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Documents about different biblical subjects

4-4-1 Excuses

June 4th, 2011

Purpose: To show how God respond to our excuses and inspires prospective disciples to face and overcome fears

Moses

Exodus 3-4

  • v3:10-12 - given a mission
  1. Moses was given an important mission
  2. Moses thought God had the wrong guy!
  3. Just as he was with Moses, God is with us in our evangelism
  • v3:13 - lack of knowledge
  • v4:1 - fear of rejection
  • v4:10-12 - lack of eloquence
  • v4:4:13-14 - reluctance to obey
  • This is the real issue - God is angry at our excuse-making
Moses, already eighty years old, went on to become a bold leader in God’s kingdom!

Gideon

Judges 6:11-16

  • v6:11 - He was fearful. He was threshing in the winepress at the time when God needed men of courage to rise up.
  • v6:12 - “Mighty warrior” – God saw his potential
  • v6:14 - “Go in the strength you have” - do not worry, just do your best.
  • v6:15 - Gideon claimed he was too insignificant and unimpressive to follow or obey God
  • v6:16 - As with Gideon, God will be with you!
Gideon repented of his fear and excuses and rescued his nation from the enemy – powerfully and bravely!

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 1:4-8
  • v1:5 - God has a mission for our lives, too
  • v1:8 - God rejected Jeremiah’s excuse of youth
    • God command us not to fear
    • God is with us! (God + one = a majority)
Jeremiah spread the word for forty years, although most people rejected him, and he became one of the great prophets of all time!

Isaiah

Isaiah 6:1-8
  • v6:1 - He has an awesome vision of the awesome God.
  • v6:5 - “Woe to me!”
    • Isaiah saw God in all his glory
    • He realized his own lostness
    • He realized the lostness of everyone else.
  • v6:6-7 - Experiencing God’s forgiveness transforms our lives
  • v6:8 - Then and only then are we ready to go and spread God’s word
Isaiah too went on to have a tremendous impact on his generation

Peter

Luke 5:4-11

  • v5:5 - Peter was willing to take Jesus at his word.
  • v5:6 - He experienced an incredible result – God’s word is powerful!
  • v5:8 - Peter realized who he was dealing with: knee-deep in fish
  • v5:10 - Jesus encouraged Peter to evangelize
    • He commanded him not to fear
  • v5:11 - We too must pull our fears and excuses up on shore and actively follow Jesus

Peter ultimately confronted his fears and fulfilled Jesus’ prophecy of martyrdom (John 21:18-19)

Also see King Saul, Queen Esther, Ezekiel … .