EXCUSES

EXCUSES

Luke 14:16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

Have you ever made an excuse for not doing something that you should have done or you had committed to do? I guess we all have at one time or another. Evidently all these that made excuses had committed to coming to the supper, but when time came they wanted to give an excuse why they couldn’t or wouldn’t come. The Kingsmen used to sing a song called Excuses and the first line of the chorus says “ Excuses, excuses, you’ll hear them every day”. No truer words have been spoken. It doesn’t matter what vocation you are in you will hear them. Teachers hear them about why homework isn’t done, Dr’s hear them about why patients didn’t follow their orders and policemen hear them about why the person was breaking the law. Would you believe preachers hear some as well? From my cousin’s ex husband’s sister’s brother in law might be sick and we just had to stay home to see if they called to tell us if he was or not. He wasn’t, so we just had family time around the TV and watched the game. An excuse will not hold up, but reasons will. There is a difference in an excuse and a reason. The illustration of staying home to hear news of someone they probably don’t really know is an excuse. The person that says I’m sorry I wasn’t at church, I was in the hospital having a gallbladder attack is a reason. Big difference!

In scripture there have been excuses given. In the garden Adam blamed Eve for his eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Then Eve blamed the serpent. They were blaming (making excuse) someone else for their actions.

Moses said he was not eloquent and was slow of speech.

Gideon said his family was poor and he was the least of his family.

Jeremiah said he could not speak for he was a child. Look if God calls you to do something He knows your capabilities. I had a Sunday School teacher many years ago that said “God doesn’t call the qualified, but qualifies those he calls”. So you and I don’t have an excuse to offer when we know what God wants us to do.

John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

You may be able to offer an excuse here to man, or pray and ask forgiveness of failing to do that you know to do. But if you are not born again, when you stand before God you will not make excuse and the time of praying for salvation is past and you will be without excuse. Here there will be no valid reasons, for the Lord has given man every opportunity to be saved, and made it to where, according to the Bible, we only have to believe on Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved

Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse

Please don’t make excuses to God about why you aren’t doing what He wants you to do. But let me beg you if you are not saved today to call upon the Lord and believe in Him and be saved today. You might not have tomorrow!!!