Matthew 7:7-12

The last verse in this paragraph, commonly called The Golden Rule, is the second greatest commandment in another form.  We are told to love your neighbor fulfills the Law (Rom. 13:9).  Perhaps Jesus refers to this here to sum up what He has said throughout, although certainly much of His teaching has related to the greatest commandment, to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.  It again puts an impossible command before us, a high standard.  In that regard it is well-placed after vs. 7-11.

How does this call to prayer fit in the Sermon on the Mount?  Again, Jesus has raised the bar, so to speak, on the common understanding of the Old Testament law.  Do not commit adultery, don’t even lust in your heart.  Don’t kill, don’t even be angry without a righteous cause.  Let your yes be yes and your no be no!  Love your enemy!!!

Perhaps when you heard these things your attitude was to turn off the Lord Jesus Christ.  Maybe you were respectful, acknowledging His righteousness but making it clear that you could not and would not be living in His Kingdom.  Perhaps you were not so respectful, considering Jesus to be unreasonable in His demands.

Please, if you will continue to hear Him, these words are for you.  It is in the time that we despair of a righteousness that is fit for His Kingdom that He now tells you that there is One to Whom you can turn for help. 

·        vs 7-8 urge us to ask, seek and knock because if we will we will find satisfaction.  Everyone, He says, that cries out to God in their sinful state will be heard.

·        v9-11 tell us why He knows this.  It is not because of any good in us, but it is because of the good that is in God.  He reminds us that the One we come to is our Father.  He knows what we need even better than we do because He is an omniscient Father. And He will give it to us because He is a loving and gracious and merciful Father.

Here is the situation.  We are ready to give up because Jesus has made it clear He won’t have any righteousness that does not exceed the scribes and Pharisees.  And in our pride we are thinking, “If He doesn’t like me the way I am that’s too bad.”  Jesus is saying that the Father does in fact love us.  But if we will not come to Him asking, seeking and knocking, then He will not give us or force upon us that which He knows we need.

Friend, be encouraged with these words:  For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Rom. 10:13). God already knows you have fallen short of the standard (Rom. 3:23).  He has provided for you in Christ, Who died for our sins and was raised from the dead (1 Cor. 15:3-5).  Call on the Lord today.