Ask, Seek, Knock
Matthew 7v7-8
11th April 2025
Matthew 7v7-8
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be
opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door
will be opened."
The first part of the Sermon on the mount has come to be called "the beatitudes". It opens with the words, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5v3). Following the beatitudes, Jesus informs his disciples, in Matthew 5v13-16, as ""the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world". Then, in Matthew 5v17-48, He presents us with God's ethical standards. Following that, in Matthew 6v1-18, He teaches us about charitable giving, prayer and fasting. Then, in Matthew 6v19-34, He tells us to be devoted to God and His kingdom, and not to worry about earthly matters.
Any honest person reading these words will, by the time he turns to Chapter 7, indeed feel poor in spirit. We know we're not salt and light for the world in the way God desires. We know we don't meet God's ethical standards. We know we don't give, pray or fast with the integrity God desires. We know we're not fully devoted to the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus then says, "Ask and it will be given to you".
As I've said, an honest reading of the preceding words of the Sermon on the Mount is sufficient to make us poor in spirit. The poor in spirit are blessed because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. We will mourn because of our failure to live a truly Christian life and so, Jesus promises, we will be comforted (Matthew 5v4). We will cry out to God for help - because we will know that we need it - and, surely, our poverty of spirit and broken-heartedness will cause us to approach God with meekness and so, Jesus promises, we will inherit the earth (Matthew 5v5). We who, like Isaiah, realise that all our righteousness deeds are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64v6) will hunger and thirst for righteousness and, Jesus promises, we will be filled (Matthew 5v6). But we have to ask.
Jesus says, "Ask and it will be given to you". We can find the kingdom of heaven. We can experience God's comfort. We can inherit the earth. We can be filled. That is, our hunger for righteousness can be satisfied. We can have a healthy relationship with God. But we have to ask Him.
This asking, this crying out to God for mercy, this desire to life under God's leadership, prompted by our need for comfort and righteousness, our need for God, is not an easy thing, a light thing, a momentary thing. It may take a considerable period of time of asking God to reveal the truth to us, before we can grasp the Gospel of Christ. Jesus says we should seek the kingdom of heaven. Then, He promises, we will find it. Jesus said:
John 6v37
... whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
Saying much the same thing in a different way, Jesus says, "knock and the door will be opened to you." Christians and non-Christians can sometimes feel like we're knocking on God's door but not getting any answer. Jesus promises that if we keep knocking, the door will be opened. We will be admitted to God's presence.
Jesus says, "everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." We know from reading Chapter 6 that Jesus is not talking here about asking for earthly riches. He's talking about asking, seeking, knocking at God's door, for the kingdom of heaven, forgiveness of sins, relationship with God, spiritual fulfilment. Jesus is offering us something far more important that earthly pleasures. He's offering us eternal life, if we will seek it until we find it.