Excusing Excuses

Illus: There was a young Scottish boy called Angus, who decided to try life in Australia. He found an apartment in a small block and settled in.

After a week or two, his mother called from Aberdeen to see how her son was doing in his new life.

Angus said, “I'm fine! But there are some really strange people living in these apartments.

• One woman cries all day long,

• Another lies on her floor moaning,

• And there is a guy next door to me who bangs his head on the wall all the time.”

His mother said, “Well, ma laddie, I suggest you don't associate with people like that.”

Angus said, “Oh, I don't, Mama, I don't. No, I just stay inside my apartment all day and all night, playing my bagpipes.”

Isn’t it amazing how we think that other people are strange, but that we are normal.

The Lord Jesus met some strange people when He was here on earth. In this passage, I have read to you about some strange people.

Notice two things in verses 16-17.

(1) THE GREAT SUPPER

In verse 16, we read, “...A certain man made a great supper, and bade many.”

What this verse is teaching us is that God has a great feast and He is inviting all to come. This seems to be something that everyone would want to take advantage of.

We see THE GREAT SUPPER, and -

(2) THE GREAT SURPRISE

Look at verse 17, we read, “And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now READY.” Then we read in verse 18, “And they ALL WITH ONE CONSENT BEGAN TO MAKE EXCUSE...”

What a shock this must have been when ALL began to make excuses. There is a difference between a REASON and an EXCUSE.

• A reason is something that comes up that keeps us from doing something we would like to do.

• An excuse is something that we give for something we do not want to do.

Someone has said an excuse is, "The skin of a reason stuffed with a lie."

Illus: The excuses of the ungodly are as ridiculous as those of the lad that the farmer caught crouching in the branches of his apple tree.

• The farmer asked, “What are you doing up there?”

• The lad said, “Er--uh, I saw one of your apples fall from this branch and I am trying to put it back.”

Do you think any farmer would be foolish enough to believe a story like that? I do not think so!

Illus: Here are some ridiculous excuses for not exercising:

• It is well documented that for every mile you jog, you add 1 minute to your life. This enables you at 95 years old...to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing home at $5,000 per month.

• My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 now and we don't know where she is.

• I joined a health club last year, spent about 400 bucks. Have NOT lost a pound. Apparently you have to show up.

• I have to exercise early in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing.

• I don't exercise at all. If God meant us to touch our toes, he would have put them further up our body.

• I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.

• I have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them.

• The advantage of exercising every day is that you die healthier.

• If I jog, it makes the ice jump right out of my glass.

Notice in our text that the Lord shows us three men who came up with three of the most ridiculous excuses we have ever heard.

These three men did not say they WOULD NOT COME. They simply gave excuses to try to cover up the fact they did not WANT to attend.

I. THE FIRST MAN WAS A “FIBBER”

Look at Verse 18, we read, “...The first man said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.”

When I think of FIBBERS, I think of politicians. They will tell you anything you want to hear.

Illus: I remember when George Herbert Bush stood before the American people and stated, “NO NEW TAXES!” Many went to the polls and voted for him. After he was in office HE RAISED OUR TAXES! He lied to us!

Illus: I remember another politician by the name of Bill Clinton, that looked into the television camera and told the American people, “I DID NOT HAVE SEX WITH THAT WOMAN!” But when some evidence came out on Monica Lewinski’s dress, he admitted he had LIED TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!