“Excuses Excuses”
Luke 14:15-35
1) The Excuse of Citizenship v. 18
The Land (Promised Land, thought they
were right with God because of their
Citizenship; some people think that
because they are U.S. citizens they will be
saved, Americans always win)
2) The Excuse of Ceremony v. 19
The Works (Oxen, represents works)
3) The Excuse of Companionship v. 20
The Wife (Decendants of Abraham,
thought family ties would make them right
with God; my father was a deacon)
Every Christian can avoid making “Excuses” by adhering to the Considerations of
Luke 14:25-35.
1) We should Consider our Foundation v. 28-30
1A) It is a Solid Foundation
Proverbs 10:25 As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous
is an everlasting foundation.
1B) It is a Sure Foundation
Isaiah 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a
foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that
believeth shall not make haste. (worry)
1C) It is a Sobering Foundation
1 Corinthians 3:10-16 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a
wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let
every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay
than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation
gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made
manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire
shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath
built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall
suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the
temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
2) We should Consider our Foe v. 31-32
2A) Ours is a Defeated Foe
Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how
art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
2B) Ours is a Devilish Foe
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
2C) Ours is a Damned Foe
Revelation 20:1-3 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the
bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old
serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him
into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should
deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that
he must be loosed a little season.
Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and
night for ever and ever.
3) We should Consider our Fortitude v. 34-35
Fortitude = Strength of mind that allows one to endure pain or adversity with
courage.
3A) The Fortitude of a Soldier
2 Timothy 2:3-4 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please
him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud
of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us,
and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Ill. Jehu, Gideon,Elijah
3B) The Fortitude of The Savior
Isaiah 50:5-8 The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither
turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked
off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord GOD will help
me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I
know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with
me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.
Hebrews 12:2-3 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the
joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at
the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction
of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
3C) The Fortitude of a Survivor
2 Timothy 4:1-8 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who
shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word;
be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and
doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after
their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they
shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch
thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of
thy ministry For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge,
shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his
appearing.
Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,
For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I
am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,
nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
