by Dr. Paul Chappell

"And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come."

Luke 14:18-20

Summer is an easy time to slack off and make excuses for missed church attendance.

Tired of excuses from people who didn't want to attend church, a church once created a special "Excuse Free" Sunday. They sent out the following announcement to their members:

"To make it possible for everyone to attend church next Sunday, we are going to have a special 'No Excuse Sunday.' Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say, 'Sunday is my only day to sleep.' We will have steel helmets for those who say, 'the roof will cave in if I ever come to church.' Blankets will be furnished for those who think the church is too cold and fans for those who think the church is too hot. We will have hearing aids for those who think the preacher speaks too softly and cotton for those who think he preaches too loudly. Scorecards will be available for those who wish to list the hypocrites present. Some relatives will be in attendance for those who like to go visiting on Sunday. There will be T.V. dinners for those who can't go to church and cook dinner also. One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like to see God in nature. Finally, the sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who have never seen the church without them."

If you've ever been a part of inviting people to church, you know that sometimes people have some strange excuses for not being able to attend. But while we almost expect unsaved people to make excuses for not attending, sometimes Christians can make excuses for skipping church. Today let's look at three excuses that some Christians give for not being faithful to church.

Business. The first excuse that an invited guest in Luke 14 gave was that he "bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it." He allowed his business to have priority, and couldn't attend the feast.

Sometimes even well-meaning Christians can allow business and work to come before church. We all understand the economic times in which we live, but a slow economy doesn't mean you must give up Sundays for more work. God will honor those who keep church faithfulness as a priority.

Possessions. The second guest who made an excuse blamed his inability to attend on the cares of the world, "I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused." He focused on his possessions, and made something that could have been done another day, a priority.

Owning possessions and enjoying them isn't wrong. But allowing them to take the place of God's priorities is dangerous for Christians. I've seen Christians buy a new possession then slowly but surely start missing services and eventually drop out of church altogether. Make sure you keep God ahead of your possessions.

Family. The third guest's excuse for not attending was his wife, "I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come." This man had already celebrated his marriage, finished the festivities, and started his new life with his wife, yet he made her his excuse for not attending the feast.

Spending time with family is a must, and is always encouraged, but some Christians use their families as an excuse for not attending church. As important as family is, God should always take priority over family.

It's easy to make excuses for not attending church during the summer. We relax in our routines and become more lax in our schedules. But even with a relaxed pace, remember to keep God a priority. Determine to stay faithful in your church attendance this summer.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Nehemiah 10-11 | Acts 4:1-22