Excuses: Faith, Fear, and the Voice in the Fire

In this episode of Sermons of My Father, Landon Shaw revisits a 1986 sermon by his father, Lee Shaw, preached on the calling of Moses in Exodus. Rooted in Exodus, Matthew 25, and Proverbs 28, this message confronts the excuses we give God—and ourselves.

Through raw personal reflection, Landon explores what it means to live with imposter syndrome, hide behind logic, and delay obedience in the name of perfection. Drawing parallels between Moses’s resistance, the parable of the talents, and modern self-protection, this episode challenges listeners to stop trimming the wick and start carrying oil.

With references to the Reformation, Christian culture, and the emotional honesty of Oh, Sleeper’s “In the Wake of Pigs,” this episode peels back the layers of spiritual posturing and calls for something real—obedience born of surrender, not shame.

Whether you're burned out, rebuilding, or searching for something true, this sermon meets you where you stall.

Key topics include:

Spiritual excuses and delayed obedience

The call of Moses and personal insecurity

Matthew 25 and the parable of the talents

Imposter syndrome and borrowed faith

Emotional honesty and religious culture

Theological reflection and psychological insight

Sermon storytelling and personal deconstruction

Bible passages covered:

Exodus 3–4, Matthew 25:14–30, Matthew 5:3, Genesis 3:1, Proverbs 28:13

Featuring:

Sermon by Lee Shaw

Reflections by Landon Shaw