Today’s Guest Post is written by my favorite Minister and Sunday School Superintendent, my husband, Elder Ebed M. Evans, Sr. This message was preached at a homeless shelter in Dallas, TX, May 2019.
Excuses, What is Your Excuse?
Text: Luke 14:16-20
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.
19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
From the Scripture I just read, we see that “a certain man made a great supper, and bade many.” Bade means invited. Excuses were made for not coming to the supper. What is an excuse? Another word for an excuse is reason. Also, another word for an excuse is an explanation.
In the text, we see a man who bought “a piece of ground” and HAD NOT seen it. Would you buy some property and had not looked at it? You could be buying swampland.
Also in the text, we see a man who bought oxen and had not proved them. Would you buy a car or truck and HAD NOT proved it or test driven it (tried it out) or as some would say, take it for a spin?
Also in the text “And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.”
So they all had reasons, explanations for not coming to the supper. Poor excuses!!
Luke 14:23 says “And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” The host told his servant to invite others to his supper. The host declared “that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.” He was referring to those who had made excuses for not coming.
Jesus’ Invitation – What is it?
Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Excuses for not accepting Jesus’ invitation
- “There are pretenders or hypocrites in the church”. Will you let these people stand between you and Jesus?
- “I am too young”. “Most of my life is ahead of me”. The truth is, most of your life could be behind you. Life is uncertain. We hear the saying “here today and gone tomorrow.” Often it’s here today and gone today. Have you boiled water in a tea kettle or pan? The water eventually becomes steam that you can see for a short time and then disappears. James 4:14 says, “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
- “I want education”. “I want to go to school so that I can do better in life”. This is good BUT it should not come before or instead of Christ.
- “I want to have fun”. “I want to experience worldly pleasures (the parties – not your young child’s birthday party, but the parties where drugs and alcohol are consumed and other forms of riotous, undisciplined, out of control behavior are displayed). “I want to experience gambling”. “I want to experience the entertainment industry (become a celebrity)”. The Spring season that we are now experiencing won’t last forever! Please keep this in mind that enjoying the pleasures of sin is ONLY for a season. Is this worth the risk of losing your soul?
- Ignorance
- There is no excuse for ignorance because God’s law is written in your heart and your conscience also bears witness.There is no excuse for ignorance because on your smart device (cell phone, tablet), you can download a Bible app and listen to the Word of God.
- There is no excuse for ignorance because perhaps someone has passed a gospel tract to you. Did you read it or did you just throw it away?
- There is no excuse for ignorance because you can hear the Word of God in church. You can also hear God’s Word in outreach ministries such as the street, nursing home, jail, radio and television ministries.
- There is no excuse for ignorance because Titus 2:11-12 declares, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”
Final Destinies
There are ONLY two destinies after death: heaven and hell. You have to get it right BEFORE you die. Will you accept Jesus’ invitation TODAY? You are laboring and heavy laden trying to work your life out your way. It won’t work. You are wasting valuable time. Proverbs 14:12 says “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
TODAY, will you repent of your sins and ask Jesus to save you and fill you with the Holy Ghost? There are NO excuses for not giving your life to Jesus. AMEN.