Seek and Ye Shall Find
In Luke 11:1, one of Jesus disciples asked Him to teach them to pray as John had taught his disciples. Following this, the Lord gave them a basic formula for prayer which many have used from that time forward. In verses 9-10 we find some instruction from the Lord, which like much of His instruction to man, has been mis-quoted, misused, and abused. He said: And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Many have applied this saying of Jesus to His disciples to most everything one can imagine.
Our Lord was not saying this in regard to any and all things man might desire.
Have you ever played “hide and seek” as a child? Even this innocent little game can teach us a valuable lesson regarding this instruction of the Lord. When, as children we played hide and seek, there was a definite objective to our seeking. We were seeking the one who was hiding. In Luke 11:13 the Lord showed His disciples what it is for which they should be “seeking”. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
One must also be aware that the four times the Lord promised the Comforter, He was speaking to His apostles. In John 14:26 Jesus said: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Then, in reading John 16:13 we understand that the Comforter is the Holy Spirit. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. Again, this was spoken only to the apostles. They were to receive the Comforter, the Spirit, and the Words He spoke were from God and would show them things to come. That which was to come was the church.
As the apostles received the Words of the Spirit, they would deliver them at the right time, to the right people, and at the right place. In so doing, the keys of the kingdom would open the doors of the church for the entrance of souls. Before His ascension, the Lord, in Acts 1:4-5, gave instructions to His chosen apostles that would set things in order for them to carry out the work for which He had chosen them. And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Then, in verse 8, the Lord told them what this work would be and all the places it would be carried out. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
That which the Lord sent to the apostles and to others to deliver and also to record, is the New Testament Word of God. It is that Word that instructs one how to be saved and the means by which one can have salvation. The Holy Spirit had given God’s O.T. Word to prophets that they might prophesy of the coming of the Son of God. Jesus, in John 5:39 spoke to the Jews that would not seek Him or Salvation. He said: Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. Jesus also told some of the Pharisees in the latter part of John 10:10 what it was they should have been seeking. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. He was speaking of spiritual life which is “in Christ”.
From these two passages, should we not understand what it is we should be seeking and where we will find it? We should be seeking eternal life, and can only find it in the scriptures, the Word of God. The Spirit had the apostle Paul write to the church in Rome regarding this very thing. The plan of God had not been revealed in Old Testament times as the Law given to Israel, the people of God, was in force until Christ paid the price for salvation. In Romans 16:25-26 Paul wrote that God’s plan was now made known through the scriptures. Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
What are we seeking? Are we seeking the treasures of the world? Will the things of the world save? Remember the Words of Jesus in Matthew 6:19-21 as He cautioned His disciples? Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. All of the things of the world will perish when the world perishes. Then in Matthew 16:26 Jesus told them that seeking the world and its treasures would cost them their souls. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For what are you seeking? Where are you looking? Look to the Word – Seek the saving of your eternal soul. Do so before it is everlastingly too late.
Dennis Strickland – Mooresville church of Christ
