Transcript SEVEN Inexcusable Excuses

S E V E N
I NEXCUSABLE E XCUSES
“EXCUSE”
1.
2.
(NOUN)
TO NEGLECT DUTY
W HEN W E D ON ’ T WANT TO
D O S OMETHING
1

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…
W HEN W E A RE E MBARRASSED
2

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."
3 W HEN
W E D ON ’ T WANT TO A CCEPT
R ESPONSIBILITY OR A F ORCEFUL 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)
1
Comfort
Zone!
P ERSONAL I NCOMPETENCY

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)
1
Comfort
Zone!

P ERSONAL I NCOMPETENCY
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)
Praying
Reading
Exhorting
Admonishing
Caring
Helping
DO WE BELIEVE IN
CHRIST’S ENABLING
POWER?
Sing
Edify
Responsive
Visit
Earnest
(Is. 40:31; 41:10; Eph. 3:16; 1 Pet. 4:11)
2
L ACK OF S OCIAL S TRENGTH

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: F EARING
O THERS

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
“D IFFICULTY ” I N THE TASK
Too difficult and dangerous!
PROV. 26:13-16
A lion is in the streets!

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!
T HE R EDISTRIBUTION OF W EALTH
D OCTRINE K NOCKS A GAINST
G ENUINE L ABOR A CHIEVEMENT
Is not Biblically sound
labor
God’s Design (Eph. 4:28)
accountability
REWARD
WORK

RESPONSIBILITY

wages
T HE R EDISTRIBUTION OF
W EALTH D OCTRINE K NOCKS
A GAINST THE R EWARD

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?
T HE R EDISTRIBUTION OF W EALTH
D OCTRINE K NOCKS A GAINST THE
A CCOUNTABILITY & L ABOR

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. 4:1316).

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.)
T HE R EDISTRIBUTION OF
W EALTH D OCTRINE

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 Y OUNG

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)
I S B EING A Y OUTH A VALID E XCUSE
TO N OT S ERVE 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.”
T HE Y OUTH






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. 7:723)
Need to get fireproofed by fearing the Lord
FIREPROOF YOUR
YOUTH!
“Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth…” (Eccl. 12:1)

FEAR THE LORD

FIND THE MERCY OF GOD

TRUST IN THE LORD

GROW RIGHT

RETAIN A TENDER SPIRIT

REJOICE…BUT KEEP IN MIND THERE IS A
JUDGMENT
(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
5

G OD IS TOO S TRICT /H ARD
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)
G OD WANTS U S TO
H AVE A S PINE !
COURAGE

God wants us to accept the challenge!

God wants us to grow!

God wants us to work!

God wants us to move!



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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!
G OD S EES T HROUGH O UR
E XCUSE
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
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S EE N O N EED
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)
W HAT C AN I D O ?

Nearly anything!

Look out
 Think about


A card to cheer one

A meal to fill one



Make it out
A question to show interest in one
A bible study to edify one
An offer to help one
S OMEONE E LSE W ILL D O I T
March 13, 1964
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

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: "ThirtyEight Who Saw Murder
Didn't Call the Police"
7

TOO B USY
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 B USY
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
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TOO B USY
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 B USY
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)
T HE F INE L INE

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)