When Paul walked the road to Damascus, he was angry, he was legally prepared, and he had all the power that he needed.

His enemy was a movement.  And it was a movement that was a threat to his way of life.

But knowledge and power and politics are of little use to God, and this is because God sets the rules.  He says what is good, and we are left with a choice.

What did Jesus preach?

  • While men accused and shamed the sinful woman, Jesus called out her sin AND that of the men who had ruined her.
  • When men overcharged for “religious” gain, Jesus tipped over tables and called them thieves … because they WERE acting as thieves.
  • When accused of ministering to a tax collector, a town prostitute, or healing on the sabbath, Jesus of Nazareth correctly assessed that ALL MEN AND WOMEN are sinners.
  • And when Saul (soon to be Paul) walked the road into Syria to lay down punishment on those who would dare follow Jesus, God showed up … and Saul became Paul and changed teams.

And then … he wrote this:

Romans 1 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Without Excuse.

As a coach, I hate excuses.

I hate excuses so much that it triggers something in me that is ugly.

The reality is this:  I HATE EXCUSES because I make them more than anyone around me.

This happened because …

I never would have done this if …

This is the fault of somebody else …

But the reality is this — for me — and for you.

Before God, we are without excuse.

WITHOUT EXCUSE.

This is not a condemning word.  It is a word that calls us to walk as who we truly are.

And yes … if we walk as we truly are away from God we are destined for the pits of Hell.  It is an ugly fate for those who actually look at a loving God and tell Him to “get lost”.

But for those of us who surrender to the God who loves us?

It is promises for a better home.

It is forgiveness.

It is grace.

It is the place that He has prepared for those who love Him.

And it is a Holy Spirit that counsels and loves us each and every minute of our lives if we invite Him to.

I can remember standing on my parents’ front porch, in tears, having an argument with God about speaking at my dad’s funeral.  My hero was gone.  My heart was broken.  And He had called me to present the gospel at my hero’s funeral.  I conformed.  And I came to realize something from that experience.

God gave me that assignment for me.

He gave me that assignment to heal my broken heart.

And as I stood at the back of my church about 3 weeks later, God took my sting away.  The longing to see my dad was not gone, but the sting was.

And I was … Without Excuse.

Because, with God, I didn’t need one.

Praise Jesus.

In The Name of the Father and the 

Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

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Coach J