Scripture Passage

Matthew 7:7-11

 

 

Sermon

Prayer is a gift from God, but many of us do not pray. Why is that? We all know, somehow, prayer is a gift from God, but many of us do not actually pray. Why is that? Because we have misunderstandings about prayer. We have misunderstood the whole dynamic of prayer, the whole theology of prayer. And that’s why we do not pray. For example, when we hear what Jesus had to say in today’s text, we may become skeptical and have a wrong picture of God. Why did I say this? Because some of us may ask, why do we have to pray to God at all? Isn’t it God who knows everything, but then why do we bother to pray to God? My answer is yes and no. Just stay with me. If God knows everything. And if God knows what our needs are, then why do we have to pray? The argument seems to have all the right reasons. Furthermore, today’s text seems to discourage people to pray with the same reason. If God knows our needs, why do we have to pray?

Submitting Ourselves to God

Let’s read the verses nine to eleven one more time. “Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?” We can agree to the first part that parents would give anything to their children. Who will not give bread when their children ask for it? But we become a little hesitant when we reach the last part, “How much will your father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?”

So does it mean that we still have to ask for bread? God’s gifts are dependent on our asking? Just stay with me a little more, okay? The reason why God’s giving depends on our asking is neither because he is ignorant until we inform him, nor because he’s reluctant until we persuade him. The real question is, my friends, not whether God is ready to give, but whether, we are ready to receive. Let me tell you once again, okay? The real question is, not whether God is ready to give, but whether we are ready to receive. In this sense, God’s gifts are dependent on our asking. So when we pray, we are not trying to control our God to give us something, but to submit ourselves to God, to receive God’s gifts, that’s a big difference.

You know, the story of Jacob at Java river, right? It’s a very famous story in the old Testament. The Bible says, “Jacob wrestled with the angel of God, and Jacob prevailed on him.” That’s why he received a new name, Israel. The meaning is the one who wrestles with God. But what actually happened was different. God prevailed over Jacob, bringing him to the point of surrender, when he was able to receive the blessing, which God had been wanting to give him all this time. God struck Jacob on the hip socket so that God could give his blessings to Jacob. So, our God never spoils his children. God does not shower us with gifts, whether we want them or not. God does not shower us with gifts, whether we are ready for them or not. God waits until we recognize our need, and turn ourselves to him in humility. James, in the new Testament, says something very relevant to what have I been telling you. From James chapter four, verses two to three, it goes like this, “You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

God who Gives Us only Good Things

So, my friends, God’s gifts are dependent on our asking. There’s another misunderstanding about prayer. So I want to explore it with you. People say prayer is unnecessary. Why? Because God gives to many who do not ask. And God fails to give to many who pray. And they come to this conclusion: prayer is unnecessary or unproductive. People say, “I prayed to pass an exam, but failed it. I pray to be healed of an illness, but it got worse.” Does it sound familiar? My friends, we need to understand that the promises of Jesus in today’s text are not unconditional. When Jesus said knock and the door will be open for you. It is not unconditional. It is not like saying, “Open sesame!” to every closed door. If so, prayer will be like a magic wand, granting every wish we may have. Do we really want our prayers to be like a magic wand? No, I hope not. But if so, we become like a magician, like Aladdin.

And we make God turn into a Genie. And Hannah saw this picture and she loved it. Hannah, as Bob Kim’s daughter. My friends, you do not know what you’re asking for. I found one place in today’s text, that could be a key to solve this problem. There are good things in verse 11. Let me read it for you. “If you then who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?” Our heavenly father gives only good gifts to his children. Amen. Only our heavenly father knows which gifts are good and which are not. Amen. Jesus said human parents will never give a stone or a snake to their children who ask for bread or fish. But what if, what if the children ask the very opposite from their parents? Would the parents give stones and snakes to them? What do you think? As a parent, I am guilty of doing that. My sons have asked me, “Appa, I need a PS4, I need to upgrade my iPhone.”

But actually, we bought it. But our God, heavenly Father, would never give us something harmful. Even if we ask for it urgently and repeatedly because our God gives his children only good things. So, my friends, we must thank God, even when our prayers are not answered. Can we do that? Can we trust in God’s faithfulness and goodness? When we pray, when we ask, knock, and seek, our prayer topics will be changed. That’s the secret, just kneel down before God and pray, but God changes us.

Asking, Seeking, and Knocking without Hesitancy

Some scholars say, when you want to pray, you must have some knowledge of God. We have to know God’s will so that we can pray to God. I don’t agree with them. Some scholars say, prayer presupposes faith. It is one thing to know God’s will, it is another to humble. It is another thing to express our confidence in God. But I don’t agree with that. The teachings of Jesus found in Matthew, chapters five to seven, are called, “The Sermon on the Mount”, and today’s text is part of it. And Jesus’ teachings are very straightforward there. For example, Jesus said this, “Love your enemies,” in Matthew 5:44. Then we just have to follow his instructions. No need to make any arguments or excuses, but just love your enemies. In order to obey Jesus’ teachings, we need to prevail on ourselves, to submit ourselves to that truth, that teaching. Do I sound extreme?

No, my friends, unless we strive to obey to that point, we will never go deeper or move into another level of spirituality. Same goes with today’s teaching on prayer. If Jesus said, ask, seek, and knock, just do it. With simplicity, and without thinking too much, just do it. Even though you may not have clear knowledge of God, even though you may not have strong faith in God, just do it. As I said, while we kneel down on our knees, God will change our hearts. God will change us like he did with Jacob. We will experience active movements of the Holy spirit in us. Do not think too much. Just do it. When Jesus said, ask, seek, and knock, it is not a series of actions. It is about what we truly pursue and look for in this life.

Striving for the Kingdom of God

Prayer is not just an action. It is our openness. It is our attitude towards God. What comes just before today’s text is a well known teaching of Jesus. Jesus said, “But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” And the striving for the kingdom of God and his righteousness is expressed in the prayer as we seek, ask, and knock. New Testament scholar, D.A Carson, he was born in Montreal. He said this, “Prayer is a wholehearted pursuit of the kingdom of God.” Prayer is not just an action, but our life attitude towards God. When we pray wholeheartedly, our faith will grow, and our prayer requests will be changed. How much we know about God, and how much faith we have become secondary. When we pray, as we ask, seek, and knock, in other words, wholeheartedly, we will become a person who can receive God’s good gifts.

You know, the story of the gospel of Luke, where the two persons go up the temple to pray? It’s a very famous story. I love this story. One was a Pharisee and the other, a tax collector. The tax collector did everything right, but that wasn’t a prayer. But the Pharisee did everything right, but that wasn’t a prayer. But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This is a true prayer. When someone is beating their breast in prayer, they’re repenting before God. When someone is beating their breast in prayer, they’re asking for compassion from God. When one sinner is beating their breast and chest, God’s heart is also in pain.

Yes, my friends, it’s our heavenly Father’s. No parents will go without pain when their child is repenting before them. Wouldn’t they embrace their child with compassion, and accept them as they are? My friends, prayer is a gift from God. I’m afraid that we have not opened the gift from God yet because of our misunderstanding about prayer. Again, prayer is not just an action. It is our pursuit of God’s kingdom. And because of that, we can pray persistently, not just in a prayer motion. While you’re talking to your friends, you’re listening to sermon, while you are serving outside, doing your work, you can have that kind of attitude towards God’s kingdom. Your openness, your hearts’ openness, that is prayer.

Opening the Doors of our Hearts to God

Please let your pursuit of God’s kingdom be done in your asking, seeking, and knocking. Let me read some parts from a Norwegian theologian who wrote beautifully about prayer. Let me read it for you. “Prayer is not for the purpose of making God good or generous. He is that from all eternity, nor is it for the purpose of informing God concerning our needs. He knows what they are better than we do, nor is it for the purpose of bringing God’s gifts down from heaven to us. It is he who bestows the gifts. And by knocking at the door of our hearts, he reminds us that he desires to impart them to us. No, prayer has one function, and that is to answer, “Yes, Lord,” when he knocks, to open the soul and give him the opportunity to bring us the answer.” My friends, when you pray to God, please open the door of your hearts for God, and say yes to God so that he can bestow the good gifts to you. Amen.