* In our church office we use a church management software package called ACS (Automated Church Systems). Until recently, this software was a “single-user” system. This means it was installed on one of our five computers and could be used by only one person at a time.
* With the last upgrade we now have a “network” version which means all five of our computers can now access this program. With the increased availability come increased security concerns because within this software there is information which is confidential. For that reason, every person who uses this system must have a password and an ID. Each user’s access is carefully controlled so that things like contributions, unlisted phone numbers, or other personal information does not accidentally wind up in the wrong hands. Now, Alice is considered the system administrator and as such, she has TOTAL ACCESS.
* Total Access; think about the meaning of this. Getting what you want, when you want it, with no boundaries.
* May I suggest to you that through Christ Jesus we have been granted total access to God, His power, grace, love, forgiveness, as well as a myriad of good and perfect gifts.
* Let’s turn to our Text found in the Sermon on the Mount and see what our Lord has to say about “getting what we want”. (Read TEXT)
* Tonight from this text, let’s consider 3 thoughts; first, let’s consider “The Principle Jesus is teaching” and then “The Plan Jesus is Revealing, and finally, the “The Picture Jesus Is Drawing”.
* Years ago, Jack Taylor helped me understand the concept of principles and their potential impact on a person’s life. His teaching was unique and I have always liked to hear him say, “I’m going to run around this principle before I turn you loose with it.”
* Bro. Wayne Dubose has a different approach to this. Bro. Wayne says, “Here’s what I’m going to tell, Here’s what I want to tell you, and then Here’s what I told you”. (He developed this style while preaching to people like me.)
* A TRUTH: It doesn’t matter how many principles we KNOW, it only matters how many we apply.
1. The Principle Jesus Is Teaching – can be summed up: ASK
* The word ASK serves as an acrostic for ask, seek, knock. This is the almost the holy trinity for a meaningful and fulfilled life in Christ. If we never learn to ask properly, we will miss much God has for us.
* This ask principle is multi-faceted. It’s like placing a drop of mercury on a “glass table” and attempting to put your thumb on that drop of mercury. The mercury divides into many drops. Let me explain;
* To “ask” may be something you wish to have. It could be a mate, children, healing, money, or other things.
* To “seek” (or search) suggests something you lost or are missing. The most familiar illustration is found in Luke 15 when the coin and the sheep came up missing or lost and the owners went looking, search, seeking.
* To “knock” speaks of something you have been “locked” or “closed” out of. Recall and re-read the story in Matthew 25 about the foolish virgins literally being locked out. Compare at the end of the church age in Revelation 3:20 where Jesus himself is knocking on a door which has been closed to him.
* To ask is to engage our voice. To seek is to engage our mind. To knock is to engage our body. Thus, to A.S.K. is to engage all of our being to make the request of the Lord. The truth is, the bible teaches we have not because we ask not.
* My last year of college I served with a pastor named Gibbie McMillan. Gibbie and I were and are great friends. He is the pastor who ordained me. The year after I left that part time position to move to full-time ministry, I invited him to be the came pastor for our youth camp the next summer. On the last afternoon of the youth camp, we had the traditional counselors verses the campers softball game. Before we played, Bro. Gibbie was asked to pray. He prayed for safety, fun, sportsmanship, and the like. I’ll never forget the last line of his prayer, “Lord, please help the counselors win this game, Amen.” When we opened our eyes my pastor, Bro. Tim, was staring at him in disbelief. With a true “Gibbie Grin”, he simply said, “you have not cause you ask not.”
* Now, admittedly this is not exactly what James had in mind in James 4, but what he did have in mind was God’s children to understand the “Access” they have to the Father when they ask Him in the correct way.
* Christ gives us this “ASK principle. Keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking and James 4:3 helps us to get our lives in the relationship for Him to respond.
2. The Plan Jesus is revealing – In the past God had been considered far away with little or no personal connection. Now Jesus simply says, ASK? Then He takes it to another level. Look at these three parts of the plan.
* The one who asks of God will receive. What a statement! But it is a loaded statement. The one who keeps on asking will receive. The one who is consistent in their approach.
* The one who seeks will find. In the same spirit this means the one who keeps on seeking. The one who is persistent. When you truly search for something or someone, you don’t stop after looking one place.
* The one who knocks will have it opened to him/her. Remember that it is the one who keeps on knocking.
* This message is not so much about US as it is about HIM. Watch this last thought:
3. The Picture Jesus is Drawing – See humanity in light of divinity. See these 3 pictures;
* Of Others – what man will deceive his son, pretending to give him bread to eat, but instead give him a rock or dirt? Jesus wants us to put on our thinking caps and consider this logically. Who would do such a thing? Or if he asks for a fish would give a snake (eel).
* Of You – “If you”, now Jesus is getting very personal, “think what YOU would do”. If you then, “being evil”, he talking about our sin nature we gained from our grandpa, Adam. If you give good gifts to your kids? Jesus doesn’t argue that we try to take care of our kids.
* Of God – “how much more” is the operative phrase. God wants to give us what we want because He loves us. And just like we WANT to give our kids exactly what they want, God wants to so much more. Candidly, with Him and us there is more on the line that with our kids. A bicycle, car, cell phone, night out, all those are important to our kids, but what God wants to give us is the best of life.
Sherwood Baptist church, Albany GA made a movie entitled “Facing the Giants”. The theme is this movie was “total dependence” on God. This means “in all things” depend on and glorify Him.
17 Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning. (HCBS)
