The Context of Blessing - Matthew 7:7-29
The context of blessing Matthew 7:7-29
No employee starts the day by saying, “I wonder how much money I can lose for the company today,” or a student, “I wonder how many friends I can lose today at school,” or a spouse, “I wonder how much strain I can put on my marriage before it breaks.” No-one starts out with those goals. If you do, I’m here to pray for you: you need it. Nobody wants to lose in life. We work to gain, we study to achieve, we train to win. We love to live and live well. Ultimately our attitude and effort reward us as we do. We are told by Paul in Galatians 6:7, “whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” That principle is so evident it needs no further explanation. Didn’t we just read the words of Jesus, “Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?” Clearly not: grapes are gathered from a grapevine, figs from a fig tree. You reap what you sow.
Consider this! Why wouldn’t we apply that in an ultimate sense to the source of all blessing, with respect to God Himself? And yet, there are those who actively work against God and His requirements with respect to reaping both.
How do we get more blessing from God the Father?
1. Just ask! (Verses 7-11) Ask for the Lord’s blessing over your life. Why does he not always give us what we ask for? Here’s a good test – If you are a father or a parent, what do you give your children when they ask? Also, what did your father give you when you asked? This is the context. A Father gives out of love and His resources. God the Father has a perfect love and infinite resources. If you are not receiving what you are asking for, the issue isn’t with the opportunity or resources. James, the brother of Jesus said this, “You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:2,3) You don’t have, not because of the Lord’s lack of ability, the issue is with what you desire. You desire stuff over your desire, your passion, for what the Lord wants – a passion for Him.
2. Who are you to others? (verses 12-14) God’s blessing involves having a heart for people like God does. Often, we walk away from people who we don’t like or agree with. If that was how Jesus acted, He wouldn’t have attracted any of the disciples, including us. Do you love Christ’s potential in people? The test, of course, is to see if you treat them like yourself.
3. Spiritual GPS (verses 13,14) It’s easy to check the gate you are going through and the road that you are travelling on. How big are they? I.E How many people are going that way? Which way are most people going in this world? Most of the world are not following Christ; most do not want to live by His word. Spiritual GPS check.
4. Check your farm gate – livestock. (verses 15-20) Livestock and produce farm analogy: Livestock – Wolves, even if they wear sheep’s clothing, don’t act like sheep. Wolves are cunning; sheep are meek and predictable. Even though sheep can literally have the wool pulled over their eyes, they are sheep nonetheless. Wolves take, maim and kill: sheep produce wool and meat. One takes at the expense of another. The other produces and gives, even its life if required, and doesn’t put up a fight. We are called sheep and as we follow the Shepherd, he leads us to green pastures and beside still waters. Some sheep wander off – that’s dangerous – don’t go to church, don’t read God’s Word, get godless counsel and live lives in the world – both dumb and dangerous; not the way of blessing. Sheep, in order to be blessed, follow the Shepherd, empowered by His Spirit, guided by His Word.
5. Check the farm gate - produce. Good trees bear fruit. A diseased tree is wasting space, time and money. We are to bear fruit – otherwise we are cut down and destroyed. Being healthy means that we are blessed, that’s what fruit displays: a blessed life. Fruit in words and in witness; heart attitudes, lifestyle. Those who are blessed: those are the ones who are recognised as healthy trees as part of the Lord’s farm.
6. Does God know you? How can you know? (verses 21-23) Religion doesn’t save. God knowing who you are saves. “Lord, lord didn’t we….” Only to hear, “depart from Me I never knew you.” If that concerns you, be encouraged. If you’re indifferent and don’t really care – you’re on your way to hell for eternity. Even though that should concern you, it doesn’t. You just get annoyed hearing about it. Why? Because Jesus doesn’t know you; you’re a bad tree, you’re a “wolf” in the world, travelling on the wide road through the wide gate like everyone else. And you don’t care one way or the other, because your conscience is seared. Relationship saves – Jesus knows you. He knew you before time began and the earth was formed. Nothing can take you out of His hand or away from His heart. He loves you. You are, and will be, blessed. Some need to be assured of that this morning. God knows you and you need to know that too. If what you are hearing this morning makes your heart leap and respond at the right points, you are His because this is His word.
7. Your building program. Building a true ‘Safe house.’ (verses 24-27) A house is where you live. It’s a fundamental product of your efforts in life. We spend a good amount of time in the home, and energy and effort buying and building a house. Life has floods and wind. Trial happens to us all. How we cope is dependant upon our spiritual foundation. In Christ, floods and wind don’t matter. Why? The house has a foundation of Christ (verses 24, 25), the solid rock on which we are to build: firm, sure immovable. Safety to eternal life is the ultimate blessing.
8. He said it! (Verses 28, 29) Jesus had authority. Not like religious hierarchy – the scribes. They were the spiritual lawyers in the first century with their boring religious legalese. Our faith should make people take notice. It should be alive. We are followers of Christ. Some will be astonished at our teaching, even amazed, confused and disappointed. But it will never be boring, because it carries the authority of Christ. If our words don’t have these things, ask yourself whether they are mixed too much with yourself and your words.
Finally, God in His sovereignty gives the decision to you. It’s your choice whether to obey. The decision rests on you, no-one else. Oh, the Devil made me do it; no, he didn’t, you did it. God is in control, maybe He made me do it. Absolutely not, wicked even to consider it. James made that abundantly clear by saying, “Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.” (James 1:13)
A life of blessing is, by and large, your choice. Some parameters may slow some of us down, but even so-called disabilities can be used as instruments of blessing. In Christ we are blessed.