Isaiah 29:9-14 Blindness to the Word (July 12, 2026 AM, Dr. Michael Grasso)

"How a person responds to the Word of God reveals the condition of the heart.In Isaiah 29, the people of Judah still professed to worship God, but their hearts were far from him. Rather than submitting to God's Word, they had replaced it with the commandments and traditions of men. As a result, the Word that should have brought life became like a sealed book—present before them, yet impossible for them to understand.This sermon explores Isaiah's warning about spiritual blindness, showing how the rejection of God's Word leads to further hardening and why humble submission to Scripture is the mark of genuine faith. The passage also sheds light on Jesus' rebuke of the Pharisees in Matthew 15 and Mark 7, where he applies Isaiah's prophecy to those who elevated human tradition above God's commands.Ultimately, this message points us to Christ, the Good Shepherd whose sheep hear his voice. Only through the new birth and the work of the Holy Spirit can blind eyes be opened to behold the beauty of God's Word. May we be those who tremble at Scripture, reject the wisdom of men where it contradicts God, and hear the voice of Christ to the saving of our souls."