What's Your Excuse?

Notes: "What's Your Excuse?"

Matthew 22 / Luke 14

SPEAKER:

Greg Laurie

SERIES:

God Came Near

This webcast is also available in spanish.

Sunday, April 26, 2015 — 10:00 a.m.

Lying, deception and excuses are the subjects of today.

An excuse is a dressed up lie.

He, who excuses himself, accuses himself.

Lying and exception and giving excuses grow and grow.

People exaggerate constantly. "I will be ready in a minute!" "Of course I'm listening" "yes dear" "we can still be good friends" "I'm from the government here to help you"

The Garden of Eden is the first lie and one of the most famous. Adam blamed God and Eve in the Garden.

Aaron claimed that the golden calf just came out of the fire when they threw their gold into it.

Matthew 22:2-10 NKJV

[2] "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, [3] and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. [4] Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding."' [5] But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. [6] And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. [7] But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. [8] Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. [9] Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.' [10] So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Matthew 22:4 NKJV

[4] Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding."'

This is a royal wedding; they provide everything, the food, the accommodations and even the clothes.

Once you say yes to this type of wedding if you don't show up is the worst kind of insult.

Luke 14:18-20 NKJV

[18] But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.' [19] And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.' [20] Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'

These aren't even good excuses.

Things and relationships are keeping people away.

Excuse1: Possessions are more important than God.

First excuse is saying he bought something without seeing it first. That happens to all of us when we shop online...not a real good excuse.

The first one was polite about it. Like inviting someone to hear the Gospel.

The love of things kept the first guy away.

Matthew 16:26 NKJV

[26] For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 19:16-22 NKJV

[16] Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" [17] So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." [18] He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' [19] 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' " [20] The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" [21] Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." [22] But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Excuse 2: Career is more important than God.

Luke 14:19 NKJV

[19] And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.'

Career has been put ahead of so many things in people's lives.

Excuse 3: Relationships are more important than God.

Luke 14:20 NKJV

[20] Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'

This was not about a reason it was about an excuse.

If you are single do not get linked with a nonbeliever, you won't lift them up, they will pull you down...usually.

Once you are married to a nonbeliever you are commanded to win them over.

Don't put your spiritual life on hold for anyone, even your nonbeliever spouse.

You can't help someone else spiritually if you are falling apart.

Luke 14:25-27 NKJV

[25] Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, [26] "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. [27] And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

If you want to be a follower of Jesus you must put Him above everyone else.

If you put God first, everything else can fall into place.

Matthew 22:11-12 NKJV

[11] "But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. [12] So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless.

This was an insult to the king that invited him. This man didn't belong there if he wasn't going to dress as the king wished.

This is mocking God, to say that what Jesus did not do enough.

Hebrews 10:29-30 NKJV

[29] Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? [30] For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people."

Matthew 22:13-14 NKJV

[13] Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' [14] "For many are called, but few are chosen."

Many are like this, shocked when God does not answer them when they aren't respecting Him.

Isaiah 55:6 NKJV

[6] Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.

Many are held back from knowing God because they are holding on to the thing that is keeping them away from Him.

Let go of those things and cling to God!

It doesn't matter how you say yes to Jesus, just say yes!