There Are No Excuses With God Series

Finally, the pastor came to Louie. A bit apprehensively the pastor asked Louie how many bibles he had sold. Louie just handed him an envelope. The pastor opened the envelope and to his amazement there was $3,200.00 inside. “Louie,” the pastor exclaimed, “are you saying you sold 320 bibles?”

Louie just nodded.

Of course, Peter and Paul could not believe it. “We’re professional salesmen. Do you mean to stand there and tell us that you sold ten times as many bibles as we did? How could you do that?”

“Yes, Louie,” the pastor said. “That does seem a bit strange. Can you tell us how you managed that feat?”

Louie just shrugged and said, “I-I-I-I re-re-really d-d-d-don’t know f-ffffor sh-sh-shure.”

Peter interrupted, “For crying out loud, Louie, just tell us what you said when these people answered the door.”

“A-a-a-a-all I-I-I-I s-s-said w-w-w-was,” Louie replied, “W-w-w-w-would y-y-y-you l-l-l-l-l-like t-t-t-to b-b-b-b-buy a b-b-b-b-b-bible f-f-for t-t-ten b-b-b-bucks o-o-o-or w-w-w-would y-y-y-you j-j-j-just l-l-l-like me to s-s-s-s-stand h-h-h-here and r-r-r-read it to y-y-y-y-y-you?”

God gives gifts to those he calls, because he calls them to their passion. There really are no excuses with God.

I want to ask you if you’ve heard the call of God in your life. God’s call comes in many ways. There is, first of all, the call to salvation. He calls us into a continuing love relationship with himself through his son, Jesus Christ. I know you’ve heard the call. What was your excuse? “Oh, there is plenty of time for that later.” “That religion stuff is losers.” “I’m not sure about all that God stuff.” What’s your excuse for not responding to God’s call to salvation?

Then, there is the call of God to be like Christ. Have you heard that call? What excuse have you used? “Lord, I’m not strong enough to be like Christ.” “Lord, I’m having too much fun not being like Christ.” “Lord, it’s just too hard to be Christ-like.” What’s your excuse for not responding to God’s call to Christ-likeness?

Finally, there is the call of God to service. What ministry has God called you to? What excuses have you used? “Lord, I will do it when I retire.” “Lord, there’s just not enough time.” “Lord, that’s not my gift.” What’s your excuse for not responding to God’s call to service?

God’s call was never louder, nor was it ever clearer than at the cross of Jesus Christ. The cross was God’s call to forgiveness and life, to surrender and sacrifice. And the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead was God’s call to life, and that more abundantly. The resurrection was the sign of God’s power, and the Holy Spirit is the sign of God’s enduring presence with us. The call is loud, the call is clear. There are no excuses with God.