Have you ever noticed that everyone has an excuse? Take this story for example.
Nine GI’s were late for morning roll call. The first didn’t arrive until 7 PM. The Commanding Officer confronted him and yelled, “Where have you been, soldier?”
The soldier explained. He said, “Sir, I had a date and missed the bus. I hired a cab then it broke down. I went to a farmhouse and bought a horse. Ten miles from camp it fell over dead. I walked the last ten miles and just arrived, sir.”
The CO wasn’t happy but he let it slide. The next 7 guys came with the same story: date, missed bus, cab broke down, horse dead, walked ten miles. When GI number 9 came back the CO was fuming. The soldier said, “Sorry, sir, I had a date and missed the bus, so I hired a cab…”
“Don’t tell me,” the CO yelled, “It broke down.”
“Oh, no, sir,” the GI replied. It’s just that there were so many dead horses in the road that we couldn’t get through.” Don’t you just love excuses?
We are all good at making them. Everyone has an excuse. As an instructor at the community college, I have heard my share of excuses from students. Some are good, and some are down right ridiculous. I’ve heard them all. “My dog ate my homework.” “My car broke down.” “The aliens abducted me.”
We think excuses absolve us of our responsibility.
We can think of many biblical examples of excuses. Abraham thought he was too old to have a child. Jeremiah, the prophet thought he was too young to communicate God’s message. Moses thought he was unable to do God’s work. He gave multiple excuses: he wasn’t a good public speaker; his countrymen wouldn’t accept him, and others. Fortunately, all of these people got beyond that. They didn’t allow their excuses to consume them.
What are excuses anyway?
Jesus told a story about how excuses can cause us great difficulty in our spiritual walk.
Read Luke 14:16-24.
Imagine the scene.
A man plans a banquet. He sends notice to all his close friends and associates. He tells them that he is going to have a celebratory feast on the 30th of the month. He’s not sure what time it is, because he is not sure how many are coming. That means he doesn’t know when the food will be ready. It all depends on how many respond that they will come to his party. The cook needs to know how many are coming so he can prepare the right amount of food.
The man’s servant had to go to the homes and businesses of those who need to be invited to the great feast. He knocked on doors. He extended invitations. “My boss is having a big party on the 30th, would you be able to attend?” He met his share of positive and negative responses. Some said they couldn’t come, but most said they would definitely be there. They marked their planners and made notes in their Palm Pilots.
The servant returned to the boss and reported the number of people that would come. He accounted in detail for each person he was responsible for contacting. “Mr. Jones said he would be unable to attend. Mr. Smith was a definite. Mr. Johnson said he could make it. Mr. Williams said he was looking forward to it.”
The man was pleased with the overwhelming positive response. He said, “Good work, my man.” He then ordered the servant to go to the cook with the list of those who would be attending.
The cook looked over list. He sized up the list. Contemplated a menu. He worked on how much salad he would need. He planned the beverages. He gauged the number of steaks he would need. He considered which desserts would be best for this group. He worked up his menu. The boss looked over the menu, and made a few suggestions. He then approved the menu for the cook to make the necessary preparations.
The servant went to the another aid and gave him the list. He planned and arranged the tables and chairs for maximum efficiency. This was to be the biggest feast the man had ever given.
The maids cleaned and cleaned. The cook cooked. Other servants made other arrangements. The decorations were put out on the tables. The dishes and cups were counted and cleaned. The excitement was building as the 30th approached. The plans were on schedule. The man was excited that so many people would be coming to his banquet. He was well known in the city for his elaborate feasts, and this one would be the biggest and best ever.
The sun rose over the horizon on the 30th. The man crawled out of bed and stretched. Today was the day. He walked through the house. He checked with the maids to make sure every cobweb was cleaned and every dust bunny executed. He checked to see if the other servants had made the preparations. He checked in on the cook to see how the meal preparations were coming. He asked the cook, “What time will dinner be ready?” The cook gave him the exact time. He was used to these feasts and could calculate the exact time that the meal would be ready to serve. The man summoned his servant. He told the servant when the meal would be ready. The boss said, “Go tell those invited when it will start.”
The servant had a lot of ground to cover. There were just hours until the first course would find its way to the tables. The hour was getting late as he knocked on the Mr. Smith’s door. “Sir the banquet will start in a few hours.”
Mr. Smith looked down at his feet and said, “Uh, well, ur, uh, the thing is that I just bought a new house, and I want to go inspect it. Please send my regrets to your boss.”
Next he knocked on the door of Mr. Johnson and relayed the same message about the banquet.
Mr. Johnson nervously stated, “Well, here’s the deal. I just bought a new fleet of tractors for my farming operation. I need to go and kick their tires and test-drive them. Please send my regrets to my old friend, but I won’t be able to come to the feast.”
The Williams’ house was next. The servant knocked on the door to tell him about the time of the feast.
Mr. Williams said, “Bummer, dude. I just got married and I have to honeymoon with my beautiful new bride. I can’t make it.”
The servant returned to the house to tell his boss of the results of his work.
The boss said, “Well, did you get a hold of everyone?”
“Sure did, sir. I talked to everyone.”
“Well, when will they arrive?”
“They’re not coming, sir.”
“What? Why not?”
The servant relayed the various excuses that these men had given.
The boss was indignant. He looked at the servant. He said, “I gave them notice about this event well in advance. How could Smith buy a house without ever looking at it? How can he allow something like a house get in the way of this wonderful feast that I have provided for him and the others.
“And Johnson. How could he put his business ahead of this banquet? How could he buy a fleet of tractors without checking them out ahead of time?
“Then there’s Williams. Didn’t he know he was getting married when he was first invited? He should have known ahead of time. He should have told you the first time that he couldn’t come.
“These ungrateful people. Go out and invite the homeless folk you find on the street. They’ll appreciate a good meal.”
The servant hustled out the door to find every beggar and vagrant he could find. He told them of all the food that awaited them. They looked at each other in disbelief. They couldn’t believe their good fortune. They excitedly came to the dinner. They filled tables.
The servant reported to the boss what had happened. Then he said, “Sir, there are still many empty tables and chairs.”
The master was upset. He said, “Go and bring in the scum of the earth. Bring in prostitutes, alcoholics, drug dealers and homosexuals. Show them immense amounts of love to convince them that this banquet is where they should be.”
The servant went and did as the boss had told him. He drove the back alleys. He cruised the red light district. He knocked on the doors of crack houses. He told them of the banquet that his boss had planned. He told them the there was food that would just go to waste if they didn’t come and eat it. Some were skeptical, at first, but they came excited that someone saw fit to ask them into their house for a meal.
They didn’t have the lame excuses that the others had. They didn’t allow their possessions, business concerns or family relations get in the way of coming to the great feast that the man had given.
Those who had thought their invitation written in stone and their place guaranteed at the banquet were shut out. They were forced to watch the great feast with noses pressed to the windows of the man’s house.
Who were these scumbags eating the food that was intended for them? It was a motley crew of people. Who were these drunks? Who were these whores? Who were these potheads? Who were these queers? The scum of the earth was present eating the food that was intended for them.
Church, where are we today? Are we the ones offering excuses? Or, are we the ones offering the warm hand of friendship to the scum of the earth? Are we making excuses for our lack of spiritual depth? Are we more occupied by possessions than we are with possessing the Spirit of God? Are we allowing business concerns to get in the way of the concerns of God? Are we allowing our family responsibilities to choke out our responsibilities to carry the love of God to our human family? Are we repulsed by the idea that God loves prostitutes and homosexuals as much as he loves each one of us?
This banquet is an allegory for the kingdom of God. The ones who gave excuses were the ones that thought they were secure in God’s kingdom. They were the religious snobs. They thought that God loved them because they acted the part of living the holy life. They were outwardly righteous. They don’t smoke, drink or chew; and don’t go with girls that do.
Sometimes, I wonder if we American Christians haven’t slipped into that frame of thinking. We think we are high and mighty. God loves us more because we are Americans. God loves us more because we are monogamous heterosexuals. God loves us more because we don’t smoke or drink or dance or whatever. We think our place at his table is secure.
When we think we are secure, we begin to make excuses for not doing the work of God. We make excuses for not helping those in need. We come to our fancy church, sit in our padded pews, and think we are doing something great for God. We make excuses about not helping others. I have my family to think about. Every single member of the human race is part of your family. The hooker on the corner is part of your family. The gay guy at work is part of your family. The homeless man on the corner is a part of your family. God loves the people we don’t like. Is there someone at work who bugs you to no end? God loves that person. Is there a neighbor that drives you up the wall? God loves them. Can you stand the Republicans? God loves them. Do the Democrats get under your skin? God loves them. God loves the jailbird, the rapist, the child molester, and the murderer. Jesus died for each one of them.
We allow our possessions to get in the way of us being possessed by the Spirit of God. There is no greater possession than to be possessed by the Holy Spirit.
We allow our business and jobs to get in the way of doing the real work to which we are called. We are called to be change agents in our world. A few weeks ago, Pastor Randy called us to be “doer of the Word rather than just hearers” (James 1:22).
The imagery of the feast in this story is that of the kingdom of God. God’s kingdom is more than heaven, which, to be sure, is part of it. God’s kingdom exists in the here and now. Be sure of one thing. God’s banquet table will be filled. The only question is who will fill it.
Are we going to fill it? Are we at the table right now? Are we making excuses for not joining the kingdom? Are possessions getting in our way? Are business concerns getting in our way? Are personal relationships getting in our way? Are we involved in the kingdom of God in the here and now? Are we sitting on the sidelines content that we think we will always have a seat at the table? What excuses have we made? What excuses have I made? What excuses have you made? Where do we want to be? Where do I want to be? Where do you want to be? Where does God want us to be? Where does God want me to be? Where does God want you to be? The excuses we make do not absolve us of the responsibility that we have to God or his kingdom.
