This sermon discusses the resources believers need to judge rightly. - The greatest resource is prayer to God, who is perfectly wise and can grant wisdom (James 1:5). Believers must pray for God's direction in situations requiring judgment. - Jesus emphasizes persistence in prayer - "Ask, seek, knock." Prayer should be continual and bold before God's throne of grace. - Jesus illustrates God's trustworthiness through a analogy - even imperfect human fathers give good gifts to children, so how much more will our perfect Father in heaven give good things to those who ask?

2. SermonSermon
ontheMount:ontheMount:ontheMount:ontheMount:
TheResourcesTheResources
tobeabletotobeableto
Judge…Judge…Judge…Judge…
Matthew 7:7Matthew 7:7--1111

3. A series on judging …A series on judging …
••Last week we nailed down theLast week we nailed down the
reason we must rightly passreason we must rightly pass
judgement in/on certain situationsjudgement in/on certain situationsjudgement in/on certain situationsjudgement in/on certain situations
••This week we look at theThis week we look at the resourcesresources
the Believer needs to judge rightlythe Believer needs to judge rightly
••AgainAgain–– in our Salvation lies a greatin our Salvation lies a great••AgainAgain–– in our Salvation lies a greatin our Salvation lies a great
responsibilityresponsibility–– these verses nail that down,these verses nail that down,
despite the seeming interruption of thoughtdespite the seeming interruption of thought

4. 77 “Ask, and it will be given to you;“Ask, and it will be given to you;
seek, and you will find; knock, and itseek, and you will find; knock, and it
will be opened to you.will be opened to you. 88 For everyoneFor everyonewill be opened to you.will be opened to you. 88 For everyoneFor everyone
who asks receives, and he who seekswho asks receives, and he who seeks
finds, and to him who knocks it will befinds, and to him who knocks it will be
opened.opened. 99 Or what man is there amongOr what man is there amongopened.opened. Or what man is there amongOr what man is there among
you who, when his son asks for a loaf,you who, when his son asks for a loaf,
will give him a stone?will give him a stone? 1010 Or if he asksOr if he asks
for a fish, he will not give him afor a fish, he will not give him a

5. 1111 If you then, being evil, know how to giveIf you then, being evil, know how to give
good gifts to your children, how muchgood gifts to your children, how muchgood gifts to your children, how muchgood gifts to your children, how much
more will your Father who is in heavenmore will your Father who is in heaven
give what is good to those who ask Him!give what is good to those who ask Him!
Matthew 7:7Matthew 7:7--11 NASB11 NASB

6. A.The resources…A.The resources…
••Vs 7Vs 7--8, Abba, Father, Dad8, Abba, Father, Dad

7. 77 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek,“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek,“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek,“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek,
and you will find; knock, and it will beand you will find; knock, and it will be
opened to you.opened to you. 88 For everyone who asksFor everyone who asks
receives, and he who seeks finds, and toreceives, and he who seeks finds, and to
him who knocks it will be opened.him who knocks it will be opened.him who knocks it will be opened.him who knocks it will be opened.
Matthew 7:7Matthew 7:7--8, NASB8, NASB

8. A.The resources…A.The resources…
••Vs 7Vs 7--8, Abba, Father, Dad8, Abba, Father, Dad–– WeWe
have the greatest teachinghave the greatest teaching
resource in the universeresource in the universe–– ourourresource in the universeresource in the universe–– ourour
Father in Heaven!Father in Heaven!
••Stop for a questionStop for a question–– Why did the Lord stop hereWhy did the Lord stop here
to discuss prayer again? Seems like He’sto discuss prayer again? Seems like He’s
interrupting His thought.interrupting His thought.interrupting His thought.interrupting His thought.
••NO!You and I are human and fallible; we makeNO!You and I are human and fallible; we make
mistakesmistakes

9. A.The resources…A.The resources…
••Jesus is infallible; God too!Jesus is infallible; God too!
••Only God can judge perfectlyOnly God can judge perfectly
••Therefore, we must pray to seekTherefore, we must pray to seek••Therefore, we must pray to seekTherefore, we must pray to seek
his direction and wisdom in allhis direction and wisdom in all
situations that require discernmentsituations that require discernment
••James 1:5James 1:5••James 1:5James 1:5

10. “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let
him ask of God, who gives to allhim ask of God, who gives to all
generously and without reproach, and itgenerously and without reproach, and it
will be given to him.will be given to him. ””
James 1:5, NASBJames 1:5, NASB

11. A.The resources…A.The resources…
••Jesus is infallible; God too!Jesus is infallible; God too!
••Only God can judge perfectlyOnly God can judge perfectly
••Therefore, we must pray to seekTherefore, we must pray to seek••Therefore, we must pray to seekTherefore, we must pray to seek
his direction and wisdom in allhis direction and wisdom in all
situations that require discernmentsituations that require discernment
••James 1:5James 1:5••James 1:5James 1:5
••Young King Solomon knew this, and asked GodYoung King Solomon knew this, and asked God––
who answered him bestowing the greatestwho answered him bestowing the greatest
wisdom in history upon one manwisdom in history upon one man

12. B. Persistence…B. Persistence…
••Notice this also inV7..Notice this also inV7..

13. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek,“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek,
and you will find; knock, and it will beand you will find; knock, and it will be
opened to you.”opened to you.”
Matthew 7:7, NASBMatthew 7:7, NASB

14. ““AskAsk, and it will be given to you; seek,, and it will be given to you; seek,
and you will find; knock, and it will beand you will find; knock, and it will be
opened to you.”opened to you.”
Matthew 7:7, NASBMatthew 7:7, NASB

15. ““AskAsk, and it will be given to you;, and it will be given to you; seekseek,,
and you will find; knock, and it will beand you will find; knock, and it will be
opened to you.”opened to you.”
Matthew 7:7, NASBMatthew 7:7, NASB

16. ““AskAsk, and it will be given to you;, and it will be given to you; seekseek,,
and you will find;and you will find; knockknock, and it will be, and it will be
opened to you.”opened to you.”
Matthew 7:7, NASBMatthew 7:7, NASB

17. B. Persistence…B. Persistence…
••Notice this also inV7..Notice this also inV7..
••Jesus escalates the urgency of HisJesus escalates the urgency of His
commands with the repetition ofcommands with the repetition ofcommands with the repetition ofcommands with the repetition of
“Ask, Seek, Knock”“Ask, Seek, Knock”
••Also the Greek is a verifierAlso the Greek is a verifier–– these verbs arethese verbs are presentpresent
imperativesimperatives----The imperative is used to express aThe imperative is used to express a
command, exhortation, or an entreatycommand, exhortation, or an entreaty
imperativesimperatives----The imperative is used to express aThe imperative is used to express a
command, exhortation, or an entreatycommand, exhortation, or an entreaty
••He is serious about thisHe is serious about this–– throughout Scripture we arethroughout Scripture we are
encouraged to come to Him boldly, persistently, andencouraged to come to Him boldly, persistently, and
continuallycontinually----

18. “…pray without ceasing…”“…pray without ceasing…”
11 ThesThes. 5:17 (NIV). 5:17 (NIV)
“Let us therefore come boldly to the“Let us therefore come boldly to the
throne of grace, that we may obtainthrone of grace, that we may obtainthrone of grace, that we may obtainthrone of grace, that we may obtain
mercy and find grace to help in time ofmercy and find grace to help in time of
need.”need.”
Hebrews 4:16Hebrews 4:16

19. C. A word painting illustration…C. A word painting illustration…
••VvVv 99--11, to show His Father’s trust11, to show His Father’s trust--
worthiness…worthiness…

20. 99 Or what man is there among you who,Or what man is there among you who,
when his son asks for a loaf, will give himwhen his son asks for a loaf, will give him
a stone?a stone? 1010 Or if he asks for a fish, he willOr if he asks for a fish, he will
not give him a snake, will he?not give him a snake, will he? 1111 If youIf younot give him a snake, will he?not give him a snake, will he? 1111 If youIf you
then, being evil, know how to give goodthen, being evil, know how to give good
gifts to your children, how much more willgifts to your children, how much more will
your Father who is in heaven give what isyour Father who is in heaven give what isyour Father who is in heaven give what isyour Father who is in heaven give what is
good to those who ask Him!good to those who ask Him!

21. C. A word painting illustration…C. A word painting illustration…
••VvVv 99--11, to show His Father’s trust11, to show His Father’s trust--
worthiness…worthiness…
••Jesus uses horse sense reasoning toJesus uses horse sense reasoning to••Jesus uses horse sense reasoning toJesus uses horse sense reasoning to
explain things in a language thatexplain things in a language that
people understandpeople understand
••If an earthly father, being essentially evil andIf an earthly father, being essentially evil and
selfish in nature, freely gives his children whatselfish in nature, freely gives his children whatselfish in nature, freely gives his children whatselfish in nature, freely gives his children what
they ask for, how much more will our heavenlythey ask for, how much more will our heavenly
Father whose nature is good and unselfish, freelyFather whose nature is good and unselfish, freely
give to His children when they implore Him?!??give to His children when they implore Him?!??

22. Take Home! (Keep in mind)Take Home! (Keep in mind)
1.1. Don’t fall into the NIACI trapDon’t fall into the NIACI trap----
God is not obligated to usGod is not obligated to usGod is not obligated to usGod is not obligated to us
2.2. He answers prayer in HisHe answers prayer in His
wayway–– sometimes strangelysometimes strangely
and not as we expectedand not as we expectedand not as we expectedand not as we expected
3.3. He answers in His timeHe answers in His time–– but do not bebut do not be
discouraged! Be persistent! It pays off!!discouraged! Be persistent! It pays off!!