Losing Excuses

Intro

Easter in 2 weeks

Baptism today

We are in week 3 of a series entitled What’s the Point.

This teaching series is based on a book written by a friend and mentor to Christy and I names Matt Keller.

The book is entitled Donkey Mission and it’s about a story we find in 1 Samuel 9.

In this story we find a man named Saul.

he was destined for awesome things, God had an incredible mission for his life. He was going to become the very first King of Israel.

we are the same, did you know that God has a great mission for your life.

A purpose and a reason your here.

You matter.

But before Saul could step into his greater mission, his dad sent him out on a donkey mission.

To find some lost donkeys.

A task that seemed pointless, boring, tiring, frustrating.

We all have moments of life like this, donkeys missions, seasons and situations that can feel like this can’t be all of there it, a frustrating season, things that even feel pointless.

If I can just get past this!

But what we've found is that often faithfulness in the places in life that don’t make sense that actually lead us to the greater purposes that God has for us.

It was in the middle of looking for the dumb donkeys that Saul met a prophet that anointed him as the first King. In the middle of what he thought didn’t matter.

Each week we’re looking at different parts of the story and how it can apply to our lives and help us live out the greater missions that God has for us.

Today we’re going to look at something that can derail your from living out the greater mission for your life.

EXCUSES.

When is the last time you made an excuse for something??

Probably this morning..

But this one is hard.

You may not be able to think of the latest excuse you made because we often don’t recognize we are making excuses!

Let’s look at the story,

So, Sauls dad Kish sends him and a servant out to find his lost donkeys that have wandered off.

They go town to town, look and look and can’t find these dumb donkeys!

What’s the point, let’s just quit.

Saul tells his servant let’s just give up and go home!

1 Samuel 9:6–7 (NLT)

But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”

“But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.”

Do you see it?!?

The servant has an idea to keep going, keep moving forward even though its hard.

Saul makes an EXCUSE! Trying to find a reason to quit, give in and go back.

LET’S EXAMINE OUR EXCUSES.

1. It’s a Big But!

Excuses often begin with a but.

Lets do this, let’s go talk to this guy he’ll know, come on let’s keep going.

first thing, yeah....BUT!

I can Yeah but all day long!

It’s so true for all of us too.

I shouldn’t eat fried foods… yeah, BUT

I need to save money… yeah, BUT

I need to spend more time with God, yeah, BUT

There’s the BUT

I can excuse and BUT my way out of anything!

Where’s your BUT?!?

And what is it keeping you from?

Excuses always come up with a reason why not.

Where is an area you have been making an excuse for far too long?

Is it possible that your excuses are keeping you from experience God’s greater power and mission in your life??

And how long will we keep making them and missing it.

If you want to find an excuse, there is always one to make.

2. Excuses have deeper roots

Excuses are deeper than the surface.

they root in 3 things according to this story Pride, Fear and a Scarcity Mindset.

Pride.

Sauls pride came up.

1 Samuel 9:5b (NIV)

Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”

I’m more important than this, than this task, than these donkeys!

WE can easily think things are beneath us in life, our pride can kick in.

I deserve more, I deserve better, and it fuels our excuses.

Fear.

1 Samuel 9:7 (NIV)

Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”

Anxiety rises up, what will we give him.

What are we going to do!

Cant you feel the moments your anxiety rises in life?!?

What will we do, how will we, what will happen.

Something comes up, but fear rises.

How could I do that, But what if I try and fail, what will people think of me...

what if I’m not enough.

I’m not qualified.

Fear of rejection, fear of failure.

They cripple us into excuses of inactivity.

1 John 4:18 (NIV)

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Scarcity Mindset

Saul was looking through the eyes of what he didn’t have not the eyes of faith.

How often do we do the same.

I see through my lack instead of through God’s surplus.

The servant saw would could be done, Saul saw what couldn’t be done.

yeah they didn’t believing in me,

I don’t have the money, They didn’t give me an opportunity,

the coach doesn't like me, the boss won’t promote me.

something out of my control is always keeping me from moving forward, SCARCITY!!

But we are people of faith!!!

God help us to see differently.

Parents we have to be careful that we aren’t passing this scarcity and fear mindset down to our kids.

Are we passing fear instead of faith.

scarcity instead of generosity, hope and trust!

The excuses had deeper roots.

3. We overcome Excuses with Faith

The servant was looking through the eyes of faith.

1 Samuel 9:8 (NIV)

The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have a quarter of a shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take.”

Saul lack, the servant saw what he did have and could do, what was possible.

Then: that was worth only about $0.50....

Its not like he had a whole bunch to give!!

Saul almost missed his destiny, because of 50 cents.

Faith overcomes Excuses.

God can do more that what little I do have than I could do if I had everything I thought I needed.

I have seen God come through year after year after year, not because we’ve ever had enough or was enough, but because we have trusted that he is enough!!!

Faith loses excuses because if he says it that’s it!!

Some of you need to stop letting others small faith keep you from living out some God directions for your life.

My God is Big

My God is able

My God is capable.

Where are we letting pride, fear and scarcity make excuses that hold us back from our God sized future.

I understand that life isn’t easy, things in life are shaky, that bank account is looking pretty slim, there is uncertainty all around.

And all of that can be our reasons why not. Can fuel our excuses.

We have a choice to make.

We don’t serve a God of fear, the bible isn’t a book of fear

We need to eyes to see our lives the way God does.

It doesn’t mean I see differently because everything instantly changes and all of your issues and problems go away, but the eyes of faith says the bible is true and I will stand on the word of God!!!

Saul needed someone to help him see clearly, he could excuses or progress, but not both.

Today let me be that somebody for you.

God is still God, he still owns it all.

But what about the economy,

But what about my medical condition,

But what about my kids....

He’s still able and faithful with that!!!!

Some of us have gotten way to used to excuses we make.

We have to stop letting excuses derail us and start trusting in who God is and what he says to do.

God wants to change your eyes today.

Build our faith God.

What excuses have you been making?

Where have we allowed pride, fear or a scarcity mindset to rule our minds?

How are those excuses keeping your from your greater mission in life?

RESPONSE