First Baptist Church Litchfield
chapel 2/11

      • Proverbs 1:1ESV

  • A Cheerful Heart
  • Light Of The World (John 8:12)

      • Matthew 7:7–12ESV

  • Make Me Wise
  • Grace (La-De-Da) (Ephesians 2:8)

  • “Just Give Me the Answer”

    Imagine your are sitting at the kitchen table late at night. Your homework is open. Your pencil is down. The problem isn’t impossible, but it is hard. After a few minutes, you call out, “Dad, can you just tell me the answer?”
    Parents may not immediately give the answer. Why? Well, because sometimes waiting is a loving way to help their child to grow and to learn how to think, how to struggle, how to persevere.
    But let’s be honest. When we are tired, stressed, or overwhelmed, persistence can feel irritating. And if we are not careful, we begin to imagine God responding to our prayers the same way. We picture Him sighing from heaven and saying, “Do you think I’m just going to hand over the solution?”
    Some of you do not pray because you do not know how to pray. Jesus taught us how to pray chapter 6. But some of you have stopped praying because you don’t believe God is listening, or maybe you quietly believe God is tired of hearing from you.
    Jesus speaks directly to your unbelief in Matthew 7. He says,
    “7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:7–11

    Jesus teaches that persistent prayer flows from trusting God as a good Father who delights in His children and faithfully gives what they truly need.

    Setting the Scene: Life in God’s Kingdom

    Matthew 7:7–11 comes near the end of the Sermon on the Mount. For weeks, Jesus has been teaching us what life looks like for people who belong to God’s kingdom. Jesus has been teaching us how redeemed people live because they already know they are loved by the Father.
    Once again, Jesus turns to prayer. This time it is not how to pray or our posture in prayer, but how persistent prayers from children who trust their Father are not only heard, but enjoyed.

    Point 1: Your Good Father Welcomes Persistent Prayer

    “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
    Jesus gives three commands: ask, seek, and knock. In the original language, these are continuous actions. Jesus is saying, “Keep asking. Keep seeking. Keep knocking.”
    There is a growing intensity here. Asking is verbal. Seeking involves movement and effort. Knocking implies a closed door that cannot be opened without help.
    Think of a young child who wakes up at night after a bad dream. They do not sit quietly hoping their parents will notice. They call out. They walk down the hall. They knock. And they keep knocking because they trust who is on the other side of the door. Jesus says this is how we pray.
    But maybe you wonder, “What if God get’s annoyed with my persistent praying? What if he finally says, “Enough already!”’ That way of thinking about prayer is simply not true. Jesus corrects that way of thinking. The Bible says,
    Proverbs 15:8 says, “The prayer of the upright is His delight.”
    God does not tolerate prayer. He delights in it. That is why Jesus says keep asking, keep seeking, and don’t stop knocking. God loves it when you pray to him with this kind of intensity.
    George Müller was man who deeply love and trusted Jesus, so much so, that he made a commitment to only ask God for his needs to be met. He started an orphanage for children in Bristol England in the 1800’s. There were times when they had no food to eat, but Müller beloved God, and would pray to Him over and over agin. And over and over again, God would answer his prayer.
    George Müller once said, “It is not enough to begin to pray, nor to pray correctly. We must patiently, believingly continue in prayer until we obtain an answer.”
    Persistent prayer is not about wearing God down. It is about trusting God’s heart. But if God already knows what we need, why does He want us to keep praying?

    Point 2: Your Good Father Loves to Give Good Gifts

    “What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?”(Matthew 7:9–11)
    Jesus uses a simple picture. If a child asks for food, no loving parent responds by being mean to them. Even sinful parents know how to give good gifts.
    Then Jesus says something humbling. He calls us “evil.” He is not insulting us. He is diagnosing us. Sin has affected every part of us, including how we love. And yet, even imperfect parents still want good for their children.
    Jesus then makes a lesser-to-greater argument. If flawed parents give good gifts, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?
    This raises an important question. What are the “good things” God promises to give?
    Earlier in the sermon, Jesus answered that question.
    Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
    The good gifts are not always what we want most, but they are always what we need most to follow Christ faithfully.
    God may give provision. He may give wisdom. He may give patience, forgiveness, endurance, or self-control. Sometimes He gives comfort. Sometimes He gives courage instead of comfort.
    In our fallen nature we often define “good” as easy, fast, or comfortable. God defines “good” as what draws us closer to Him.
    As Augustine famously said, “God gives not what we think is good, but what He knows is good.”
    But how can we be sure God will actually follow through?

    Point 3: Your Good Father Always Keeps His Promises

    “Your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:11)
    Jesus calls God “your Father in heaven.” That phrase matters. It is the same way Jesus described God in the Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6:9). God is not only loving and approachable. He is powerful. He is not only kind. He is sovereign.
    When God promises to answer prayer, He is not hoping He can. He is able.
    Throughout the Bible, God hears the cries of His people. In Exodus, He hears Israel’s groaning and comes down to rescue them with mighty plagues. God showed himself so powerful that not only did God’s people leave Egypt with riches, but God destoryed Phaorah’s army in the Red Sea.
    When the Assyrian army, led by Sennacherib, surrounded Jerusalem and threatened to destroy it, Hezekiah responded with persistent prayer.
    Instead of trusting in military strength, political alliances, or pride, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord (2 Kings 19:1).
    He humbled himself before God.
    Then he took the threatening letter from Sennacherib and spread it before the Lord in prayer (2 Kings 19:14). He prayed:
    “O Lord our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone.” (2 Kings 19:19)
    And what happened? That night, the Lord sent His angel, and 185,000 Assyrian soldiers were struck down (2 Kings 19:35). The mighty army that terrified Judah was defeated by prayer and the sovereign power of God.
    Ultimately, God answers humanity’s greatest need by sending His Son, Jesus Christ. In the fullness of time, “God sent forth his Son, born of woman” (Galatians 4:4). The eternal Word “became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Though tempted in every respect as we are, He was “without sin” (Hebrews 4:15), and “committed no sin” (1 Peter 2:22). Jesus lived the perfect life we have failed to live.
    Then He went to the cross for us. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24), for “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). On the third day, “God raised him up” (Acts 2:24); He “was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:25). The Father publicly declared that the Son’s sacrifice was sufficient.
    Now the risen Christ is seated “at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3), and He graciously invites sinners to come. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). In Him there is full forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and eternal life.
    Romans tells us that if God did not spare His own Son, He will not withhold what is truly good (Romans 8:32). Jesus is the ultimate gift. His life, death, and resurrection open the door for us to approach God as forgiven children.
    This is where the gospel becomes very important to you prayer life. Prayer only works because Jesus made peace between God and sinners. We do not knock on God’s door as strangers. We come as sons and daughters.
    If you have never trusted Christ, Jesus invites you today. Ask for forgiveness. Seek His grace. Knock on the door of mercy. God promises to answer.

    What Does Persistent Prayer Look Like in Your Life?

    If Jesus is telling the truth, and He is, then prayer is not something we do to convince God to care. Prayer is how we live as children who already know He does. When you begin to see God as a good Father who delights in you, it changes where, when, and how you pray.

    At School: Praying Through Pressure and Decisions

    School life is full of pressure. Tests, homework, friendships, group projects, tryouts, and peer pressure all compete for your attention and energy. Jesus is not telling you to pray so that you always get an A or make the team. He is inviting you to pray so your heart learns to trust God in the middle of pressure.
    The apostle Paul writes, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). Notice he says everything. That includes quizzes, presentations, awkward conversations, and moments when you feel overwhelmed.
    Prayer at school teaches you that your value is not measured by grades, popularity, or performance. God uses prayer to shape your heart to depend on Him rather than yourself. As Proverbs reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).

    At Home: Praying Honestly About Your Heart

    Home is often where your truest fears and frustrations surface. You may feel misunderstood, stressed, or tired. Some of you carry worries about your family, your mom and day, your next meal, or friends in your neighborhood
    God does not ask you to clean yourself up before you pray. Scripture says, “Cast all your cares on him, because he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7). That word all means exactly what it says. God invites your honesty.
    The Psalms show us this kind of prayer. David cries out to God in fear, confusion, anger, and hope. These are called Psalms of lament. God does not rebuke David for honesty. He welcomes it. Prayer at home reminds you that God is near, even when life feels messy.

    In the Church: Praying Beyond Yourself

    Jesus never teaches us to pray only for ourselves. In fact, He teaches us to say, “Our Father,” not “My Father” (Matthew 6:9). Prayer connects us to God and to one another.
    Scripture calls us to pray for leaders and spiritual shepherds. Hebrews 13:18 urges believers to pray for those who lead them. Pray for your pastors, teachers, and school leaders, that God would protect their integrity, strengthen their faith, and give them wisdom.
    Pray also for your classmates and friends, especially those who do not yet know Christ. Paul says God desires all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:1–4). Persistent prayer shapes your heart to care about what God cares about.

    Don’t Be Discouraged When Prayer Feels Slow or Silent

    Some of you have prayed for the same thing again and again, and it feels like nothing is happening. That can be discouraging. Jesus knows this, and that is exactly why He tells you to keep asking, seeking, and knocking.
    Silence does not mean God is rejecting you. Making you wait is not cruel and it does not mean God has abandoned you. Isaiah reminds us, “Those who wait for the Lord will renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31). God often uses waiting to deepen trust and strengthen faith.
    Romans 8:26 tells us that even when we do not know what to pray, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. God is working even when you cannot see it.

    Grace-Fueled Persistence

    What I love about Jesus and how he helps me pray is I do not pray to earn God’s attention. I pray because I already have it, and so does everyone who loves Jesus!
    Because of Jesus, you are heard. Because of Jesus, you are welcomed. Because of Jesus, you are never praying alone.
    Grace fuels persistent prayer. The more you believe God is a good Father, the more you will return to Him, respect Him, and trust Him with your life.

    Knocking on the Right Door

    While sitting at the kitchen table you eventually realize something. Your mom or dad wasn’t withholding the answer out of annoyance. They were with you the entire time.
    Jesus assures us that God is never absent, never irritated, never dismissive. He is a good Father who delights in His children coming to Him again and again.
    So ask. So seek. So knock.
    And trust that on the other side of the door stands a Father who loves you, gave His Son for you, and always keeps His promises.

      • Matthew 7:7–11ESV

      • Matthew 7:7–11ESV

  • Empowered by the Spirit, Guided by the Word

      • 1 Timothy 6:15–16ESV

First Baptist Church Litchfield
pastorjason.fbcl@gmail.com
217-324-4232
http://www.firstbaptistlitchfield.org/
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