In what ways can we overcome excuses to fully embrace God's calling? Gathering Around the Word “‘But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first one said, “I have bought a field and I need to go see it. Please excuse me.”’ — Luke 14:18 What Excuses Reveal - They expose misplaced priorities—ownership (“a field”) felt more urgent than fellowship with the King. - They expose shortsighted vision—temporal concerns overshadow eternal invitations (2 Corinthians 4:18). - They expose unbelief—if God truly reigns, His summons outranks every other claim (Isaiah 55:6). Remember the Great Invitation - The Host is God Himself (Luke 14:16). - The banquet pictures salvation and kingdom service (Revelation 19:9). - Acceptance requires immediate, wholehearted response (2 Corinthians 6:2). Costs of Hesitation - Lost opportunity: Others are gathered while the invited remain outside (Luke 14:21, 24). - Hardened heart: Repeated refusal dulls spiritual hearing (Hebrews 3:15). - Diminished witness: Excuses signal to observers that Christ ranks second (Matthew 5:16). Common Excuses and Scriptural Answers - “I’m unqualified.” — Moses said the same; God replied, “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:11–12). - “I’m too young.” — Jeremiah heard, “Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’” (Jeremiah 1:6–7). - “Circumstances are hard.” — Gideon faced oppression yet was called “mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12). - “I’m too busy.” — Martha was “worried and upset about many things,” missing “the one thing” (Luke 10:41–42). Practical Steps to Lay Aside Excuses - Examine motives: Ask, “What am I protecting?” (James 4:3). - Surrender daily: “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). - Embrace God’s sufficiency: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9). - Act promptly: “Do not merely listen to the word… Do what it says” (James 1:22). - Seek accountability: “Two are better than one” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10). Encouraging Examples - Isaiah—one glimpse of God’s glory turned hesitation into “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8). - Peter—after failure, he answered “Follow Me,” opening doors of bold ministry (John 21:19; Acts 2:14). - Paul—counted everything loss “because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ” (Philippians 3:8). Living It Out Today - Prioritize the banquet: schedule around worship, service, and witness rather than squeezing them in. - Hold possessions loosely: fields, oxen, careers, devices—tools, not masters. - Stay responsive: when Scripture, Spirit, or circumstance nudges, move without delay. - Celebrate obedience stories: testimony fuels courage for the next call. Faithful response transforms excuses into avenues of grace, letting the world taste the goodness of the King’s feast. |
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