
You love your pet so much that you think they're part of your family.
Some of you even think they're going to be in heaven with you and you get upset with me when I don't think so.
So I understand that you have the love, but when Jesus talks about dogs. He's not talking about your fluffy.
In their culture dogs were scavenging animal.
This comment and that's what made them unclean anything that was a scavenger would be considered unclean.
In dogs typically we have that phrase.
Don't bite the hand that feeds you.
Is often times?
Our pets are dogs will do that very same thing, but I want you to understand Jesus saying.
Don't give what is holy to dogs?
So now he's in essence, we need to discern 2 things? What is holy and who are dogs?
Dogs would, in I believe in Jesus is mine, it are those.
That have a
Antithesis a hatred from what you're presenting.
Or at least at minimum, a lack of understanding what that is so kind of give you the the doggie view.
I've told you what holy is those things that are separated unto God and so one of the things that we share is that if you have certain China that you only use on special occasion. Then, on, those special occasions that China is wholly. You set it apart so you only use it now, some of you, your paper plates or holy 'cause. Those are going times. You use those things So what I want you to understand is when Jesus?
Don't give what is holy to the dog would be the same things if you took your China?
Put the dog food in it, and then set it before the dog. The dogs not gonna go Oh wait a minute. I'm not worthy to eat in this Special Bowl.
This this is this is too valuable for me to eat so I'll sit here and wait for you to place it in another bowl.
No, he's gonna eat it, he doesn't discern that that special bowl that you put out his holy.
He lacks that discernment.
And I know that he says if you cast those things that are valuable your pearls and I don't think that it's.
By accident that Jesus uses the term pearls because he also gives a lesson about a person who discovered a Pearl of great price finds it then goes back. It sells everything that he has so that he can buy the land to acquire that so I believe that Jesus talked about is those heavenly things when you don't cast those before swine, which again or unclean animals.
Who will eat and devour anything? And when a Pearl? There's no discernment it doesn't so it's going to turn on you 'cause this wine eat anything, it eat flop. It will even eat its own children.
And so he saying Don't give what is valuable don't give what is holy?
So how do we turn that into People?
A person.
Who is so anti God?
Is one that you say?
I'm not going to give what is holy?
I'm not gonna give what is valuable now this still takes discernment?
I give one extreme.
When Jesus was teaching the Pharisees and scribes the following minute listen, but they were never interested in the truth.
They were looking at ways to oppose them and to condemn him.
And therefore what he did was he started teaching imparable.
He didn't stop teaching he started teaching in Parables, so that the Pharisees would not understand what he was doing.
And most of the time his own disciples didn't understand what he's saying So what he would do is he would teach them what the parable meant.
Which is very good because I've?
There have been a number of times when Jesus say here's the parable.
And this is what it means and then somebody will tell me what the parable means.
Which is different than what Jesus said it meant?
I'm going Jesus, one who gave the parable, he gave the interpretation. I'm going with him.
And so there are those People who are so hostile to God.
That you're wasting your time.
Continuing.
To try to convince them of the golf.
However, again, you need to be discerning because sometimes People are hostile to God.
Or don't believe that there's a God.
Not because they don't believe that there's a God, but because they're mad.
Because something bad happens in their life.
Or something devastating happen and they blame God.
And if that's the case you need to understand that so you can get to the heart of the problem.
But those who are there who are just?
Anti God.
We move on.
Part of the problem was doing social ministry.
Is we?
We'll put our messages out.
On Facebook in the Internet.
And we did a promotion one time.
And we got.
Back to comment.
That I can't repeat.
There's one hopefully will put this back on the Internet and 2:00.
Their children here, but one of the one of the war started with an app.
Going wow.
That's pretty hostile.
For what we did.
Now I can talk to this guy and say.
Why do you hate us and God this much?
Is it because your mad at God or because you're you're so evangelistic in your?
In your atheism that you hold this hostel, so it's again. It's those types of things that we need to determine.
Who were wasting our time or not and just because somebody is hostile to the gospel doesn't necessarily automatically make them.
A dog Orthwein, you need to find out.
But then once were discerned that.
Walk away.
And I know you think that's difficult and hard but guess what we're not the ones that does the saving anyway. We're simply the plant seeds and go on?
And now Jesus comes to another part in his sermon on the Mount.
That almost everybody looked at this as the discussion on prayer.
I have a slightly different view.
I believe it's a discussion on prayer, but not prayer generally. I think it has to do with prayer specifically in a particular area of our lives.
Why do I think that?
Because when Jesus started his ministry, he started preaching and he preached the same message that John the baptizer did.
That the Kingdom of God is at hand.
When he started.
Them Thurman on the map.
He said, Blessid are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. He starts out talking about the Kingdom of Heaven when he talks about prayer and these sample prayer that we often times called the Lord's prayer, he says.
May your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven when he talks about other things. He says when there's anxiety and worries. He says seek first. The Kingdom of God and his righteousness and then all these things will be added to Jesus throughout his sermon his context. His theme is the Kingdom of God.
And So what I think he's talking about here is when it comes to prayer. The Kingdom of God, so he says this ask.
And it will be given to you seek and you will find knock and it will be open to you, or everyone who receives glass received and he who seeks fines into him who knocks it will be opened.
So when you look at most of the commentaries and what most of their saying well. This is prayer that you need to pray that you need to be consistent and you need to be determined and so you ask and you see and you knock.
And I think what Jesus is saying.
Seke 1st.
The Kingdom of God.
Ask for it.
Seek or it.
Knock for it be consistent seeking God and his Kingdom an *** signal.
Brothers they know it's
Prayer in general.
And as such, they think well whatever you ask for you get.
Whenever you see for you get.
Whatever you knock before you get as long as you're consistent.
Determine.
And then since their view of the scriptures is God is the Great Santa Claus in the Sky and he's going to give all the gifts that you want.
But Jesus says this.
Or what man is there among you.
Who win his son asked for a loaf will give him a stone or we ask for a fish will give him a snake.
Will he if you then being evil know? How to give good gifts to your children? How much more will your father? Who is in heaven give you what is good to those who ask him?
The best way I can kind of describe this.
Is because again most of us think well if I asked? I asked I asked God is going to give it to me.
Jesus says.
Were evil People? But even evil People give good gifts to their children?
And so for instance.
Nobody in this room.
But I know.
Can afford to give their child in Maserati?
But let's say that's why I'm going to use a Maserati because then you won't feel like I'm picking on you.
So, your child, who just turned 16 and just got their drivers licenses.
Mom dad I want a Maserati.
But you barely passed your test.
You can't you can't drive a pintle.
But I wanna Maserati.
But don't you understand a Maserati takes great skill to drive.
And I love you so much. I don't want you to rap the Maserati around a tree.
I can afford a new one, but I care more about you than the Maserati.
So I will give you the safest car. I can find whatever you know Volvo. Whatever you think is the safe car, we say. I want to buy you that car because it's a safe car. It's one you're capable of driving and so we give the gift of the children because we know who are children are and we know what their capabilities are.
But somehow when it comes to goddess don't know God is going to give me a Maserati.
He gives good?
Not just that are purple and so in case I'm wrong.
The Jesus isn't talking about.
Asking.
About the Kingdom and I don't think I am 'cause even David in his.
Falling away from God when he said he said.
Lord create in me a clean heart.
You didn't say God I'm going to turn over a new leaf. He goes no no God. Give me a clean heart, he at.
Where to seek birth, the Kingdom of God or to seek it?
Find it in Word, and AC and be consistent because that's the 1st and foremost thing we should do.
But in case I'm wrong.
And it's about prayer in general. I want you to take we want to take a look at prayer.
And what James has to say about it.
And James chapter one.
For 17 it says this.
Every good thing given.
And every perfect gift is from above coming down from the father of lights with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
Everything that we receive every good gift every good thing comes from God.
And we should acknowledge that.
The good things that happen, the good gift.
Or from God.
And then James.
Really hits us between the eyes.
Because I've asked out a number of times how come I can't be rich.
Now, when you take a look at the general population of the world I am.
I live far above.
The vast majority of People who are on this earth so in reality. I am but I'm thinking about richest as it compares to my society.
How come God I can't have a 32 room?
Mansion with 17 bathrooms an Olympic size pool and servant? How come I can't have these things I mean, I'll be good.
How come I can't win the lottery I'll give you 90 percent?
That's going I don't need your 90percent.
I have everything I already need.
No James.
What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?
Is it not the source of your pleasures?
That wage war in your members.
You lost and do not have so you commit murder. Now again murdered doesn't necessarily mean that you killed somebody physically it can mean you said some really mean things to People.
You're envious and cannot obtain.
So you fight.
And quarrel.
You do not have because you do not ask well God. I did ask you to be rich.
I've even knocked.
You have.
And do not receive.
Because you ask with wrong motives.
So that you may spend it on your pleasures.
So when you hear People say, Well, all you gotta ask God and I'll give it to you.
We also need to remember what are our motives.
Ann.
Will becoming rich into our societies?
View.
Bring us closer or further away from God.
In the scriptures seem to indicate the more wealthy and powerful the Kings of Israel were the more they got away from it.
That's why Jesus in his sample prayers. This Lord give us this day. Our Daily Bread so that we're always dependent on him.
So I think when Jesus is talking about asking and seeking and knocking that he's talking about.
The Kingdom.
If that's the first priority that we should have to seek first. The Kingdom of God that that's what we should be asking about that's what we should be seeking about and that's what we should be knocking on.
And then Jesus.
In this portion.
As one other.
I think we're going to talk talk on.
This verse 12.
It's called generally the Golden rule.
I'm going to read it. It says, and everything, therefore treat People the same way you want them to treat you.
Or this is the law and the prophets.
Now, most of us doesn't don't have historical perspective.
But there are those and there right there was a Jesus didn't come up with this. This is an original to Jesus?
I have a flight disagreement with them.
I'll tell you what that is in just a moment.
There was that Rabbi asked by some gentiles.
Before Jesus ever came on the scene.
And they ask him.
Give give us a simple statement of the law and the prophets.
And this Rabbi said.
Do not do that which is hateful to you.
To someone else.
So, in essence.
He came up with the Golden rule in the negative.
Don't do what you don't want to have done to others.
Jesus I believe does it does more than just say.
Positive he doesn't, they don't do something he says do.
How you want to be done too?
It's not just a reversal.
Is far more impactful? Let me give you an example?
In our society.
Bullying is a problem.
And so under the rabbis view you would say.
If you don't want to be bullied don't bully.
It's a refrain from doing bad things to other People.
Jesus isn't saying.
Just refrain from doing bad things to other People. Jesus the same do good things to other People.
Be proactive so instead of thing if you don't want to be bullied don't bully Jesus say if you want a friend be a friend.
If you want kindness give kindness.
It's positive but it's proactive were to do things.
We're not the refrain from things.
And all too often, we try to tell People what not to do.
Rather than who to be.
In our God.
Is one who does Bora?
He doesn't simply restrain from.
He does good to us.
Jesus loves us not because he expects us to love him back.
But because that's who he is.
So we are to do good to others not. We hope that they do back but notice Jesus didn't say.
Do good.
As you want to be treated but if they don't treat you that way you can do anything you want.
Jesus treat People the way you want to be treated even if they don't treat you that way.
'Cause they did 3 Jesus that way.
Jesus taught about love all the fairest, he could do a figure out a way to kill him.
Jesus says father forgive them, they don't know what they're doing, they still have pound in the nail.
These called us.
Do good.
2 others.
And he's not going as well. Here's a list of.
Bunch of things we ought to do or don't do, he saying.
I got a bigger list.
How do you want to be treated?
And that's a really long list.
We usually want to be treated.
With respect.
Dignity.
And love.
And kindness.
Value.
Friendship.
And on and on and on.
Jesus says if those are the ways you want to be treated then treat People those way it's a Golden rule.
But if the rule.
That we don't need to read somewhere.
What's on your heart?
Free People that way.
And this.
Is the law?
And the profit.
John tells us.
How can you say you love God if you hate your brother?
Jesus is giving us the way to say how is it that I treat?
My fellow
Member.
Do I treat them the way that I want to be treated or not?
If the answer is I don't.
This impression that it needs to be done.
Say Well, I've been successful here, but I'm struggling here.
Ah see knock.
Just as Jesus started his sermon on the Mount.
With those.
Who are in and see the Kingdom of God and those who are called the children of God?
Jesus the thing.
You can look.
And see how you are.
And determined
Who you are?
In our God.
As Jesus says is a good father.
He gives us good gifts.
We as parents try our best to be good parents to our children and sometimes we fail and sometimes because of our lack of understanding. We give a gift that may be detrimental.
But God.
No.
Every.
And God knows was beneficial for us and what's not?
He doesn't withhold good gift.
He gives them.
To his children.
And Jesus Ultimate is staying in the sermon on the Mount.
Don't be so concerned about what you have.
But who you are.
We are.
The children.
The ever lasting loving.
Eternal golf.
Who for some reason because of who he is?
Has decided to love you and me?
He's a good.
Good father.
And all God's People said.