Excuses for Refusing the Lord's Invitation

I.        INTRODUCTION

A.      The Lord Jesus has issued an invitation to all who are spiritually exhausted from sin.

                                                             1.      The Lord’s invitation is recorded in Matthew 11:28-30 – "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

                                                             2.      This invitation is very appealing to those who feel crushed under the burden of sin as David did (Ps. 32:1-5; 38:1-22), for the Lord offers relief to the weary.

B.      No one should refuse the Lord’s gracious invitation, but many have attempted to excuse themselves.

                                                             1.      Those who refuse the Lord’s invitation may take a lesson from the parable of the great supper in Luke 14:15-24.

a.       According to the parable, when a man gave a big dinner and called his invited guests, they offered excuses for refusing the invitation.  By excusing themselves, they made a terrible and irreversible mistake, for the master declared, "None of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner” (v. 24).

b.       The direct application of this parable pertained to the Jews’ refusal of Christ and the Gentiles’ opportunity to be included in God’s kingdom.  However, there is a broader lesson regarding the Lord’s invitation to all sinners.

                                                             2.      Are there any valid excuses for refusing the Lord’s invitation?  Let us consider some possible excuses and evaluate whether they are true.

 

II.      EXCUSES

A.      Excuse #1: "I don’t need the Lord to save me.”

                                                             1.      This excuse would be valid for anyone who had never committed sin or who could save himself.

                                                             2.      However, there is no person accountable to God who has not sinned, "…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).

                                                             3.      Also, there is no person who can save himself, for sinners are helpless to save themselves (Rom. 5:6-8) and incapable of escaping from the penalty of sin and the power of the devil, which is death (Rom. 6:23; Heb. 2:14-15).

                                                             4.      Why would anyone offer this invalid excuse?

a.       Some offer this excuse because they have no awareness of their sins.  They either do not understand the meaning of sin or else they do not believe that their deeds are ever sinful.

b.       Others offer this excuse because they believe that they are good enough as they are and that their good deeds counteract their sinful deeds.

B.      Excuse #2: "I have another Savior.”

                                                             1.      This excuse would be valid if there was another person who could provide salvation from sins.

                                                             2.      However, the Scripture declares boldly, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

                                                             3.      Why would anyone offer this invalid excuse?

a.       Some give this excuse because they believe in false religions that offer other false saviors.

b.       Others give this excuse because they trust in other persons or even things that they believe can save them.

C.      Excuse #3: "I’ll come to the Lord later.”

                                                             1.      This excuse would be valid if a person could guarantee the future and another opportunity to accept Christ’s invitation.

                                                             2.      However, no human being knows what the future holds, and there are no guarantees concerning tomorrow.

a.       "Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.  You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” (Jas. 4:14)

b.       "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” (Prov. 27:1)

                                                             3.      Why would anyone offer this invalid excuse?

a.       Some do so in order to delay doing what is right.  Felix is a good example of such an attitude in Acts 24:25 – "But as [Paul] was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, ‘Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.’”

b.       Others are truly relying on the future and gambling with their souls.

i.         They believe that they can "sow their wild oats” now and get right with the Lord later.

ii.        However, the Scripture says, "Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold now is ‘the day of salvation’” (2Cor. 6:2).  See also Ephesians 5:15-16; 1Peter 4:3.

D.      Excuse #4: "It is too hard for me to change for the Lord.”

                                                             1.      This excuse would be valid if the Lord offered no help, no grace, and no mercy.

                                                             2.      However, the Lord has offered abundant help, grace, and mercy.

a.       Notice again the Lord’s invitation in Matthew 11:28-30.  He promises rest, an easy yoke, and a light burden in comparison with the oppressing burden of sin.

b.       Through Christ, we can "draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).

c.        With the help of Christ, the commandments of the Lord are not burdensome (1John 5:3).

                                                             3.      Why would anyone offer this invalid excuse?

a.       Some are so enslaved to sin that they are unwilling to change.  They refuse to leave their sinful ways even for the blessedness of salvation in Christ.

b.       Some love their sinful relationships and situations more than they love the Lord.

c.        Some do not trust in Christ enough to rely upon His help and strength.

E.       Excuse #5: "I’m not good enough for the Lord.”

                                                             1.      In a sense, this is true of all of us.  None of us are worthy of the grace of God and Christ’s sacrifice given for our sins.

                                                             2.      However, Christ’s invitation to us is not a matter of how good we are, but rather it is a matter of how good Christ is.  Indeed, His sacrifice is good enough to save us all.

a.       It may seem too good to be true, but God "is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20).

b.       The apostle Paul explained that if he (a former persecutor of the church) could be saved, then anyone could be saved through faith in Christ.  Notice 1Timothy 1:15-16 – "It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.  Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.”

                                                             3.      Why would anyone offer this invalid excuse?

a.       Some give this excuse insincerely as a self-deprecating way of rejecting Christ.

b.       Others sincerely offer this excuse because they do not understand the power of the gospel.  They believe that salvation depends on their ability to be perfect rather than Christ’s ability to perfect them.

 

III.   CONCLUSION

A.      It is a terrible and irreversible mistake for anyone to refuse the invitation of the Lord for salvation.

                                                             1.      This life offers the only opportunity that we will have.  When life ends, all opportunity ends with it (John 9:4).

                                                             2.      How terrible it will be for those who refused Christ’s invitation when their opportunity has passed.  Everything that is good and pleasant will be taken from them forever, for they will be eternally separated "away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2Thess. 1:9).

B.      Do not make excuses.  Accept the invitation of the Lord and be saved today!




Print


Featured Links
Direct Page Link
Powered By
TheLordsWay.com
Click here to host your
own church web site today!