If you think back to this time last year, we’ve grown as a church. And as much as my ego would like to take credit for that growth, I know I can’t. All the glory belongs to God! I’m very thankful to be a part of it, but it’s all God’s doing. (In fact, sometimes I can’t help but think I’m in the way of what God wants to do. So, like Lincoln said, I pray not that God is on my side but that I am on God’s side.)

I want to look at scripture this morning in a bit of an inside out format. We have a couple thoughts in our study through the Sermon on the Mount that are very familiar to us. But do we know what they mean?

Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (ESV)

We know that verse. In fact, just a couple weeks ago we were singing it (in the song “Seek Ye First”). Is this verse, though, a giant Sears Wishbook? If I ask God for a Ferrari, will he give it? If I look for a new spouse, will God let me find one? If I knock on the door of the crack house, will God gladly usher me in?

Most of us are thinking, “Well, of course it doesn’t mean that!” But why do we say it doesn’t mean that? There are preachers on TV who will tell you all you have to do is ask for the Ferrari and God has to give it. And if we point out that it doesn’t work that way, someone might say, “You mean God doesn’t mean what he said? He’s not really going to give me what I ask for?”

Well, let’s look at what he actually said. To do that, let’s back up a verse.

Matthew 7:6
Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. (ESV)

Some commentaries I read lumped this verse in with the preceding passage. Some link it to the passage that follows it. Some set it on its own because it doesn’t really seem to fit with either. In fact, it kind of seems to come out of left field, doesn’t it?

What does it mean?

Proverbs 25:11-12
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear. (ESV)

Jesus is echoing what was already written by Solomon, though Jesus casts it in a somewhat negative light. Look at what Proverbs is saying, though. Words are like fine jewelry, if fitly spoken. Even reproof is like fine gold … to a listening ear.

Jesus is just more blunt about it. What Jesus is saying is that we have the words of life, but the people we speak them to may not be ready to hear them.

Over the years, people have heard this verse quoted and wondered derisively, “Why would someone through their pearls before swine?!?” But we do it all the time. Even more so now in our culture, where there is no right or wrong.

For instance, you see that a friend has stolen something, so you say to him, “The Bible says, ‘Thou shalt not steal.’” What’s he going to say back to you? If he doesn’t believe the Bible has any authority, he’s going to reply, “So what?” In fact, think of any sin the Bible speaks against and picture yourself reciting that scripture to someone who doesn’t regard the Bible as having any worth. They’re answer is, “So what?”

I could have a beautiful string of pearls here in my hand. Worth thousands of dollars. And I could walk over to the FFA barn and show those pearls to the pigs. I could kneel down in the dirt and say, “Look, Arnold, isn’t this a beautiful string of pearls? It’s worth several thousand dollars.” And the pig’s response is going to be one of, “So what?” Those pearls hold no value for him. He might try to eat them. If they fill him up, they had value. If they don’t, they didn’t.

Now, does this mean that we are a bunch of pearl holders in a land of pigs? [And wouldn’t “Pearl Holder in the Land of Pigs” be a great name for a comic book?] And does it further mean we should never share God’s word with those who don’t know it?

Not at all! People may act like pigs, but they don’t have to stay pigs. Remember what Jesus told us a couple paragraphs back about laying up treasure in heaven? What did I tell you was the only treasure we could take with us to heaven? Our friends.

What we are called to do, then, is cultivate. Minister to our friends so that when we give them pearls (of Godly wisdom) they will treat them accordingly. And just as we read about judging ourselves, we should be the kind of person who can recognize pearls from other people when we see them.

Which leads us to …

Matthew 7:7-11
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 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! (ESV)

Verse 6 doesn’t seem to have anything to do with verses 7 & 8, but maybe they’re all tied together by verse 9 & 10.

Remember what I said about prayer when we went through the Lord’s prayer? Prayer isn’t about bending God to our will, it’s about molding ourselves to God’s will. If we are thus in tune, then what we ask of God will be in tune with his will, rather than ours. And remember what the purpose is of God’s judgment? Our salvation.

Therefore, what we are seeking will be granted when we seek what God wants to give. Now, that doesn’t sound fair to our human ears. I go to God asking for a Ferrari and God gives me a Daewoo?!? What kind of a cruel trick is that?

God’s not worried about cars. See, us asking for a car at all might be comparable to a child who asks his father of a lick of the ice cream cone when what the father really wants to give the child is a full meal—complete with dessert! I get mad because I asked God for a new house and didn’t get it and what he’s wanting to give me is salvation for all eternity … with a mansion thrown in to boot!!

God wants us on his page. ‘Cause he’s got a great page!

What do I DO with this?

This is not a charge to NOT share the gospel with the unsaved around us. I think it’s a charge to get to know the people around us in such a way that we can share the gospel with them in a way that they will listen to.

So, get to know the people around you.

And get to know God. Learn what’s important to him (of ultimate importance!) and you’ll be asking for stuff you’re going to get. Stuff much greater than what we normally ask for!

Comments? Email me at npccsam@windstream.net