Lets Play - The Blame Game
Genesis 3:12 & II Samuel 12:13 & John 9:2
Already, get ready to play the "Blame Game":
You are driving 100 mph in a 45 mph zone, you lose control, flip your car on a sharp curve, and critically injure yourself, who is at fault? No, not you, the Dept. of Transportation for not making the degree of banking on the curve great enough to keep you on the road at 100 mph.
You are going 75 mph in a 55 mph, and you are pulled over, given a ticket that gives you enough points to have your license suspended. Who is to blame? No, not you. The officer should have been a little more sympathetic to your situation.
You are wearing a shirt that needs to be ironed. Instead of taking it off, you try to iron with it on and guess what? That’s right, you get burned. Shame on you right? No, it is the company who made the iron who deserves blame because they should have warned you that ironing clothes while they are on your body is dangerous.
You pull through McDonalds for some hot, yes hot coffee. While trying to drive your car, eat your Egg McMuffun, you spill your hot, yes hot coffee all over yourself. You moron right? No, it is McDonalds fault for making that coffee too hot!
OK, one more. You decide that you need to fix the electrical component in your TV. Without unplugging it, you begin your work. Uh Oh! You guessed it. You get fried! Dumb you right? No, RCA should have told you that you were at risk for electric shock!
We live in a society where responsibility is only acceptable for what goes right. A man decided to try a stunt that required him to swallow razor blades. He ended up at the hospital for emergency care and a huge bill. He took responsibility right? Guess again. He ended up suing the hospital for subjecting him to harmful radiation during x-rays.
What does God say about this idea of blaming others instead of taking responsibilities. Well, let us look at three examples of people who tried to shift blame.
I. Our first example, Adam & Eve
A Who he blamed:
1. It was that woman. (v12)
2. That woman that YOU gave me. (v12)
3. The devil made me do it. (v13)
Illus: Too often in America, couples refuse to admit that they are responsible for some of the problems in their marriage. As a result, one person is forced to make all the concessions or to be just as stubborn as the other. In either case, conflict in the relationship is never resolved and barriers continue to flourish within the relationship.
B. Why they are responsible:
1. They knew the rules.
(Genesis 2:16-17)
2. They knew the consequences.
(Genesis 2:17)
3. They had a choice. (Genesis 3:6)
II. Our second example, David:
A. Who he blamed
1. At first, nobody. He was clueless
(Ps 19:12) “Secret Faults”
Illus: One pastor said that there are some people who have secret faults in their lives. These are faults that are either hidden on purpose, or not recognized by the one who harbors it. Irregardless, the danger is when these faults begin to cause friction with each other. Just like earthquakes occur along fault lines, spiritual earthquakes can occur along the lines of these secret spiritual faults.
2. After a revelation from God
through Nathan, himself: “I have
sinned”. (II Samuel 13:12)
B. Why he was responsible:
1. He knew the rules.
(Exodus 20:14,17)
2. He knew the consequences.
(Leviticus 18:20,29)
3. He had a choice. (II Samuel 11:4)
III. Our third example, The disciples and the blind
man:
A. Who they blamed:
1. The man for his sins. (v2)
2. The man’s parents for sins(v2)
3. The man blamed nobody, he just
wanted healing.
Illus: If something fails, blame someone else. I was to pick up a young man from school who was caught with chewing tobacco in his mouth. When I asked him about it, he said it was in his mouth, but it wasn’t his. He was only holding it for a friend. Some friend!
B Who Jesus blamed:
1. None of the above.
2. Jesus said it was for the glory of
God.
3. Some things just happen. Not
everything has a reason.
