i. Two things surprised them: the substance of his teaching, and the manner of it. And God doesn't put the pressure upon people to give because God doesn't want people to give under pressure. c. You will know them by their fruits: We guard ourselves against false prophets by taking heed to their fruits. In the Book of Tobit there is a passage in which the aged Tobias teaches his son all that is necessary for life. It was indeed a text which could be used--misused--in the interests of Jewish exclusiveness. But a lot of times you've got to hear quite a bit before they get to their bottom line and they lead you through a maze of deception as they are saying a lot of things that are true. Again, the allusion to such persons thus introduced is the more remarkable because others, worthy ones, are not named. Neither is it true, that the reason why Matthew occasionally gives the order of time, is because such is always his rule. Prayer is like knocking until the door is opened, and we seek entrance into the great heavenly palace of our Great King. Luke, on the contrary, inasmuch as he, for perfectly good and divinely given reason, changes the order, necessarily omits these words. ii. Evidently Jewish unbelief, even where there was an acknowledgment of the Messiah, turned upon this, that the Jew looked upon the Messiah purely according to what He deigns to become as the great King. God's so patient in dealing with impatient servant.When the cycle was completed and I saw the end result, I said, "Ah, isn't God wise? God did not literally grant the request, but told him that his grace should be sufficient for him. 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? If His descent be sure as the royal son of David, if His glory be above all human lineage, what was the place that He found, in fact, in His land and people? They learnt from those that cared neither for it nor for Him it concerned, but who, nevertheless, knew the letter more or less. Jesus reiterates the Golden Rule, and warns to guard against false prophets who will lead His disciples astray from living kingdom principles, into ruin. How much more will your heavenly Father which is in heaven give good things to those who ask him? It is not difficult to find this rule in Jewish teaching in its negative form; but there is no parallel to the positive form in which Jesus put it. And so He follows this method consistently in the Sermon on the Mount, declaring the principle and then amplifying the principle by illustration.So as we begin chapter seven we begin a new principle as Jesus declares now a new principle to us. In Luke 11:13 "the Holy Spirit" is mentioned, and so seems to design his gifts and graces, everything that is necessary for the spiritual and eternal good of his people: but for these things he must be inquired of, and sought after; and it is the least saints can do to ask for them; and they have encouragement enough to ask; for it is but ask and have. It's important that you have a solid, strong foundation and there are certain foundational truths of Jesus Christ, certain principles that you've got to have undergirding your Christian experience because Satan is going to attack you. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." He is not too busy to be bothered by our requests, however small or large they may be. Matthew 7:11 ESV - If you then, who are evil, know how to - Bible Gateway Now not by the fruit of what they say because much of what they say is truth and if people follow the truth, good fruit can come from the truth. But it is always possible to show men Christ; and the weakness of the Church lies not in lack of Christian arguments, but in lack of Christian lives. It is not to everyone that we can talk of everything. Christ therefore enjoins us to submit our desires to the will of God, that he may give us nothing more than he knows to be advantageous. Chapter 7 concludes the Sermon on the Mount. He is not too busy to be bothered by our requests, however small or large they may be. Ruth, too, appears Ruth, of all these women most sweet and blameless, no doubt, by the working of the divine grace in her, but still a daughter of Moab, whom the Lord forbade to enter His congregation to the tenth generation for ever. This makes the law easier to understand, but it doesnt make it any easier to obey. Thomas Gray's Elegy written in a Country Churchyard is one of the immortal poems. There are many people who believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and they may even be saying, "Lord, Lord" and they have consented to the truth but as you look at their lives they are really not doing the truth.I read the Beatitudes and I say, "Oh yes, it would be good to have this kind of an attitude. ii. The rain is going to descend, the floods are going to come ( Matthew 7:25 ). It would be perfectly possible for a man to pass an examination in Christian Ethics with the highest distinction, and yet not to be a Christian. So we are told to be aware of the false prophets because they will come in sheep's clothing. and Jesus answered and said, "I am the way, the truth and the life"( John 14:5-6 ). Now He reminds us that there are many who would try to guide us along the broad path that leads to destruction. What is the chief object of your life? There is a kind of teacher and preacher who uses his message as a setting for himself. Many have misunderstood Matthew 7:7-11 as teaching a "blank check" theology of prayer, namely, ask God for whatever you want, and he will give it to you. Zeus, the king of the gods, offered her any gift that she might choose for her mortal lover. No one has ever consistently done unto others as they would like others to do unto themselves. That's why he said, "Search me O God and know my heart" ( Psalms 139:23 ). "He who judges his neighbour favourably," they said, "will be judged favourably by God." Try me and know my thoughts and see if there is a way of wickedness; and God, you lead me in the right path. i. Thankfully, the times we ask for something as bad as a serpent without knowing, like a loving parent God often mercifully spares us the just penalty of our ignorance. We must not only ask, but knock; we must come to God's door, must ask importunately; not only pray, but plead and wrestle with God; we must seek diligently; we must continue knocking; must persevere in prayer, and in the use of means; must endure to the end in the duty. We can always come to God, our Father, and boldly ask Him for anything, trusting in His absolute goodness to give us exactly what we need. So this switch is often called the golden rule, does not really stand by itself. It touches on things to avoid like anger and adultery, and the correct way to fast and pray. And, after all, our sin is simply giving God's wonderful grace an opportunity to operate." When this rule is put positively, when we are told that we must actively do to others what we would have them do to us, a new principle enters into life, and a new attitude to our fellow-men. They seek to make merchandise of people.So watch the emphasis that a person puts upon money because, number one, God is not broke nor is he even bent. "The book," he says, "of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham." You can check these in your browser security settings. 1. It is to the same purport, yet with some addition. The knowledge of himself. Who really knows the truth about himself? It is told that there was trouble in the Church at Ecclefechan, where Thomas Carlyle's father was an elder. The word "evil" simply demonstrates the inherently superior nature of Gods care when compared to the care that a physical father gives his son. If a son asks an egg, will his father give him a scorpion? Jesus' examples are carefully chosen. No one wants to, you know, stick their neck out. How does His use of the word "hypocrite" show us the problem He is speaking against here? (Read Matthew 7:7-11) Prayer is the appointed means for obtaining what we need. But yet our Saviour was so perfect in it, that He never uttered the word "Satan" until the last daring, shameless effort to tempt Him to render to the evil one the very worship of God Himself Not till then does our Lord say, "Get thee hence, Satan.". Much more will the heavenly Father who is pure goodness give gifts that are truly good to His children who request them (cf. Returning, in due time, to the land of Israel at the death of him that reigned after Herod the Great, His parents are instructed as we are told, and turn aside into the parts of Galilee. It is Tertullian's complaint that the heretics allow all kinds of people, even the heathen, into the Lord's Supper, and by so doing, "That which is holy they will cast to the dogs, and pearls (although, to be sure, they are not real ones) to swine" (De Praescriptione 41). Almost certainly the serpent is an eel. If a son asks bread will his father mock him by offering him a stone, which looks like bread but which is impossible to eat? There is hardly anyone who has not been guilty of some grave misjudgment; there is hardly anyone who has not suffered from someone else's misjudgment. 7:24-27 So, then, everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be likened to a wise man who built his house upon the rock. But then he proclaims repentance; not here in view of deeper things, as in the gospel of Luke, but as a spiritual preparation for Messiah and the kingdom of heaven. The exception proves the rule convincingly; for in verse 10 you have, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake;" which answers to the first four. With a standard that I am judging others, that is the standard by which I will be judged. Although God is like man in mans highest and best capacity, he is also far better than man. You just shouldn't even try to share the things of God with them. i. That quarter of the land was regarded as the scene of darkness; yet was it just there that God suddenly caused light to arise. Persistent prayer does not overcome Gods stubborn reluctance; it gives glory to Him, expresses dependence upon Him, and aligns our heart more with His. People may not want to confess that, they may not want to yield to his Lordship now, they may rebel against the Lordship of Christ in their life, but there's coming a day when every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 7:1-5 Do not judge others, in order that you may not be judged; for with the standard of judgment with which you judge you will be judged; and with the measure you measure to others it will be measured to you. This means paying attention to several aspects of their life and ministry. If we are not astonished, then we probably havent really heard or understood what Jesus has said. The wise man dug deep, laid his foundation on the rock. "Everything in the waters that has not fins and scales is an abomination to you" ( Leviticus 11:12). Knock, as he that desires to enter into the house knocks at the door." The dominant note here is one of confusion; John's long trial in prison has confused him. "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Surely men do not gather grapes from thorns, and figs from thistles? Every Saturday the football terracings are full of people who are violent critics, and who would yet make a pretty poor show if they themselves were to descend to the arena. It takes you back to that. It may be that Jesus intended to convey, as many have suggested, that a generous God wants to grant our wishes if we would but tell him what they are. Two men were talking of him. And he's saying, "I say unto you. If it were locked against us we would need a burglars tools to break in, but that isnt necessary; all we must do is knock, and even if I dont have a burglars skills I can still knock I know enough to do that! Time and the storms of life will prove the strength of ones foundation, even when it is hidden. KNOWN BY THEIR FRUITS ( Matthew 7:15-20 continued). They didn't teach that way. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. (7-11) The broad and narrow way. Matthew 7:7-11, with summary - Sermon on the Mount We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. God is the final judge. They were men with no fixed abode, men who had given up everything to wander throughout the country. God will forgive. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven ( Matthew 7:21 ). . Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. God speaks, and it is done. All Jerusalem was moved, and multitudes were baptized by him in Jordan. Man, how I hate that promise. He never forgets that he is nothing more than a voice to speak for God and a channel through which God's grace can come to men.
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