Radical Persistence
Sermon Notes
After a series of high standards in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us something unexpected: relief. He invites us to ask, seek, and knock. In this week’s Radical message, Brad Kirby shows that prayer isn’t about earning or proving. It’s about depending on a Father who loves to give what’s truly good.
Maybe you’ve prayed for something that never came, or you’ve wondered if God even hears you. Jesus reminds us that prayer isn’t about getting what we want. It’s about getting more of Him.
Key Takeaways
Prayer isn’t about getting things. It’s about getting God.
Jesus invites us to come to the Father with confidence instead of fear.
Asking builds dependence. Seeking builds desire. Knocking builds perseverance.
Our Father knows what we need before we ask and gives what is truly good.
When we trust His heart, we begin to pray for holiness more than happiness.
Discussion Questions
What holds you back from asking God for what you need?
When has God surprised you by giving something better than you prayed for?
How does viewing God as a Father reshape your approach to prayer?
Which of these feels hardest for you right now: asking, seeking, or knocking?
How can you reflect the Father’s generosity toward someone else this week?
Transcript
The Pressure and the Release
If you’ve been following through the Sermon on the Mount, you’ve probably felt it — the pressure. Jesus has called us to be pure in heart, to forgive, to love our enemies, to give in secret, and to trust without fear. And by the time you reach chapter seven, it’s like the tension has been building to a breaking point.
Then, in one breath, Jesus gives us release. “Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened.” It’s as if He’s saying, “I know you can’t do this alone — so don’t try. Ask Me.”
You can’t live this Kingdom life by sheer effort. You need help. And the good news? The Father is eager to give it.
The Invitation: Ask, Seek, Knock
These aren’t random commands. They’re invitations into a relationship.
“Ask” shows dependence. Children ask because they trust their parents to provide. “Seek” shows desire. We search because we believe something good can actually be found. “Knock” shows persistence. We keep coming because we know Someone’s there.
Jesus isn’t giving us a checklist for answered prayer. He’s showing us what it means to live as sons and daughters — to approach the Father not with formulas, but with faith.
The Assurance: God Gives Good Gifts
Then Jesus says something simple and profound. “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?” Even imperfect parents know how to give good things to their kids. So if that’s true of us, how much more true is it of a perfect Father?
God doesn’t withhold because He’s cruel. He gives what’s good, even when it’s not what we expected. Sometimes that means waiting. Sometimes it means saying no. But always, it means love.
When you pray, you’re not trying to convince God to care. You’re reminding yourself that He already does.
The Call: Live the Golden Rule
Jesus finishes this section with a single sentence that ties it all together. “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them.” That one word “so” connects it all. Because God gives generously, His people live generously.
When you experience grace, you extend it. When you know the kindness of the Father, you show it. The Golden Rule isn’t just good advice — it’s a reflection of God’s heart.
Living in Dependence
This week, as you pray, remember who’s listening. You’re not talking to a distant deity or a silent sky. You’re talking to your Father. The same Father who feeds the birds, clothes the flowers, and holds the future in His hands — that’s who’s waiting to hear from you.
So keep asking. Keep seeking. Keep knocking. Not because God is hiding, but because every knock opens your heart a little more to Him.
And when you finally find what you were looking for, you’ll realize it was never the thing itself. It was always Him.
