I. AARON SAID, DON’T BLAME ME!
A. Aaron Blamed …
1. People for their Depravity (v. 22)
2. Moses for his Delay (v. 23)
3. Furnace for its Delivery Of A Calf (v. 24)
a. reminds me of when we were kids
b. mysterious creature named “I don’t know” always got blamed for our mischief
c. mom and dad would ask, “who did it?” We would say, “I don’ know”
B. Aaron Did Something I Call Blame-Shifting. What Is Blame-Shifting?
1. It’s a denial of guilt
2. It is placing the guilt or blame on someone else
3. It is a distraction from the truth
4. It is a refusal to take responsibility
5. It is an abusive practice – uses and manipulates other people
6. Examples seen after 9/11 and also after Hurricane Katrina
7. Examples of it everywhere
a. from the White House to the Statehouse
b. from the Church House to your House
II. HOW TO SPOT A BLAME-SHIFTER
A. They Blame-Shift Their Problems
1. It is frequently found in abusive personalities
a. they may make a mistakes
b. but then blame you for upsetting him/her & causing the mistake
2. It is frequently found in slothful personalities
a. If they are unemployed, can’t hold down a job, were thrown out of college or have a fall out with their family,
b. it is always someone else’s fault…the boss, the government, or their mother
B. They Blame-Shift Their Negative Feelings
1. Abuser will deny feelings stem from within him/her but see them as reactions to your behaviour or attitude toward him/her.
2. “’You make me mad” or “you hurt me by not doing what I ask”
3. Feelings may be used to manipulate you… “I would not be angry if you didn’t ...”
C. They Blame-Shift Their Positive Feelings
1. This is what, at first, makes the unwary drawn to blame-shifters
2. Blame shifters attract the unwary, the weak, the insecure
3. With Blame-shifters, positive emotions will often also be seen as originating outside of themselves
a. it’s very difficult to detect…because it’s mixed with flattery
b. statements such as
- ’You make me happy’
- ’You make me feel good about myself’
- these statements = signs that the abuser feels you are responsible for his sense of well-being
4. You may like it that way – being responsible for their good feelings
a. but beware – they can easily turn on you
b. before you know it, you’re the cause of their bad feelings
c. consequently, you are also to blame for any negative feelings such as anger, upset or depression and negative behaviors
III. NOT THE FIRST TIME BLAME-SHIFTING IS FOUND IN THE BIBLE
Genesis 3:12-13 Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave [to] [be] with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." 13 And the Lord God said to the woman, "What [is] this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
Proverbs 19:3 The foolishness of a man twists his way, And his heart frets against the Lord.
Matthew 7:1-5 "Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 "And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 "Or how can you say to your brother, `Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank [is] in your own eye? 5 "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Galatians 6:4-5 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load.
James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
IV. MOSES WAS SAYING, “AARON,, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY”
A. Long Ago (as well as today) There Were Principles Of Guilt Attacked To Actions Of People Who Weren’t Even Principally Responsible For A Crime Or Sin Or Behavior:
1. Being an accessory
2. Being an accomplice
3. Aiding and abetting
B. Definitions
1. Accessory = someone who wasn’t there, but still helped in some way
a. accessory before the fact – had knowledge of it before hand
b. accessory after the fact – had knowledge of it afterwards
2. Accomplice = someone who present when it happened
3. Aiding & Abetting = someone who helps in the commission by either what they did or did not do
C. Aaron Was Guilty Of Aiding & Abetting
1. He didn’t cause it to happen
2. But he was drawn into it and did some things to encourage them to do it
D. Moses Asked, “What did this people unto thee?”
1. Aaron had a good track record up till now
a. ordinarily Aaron would not be associated with idolatry
b. something must have happened
c. something must have pressed in on Aaron
d. resulting in such lame excuses
2. “What did they do to you?”
a. did they hold a gun to your head?
b. did they threaten you?
c. did they bribe you?
d. why didn’t you oppose them?
e. why did you fear them more than fear God?
V. THERE IS NO ROOM FOR BLAME-SHIFTING FOR THE CHRISTIAN
A. Christians Can Never Be Backed Into A Corner
B. (1 Cor 10:13) No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
1. Can’t say, “It’s not my fault, look at what everyone else did” (common)
2. Can’t say, “It’s not my fault, they pressured me”
3. Can’t say, “It’s not my fault, they left me no way out”
C. Aaron, You Stop Blaming Moses, People, Furnace
D. What Is An Area God Has Put His Finger On & Said, Take Responsibility?
VI. PRAYER
