Paper Walls: Moving Beyond the Excuses that Hold You Back
Week one - No More Hiding
Genesis 3:8-10 and John 20:19-22
Difference between
Reasons are actual, legitimate explanations for why some things are possible and other things are not possible.
Excuses are walls we hide behind to cover up our lack of reasons, or our real reasons for doing something or not doing something.
Excuses are like paper walls - they look like a sturdy structure from a distance, but they’re pretty flimsy up close
“Why don’t you… ” “Well, because… ” “Why haven’t you… ” “Well, because… ” “Why do you just keep on with that?” “Well, because… ” “Why don’t you start… ” “Because… ” “Why don’t you stop… ” “Because… ” “Why don’t you just… ” “Why don’t you just forgive her?” “Well, because… ” Why did you quit? Why did you stay? Why did you choose to leave? Why don’t you just tell him? Why don’t you just tell her? Because… Because, because, because.
The resurrection turned a lot of our reasons into excuses.
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” —John 20:19-22
When Jesus showed up again - alive - he told them to get back out there.
The disciples were hiding beyond real walls, but they started to hide behind paper walls…reasons became excuses delivered in a series of “becauses.”
…because people are Jewish, aren’t Jewish, eat meat, don’t eat meat, because they’re unclean, because they’re not circumcised.
A threat that was once
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” —Genesis 3:8-10
Creation Adam and Eve hid
New Creationno more hiding
Surviving is an excuse for not