SEVEN INEXCUSABLE EXCUSES

“EXCUSE” (NOUN)

TO NEGLECT DUTY

WHEN WE DON’T WANT TO DO SOMETHING

Using “other things” to excuse me from doing what I don’t want to do

"Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come’” (Lk. 14:20)

Example of a farmer asking his neighbor to borrow a rope…

1

WHEN WE ARE EMBARRASSED

Sometimes the excuse offered is more embarrassing than the original error

Some of the excuses offered to policemen for automobile accidents…

Aaron’s excuse to conceal his failure in Exodus 32:24, "And I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out."

2

WHEN WE DON’T WANT TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY OR A FORCEFUL

CONCLUSION

“The Devil made me do it!”

“Why did God create me this way then?”

“I did not know” (cf. Lk. 20:1-7)

“Then the man said, ‘The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate’” (Gen. 3:12)

3

1 PERSONAL INCOMPETENCY

CHARGE: “Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt” (Ex. 3:10)

REPLY:“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’ …But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice…O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue” (Ex. 3:11; 4:1, 10)

ComfortZone!

1 PERSONAL INCOMPETENCY

Christ Enables Us!

“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry” (1 Tim. 1:12)

“who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor. 3:6)

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13)

ComfortZone!

DO WE BELIEVE IN CHRIST’S ENABLING

POWER?Praying ReadingExhortingAdmonishingCaringHelping

SingEdifyResponsiveVisitEarnest

(Is. 40:31; 41:10; Eph. 3:16; 1 Pet. 4:11)

2 LACK OF SOCIAL STRENGTH

CHARGE:“Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” (Judg. 6:14)

REPLY:“O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (Judg. 6:15)

THE TRAP: FEARING OTHERS

It is easy to fear what others think of you and to want their approval (cf. Jn. 7:13; 12:42)

Bible heroes like Gideon can relate to this fear (see Judg. 6:25-32; cf. Mat. 26:56; Jn. 3:1, 2; 19:38; Gal. 2:12)

“The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe” (Prov. 29:25)

Requires complete faith in God“I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid Of a man who will die, And of the son of a man who will be made like grass?” (Is. 51:12)

3 “DIFFICULTY” IN THE TASK

A lazy pessimist sees the obstacles, but a diligent one sees the opportunity

“The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, But the way of the upright is a highway” (Prov. 15:19).

“The desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor” (Prov. 21:25)

Labor and industry should be rewarded; desire with no diligence should kill!

Too difficult and dangerous!

A lion is in the streets!PROV. 26:13-16

THE REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH DOCTRINE

KNOCKS AGAINST GENUINE LABOR ACHIEVEMENT

Is not Biblically sound God’s Design (Eph. 4:28)

THE REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH DOCTRINE KNOCKS AGAINST THE

REWARD

Shall teachers redistribute the “A’s” in the class to make the “F’s” into “C’s”?

Shall lousy teachers get the same reward as the good and diligent?

Shall customers redistribute the server’s “tips” to the lazy beggar outside?

THE REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH DOCTRINE

KNOCKS AGAINST THE ACCOUNTABILITY & LABOR

CONSIDER THE WORK OF TEACHING Desires the role/position of teacher but does

not want the stricter judgment that comes with the work (Jas. 3:1)? TEACHING CARRIES WITH IT A RESPONSIBILITY

FOR WHAT IS TAUGHT Wants the reward but not the devotion of time

to prepare to teach “as to save” (1 Tim. 4:13-16). Work (teach: study, speak, exhort, rebuke; 2 Tim. 4:5) Responsibility (accountability: to God, Jas .3:1; 2 Tim. 4:1) Reward (monetary: wages, share, Gal. 6:6; 1 Cor. 9:1-14; 2

Cor. 11:8; spiritual: standing and boldness, cf. 1 Tim. 3:13; principle: Prov. 13:4; etc.)

THE REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH DOCTRINE

Is not Biblically sound Some want “much” but do not desire to be

accountable for “much” (Lk. 12:48)? “He who is slothful in his work Is a brother to

him who is a great destroyer” (Prov. 18:9)

“The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing” (Prov. 20:4; cf. 6:6, 11; 13:4)

4 TOO YOUNG

CHARGE: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations” (Jer. 1:5)

REPLY:“Then said I: ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth’” (Jer. 1:6)

IS BEING A YOUTH A VALID EXCUSE TO NOT SERVE THE LORD?

“But the LORD said to me: ‘Do not say, “I am a youth,” For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,’ says the LORD.”

THE YOUTH

May have an evil imagination (Gen. 8:21) Can clean his way (Ps. 119:9) Have the capacity to conquer giants of

infidelity (1 Sam. 17:33) Can receive the wrath of the Lord (2 Kin.

2:23, 24) Can do things to destroy their life (Prov. 7:7-

23) Need to get fireproofed by fearing the Lord

FIREPROOF YOUR YOUTH!

FEAR THE LORDFEAR THE LORD

FIND THE MERCY OF GODFIND THE MERCY OF GOD

TRUST IN THE LORDTRUST IN THE LORD

GROW RIGHTGROW RIGHT

RETAIN A TENDER SPIRITRETAIN A TENDER SPIRIT

REJOICE…BUT KEEP IN MIND THERE IS A REJOICE…BUT KEEP IN MIND THERE IS A JUDGMENTJUDGMENT

“Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth…” (Eccl. 12:1)

(1 Kin. 18:12; Ps. 25:7; 71:5; 144:12; Eccl. 4:13; 11:9, 10; 12:1)

“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

5 GOD IS TOO STRICT/HARD

24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, `Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours’” (Matt. 25:24, 25)

GOD WANTS US TO HAVE A SPINE!

God wants us to accept the challenge! God wants us to grow!

God wants us to work! God wants us to move!

God wants us to live!

God wants us to reject all sin—cowardice! “But the cowardly…shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire

and brimstone, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8) God wants us to gain courage! Courage commits to Christ; cowardice puts off the decision until later

God doesn’t want anyone to perish! 2 Peter 3:9; Acts 17:30 This should embolden us to go forward!

God sees through our excuses and accusations!

COURAGE

GOD SEES THROUGH OUR EXCUSE

26 “But his lord answered and said to him, `You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.

27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.

28 Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

6 SEE NO NEED

Matthew 25:41-46

The Lord is afflicted with our afflictions

Opportunities to be hospitable to brethren are lost: By indifference By spiritual blindness By self-absorption

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10)

WHAT CAN I DO?

Nearly anything! Look out

Think about Make it out

A card to cheer one

A meal to fill one A question to show interest in one

A bible study to edify one

An offer to help one

SOMEONE ELSE WILL DO IT

Surely…Probably…Maybe… But why won’t you?

People died because everybody thought somebody would do something

Died at 28 years old by being stabbed 38 people saw and did

nothing Most thought someone

else would call police

Kitty Genovese, picture from The New York Times article: "Thirty-Eight Who Saw Murder Didn't Call the Police"

March 13, 1964

7 TOO BUSY

Matthew 22:1-5; Luke 14:15-26 Being too busy affects the family, the church, the

soul

There is no excuse to not answer heaven’s invitation

Our business should not take us away from God’s business Keep in mind where we are going “It is more important to know where you are going than to

get there quickly. Do not mistake activity for achievement.” - Mabel Newcomber

7 TOO BUSY

Matthew 22:1-5; Luke 14:15-25 Being too busy affects the family

“I’m constantly amazed by the number of people who can’t seem to control their own schedules. Over the years, I’ve had many executives come to me and say with pride: ‘Boy, last year I worked so hard that I didn’t take any vacation. ‘ It’s nothing to be proud of. I always feel like responding: ‘You dummy. You mean to tell me that you can take responsibility for an $80 million project and you can’t plan two weeks out of the year to go off with your family and have some fun?” Source: Iacocca, An Autobiography by Lee Iacocca & William Novak,

Bantam, 1988, quoted in Lifeline, Summer, 1997

7 TOO BUSY

Matthew 22:1-5; Luke 14:15-25 Being too busy affects the church

How many Sundays are missed because we are “too busy” through the week?

How many Bible studies are undone because we are “too busy” to study?

How many of the lost die and seal their destiny because we were “too busy” to invite them to come and see the church that Christ built?

How many opportunities to help a brother/sister are left undone because we are “too busy?”

7 TOO BUSY

Matthew 22:1-5; Luke 14:15-25 Being too busy with the world will doom your

soul Song: “Take Time To Be Holy”

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple” (Lk. 14:26; cf. 1 Cor. 7:29)

“But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me” (Lk. 10:40)

THE FINE LINE

Between Business & Worldliness Our businesses are to be considered a blessing

from God (Eccl. 3:13; 5:19, 20) Business becomes a curse when it pulls us away

from God and His people Dangers of worldliness:

Destroys the influence of the word (Matt. 13:22) Offers a false security (Matt. 24:38, 39) Spiritual failure; Brotherly betrayal(2 Tim. 4:10) Conformity to the world in dress, speech, etc. (Rom.

12:1-2; Titus 2:11-12; 1 Tim. 2:9; principle: Neh. 13:23ff)