The Blame Game!

“THE BLAME GAME”

Tonight we are going to take a brief interlude away from our ongoing study on...

“...Those things which are most surely believed among us” (Luke 1:1)

And instead, we’re going to talk about a little thing – I like to call “The Blame Game”.

You know what The Blame Game is – don’t you?

Because we’ve all played it...

Admittedly some of us play it a lot more than others,

But it’s really all just a game of personal deflection,

That involves blaming everything and everyone else...

For what is transpiring in your own life.

Now God has a very interesting perspective on all of this in His Word,

Because He makes it very clear to us – that He doesn’t play the “Blame Game”.

Instead, He just promises to hold every single one of us accountable...

For our own life choices and decisions.

So turn with me to Ezekiel Chapter 18,

Really interesting opening passage of Scripture tonight,

Because God actually addresses this matter of blame...

And likens it of all things – to that of Sour Grapes.

Let’s pick up our reading together now in verse number 1:

1 The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,

Now Ezekiel is a Prophet…

That is to say He was a messenger and a spokesperson for God

And he is very clear in verse 1 about where He receives this message.

He says…The word of the LORD came unto me…

This is God’s Word and this is His message - So lets just be clear on that to begin with.

Now in understanding this, notice with me what God says next:

2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?

“What are you trying to say…” - God says.

“What’s the point behind this Proverb?”

“The fathers have eaten sour grapes - but the children’s teeth are set on edge?”

I wonder - can you pick up on the bitter undertones here?

Can you hear the ready blame in these words?

Because God just calls His people up on it.

I mean, in affect – this is what they were saying,

“Our parents and our forefathers have done wrong…

And now we are the ones who are made to pay.”

“Its everyone else’s fault…”, “everyone else has done this to me…”

“Life just isn’t fair”…“and why should I be made to pay for someone else’s mistakes!”

This is the classic favourite - “The world has done me wrong song!”

This is the Blame Game at its best.

Someone else has done wrong – and now I am made to suffer for it!

God knew exactly what the people were trying to say ok…

And He wasn’t having any part of it!

Because they were merely trying to shed all accountability for their own actions,

And deflect all burden of responsibility onto others.

“Lord it was them – not me!”

“Hey we didn’t cause all this hardship in our lives – they did!”

“Our Fathers are the ones who ate sour grapes,

And now our teeth are set on edge!”

“It’s not fair that we have been left with this sour taste in our mouths.”

Truth 1: Take Responsibility For You!

Have you ever met someone with this kind of mentality?

“I am not responsible for my life…

Because they are the ones who have done this to me“

“I mean clearly it is everybody else’s fault…

And the blame should be levelled at them accordingly”.

Now for people who continually see things this way…

Often they have a very warped and twisted view of reality.

And tonight – God is going to hit home a number of very hard truths,

But truths we need to know and understand all the same.

And here’s the first truth – You have to take responsibility for you!

Don’t assume to take responsibility for everyone else…

Because at the end of the day – you can only be responsible for you.

Look - God knows exactly what’s going on – nothing goes by Him

He knows our hearts - and He knows exactly who’s to blame.

So God just keeps it real…and He makes it really simple for us all,

He says you just take responsibility for you…your actions, your choices and your life,

And I will take responsibility for everyone and everything else!

Read with me now verse number 3:

3 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more

to use this proverb in Israel.

Enough excuses - God says…

You don’t get to play the Blame Game with me – Verse 4:

4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: