(Podcast 3.24.21) Sermon on the Mount: Part Eight-Ask, Seek, Knock (Matthew 7:7-23)

By: Brian G. Chilton and Curtis Evelo | March 24, 2021

The Sermon on the Mount has challenged people for thousands of years, from every generation, nationality, and worldview. Jesus of Nazareth’s Sermon on the Mount continues to challenge people today. In a world where evangelical Christians are divided over politics, theological conflicts, conspiracy theories, and self-inflicted drama due to nasty Twitter and Facebook posts; it would prove beneficial to step back and evaluate the lifestyle that Jesus calls his disciples to live. In the eighth and final podcast on the Sermon on the Mount, Brian and Curtis discuss Jesus’s teaching on asking, seeking, and knocking. They also related the teachings of true and false prophets to the character problems plaguing the modern church.

Prior to the topic, Brian and Curtis discuss a positive email sent to Bellator Christi this past week, and they also look into Beth Moore’s departure from the Southern Baptist Convention.

Matthew 7.7-23

1) What is Jesus’s focus in instructing the believer to ask, seek, and knock?

2) Are these petitions given once or repeatedly? What does the answer tell us about the importance of the steadfastness of prayer?

3) What does the relationship between human gift-giving and divine gift-giving tell us about God’s love for us? What does this say about heaven?

4) What does Jesus’s teaching on the narrow gate say to the number of people who genuinely follow Christ? Knowing this truth, should we be surprised by the low numbers in churches especially as the Day of the Lord draws near?

5) What does Jesus tell us to look for when deciphering whether a prophet is genuine or false? What role does charisma play in determining one’s authenticity?

6) What role does fruit checking play in determining the authenticity of a prophet or leader?

7) Why are verses 21-23 among the most frightening in the entire Bible?

8) What was the biggest and most surprising insight that you learned from the series on the Sermon on the Mount?

Brian Chilton: Founder of Bellator Christi Ministries

Brian G. Chilton is the founder of BellatorChristi.com, the host of The Bellator Christi Podcast, and the author of the Layman’s Manual on Christian Apologetics. Brian is a Ph.D. Candidate of the Ph.D. in Theology and Apologetics program at Liberty University. He received his Master of Divinity in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); and received certification in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. Brian is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society. Brian has nearly 20 years of pastoral experience and currently serves as a clinical chaplain.

https://www.amazon.com/Laymans-Manual-Christian-Apologetics-Essentials/dp/1532697104

Curtis Evelo: Co-host and Producer of the Bellator Christi Podcast

Curtis Evelo is a cattle rancher at the E6 Hereford Ranch in St. Ignatius, Montana. Curtis is the co-host and producer of the Bellator Christi Podcast. He often teaches and speaks at his church Cornerstone Faith Center in St. Ignatius. Curtis provides a common-sense approach to Christianity as he contemplates the wonders of God’s creation in Big Sky Country.