Episode 328: What Our Children Can Teach Us About Prayer | Dave Sloop

Introduction

Well, this is a special day for the Sloop family, and I wish I had more time. I could probably talk for the next hour about how God has been meeting us in the midst of this process. How we have been blessed and ministered to by people in this room. Melissa and I have met some of you who are older than us and we have said, we wanna be like that when we grow up. We love, love, love this church and are so excited about this next chapter.

I want to say briefly a quick story. We've been in this discernment process for many months, seeking the Lord's guidance on whether or not this is what he is calling us to and the church to. A few months into that process, a friend of mine was passing through town. He used to go to church here. He was back with his family visiting. He's now an ordained minister somewhere else. We were in the hall talking, and he said, I love this church. There's no place like CHS. Then he asked, what are you gonna do when Quig retires? He's like, I would hate to be the guy that follows him. He had no idea. I was like, yeah. That would be that would be terrible.

Let me say with sincerity, it's an honor, Quigg, to follow you. The leadership you've provided for the last thirty-five years — what a legacy. It's humbling and it is an honor. So, thank you. Love you.

Now, you may hear that I’m struggling with my voice. I want to be like Quig so bad. We have reached here the end of the sermon on the mount. We're looking at Matthew chapter seven today.

The Promise of Prayer

Before we dig into the text, I want to show you a video of my daughter, Libby. She’s probably about three years old. I’m trying to teach her how to throw the frisbee in my backyard, and I just want you to watch the struggle. Then I’ll tell you why I showed the video. Let's take a look.

Make sure the volume is can throw it here. Yeah. Close, try again, just throw it hard. I can't do that side. I can't do side. Go ahead and do that side. No. But you need to stand on that side. You have to back up a little because then you can catch. No. Just throw it from there, honey. It won't matter where I stand. It's the same throw. Okay. All right. Where do you? I want you to see your video. Where do you want me to stand? Right there. Okay. Come on. It's okay, honey. Just try again. I can't do my music anymore. Do you want me to teach you? Here. Try one more time. Just do it right here.

Do you know this feeling as an adult? There’s something that you feel like you should be able to do. You see somebody else do it, and then you just can’t seem to do it. Let me ask you a more specific question. I wonder for how many of us could this be a metaphor for our prayer life—somewhat aimless, our prayers aren’t quite reaching the intended target. They're not accomplishing what we thought they would. They fall flat, and we sometimes feel like our prayers are bouncing off the wall. We know quite not how to do it. It doesn’t seem to be working.

If I’m being honest, more than I’d like to admit, especially on a day like today, this has been a reflection of how I sometimes feel in my own prayer life. And I say that as someone who has been in full-time ministry for two decades with an organization whose primary guiding principle is this: in Young Life, prayer is our first action—meaning, it’s the first thing we do, but it’s also the most important thing we do.

When I would train volunteer leaders both in Blacksburg and in Harrisonburg with Young Life, one of the things that we would say to them is a quote from Oswald Chambers, maybe you've heard it. Prayer is not preparation for the greater work. Prayer is the greater work. In other words, prayer is the very thing that activates the Holy Spirit. It is what moves the heart of God to act on behalf of his children.

See, I knew that. But if you zoomed out for my life and you watch how I lived, to my shame what you would observe is someone who puts a whole lot more stock in his actions, in his behaviors, and in his strategic choices, and even his gifts, his personality than he does his prayers. I suspect that I’m not the only one who sometimes feels like prayer is this mysterious thing that we know we’re supposed to do, but we struggle.

Jesus’ Promises About Prayer

This morning, in Matthew chapter seven, we are going to look at what I believe is the most over-the-top audacious promise that Jesus makes about prayer anywhere. In fact, I think this is probably the most over-the-top audacious claim Jesus makes about anything.

In Matthew chapter seven, let's look at what he says. I want you to notice, first of all, the uncomfortable simplicity of this promise. It is so simple and plain what he's telling us that it’s almost uncomfortable. Let's look at what he says:

Ask and it will be given to you.
Seek and you will find.
Knock and the door will be opened to you.

He's not done.

For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

This is not confusing. He says, if you ask me, I will do it. If you ask me, I will do it.

When we see repetition in the Bible, it’s like God's exclamation point. It’s added for emphasis. It’s there on purpose. God is holy, holy, holy. We’re supposed to pay attention.

Sometimes Jesus will say, truly, truly, I say to you. And this is not to suggest that other things Jesus says aren’t true. But what Jesus is saying when he says that is this: listen close. What I’m about to say next, I do not want you to miss.

Sometimes, the writers of scripture will say the same thing in two different ways sandwiched together.

He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities.

The repetition that we see here in Matthew seven is kind of similar to that one that we see in Isaiah 53. What is Jesus saying? What is the simple and obvious promise here? There’s one word that’s repeated in every single verse that we read today— all five verses. You’re gonna see one word and it is ask. Ask and I’ll do it. Ask me and you’ll get it. Ask me and you’ll receive it.

How many times does Jesus say this? Some might say three, that’s what they said at the early service. But it’s not three, it’s six times. Jesus promises six times back to back to back to back to back. I will give it to you if you ask me.

Do you feel uncomfortable yet? Are the warning bells going off in your mind? See, this gets even more difficult just to deny the plain and obvious meaning of this text when you compare it to the other things that Jesus said about prayer.

In places like John 14, 15, and 16, Jesus says something to the effect— I think about seven times in those three chapters—

Ask anything in my name, I will give it to you.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and I will give it to you.
If two of you agree about something here on earth, I’ll do it in heaven.

See, we want to let Jesus off the hook here. This feels uncomfortable. An obvious tension arises inside of us when we read this really plain and obvious promise about prayer. And here’s the tension— he can’t really mean that. That’s not what he means. I mean, it’s in our flesh. We’re like, no way. No. Our experience doesn’t really line up with that. So we’re not quite sure what to do with it.

It can lead to two extreme opposites for our view of prayer. One of them you've probably heard characterized as name it and claim it.
If you say it, God must do it.
He becomes Aladdin’s genie with tremendous power.

But you see, Aladdin was actually the one in charge. God in this view is at our service, and we are the ones telling him what to do.
It goes like this: if you don’t have wealth, it’s because you don’t have enough faith.
If you or someone that you love is sick, you’ve still not prayed hard enough.

Friends, this is not what Jesus is saying and is not what the Bible teaches. It is heresy.

However, before we throw the baby out with the bathwater, let me commend a couple things about the name-it-claim-it view.
First, there’s tremendous confidence in the power of God in the name-it-claim-it view.
Second, there’s tremendous confidence that God wants to act on our behalf. And that’s also true. God wants to do it.

Here’s where it falls short. In this view, God is completely robbed and stripped of his sovereignty. He’s no longer God. We are the ones telling him what to do.

This is not what it means.
We don’t get a blank check.

In fact, some of us, we know instinctively we cannot be that because it just doesn’t line up with our experience. I know personally, a number of people in this room who asked God to do it, and he didn’t do it. What do you do with that? Where does that fit into your theology?

For some, that can lead to distance, disillusionment, disappointment. It can even lead to complete estrangement from God. But if you hold on to your faith, this might be what your view of prayer becomes. It sounds so right, by the way. God is sovereign and he’s good. And therefore, I can trust him. Even when it doesn’t go the way I want, I know that he’s good.

There’s nothing wrong about anything I just said. But here’s the reality: the attitude underneath those beautiful theological propositions is often— what is the point of praying? God is going to do what God is going to do. And therefore, why do I waste my breath in his time? It’s not going to change anything. It’s not going to move the needle. I’m not even upset about it. I just expect very little.

Living in the Middle

What is the problem with that view? You see, this view of God robs prayer of its power because it’s just waiting in vain. But over here, we maintain God’s sovereignty. See, it’s theologically safer and it’s emotionally safer too. He maintains his sovereignty, and I also protect myself from ever being disappointed or hurt.

The problem is we strip God of his goodness and his kindness in this view. We become people who essentially believe that the subtext of our view on prayer is this: just shut up and trust him. Don’t hope for anything because at the end of the day, God is gonna do what he’s gonna do anyway.

Friends, this is not the right view either. It is impossible to understand what Jesus just said six times in a row in light of this extreme sovereignty view.

So what is it? Jesus invites us to live in the uncomfortable middle of those two extremes.
And the only way that we could possibly understand the boundaries and the constraints of Jesus’ view of prayer is by looking at the metaphor that he couches the promise in. Did you hear it when we read? How many of you, if your son asks you for bread, do you give him a stone?

See, Jesus is like, you can't understand what I'm saying here unless you understand a couple of things. The first thing you gotta understand is this: you are his kid. I mean, you are his. You’re his little kid.

I want to emphasize that this is an essential and necessary component to the gospel message. The gospel message is not, you were estranged from God, an enemy, and by his grace, he saved you, and now you are obedient soldiers and servants. That’s not the gospel. The gospel is, you were a wayward, rebellious enemy. By his grace, he saved you. And as John’s gospel tells us, and he gave you the right to become children of God.

You were adopted into his family. And not just adopted, but you were given full rights as sons and daughters. Do you know what happens? When you start to believe this— that we are his kids— we start to act like his kids. We just start to act like it.

Do you know deep down, in the fundamental part of who you are, the deepest core of your identity, that you are his child? Because when you grasp what Jesus is telling us here, we will naturally behave like it.

And how do kids act? We can learn a lot from them. Let me give you just a couple examples.

Our kids say whatever is on their mind. If it’s in here, it’s coming out of here. They have little to no filter. I will never forget, this was many years ago, the Fetzer family invited the Sleep family to join them at Emerald Isle at the beach. We only had Sydney at the time. But sweet little Charlie, she couldn’t have been more than four or five years old.

We arrive, and Charlie Fetzer runs into my arms. She would, Charlie, I mean, she would jump into your arms and then lock eyes with you and smile. She was beholding the beauty before her. And without breaking a smile, Charlie goes, your nose is big.

Do you know why Charlie said that? Because it is. Okay? She saw it, and so she said it. Because kids say what’s on their mind.

If they want something, they ask you for it. If you say no, what do they do? They keep asking— but mom, but mom, but dad, but dad, but dad. They are relentless, persistent little boogers. They cannot help it. They do not take into consideration whether or not what they are asking for is reasonable, whether or not you have the resources to provide whatever they asked for, or whether or not it will be good for them. All they know is this: they have a felt need and a sincere desire. And all they are doing is going to the one they've been conditioned to believe wants to satisfy that desire.

Are you his kid? Do you know that? Because if you do, when that penny drops, you just start doing that. And do you know who did that perfectly during his life? It was a man named Jesus. The most dependent human being to ever walk this planet.

Think about that. God in the flesh with all power, he could do anything. If there was ever someone that didn’t need to be independent, it was Jesus— or rather, yeah, you know what I mean. But Jesus lived completely dependent on his father, every day of his life.

Listen to just a couple of things that he said:

I only do what I see my Father doing.
I only say what my Father gives me to say.

And in the ESV, he says it this way:

I say the way he wants me to.

Jesus was completely dependent. And therefore, prayer for Jesus was not so much a discipline he exercised; it was just what he did. It was just a way of life because when you’re a kid, you just ask, you ask, you ask. Every thought becomes something you tell your Father.

Second, we need to know who our dad is. Do you know who your dad is? Do you know what he's capable of?

The one that spun the planets into orbit? The one that opened his mouth and suddenly there was light? The one who dreamed up every sunset, every mountain peak? The world that we live in and all of its splendor and beauty was his canvas, done in a few days. There is no question God cannot answer. There’s no problem he cannot solve. He's never been stumped, and there’s nothing that he cannot afford.

Listen, if our kids relentlessly ask us and we are incredibly limited in our resources, shouldn’t we at least be as bold as our kids in our asking of the one who is unlimited?

But here’s the deal. I don’t think most of us struggle wondering whether or not he has the power to do this stuff. See, the question is not, can he? But what is it? Will he? Does he want to?

Do you remember in Mark chapter one when the leper came down from the mountain? He fell at Jesus’ feet. Do you remember what he said? Such a beautiful way that he says this:

If you are willing, you can make me clean.

No question about his power. The question is, would Jesus be inclined to use it for him personally? And this is where most of us struggle. This is what we’re not sure about. Our question is not about his power, but about his heart.

And this is why the metaphor that Jesus uses is so important for us to understand. I want to read it to you again, starting in verse nine. He says this:

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for fish, will give him a snake?

See, Jesus is like, you can’t understand what I’m saying here unless you understand a couple of things. The first thing you gotta understand is this: you are his kid. I mean, you are his. You’re his little kid.

I want to emphasize that this is an essential and necessary component to the gospel message. The gospel message is not, you were estranged from God, an enemy, and by his grace, he saved you, and now you are obedient soldiers and servants. That’s not the gospel. The gospel is, you were a rebellious enemy. By his grace, he saved you. And as John’s gospel tells us, he gave you the right to become children of God.

You were adopted into his family. And not just adopted, but you were given full rights as sons and daughters. Do you know what happens? When you start to believe this— that we are his kids— we start to act like his kids. We just start to act like it.

Do you know deep down, in the fundamental part of who you are, the deepest core of your identity, that you are his child? Because when you grasp what Jesus is telling us here, we will naturally behave like it.

And how do kids act? We can learn a lot from them. Let me give you just a couple of examples.

Our kids say whatever is on their mind. If it’s in here, it’s coming out of here. They have little to no filter. I will never forget, this was many years ago, the Fetzer family invited the Sleep family to join them at Emerald Isle at the beach. We only had Sydney at the time. But sweet little Charlie, she couldn’t have been more than four or five years old.

We arrive, and Charlie Fetzer runs into my arms. She would, Charlie, I mean, she would jump into your arms and then lock eyes with you and smile. She was beholding the beauty before her. And without breaking a smile, Charlie goes, your nose is big.

Do you know why Charlie said that? Because it is. Okay? She saw it, and so she said it. Because kids say what’s on their mind.

If they want something, they ask you for it. If you say no, what do they do? They keep asking— but mom, but mom, but dad, but dad, but dad. They are relentless, persistent little boogers. They cannot help it. They do not take into consideration whether or not what they are asking for is reasonable, whether or not you have the resources to provide whatever they asked for, or whether or not it will be good for them. All they know is this: they have a felt need and a sincere desire. And all they are doing is going to the one they've been conditioned to believe wants to satisfy that desire.

Are you his kid? Do you know that? Because if you do, when that penny drops, you just start doing that. And do you know who did that perfectly during his life? It was a man named Jesus. The most dependent human being to ever walk this planet.

Think about that. God in the flesh with all power, he could do anything. If there was ever someone that didn’t need to be independent, it was Jesus— or rather, yeah, you know what I mean. But Jesus lived totally dependent on his father, every day of his life.

Listen to just a couple things that he said:

I only do what I see my Father doing.
I only say what my Father gives me to say.

And in the ESV, he says it this way:

I say the way he wants me to.

Jesus was completely dependent. And therefore, prayer for Jesus was not so much a discipline he exercised; it was just what he did. It was just a way of life because when you’re a kid, you just ask, you ask, you ask. Every thought becomes something you tell your Father.

Secondly, we need to know who our dad is. Do you know who your dad is? Do you know what he's capable of?

The one that spun the planets into orbit? The one that opened his mouth and suddenly there was light? The one who dreamed up every sunset, every mountain peak? The world that we live in and all its splendor and beauty was his canvas — done in a few days. There is no question God cannot answer. There’s no problem he cannot solve. He's never been stumped, and there’s nothing that he cannot afford.

Listen, if our kids relentlessly ask us and we are incredibly limited in our resources, shouldn’t we at least be as bold as our kids in our asking of the one who is unlimited?

But here’s the deal. I don’t think most of us struggle wondering whether or not he has the power to do this stuff. The question is not, can he? But what is it? Will he? Does he want to?

Do you remember in Mark chapter one when the leper came down from the mountain? He fell at Jesus’ feet. Do you remember what he said? Such a beautiful way that he says this:

If you are willing, you can make me clean.

No question about his power. The question is, would Jesus be inclined to use it for him personally? And this is where most of us struggle. This is what we’re not sure about. Our question is not about his power, but about his heart.

And this is why the metaphor that Jesus uses is so important for us to understand. I want to read it to you again, starting in verse nine. He says this:

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for fish, will give him a snake?

See, Jesus is like, you can't understand what I’m saying here unless you understand a couple of things. The first thing you gotta understand is this: you are his kid. I mean, you are his. You’re his little kid.

I want to emphasize that this is an essential and necessary component to the gospel message. The gospel message is not, you were estranged from God, an enemy, and by his grace, he saved you, and now you are obedient soldiers and servants. That’s not the gospel. The gospel is, you were a rebellious enemy. By his grace, he saved you. And as John’s gospel tells us, he gave you the right to become children of God.

You were adopted into his family. And not just adopted, but you were given full rights as sons and daughters. Do you know what happens? When you start to believe this— that we are his kids— we start to act like his kids. We just start to act like it.

Do you know deep down, in the fundamental part of who you are, the deepest core of your identity—that you are his child? Because when you grasp what Jesus is telling us here, we will naturally behave like it.

And how do kids act? We can learn a lot from them. Let me give you just a couple examples.

Our kids say whatever is on their mind. If it’s in here, it’s coming out of here. They have little to no filter. I will never forget, this was many years ago, the Fetzer family invited the Sleep family to join them at Emerald Isle at the beach. We only had Sydney at the time. But sweet little Charlie, she couldn’t have been more than four or five years old.

We arrive, and Charlie Fetzer runs into my arms. She would, Charlie, I mean, she would jump into your arms and then lock eyes with you and smile. She was beholding the beauty before her. And without breaking a smile, Charlie goes, your nose is big.

Do you know why Charlie said that? Because it is. Okay? She saw it, and so she said it. Because kids say what’s on their mind.

If they want something, they ask you for it. If you say no, what do they do? They keep asking— but mom, but mom, but dad, but dad, but dad. They are relentless, persistent little boogers. They cannot help it. They do not take into consideration whether or not what they are asking for is reasonable, whether or not you have the resources to provide whatever they asked for, or whether or not it will be good for them.

All they know is this: they have a felt need and a sincere desire. And all they are doing is going to the one to whom they’ve been conditioned to believe wants to satisfy that desire.

Are you his kid? Do you know that? Because if you do, when the penny drops on that one, you just start doing that. And do you know who did that perfectly during his life? It was a man named Jesus. The most dependent human being to ever walk this planet.

Think about that. God in the flesh with all power. He could do anything. If there was ever someone that didn’t need to be independent, it was Jesus—or rather, yeah, you know what I mean. But Jesus lived completely dependent on his father, every day of his life.

Listen to just a couple things that he said:

I only do what I see my Father doing.
I only say what my Father gives me to say.

And in the ESV, he says it this way:

And I say it the way he wants me to.

Jesus was completely dependent. And therefore, prayer for Jesus was not so much a discipline he exercised; it was just what he did. It was just a way of life because when you’re a kid, you just ask, you ask, you ask. Every thought becomes something you tell your Father.

Trusting Our Father

Second, we need to know who our dad is. Do you know who your dad is? Do you know what he's capable of?

The one that spun the planets into orbit? The one that opened his mouth and suddenly there was light? The one who dreamed up every sunset, every mountain peak? The world that we live in and all its splendor and beauty was his canvas—done in a few days. There is no question God cannot answer. There’s no problem he cannot solve. He's never been stumped. There’s nothing that he cannot afford.

Listen, if our kids relentlessly ask us and we are incredibly limited in our resources, shouldn’t we at least be as bold as our kids in asking of the one who is unlimited?

But here’s the deal. I don’t think most of us struggle wondering whether or not he has the power to do this stuff. The question is not, can he? But what is it? Will he? Does he want to?

Do you remember in Mark chapter one when the leper came down from the mountain? He fell at Jesus’ feet. Do you remember what he said? Such a beautiful way that he says this:

If you are willing, you can make me clean.

No question about his power. The question is, would Jesus be inclined to use it for him personally? And this is where most of us struggle. This is what we’re not sure about. Our question is not about his power, but about his heart.

And this is why the metaphor that Jesus uses is so important for us to understand. I want to read it to you again, starting in verse nine. He says this:

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for fish, will give him a snake?

See, Jesus is like, you can't understand what I’m saying here unless you understand a couple of things. The first thing you gotta understand is this: you are his kid. I mean, you are his. You’re his little kid.

I want to emphasize that this is an essential and necessary component to the gospel message. The gospel message is not, you were estranged from God, an enemy, and by his grace, he saved you, and now you are obedient soldiers and servants. That’s not the gospel. The gospel is, you were a rebellious enemy. By his grace, he saved you. And as John’s gospel tells us, he gave you the right to become children of God.

You were adopted into his family. And not just adopted, but you were given full rights as sons and daughters. Do you know what happens? When you start to believe this— that we are his kids— we start to act like his kids. We just start to act like it.

Do you know deep down, in the fundamental part of who you are, the deepest core of your identity—that you are his child? Because when you grasp what Jesus is telling us here, we will naturally behave like it.

And how do kids act? We can learn a lot from them. Let me give you just a couple examples.

Our kids say whatever is on their mind. If it’s in here, it’s coming out of here. They have little to no filter. I will never forget, this was many years ago, the Fetzer family invited the Sleep family to join them at Emerald Isle at the beach. We only had Sydney at the time. But sweet little Charlie, she couldn’t have been more than four or five years old.

We arrive, and Charlie Fetzer runs into my arms. She would, Charlie, I mean, she would jump into your arms and then lock eyes with you and smile. She was beholding the beauty before her. And without breaking a smile, Charlie goes, your nose is big.

Do you know why Charlie said that? Because it is. Okay? She saw it, and so she said it. Because kids say what’s on their mind.

If they want something, they ask you for it. If you say no, what do they do? They keep asking— but mom, but mom, but dad, but dad, but dad. They are relentless, persistent little boogers. They cannot help it. They do not take into consideration whether or not what they are asking for is reasonable, whether or not you have the resources to provide whatever they asked for, or whether or not it will be good for them. All they know is this: they have a felt need and a sincere desire. And all they are doing is going to the one to whom they’ve been conditioned to believe wants to satisfy that desire.

Are you his kid? Do you know that? Because if you do, when the penny drops on that one, you just start doing that. And do you know who did that perfectly during his life? It was a man named Jesus. The most dependent human being to ever walk this planet.

Think about that. God in the flesh with all power. He could do anything. If there was ever someone that didn’t need to be independent, it was Jesus—or rather, yeah, you know what I mean. But Jesus lived totally dependent on his father, every day of his life.

Listen to just a couple things that he said:

I only do what I see my Father doing.
I only say what my Father gives me to say.

And in the ESV, he says it this way:

And I say it the way he wants me to.

Jesus was completely dependent. And therefore, prayer for Jesus wasn’t so much a discipline he exercised; it was just what he did. It was just a way of life because when you’re a kid, you just ask, you ask, you ask. Every thought becomes something you tell your Father.

Trusting His Heart

Second, we need to know who our dad is. Do you know who your dad is? Do you know what he's capable of?

The one that spun the planets into orbit? The one that opened his mouth and suddenly there was light? The one who dreamed up every sunset, every mountain peak? The world that we live in and all its splendor and beauty was his canvas—done in a few days. There is no question God cannot answer. There’s no problem he cannot solve. He's never been stumped. There’s nothing that he cannot afford.

If our kids relentlessly ask us and we are incredibly limited in our resources, shouldn’t we at least be as bold in our asking of the one who is unlimited?

But here’s the deal. I don’t think most of us struggle wondering whether or not he has the power to do this stuff. The question is not, can he? But what is it? Will he? Does he want to?

Do you remember in Mark chapter one, when the leper came down from the mountain? He fell at Jesus’ feet. Do you remember what he said? Such a beautiful way that he says this:

If you are willing, you can make me clean.

No question about his power. The question is, would Jesus be inclined to use it for him personally? And this is where most of us struggle. This is what we’re not sure about. Our question is not about his power but about his heart.

And this is why the metaphor that Jesus uses is so important for us to understand. I want to read it to you again, starting in verse nine. He says this:

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for fish, will give him a snake?

See, Jesus is like, you can't understand what I’m saying here unless you understand a couple of things. The first thing you gotta understand is this: you are his kid. I mean, you are his. You’re his little kid.

I want to emphasize that this is an essential and necessary component to the gospel message. The gospel message is not, you were estranged from God, an enemy, and by his grace, he saved you, and now you are obedient soldiers and servants. That’s not the gospel. The gospel is, you were a rebellious enemy. By his grace, he saved you. And as John’s gospel tells us, he gave you the right to become children of God.

You were adopted into his family. And not just adopted, but you were given full rights as sons and daughters. Do you know what happens? When you start to believe this— that we are his kids— we start to act like his kids. We just start to act like it.

Do you know deep down, in the fundamental part of who you are, the deepest core of your identity—that you are his child? Because when you grasp what Jesus is telling us here, we will naturally behave like it.

And how do kids act? We can learn a lot from them. Let me give you just a couple examples.

Our kids say whatever is on their mind. If it’s in here, it’s coming out of here. They have little to no filter. I will never forget, this was many years ago, the Fetzer family invited the Sleep family to join them at Emerald Isle at the beach. We only had Sydney at the time. But sweet little Charlie, she couldn’t have been more than four or five years old.

We arrive, and Charlie Fetzer runs into my arms. She would, Charlie, I mean, she would jump into your arms and then lock eyes with you and smile. She was beholding the beauty before her. And without breaking a smile, Charlie goes, your nose is big.

Do you know why Charlie said that? Because it is. Okay? She saw it, and so she said it. Because kids say what’s on their mind.

If they want something, they ask you for it. If you say no, what do they do? They keep asking— but mom, but mom, but dad, but dad, but dad. They are relentless, persistent little boogers. They cannot help it. They do not take into consideration whether or not what they are asking for is reasonable, whether or not you have the resources to provide whatever they asked for, or whether or not it will be good for them. All they know is this: they have a felt need and a sincere desire. And all they are doing is going to the one to whom they've been conditioned to believe wants to satisfy that desire.

Are you his kid? Do you know that? Because if you do, when that penny drops, you just start doing that. And do you know who did that perfectly during his life? It was a man named Jesus, the most dependent human being to ever walk this planet.

Think about that. God in the flesh with all power. He could do anything. If there was ever someone that didn’t need to be independent, it was Jesus—or rather, yeah, you know what I mean. But Jesus lived totally dependent on his Father, every day of his life.

Listen to just a couple things he said:

I only do what I see my Father doing.
I only say what my Father gives me to say.

And in the ESV, he says it this way:

I say the way he wants me to.

Jesus was completely dependent. And therefore, prayer for Jesus wasn’t so much a discipline he exercised; it was just what he did. It was just a way of life because when you’re a kid, you just ask, you ask, you ask. Every thought becomes something you tell your Father.

Trust in His Goodness

Second, we need to know who our dad is. Do you know who your dad is? Do you know what he's capable of?

The one that spun the planets into orbit? The one that opened his mouth and suddenly there was light? The one who dreamed up every sunset, every mountain peak? The world that we live in and all its splendor and beauty was his canvas—done in a few days. There is no question God cannot answer. There’s no problem he cannot solve. He's never been stumped. There’s nothing that he cannot afford.

If our kids relentlessly ask us and we are incredibly limited in our resources, shouldn’t we at least be as bold as our kids in asking of the one who is unlimited?

But here’s the deal. I don’t think most of us struggle wondering whether or not he has the power to do this stuff. The real question is not, can he? But will he? Does he want to?

Do you remember in Mark chapter one when the leper came down from the mountain? He fell at Jesus’ feet. Do you remember what he said? Such a beautiful way that he says this:

If you are willing, you can make me clean.

No question about his power. The question is, would Jesus be inclined to use it for him personally? And this is where most of us struggle. This is what we’re not sure about. Our question is not about his power but about his heart.

And this is why the metaphor that Jesus uses is so important for us to understand. I want to read it to you again, starting in verse nine. He says this:

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for fish, will give him a snake?

See, Jesus is like, you can't understand what I’m saying here unless you understand a couple of things. The first thing you gotta understand is this: you are his kid. I mean, you are his. You’re his little kid.

I want to emphasize that this is an essential and necessary component to the gospel message. The gospel message is not, you were estranged from God, an enemy, and by his grace, he saved you, and now you are obedient soldiers and servants. That’s not the gospel. The gospel is, you were a rebellious enemy. By his grace, he saved you. And as John’s gospel tells us, he gave you the right to become children of God.

You were adopted into his family. And not just adopted, but you were given full rights as sons and daughters. Do you know what happens? When you start to believe this— that we are his kids— we start to act like his kids. We just start to act like it.

Do you know deep down, in the fundamental part of who you are, the deepest core of your identity—that you are his child? Because when you grasp what Jesus is telling us here, we will naturally behave like it.

And how do kids act? We can learn a lot from them. Let me give you just a couple of examples.

Our kids say whatever is on their mind. If it’s in here, it’s coming out of here. They have little to no filter. I will never forget, this was many years ago, the Fetzer family invited the Sleep family to join them at Emerald Isle at the beach. We only had Sydney at the time. But sweet little Charlie, she couldn’t have been more than four or five years old.

We arrive, and Charlie Fetzer runs into my arms. She would, Charlie, I mean, she would jump into your arms and then lock eyes with you and smile. She was beholding the beauty before her. And without breaking a smile, Charlie goes, your nose is big.

Do you know why Charlie said that? Because it is. Okay? She saw it, and so she said it. Because kids say what’s on their mind.

If they want something, they ask you for it. If you say no, what do they do? They keep asking— but mom, but mom, but dad, but dad, but dad. They are relentless, persistent little boogers. They cannot help it. They do not take into consideration whether or not what they are asking for is reasonable, whether or not you have the resources to provide whatever they asked for, or whether or not it will be good for them. All they know is this: they have a felt need and a sincere desire. And all they are doing is going to the one to whom they’ve been conditioned to believe wants to satisfy that desire.

Are you his kid? Do you know that? Because if you do, when that penny drops, you just start doing that. And do you know who did that perfectly during his life? It was a man named Jesus, the most dependent human being to ever walk this planet.

Think about that. God in the flesh with all power. He could do anything. If there was ever someone that didn’t need to be independent, it was Jesus—or rather, yeah, you know what I mean. But Jesus lived totally dependent on his Father, every day of his life.

Listen to just a couple of things he said:

I only do what I see my Father doing.
I only say what my Father gives me to say.

And in the ESV, he says it this way:

And I say it the way he wants me to.

Jesus was completely dependent. And therefore, prayer for Jesus was not so much a discipline he exercised; it was just what he did. It was just a way of life because when you’re a kid, you just ask, you ask, you ask. Every thought becomes something you tell your Father.

Trust in His Goodness

And the final part: do you know who your dad is?
What he's capable of?

The one that spun the planets into orbit? The one that opened his mouth and suddenly there was light? The one who dreamed up every sunset, every mountain peak? The world that we live in and all its splendor and beauty was his canvas—done in a few days. There is no question God cannot answer. There’s no problem he cannot solve. He's never been stumped. There’s nothing that he cannot afford.

If our kids relentlessly ask us and we are incredibly limited in resources, shouldn’t we at least be as bold in our asking of the one who is unlimited?

But here’s the key. I don’t think most of us struggle wondering whether or not he has the power to do this stuff. The real question is not, can he? But will he? Does he want to?

Remember in Mark chapter one, when the leper came down from the mountain? He fell at Jesus’ feet. And he said:

If you are willing, you can make me clean.

No question about his power. The question is, would Jesus be inclined to use it for him? And this is where most of us struggle. This is what we’re not sure about. Our question is about his heart.

And this is why the metaphor that Jesus uses is so important for us to understand. I want to read it again: in verse nine.

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for fish, will give him a snake?

See, Jesus is like, you can't understand what I’m saying unless you understand. The first thing you need to understand is this: you are his kid. You are his. And you’re his little kid.

I want to emphasize that this is an essential and necessary component to the gospel. The gospel is not, you were estranged from God, an enemy, and by his grace, he saved you, and now you’re obedient soldiers and servants. That’s not the gospel. The gospel is, you were a rebellious enemy. By his grace, he saved you. And as John’s gospel tells us, he gave you the right to become children of God.

You were adopted into his family. And not just adopted— you were given full rights as sons and daughters. When you start to believe this— that we are his kids— we start to act like his kids. We just start to act like it.

Deep down, in the fundamental part of who you are, the deepest core of your identity—that you are his child— when you grasp what Jesus is telling us here, we will naturally behave like it.

And how do kids act? We can learn a lot from them. Here are a couple examples.

Our kids say whatever is on their mind. If it’s in here, it’s coming out of here. They have little to no filter. I will never forget, this was many years ago, the Fetzer family invited the Sleep family to join them at Emerald Isle at the beach. We only had Sydney at the time. But sweet little Charlie, she couldn’t have been more than four or five years old.

When we arrived, Charlie Fetzer ran into my arms. She would jump into your arms, and then lock eyes with you and smile. She was beholden to the beauty in front of her. And without breaking a smile, Charlie said, your nose is big.

Do you know why? Because it is. Okay? She saw it, and so she said it. Kids say what’s on their mind.

If they want something, they ask you for it. If you say no, what do they do? They keep asking— but mom, but mom, but dad, but dad. They are relentless, persistent little beings. They cannot help it. They do not consider whether what they’re asking for is reasonable, whether you have the resources, or whether it’s good for them. All they know is they have a felt need and a sincere desire. And all they do is keep seeking the one they believe wants to satisfy it.

Are you his kid? Do you know that? Because if you do, when the realization hits, you’ll begin to ask that way. And do you know who modeled this perfectly? It was Jesus.

The most dependent human being ever—God in the flesh. With all power, he could do anything. But he lived totally dependent on his Father, every day.

Listen to a couple things he said:

I only do what I see my Father doing.
I only say what my Father gives me to say.

In the ESV:

I say the way he wants me to.

Jesus’ dependency meant prayer wasn’t a discipline but a way of life. Because when you’re a kid, you just ask. Every thought, every desire, you tell your Father.

Conclusion

So, do you know who your dad is?
What he’s capable of?

The one who created all? The one who caused light to burst from darkness? The one who dreamed every sunset, every mountain peak? The world and its beauty are his canvas, painted in days. There’s no question he can answer anything.

And if our kids, limited in resources, ask boldly, how much more should we ask the unlimited one?

But here’s the key—most of us don’t doubt his power. We wonder, will he? Does he want to?

Remember the man in Mark chapter one. The leper asked—

If you are willing, you can make me clean.

And Jesus’ heart was moved. Because his question wasn’t about power, but about willingness.

And that’s what makes the promise so astonishing. Jesus says to ask, to seek, to knock—not once, but six times. He invites us into relationship with a Father who loves to give good gifts.

And as Melissa reflected yesterday, for every no or not yet we face in this life, one day, there will be a final yes— the ultimate assurance of salvation, where tears, pain, heartbreak, sickness— all of it— are no more.

This world is temporary. God’s preparing us for eternity, for a world where his goodness reigns forever.

And so we trust his heart. We are his kids. And with that, let's respond to our Father, trusting that he desires us to ask, to seek, and to knock.

And if he doesn’t give the answer we’re hoping for, don’t stop asking. He wants to do it. This way of living called prayer, this is how we get to know him—so when we enter glory, we will be face to face with the one we’ve spoken to every moment of our earthly life.

Let's pray.

Father, thank you for the chance to look at your Word. Thank you for your over-the-top promise to answer us—that you want to. Give us the courage to move towards you in prayer, believing your heart is good, that we can trust you. For those who have never known you as Father, today is the day they can know you. They can come home.

As always, these front rails here are for you during this time to pray and connect with God. The straight rails are for those who’d like to pray with someone—we’d love to pray with you.

Father, thank you. It’s in your name that we pray. Amen.