Sermons on Excusing Ourselves:

Rising Or Rejecting? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 21, 2009

The man at the pool of Bethsaida had lost his will to achieve, and blamed others. Jesus, however, gave Him his self-worth as well as his health. Do not blame prejudice or racism for failure; turn to Jesus and be healed and motivated.

The day dawned like any other day ... a little chillier, maybe, than you might have expected this time of year. But still, about as gray and bleak and unpromising as any other day. After all, every day was about like every other day. What reason did he have to expect anything different? For 38 ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-18

Denomination: Baptist

Abandonment Issues Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

This story places the Israelites’ emotional development pretty squarely in the adolescent stage, because they behaved just like a bunch of teenagers left too long with the keys to the wine cellar.

How many of you have children? Did you have any idea, while you were painting the nursery and picking out your first set of onesies, how much of your life would get taken over? Children take a huge amount of time and attention. And of course it gets worse when they start to crawl and then to walk ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:1-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

"investing Ourselves In God's Own Passion"

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Mar 14, 2019

A sermon for Lent.

“Investing Ourselves in God’s Own Passion” Isaiah 58:1-12 What are you like when you are hungry? Do you get feeling a bit grumpy? There used to be a Snickers commercial where the main character would be in a really foul mood until they were offered a Snickers bar, after which the tagline ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 58:1-12

Denomination: United Methodist

Through The Storm: Lessons From God, Ourselves, And Life’s Trials Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on May 20, 2024

Life’s storms are inevitable. They come in various forms – personal crises, health challenges, financial struggles, or spiritual battles. But in every storm, God is at work, teaching us profound lessons.

Through the Storm: Lessons from God, Ourselves, and Life’s Trials Introduction: Life’s storms are inevitable. They come in various forms – personal crises, health challenges, financial struggles, or spiritual battles. But in every storm, God is at work, teaching us profound lessons. Today, we ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41, Isaiah 43:2, Psalm 46:10, James 1:2-4, Romans 5:3-4, 2 Corinthians 4:17, Romans 8:28  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Secret Of Rest

Contributed by Mike Fogerson on Dec 15, 2010

There is no excuse for being excessively busy.

Secrets of the Most Holy Place Series The Secret of Rest August 11, 2010 A ...each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work.14 If any man's work which he has built on it remains, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:13-15

Denomination: Baptist

Table Manners

Contributed by Brian Atwood on Jul 13, 2001

Erasing the excuses for being exclusive.

Today is National Ice Cream Day. Did you know that when ice cream was invented the Quakers thought it was sinful. According to them it had to be sinful. Nothing could taste that good and not be sinful! That kind of sums up the perspective of a lot of Christ followers. If anything is fun - it ...read more

Scripture: Acts 10:1-48

Denomination: Baptist

Come To The Banquet

Contributed by Allan Quak on Dec 5, 2005

There are many excuses we can offer for not accepting the invitation to come to the banquet which God has prepared, but none of our excuses are valid because Jesus deals with them all.

Friends in the Lord, One thing you can guarantee when you have Jesus over to your place for dinner is that the table conversation will always be very interesting. Which is exactly what is happening in our text. But the teachings of Jesus aren’t recorded just because they are “interesting”. The ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:15-24

Denomination: Baptist

Out Of The Frying Pan

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 5, 2011

When the going gets tough, do you go with the flow or stand firm with confidence in God?

I thought about calling this sermon “Denial is a river in Egypt” but decided after considerable struggle that it was just a little bit TOO clever. Just because you forgive most of my puns doesn’t mean that I have a permanent free pass. But denial is a big part of what this ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:1-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Who? Me, Lord? Series

Contributed by David Owens on Jun 21, 2011

In this sermon, we explore Moses' excuses and how God responded to them.

Introduction: A. It was Benjamin Franklin who said: “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else” and I guess I have to agree with him. B. John Swigert, Jr. had an interesting excuse in 1970. Who is John Swigert, Jr.? 1. John L. Swigert, Jr. was one of the ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Who Do We Follow?

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 30, 2014

We may call ourselves Christians, but is Jesus our Shepherd? Are we really following him or merely using his name to excuse following a man, a tradition or our own stubbornness?

Intro: We often hear the 23rd Psalm read or recited at funerals, but did you know that it does not apply to everyone, only to the sheep of the Great Shepherd. Goal: To really understand the most popular of all the Psalms. Plan: We will go through Psalm 23 looking at some important details. I ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Parable Of The Great Supper Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Mar 14, 2007

Jesus’ sense of humor shows up in a big way during some awkward dinner table moments, esp. when He talked about people and the excuses they offer. Link included to formatted text, audio, and PowerPoint template.

Parable of the Great Supper Luke 14 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/GreatSupper.html One of the chief Pharisees has invited Jesus over for dinner, and we’re gonna have some fun tonite! v. 1 “they watched Him” = laid a trap v. 2 this diseased man was deliberately planted so Jesus would heal him and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:1-24

Denomination: Baptist

Reflections From The Pool Of Bethesda

Contributed by Victor Nazareth on Jul 8, 2002

A devotional message bringing reflections from the Pool of Bethesda. As we look at the healing of this paralysed man we see the need in our lives to get our eyes of our ’pools’ and put them on Jesus.

Introduction: Jesus heals a paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda. This man’s whole focus was on the pool and getting into it first after the angel stirred it. Even though Jesus was right there besides him, he is trying to solicit Jesus help to lower him into the pool. We are often like that: ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-9, John 5:19

Denomination: Charismatic

Choose Ye This Day

Contributed by Kerry Dunn on Feb 23, 2011

We the church must bring others to a decision.

Choose ye this day scripture;Jos.24:15 I was talking to a man the other day about the Lord.He began to make excuses why he would not serve God.He being under conviction began to reason to me why he could not be a Christan.he said"i like beer i smoke having a girl friend and bad grammar was apparent ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 24:15

Denomination: Pentecostal

Toxic Living

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Dec 1, 2010

Instant obedience is the only kind of obedience there is; delayed obedience is disobedience. Whoever strives to withdraw from obedience, withdraws from Grace.

Opening illustration: Picher, Oklahoma, is no more. In mid-2009, this once-bustling town of 20,000 went out of business. In the first quarter of the 1900s, Picher was a boomtown because of its abundant lead and zinc. Workers extracted the ore, which was used to help arm the US during both World ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 13:7-14

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stop Making Excuses, It’s Time To Do God’s Work

Contributed by Olorunnisola Oni on May 20, 2013

The purpose of this message is to see the excuses Moses gave for not wanting to do God’s work, how God enabled him and to remind us of the one assignment our Lord Jesus Christ gave us to do and how we can do it without excuses.

Introduction: Often times, when the Lord ask us to do something, we give excuses why we cannot do it. We sometimes forget that whenever He gives us an assignment, he always provide the enablement. The purpose of this message is to see the excuses Moses gave for not wanting to do God’s work, ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal