Sunday Inspiration: Sunday, September 8, 2024
How To Be a Quitter: Make Excuses
Good morning! I see you made it to worship today! You are part of an enlightened gathering of souls. Today, I want to introduce you to the art of failing at life. I know deep down you have the desire to be a quitter. It is what you want to be known for in life. I bet you ask yourself often, “How can I be known as a quitter?”
If that is you, then you are in the right place. If you want to attain the title of “Quiter,” then do what you can to be with us over the next few weeks. Don’t try too hard because that will ruin your reputation of being a quitter.
If your ambition is to quit, listen up as we show you how by making sure all you do is complain, letting fear control every decision, and constantly comparing yourself to others.
This morning, we will discuss how to master the art of excuses. Making excuses is a critical skill for those who aspire to miss out on the best life has to offer.
Benjamin Franklin said, “A man good at making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” If we strive to be good for nothing, we must learn the power behind excuses.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells a story that serves as a master class in excuse-making. It was Sabbath, and Jesus had been invited to the home of a Pharisee.
One of the guests tried to get Jesus to engage in some theological conversation. He said, “Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” This phrase is about the messianic banquet at the coming end of time. The prophet Isaiah foretold that when the Messiah arrived, he would set up a banquet on the mountain of God, and “the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines” (Isaiah 25: 6).
As this guest looked around and saw all the whos who of the religious world, men of status and influence, with power and wealth, he saw it as reflecting what he believed God intended to take place in the kingdom of God.
Invitations were sent out, but everyone had excuses. My golf game requires some attention. The lake has been calling my name. My bed kept me pulled under the covers. A show dropped on Netflix that I need to binge. The excuses kept rolling in.
What lessons can we learn from this story? Whenever someone invites you to something important like a relationship with God or an opportunity to do something meaningful with your life, just say, “Sorry, I need to rearrange my sock drawer,” or “I have some paperclips that need counting.”
The best lesson from the excuses in the story is to ensure we are always too busy. We don't have to be actually productive; we just need to be busy enough to avoid things that matter. Fill your life with busy work. The more trivial, the better. Then, when someone invites you to something meaningful, you have an excuse to miss out.
Here is the absolute truth about missing out on life by making excuses: Keep making excuses, and the invitation will go to someone else. Our excuses don’t mean the party stops. The banquet still happens without you. The party doesn’t stop because you choose not to come.
In verse 21, the servant reports all the excuses to the man throwing the banquet. The man says, “Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame” (Luke 14: 21). When the call has gone out, and there is still room, Jesus demands that the announcement continue until every seat is filled. The master’s goal is to fill the house; he will do that with or without you.
Let me repeat: Keep making excuses, and the invitation will go to someone else. Even if the excuses are legitimate, you must decide on your priorities. In the story, Jesus tells the excuse centered around land, livelihood, and love. The excuses appear to be legitimate. No one was saying, “I can’t come because I have a drug deal happening at that time, or I just couldn’t do anything with my hair.” Good excuses give the characters in the story good reasons for not honoring the invitation.
Let’s be serious. Excuses cause us to miss out on what truly matters. No one is saving your seat. The banquet keeps happening. God’s goal is to fill the house. You get to choose whether you will be part of the banquet or not. An excuse is a lack of desire. When you make an excuse, you are self-identifying your priorities. Excuses only satisfy the people who make them.
In Matthew 5: 37, Jesus says, “Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one (Matthew 5: 37).”
Every excuse prevents us from experiencing the fullness of God’s plan for our lives. Like the guests in the parable, we miss out on God’s offering of love and grace when we keep making excuses.
So, let your yes be yes, and your no be no. How?
First, check your priorities. What are you making time for?
Second, stop overthinking it. Stop waiting for the perfect conditions. Say yes. Show up.
Third, recognize the urgency. The banquet is ready. Not almost ready. Not soon. Now. You don’t want to look back and realize you missed God’s best for you and your family. The party will go on. The question is, will you be part of it?
Here is my challenge to you: Start small. Say “yes” to something small that you have been putting off. It could be as simple as giving flowers to an elderly neighbor or taking a silent, reflective walk alone.
The Good News is that the banquet is ready. Your seat is waiting. Just one thing—leave your excuses at the door. Amen.
Pastor Jamey
(Click Here to Watch the Worship Service from Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Georgia)
Questions to Consider:
Why do people often make excuses regarding important matters like faith, relationships, or personal growth? What excuses have you found yourself making?
How does “letting your yes be yes, and your no be no” (Matthew 5:37) challenge how you approach your commitments and decisions in everyday life?
What practical steps can we take to stop overthinking and say “yes” to God’s invitations? What small “yes” can you commit to this week that you’ve been putting off?
Prayer:
Gracious and Loving God, we come before You today, aware of the many invitations You extend to us each day—an invitation to Your love, Your grace, and Your abundant life. Too often, we have allowed excuses to stand between us and the fullness of life that You have prepared for us. Forgive us, Lord, for the times we have chosen excuses over action.
Today, we dedicate ourselves to You, asking for the courage to say "yes" to Your invitation. Help us to stop overthinking and waiting for perfect conditions. Teach us to recognize the urgency of Your call and to show up for the opportunities You place before us.
We dedicate our hearts, lives, and actions to You, trusting in Your perfect plan for us. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Benediction:
Know that the banquet is ready, and your seat is waiting. The party goes on—may you choose to be part of it. And as you go, may the peace of Christ guide your steps, the love of God fill your heart, and the power of the Holy Spirit lead you into a life of faith and action.
Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord. Amen.
