Good morning, friends.
Scripture can be misread when we ignore its context—or when we assume it has nothing to say to us today. God’s Word always speaks, but we must listen with humility, or the Enemy will twist what is meant to reform us. Where I worship on Sunday we are celebrating our 60th year as a church and I have heard a lot of sermons over the 50 years I have been going. So today, if you ever thought it a challenge, we ask a question you may be pondering: Are we truly seeking the Kingdom of God to reshape and transform us through worship?
Scripture Summaries:
God reminds Israel of a simple covenant: Obey My voice and it will go well with you. Yet the people refused to listen. For generations they ignored the prophets, hardened their hearts, and walked backward instead of forward. God names them a nation that “did not obey” and “did not accept discipline.”
Jeremiah 7:23–28
Jesus heals a mute man, but some accuse Him of using demonic power. Jesus exposes their flawed logic: a divided kingdom cannot stand. If He casts out demons by God’s power, then the Kingdom of God has come near. He warns that neutrality is impossible—“Whoever is not with me is against me.”
Luke 11:14–23
A call to joyful worship: Come, let us sing… let us bow down before our Maker. The psalm links praise with obedience and warns against hardening our hearts as Israel did in the wilderness.
Psalm 95:1–9
Message: Change is hard—even when it is good. In Jesus’ day, many saw signs of God’s Kingdom but misinterpreted them. The human heart resists grace. The crowd sees a miracle but attributes it to evil. This reveals the self‑protective nature of unbelief. We face the same danger when we judge others harshly, assume our own goodness, or demand a “bigger sign” before trusting God.Often, we see the finger of God but miss the Kingdom of God already at work. Friends, if Jesus is who He says He is, then everything must change. Worship in both word and deed opens us to the change I believe God desires. Lent invites us to stop imagining how others should improve and instead ask the Spirit to reveal what needs reform in us. God will show us where character must grow, where habits must shift, where Christ’s image can shine more clearly. And eventually we must embrace Psalm 95 which reminds us that praise and obedience belong together. Worship softens the heart so the Spirit can transform it. We must see that the root of sin is not merely disobedience but a refusal to trust God’s heart. Jeremiah 7 exposes this refusal: Israel hears God’s voice but chooses its own counsel. The essence of Christian obedience is not do’s and don’ts but personal allegiance to Jesus. Obedience is to flow from love, not fear.
And So, Jeremiah 7 shows the tragedy of a people who hear God’s voice but refuse to trust Him. Luke 11 shows the danger of seeing God’s work but refusing to acknowledge His authority. Psalm 95 shows the path back: joyful, humble worship that softens the heart and restores obedience. Friends the gospel is not advice to follow but news to believe—and that news demands a response of love. Jesus forces a decision. Neutrality is impossible especially when we worship. Avoiding idolatry, and spiritual blindness requires us to listen for Jesus’ voice and recognize Him when He calls us to true worship.
Pray that we are not prejudiced or cynical. Pray we live sensitively in Christ’s presence and guidance. Pray we have gratitude for the past and confidence in the future. Pray we experience the Spirit as a foretaste of the coming Kingdom. Pray we experience unity, mercy, and the courage to keep reforming. Pray we stand with Christ, gathering rather than scattering. Pray we experience the joy of God’s Kingdom—here and now.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 