Bowed Heads & Distant Hearts - DJ Dickerson - 5/17/26

this morning share with you that there

are a few things more terrifying

in scripture than people who think they

are close to God while God says they are

far from him.

If you have been endeavoring in our

yearly Bible study uh reading plan, just

recently I was reminded of this very

issue when reading from the Old

Testament book of Isaiah chapter 58.

Isaiah 58 · chapter mention

That will be our text this morning. So

I'd encourage you to go to Isaiah

Isaiah 58 · chapter mention

chapter 58 in your Bibles. Isaiah

Isaiah 58 · chapter mention

chapter 58 as we go through this passage

together.

As one reads that chapter, we come to

realize that it was not written to

atheists.

It wasn't written to pagans either.

Friends, Isaiah 58 was written to

worshippers. Uh they were people who

still prayed. They still fasted. They

still assembled. They still performed

religious acts. Uh they still claimed to

seek God daily. Yet heaven was silent.

And and perhaps the greatest tragedy, as

we'll find in Isaiah chapter 58, is not

Isaiah 58 · chapter mention

that the people abandoned religion. The

tragedy is that they kept religion while

abandoning God.

And we will spend this morning

considering what I thought was a fitting

title for the lesson, being bowed heads

and distant hearts.

Because what we'll find is that they

knew how to perform worship,

but without possessing surrender.

They knew how to look humble

without truly being broken before the

Lord.

Their hands were still carrying out

religious practices,

but their hearts no longer burned for

God.

And history has a way of repeating

itself.

Throughout the Old Testament, God

repeatedly called his people back to

him. We we've noted that in any time of

study in the Old Testament, we see that

back and forth, don't we? Uh one

generation would uh faithfully walk with

the Lord, but then another generation

would would rise to slowly drift away

into spiritual complacency. One of the

passages that's quite familiar I believe

is James 2 and verse 10 from the Old

Testament Judges chapter 2 and verse 10.

Judges 2 · chapter mention

In Judges 2 and verse 10 says, "When all

that generation have been gathered to

their fathers, another generation arose

after them who did not know the Lord nor

the work which he had done for Israel."

That that is a huge statement there. And

brethren, we must recognize that the

danger still exists today.

We are living in a culture

filled with religious activities

but starving for genuine devotion.

The questions that we are confronted

with today are are really the same as

back then. Okay. Uh have we come to know

how to attend worship without truly

worshiping?

Have we come to know how to sing songs

while our hearts remain distracted?

Have we come to know how to say the

right things while resisting genuine

surrender?

In Isaiah 58 confronts us with a

difficult question and that question is

simply this. Have we preserved the form

of rel religion while losing the heart

of it?

God told Isaiah in verse in verse one of

Isaiah 58, "Cry aloud, spare not. Lift

up your voice like a trumpet. Tell my

people their transgression and the house

of Jacob their sins."

Think about that. This message was meant

to awaken people who had become

spiritually comfortable.

And perhaps we need that same message,

that same awakening today.

Read on in verses 2 through five of our

text

says, "Yet they seek me daily and

delight to know my ways as a nation that

did righteousness and did not forsake

the ordinance of their God. They ask of

me the ordinances of justice. They take

delight in approaching God. Why have Why

have we fasted, they say, and you have

not seen? Why have we afflicted our

souls, and you take no notice? In fact,

the day of our of your fast, you did

find pleasure and exploit all your

laborers. Indeed, you fast for strife

and debate, and to strike with a fist of

wickedness. You will not fast as you do

this day, to make your voice heard on

high. Is it a fast that have the eye

have chosen a day for a man to afflict

his soul? Is it to bow down his head

like a borish and and to spread out

sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this

a fast and and an acceptable day to the

Lord? Let's talk about that for a

moment. Bowed heads. That's that's kind

of how I cate categorize that in those

first few verses there. uh because as we

noted in the chapter how did it open

right verse one God commanding Isaiah

you cry aloud spare not lift up your

voice like a trumpet okay uh why such

strong language

because the most dangerous spiritual

condition is friends it's not open

wickedness

it's not open wickedness it's

selfdeceived religion

it's believing that we are close to God

while our hearts remain far from him.

What did verse two say? I'll back up

just a moment. Verse two, yet they seek

me. How often does it say? They seek me

daily

and delight to know my ways. Well, you

know, at first glance, uh, these people

appear deeply devoted. I mean, when you

read that, like these guys have it.

They sought God daily. They delighted to

know his ways. They fasted. They humbled

themselves outwardly.

But something was terribly wrong. What

was it? Verse three, what's it say? The

frustration. What? It reveals it here.

Verse three. Why have we fasted? That's

what they're saying. Why have we fasted

and you have not seen? Y'all see that?

Uhoh.

They're frustrated because, in other

words, Lord, why are you not responding

to our worship? And God answers them

because outward worship had replaced

inward surrender.

They wanted God's blessings without

God's lordship.

They verse three says they pursued their

own pleasure. Verse four, what's it say?

They oppressed others and stirred up

strife.

So here it is. They fasted with our

mouths

while sinning with their lives. Did

y'all see that? They lifted prayers

toward heaven while mistreating people

on earth.

Their worship looked sincere externally,

but inwardly their hearts were distant

from God. Look at verse five. What God

asked,

"Is it a fast that I have chosen?" Oh,

here here's the question. Was God

impressed me by bowed heads?

Was he? Well, I think we see clearly he

wasn't. Was he interested only in an

outward displays of humility?

And the obvious answer to those

questions are no.

God has never desired

ritual

detached from transformed hearts.

This same spirit actually appeared in

the days of Jesus. Matthew chapter 15.

Matthew 15 · chapter mention

Matthew chapter 15. And look there in

Matthew 15 · chapter mention

verses 7-9. Matthew 15 7-9.

Hypocrites. Well, did Isaiah prophesy

about you, saying, "These people draw

near to me with their mouth and honor me

with their lips, but their heart is far

from me. And in vain they worship me,

teaching as doctrines the commandments

of men." You see, if you back up and

you'll even see there's a lot that said

in the Gospel of Matthew regarding the

Pharisees, the scribes, the chief

priests, and you know, Jesus on the in

the sermon on the mount, Matthew 5

through chapter 7, he takes some time to

speak on some issues. Well, just like he

is in Matthew chapter 15 regarding them

Matthew 15 · chapter mention

being hypocrites. Again, these were

religious leaders that he's talking

about. You back up to Matthew chapter 6.

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

What were they doing? What did Jesus

say? And when you pray, you shall not be

like the hypocrites. For they love to

pray standing where? In the synagogues

and on the corners of the streets that

they may be seen by men. Assuredly I say

to you, they have the reward. So Jesus

is taking it right here to the point in

Matthew 6:5 is that here they are

Matthew 6:5

religious leaders. Yeah, they prayed

publicly

but again he called them hypocrites

because of again what was the heart

behind it? What what was the motive

behind it? Well, then you go on down to

verse 16.

Moreover, when you fast, do not be like

the hypocrites with a sad countenance,

for they disfigure their faces that they

may, key word, appear to men to be

fasting, assuredly I say to you, they

have their reward.

So, publicly they prayed, they fasted

visibly, right? all this external stuff

going on that's outward and and what

Jesus would make clear in these passages

is that they appeared righteous

outwardly

and yet even when you go to chapter 23

where all the the pronouncing of woes

that were given

woe to you verse 27-28 prime example

here scribes and Pharisees hypocrites

for you are like whitewashed tombs which

indeed appear appear beautiful

outwardly, but inside are full of dead

men's bones and all uncleanness. Even

so, you also outwardly appear righteous

to men, but inside you are full of

hypocrisy and lawlessness.

When you take all of these patches,

we're talking about Matthew chapter 6 or

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

Matthew chapter 15 or Matthew 23. All of

Matthew 15 · chapter mention

these are what Jesus is specifically

saying here about the religious leaders,

the scribes, the chief priests, them

outward religion without inward

surrender has always offended God.

Always.

Always. And that danger still exists

today.

It still exists that it's possible to

know scripture and not know God.

possible.

It's possible to defend truth and not

love truth.

It's possible to worship and never truly

worship.

And I know that sounds weird when you

say it out like that, but that's exactly

what happens in the scriptures

all the time.

Paul gave this warning to Timothy.

Paul warned about people in 2 Timothy

2 Timothy 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3. Second Timothy chapter 3

2 Timothy 3 · chapter mention

again, prove all things according to

God's word, not DJ. But second Timothy

2 Timothy 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3, look at verses 2 through

five.

He says, "For men will be be lovers of

themselves,

lovers of money, boasters, proud,

blasphemers, disobedient to parents,

unthankful, unholy, unloving,

unforgiving, slanderers, without

self-control,

brutal, despisers of good, traitors,

headstrong, hotty, lovers of pleasure

rather than lovers of God." Look at

verse five.

having a form of godliness

but denying its power and from such

people turn away.

Friends,

for someone to say, I have belief

without transformation, orthodoxy

without transformation is still

spiritual deadness. stealing.

It is possible to bow our heads

while our hearts remain far, far away

from God.

And Isaiah 58 reminds us that God sees

beyond such. He sees beyond appearances

because what is he looking at? Just like

just as we see in in the days of Samuel,

right? The Lord is looking at the heart.

You know, see, we we we kind of we kind

of look at the outward stuff, don't we?

But where did Jesus even point all of

this to?

By their fruits, you shall know them.

It's not about the foliage and all the

other things, right? Well, that looks he

looks healthy. No, it's about what it

produces.

That's Jesus talking about the fruit of

the tree. By their fruit, you shall know

them.

So

the heart of the matter is where it is

pointing to yet again. I want us to go

on in Isaiah 58 6-12. Let's read that

together. Isaiah 58:es 6-12. Let's read

together. Is this not the fast that I

have chosen to loose the bonds of

wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens,

to let the oppressed go free, and that

you break every yoke? Is it not to share

your bread with the hungry and that you

bring to your house the poor who are

cast out? When you when you see the

naked that you cover him and not hide

yourself from your own flesh, then your

your light shall break forth like the

morning. Your healing shall spring forth

speedily and your righteousness shall go

before you. The glory of the Lord shall

be your rear guard. Then you shall call

and the Lord will answer. You shall cry

and he will say, "Here I am." If you

take away the yoke from your midst, the

pointing of the finger, and speaking

wickedness, if you extend your soul to

the hungry and satisfy the afflicted

soul, then your light shall dawn in the

darkness, and your darkness shall be as

the noon day. The Lord will guide you

continually and satisfy your soul in

drought and strengthen your bones. You

shall be like a watered garden and like

a spring of water whose waters do not

fill. Those from among you shall build

the old waste places. You shall raise up

the foundations of many generations. And

you shall be called the repairer of the

breach, the restorer of streets to dwell

in.

As we continue in this text, having

talked about bowed hearts or bow bowed

heads, we're going to distant hearts.

When you look at verse six,

God reveals the kind of worship he

actually desires.

True worship is not proven merely by

what happens in the assembly.

Um it's proven by what kind of person

leaves the assembly.

You understand that? What that means?

that God says, "Loose the bonds of

wickedness, undo the heavy burdens, let

the oppressed go free." And it's

interesting the way this is worded that

that the people, it seems, wanted

spiritual experiences while refusing

spiritual transformation.

But worship that truly reaches the heart

changes the life.

Worship that does not soften the heart

has not reached the heart. God wanted

his people to reflect his character in

the way they treated others. Do you see

that?

Verse seven even says, "Is it not to

share your bread with the hungry?" True

worship produces compassion. True

worship produces mercy. True worship

produces how we speak, how we act, how

we conduct ourselves, how we treat

others

because God cared more uh you know cared

about more than what happened in the

temple. Yes, that was significant.

That's important what they did in the

temple. No doubt.

But he cared also

about what happened in their homes,

about what happened in their

conversations, about what happened in

their business dealings, what about

happen in their relationships. And I

could go on and on and on.

Because friends, when we're talking

about living a life that's pleasing to

God,

worship that never leaves the assembly

has not yet reached the heart.

There's got to be meaning and

significance behind what we do when we

claim God

the creator of all that he is our father

who is in heaven.

Look at James in James chapter 1 verses

James 1:26

26 and 27.

James 1 verses 26 and 27.

James 1:26

If anyone among you thinks he is

religious and does not bridles bridle

his tongue

but deceives his own heart, this one's

religion is useless.

Pure and undefiled religion before God

and the father is this, to visit orphan

and widows in their trouble and to keep

oneself unspotted from the world. You

know, you know, and even what the Lord

through Isaiah is telling

the people

has this ring to it from Matthew chapter

Matthew 25 · chapter mention

25,

doesn't it? About Jesus

making a a huge point,

Matthew chapter 25

Matthew 25 · chapter mention

about their dayto-day basically

activities.

Matthew 25,

he talks about the and I'm just going to

jump right into verse 37. You know, then

the righteous will answer him saying,

"Lord, when did we see you hungry and

feed you or thirsty and give you drink?

When did we see you a stranger or take

you in naked and clothe you? Or when

when did we see you sick or imprisoning

or and come to you?" And then the king

will answer and say to him, "Surely I

say to you, in as much as you did it to

one of the least of these, my brethren,

you did it to me." You see, that has a

has a familiar ring to it from Isaiah

58. in here in Matthew chapter 25 and

Matthew 25 · chapter mention

even James chapter 1. It's very

James 1 · chapter mention

interesting that we see these

connections in the scriptures, don't we?

And not just there, but we also see it

in Luke chapter 10. Luke chapter 10 is a

Luke 10 · chapter mention Luke 10 · chapter mention

prime uh example of this what Jesus was

talking about in the parable of the good

Samaritan. Parable of the good

Samaritan. We we're uh we we think about

what Jesus was was telling them and

answering a question. and a certain

lawyer that stood up was testing Jesus

and says, "Teacher, what shall I do to

inherit eternal life?"

And Jesus made a he said a parable here

there in beginning in verse 30 on down

about this certain man who went down

from Jerusalem to Jericho, fell among

thieves who stripped him of his

clothing, wounded him, and departed

leaving him half dead. And then he uses

this example here. He said a certain

priest came down that road and when they

and when he saw him he passed by on the

other side. Then he talks about a

Levite. Now again this is putting the

religious aspect here right? Okay. When

he arrived at the place came and looked

and passed by on the other side but then

the Jews of course they didn't

particularly like the Samaritans.

Remember that. Okay. Samaritans this

group of Samaritans. A certain Samaritan

as he journeyed came where he was and

when he saw him he had compassion. And

he goes on and it says that he bandaged

his wounds. He poured on oil and wine

set him on his own animal brought him to

an end and took care of him. On the next

day when he departed he took out two

dinari gave him to the inkeeper and said

to him take care of him and whatever

more you spend when I come again I will

repay you. So which of these three do

you think was neighbor to him who fell

among the thieves? And he said he who

showed mercy on him. Then Jesus says,

"Go and do likewise."

What Jesus was doing and all throughout

these passages, and again, I I'm hoping

that that you're seeing these

connections here as I'm going through

these. What Jesus was doing here even in

Luke was illustrating the same truth.

The same truth

that the question is not merely who's my

neighbor. The question is, am I becoming

like Christ toward others?

Because we can sing all the songs that

talk about love, right? Especially

regarding our love for God, our love for

Jesus, while failing to love people made

in his image.

John wrote this in 1 John 4 and:es 20

and 21. 1 John 4 20 and 21. If someone

says, "I love God," and hates his

brother, he is a liar. For he who does

not love his brother whom he has seen,

how can he love God whom he has not

seen? Verse 21. And this commandment we

have from him that he who loves God must

love his brother also. Also, it doesn't

say you can if you want to. No, it says

must.

M must.

Now, this is exactly and all that we're

talking about here. This is exactly

the contradiction Isaiah 58 exposes

that Isaiah 58 is basically describing

practical atheist.

Think about that

because it's more than attendance. God

desires resemblance.

Notice the promises in verses 8-2.

I'll back it up again real quickly. I

didn't put my charts in the order I

wanted to, but verses 8-2.

Then your light shall break forth like

the morning. Y'all see when we think

about what produces darkness. Well, I

think it's clear dead religion produces

darkness.

Genuine surrender produces light.

Matthew chapter 5 and verse 16, what's

Matthew 5 · chapter mention

it say? Let your light so shine before

men that they may see your good works

and glorify your father in heaven. When

hearts truly belong to God,

righteousness begins radiating outward

into every area of one's life. Verse 11

of our text of Isaiah 58, you shall be

like a watered garden and like a spring

of water. those whose waters do not

fail.

God says his people are meant to become

refreshment to the world around them.

Not spreading bitterness and not

spreading division, but spreading grace,

truth, compassion, and hope.

I started not too long ago, we were we

were looking at the difference between

reservoirs and rivers. Y'all might

remember that.

And one of the passages we used was John

7 and verse 38.

He who believes in me, Jesus said, as

the scripture has said, out of his heart

will flow rivers of living water.

When we talk about a life that is

dedicated and devoted to God, when our

worship is genuine itself, it overflows.

You know, you probably heard this from

time to time. Even when I was growing

up, I heard the I heard the preacher

say, "Don't leave

what you have done here

at the threshold of the door." I

remember that. And that's still true

today.

All that we learn, all that we we do

here, we praise God.

We encourage one another.

We remember Christ

and crucified for our sins.

And we go out to glorify God even when

we leave here

daily

because that is what changes homes. It's

what changes marriages. It changes

church. It changes generations.

Generations. Did y'all notice that in

verse 12 of our text, Isaiah 58, what

y'all notice there? You shall raise up

the foundations of many generations.

Generations.

I'm asking about our generations that's

coming up. Do we see of what we are

doing today raising up the foundations

of generations to come?

Think about that.

That's important, isn't it?

Because one transformed life can

influence generations.

Didn't we talk about that last Sunday

with Lois, Ununas, and Timothy?

See, it wasn't just about those three.

Lois and Ununas. They they weren't just

influencing Timothy.

They were influencing other people

obviously in their lives. But we have

that snippet, if you will, of what they

were doing with Timothy to teach him and

to guide him. And it wasn't just words.

I'm pretty assure of that. It wasn't

just words that they shared with Timothy

saying, "Oh, you know, Timothy, you

know, you got to do this and you've got

to do that and check this box and check

that box." No, that's not what it was.

They lived out a life that said they

truly loved God

and they glorified God. And Timothy saw

that. And it wasn't a contradiction to

what they did in an assembly.

Y'all see the point I'm making?

They weren't living out a life of

practical atheist. I believe God, but my

life doesn't reflect it.

It's true.

Timothy's life

had a massive impact going forward and

impacted

generations. Generations.

Yes, one transformed life can influence

generations. But I'll tell you this,

superficial religion cannot rebuild

ruined places.

won't happen. Never has and never will.

And that's gospel. That's truth. That's

Bible.

Only surrendered hearts can do that.

Last two verses of our text before we

close the lesson, verses 13 and 14. Look

at it with me. If you turn away your

foot from the Sabbath, from doing your

pleasure on my holy day, and call the

Sabbath the delight, the holy day of the

Lord honorable, and shall honor him, not

doing your own ways, nor finding your

own pleasure, nor speaking your own

words, then you shall delight yourself

in the Lord. And I will cause you to

ride hi ride on the high hills of the

earth, and feed you with the heritage of

Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord

has spoken.

The passage ends and this is the

direction that we find. The direction is

when worship becomes to light.

Now as we think about the old law and

which talks about the Sabbath, right?

The old law had to do with the Sabbath.

And the final section really centers on

that. While while Christians again today

under the new covenant that we have,

we're not under the old test old

testament Sabbath law. And again, I gave

reference in the notes of Colossians

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2 that speaks speaks of this in

verses 14-1 17 about having wiped out

the handwriting of requirements that was

against us which was contrary to us. And

he has taken it out of the way, having

nailed it to the cross, having disarmed

principalities and powers. He made a

public spectacle of them, triumphing

over them in it. So let no one judge you

in food or in drink or regarding a

festival or new new moon or Sabbath

which are a shadow of things to come but

the substances of Christ.

See that's what that was. Shadows. Y'all

remember that series don't you?

The principle though that that's being

pointed out in this last two verses

remains unmistakable. God desires

worship that flows from delight rather

than mere obligation. This is not a

checkbox thing. It's not. Verse 13 says,

"Call the Sabbath a delight."

The issue was not merely Sabbath

observance. The issue was what they

loved.

God was not merely looking for people

who made time for him. He wanted people

who actually treasured it. Israel viewed

worship as something to endure so they

could return to their own pleasures.

Think about that.

And sadly, that same spirit still exists

today. Many approach worship saying,

"How quickly will this be over?" Right?

How how quickly?

rather than how closely can I draw to my

God

who created all things.

Some endure worship rather than delight

in worship. That's what they did in the

days of old. And but a heart that that

delights

in God never views opportunities like

this right here. And even this evening

and even the time that we spent on

Wednesday, we don't see that as wasted

time. We don't see that.

Friends, I want to submit to you, your

influence

is helping my kids grow in the Lord.

It's helping my kids,

and I appreciate that.

That's important to me and I've said

that numerous times over the years that

I've been here. I think this is the

eighth year I've been here and y'all

heard that statement before and we've

added a kid since then obviously, right?

But it goes far beyond what we do here.

It's important that you're here because

my kids notice when you're not.

You know, they ask me, "Hey, where's so

and so? Have you seen him?" It's a good

question. Maybe we need to send them a

card.

You don't think my kids notice things?

They wonder, "Is it not important to

them?"

Let that settle for a second.

There are generations that are coming up

and I don't want them having conflicting

information either.

I don't want I don't I don't want that.

I want them to know the importance of

delighting in the time that we have to

spend

together to encourage

to be edified to be built up.

I think about what David declared. I was

glad when they said to me, "Let us go

into the house of the Lord."

Did we say that this morning? We got

ready for Bible study this morning. I

was glad

we're coming to study God's word, right?

I was glad to come and worship God

because if that's not really the delight

that we have, then there's a problem.

We're actually practical atheists.

I know that sounds hard.

But is that not what Isaiah 58's talking

about?

Because friends, the tragedy is not

merely that people stop loving worship.

The tragedy is that they stopped loving

the God worship was meant to draw them

forward.

God wanted his people to find joy in

him. Not empty routine, not cold

formalism, not mechanical religion. He

wanted surrendered hearts. And friends,

what Matthew 6 verse 21 says, "For where

Matthew 6:21

your treasure is, there your heart will

be." Also, let me tell you what Jesus

makes abundantly clear. What we treasure

shapes our hearts. And when God becomes

our delight, worship ceases to be a

burden.

Prayer becomes communion. Singing

becomes praise. Bible study becomes

nourishment. The Lord's supper becomes

heartfelt remembrance. They these are no

longer mere just religious actions.

They become encounters with the living

God. And this extends beyond the

building where we assemble. As mentioned

earlier, it goes into every aspect of

our lives.

So I I bring this lesson to a close,

friends, to tell you Isaiah 58 is a

mirror. If you didn't see that already,

I'm telling you, it's a mirror.

It forces us to ask difficult questions.

Have we bowed our heads while allowing

our hearts to become distant from God?

Have we preserved outward religion while

neglecting inward devotion?

Have we mastered

worship forms while losing reverence and

surrender?

Jesus said, "God is spirit, and those

who worship him must worship in spirit

and truth." John 4:24. Perhaps the

John 4:24

greatest lesson of Isaiah 58 is this.

What we do with God was never meant to

end at the building doors.

The people of Isaiah's day believed that

if they bowed their heads during sacred

moments,

God would ignore how they lived after.

But God showed them

that such is not confined to moments.

True worship changes the heart and

transformed hearts change the way we

actually live.

Worship

is about surrender ourselves.

Friends, it's not just merely bowing the

head. It's bowing the will.

And there's more to what happens during

our Sunday services and such. Yes, it's

important we what we do here today. It's

important that we do everything in

accordance with the New Testament

scripture and authority.

But also equally important, it also it's

important what happens Monday morning.

It's seen in how we treat people. It's

seen in how we speak to our families.

It's seen how we conduct ourselves at

work. It's seen how we respond when we

are wronged. It's seen. It is seen how

we carry Christ out into the world

because worship that honors God in the

assembly but dishonors him in daily

living is inconsistent with what God

desires.

And Isaiah 58 reminds us that God does

not simply listen to songs. He watches

hearts and he watches lives.

And what God desires is a devoted heart

that goes with us out of the pews and

into the world.

Paul would later write in Romans 12

Romans 12:1

verses 1 and two, I beseech you

therefore, brethren, by the mercies of

God that you present your bodies a

living sacrifice, holy accept to God

which is your reasonable service. and do

not be conformed to this world, but be

transformed by the renewing of your mind

that you may prove what is that good and

acceptable the perfect will of God.

So friends, the great question Isaiah 58

leaves us with, when the singing ends,

when the prayers conclude,

when the assembly dismisses,

will the lives that exclaim glory,

honor, and praise here continue beyond

the threshold of a doorway?

Or will God see bowed heads and distant

hearts?

Perhaps this morning there is one that

realizes that outward religion has

replaced inward devotion.

Maybe worship has become mechanical.

Maybe prayer has been something routine.

May maybe hearts have drifted while

attendance yes remained.

But God still calls people back to him.

He still desires as our scripture

reading this morning that was read by

brother Aiden Mosley. He still desires

hearts that what what's it say in verse

two? But on this one will look on him

who is poor and of a contrite spirit and

who trembles

at my word.

And if you will humble yourself

sincerely before him, God will still

revive his people.

Because God does not merely want a place

somewhere in our lives.

He demands the throne. He demands the

throne.

Thank you again for your kind attention

this morning and this lesson

that has served as a good reminder to

myself and I hopefully to you also.

jumping on the body of Christ in

baptism, submit your life to him. Submit

your life to his will because it says

that buried with Christ in baptism to

rise and walk in newness of life. You're

giving your life over to him that he is

the Lord of Lords, King of Kings, your

life. Repent of your sins, confess him,

and be baptized. We help you with that

this morning. We'd love to help you.

You'd love to want to study with us

about that. Let us know. Don't leave

here without saying, "I need to talk to

you more about God's plan of salvation."

Or as a disciple of Christ, something

that's a miss in your life. Maybe

there's a spiritual need that you have

that's lingering. Something that this

lesson has even brought forth and you

can respond to that and we'll be have

prayers on your behalf, prayers for

strength, whatever that case may be.

Friends,

whatever your spiritual need, won't you

come as we stand as we sing the song

that's been selected?