Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

UNTENABLE EXCUSES

1. To better comprehend the subject before us, it is important to note that:
   1. The feast or supper was of a spiritual nature.
   2. Had it been of a physical or material nature, there would not have been such unanimous excuses.
2. A banquet:
   1. That does not involve financial obligations, on the part of the invited guest, will not be turned down readily.
   2. The human heart is not so self-denying as to refuse a free meal.

1. The great supper or dinner:
   1. Is the plan of redemption - Isa. 55:1, 2, John 7:37, 38
   2. The guests were, to begin with, the Jewish nation - Rom. 9:1-6; Matt. 10:6; 15:24; 21:33-41
   3. The Son of man, a son of Abraham, was sent by the father to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel - Matt. 15:24
      1. They had the form of the truth - Rom. 9:1-7; 2:20
      2. Theirs were the fathers, and the covenants, and God's promises - Rom. 9:1-5
2. In view of these facts:
   1. The invitation to the supper, to begin with, had been given to Israel, as a nation - EXAMPLE -
      1. God sent messengers to Israel, while they were a nation, to bring God's banquet to them - 2 Chron. 36:15; Acts 3:26; 13:46
   2. It was when they rejected the gospel of Christ that the apostles went to the Gentiles, who gladly received the truth.
   3. With these facts in our mind, we shall be better able to analyze the untenable excuses.

1. Webster offers the following definition for the word "excuse"
   1. "To make apology for"
   2. "To endeavor to remove blame"
   3. "To seek to extenuate"
   4. "To seek or obtain exemption or release for one self"
2. The unappreciative guests used every concept of Webster's definition:
   1. They formally apologized for their not coming to the banquet.
   2. They endeavored to blame their environment for not coming.
   3. In this manner they brushed aside the invitation.
3. These excuses are untenable for the following reasons:
   1. The kingdom of God, the plan of salvation takes precedence over all else - Matt. 6:33; Luke 12:31
   2. Even if their excuses had been legitimate, preparations could have been made that there would have been no conflict between the points in question.
   3. It is very wrong to make salvation secondary to earthly enterprises; it indicates indifference to God's effort to save us from sin.
   4. Their excuses were, however, so flimsy and without a reasonable basis that that in itself indicates their total lack of interest in the gospel invitation.
   5. Their excuses were an underhanded rejection of the invitation.
4. This is the sad state of many souls, who are indifferent to the gospel invitation:
   1. They seek to hide behind anything that seems to cover their excuses.
   2. But we must keep in mind that rejection of the gospel invitation is fatal to the rejecter.
   3. By rejecting God's mercy, they shut themselves out of the divine banquet hall in God's kingdom.