I'm Only Human

INTRO.- ILL.- There was a preacher who was an avid golfer. Every chance he got, he could be found on the golf course swinging away. It was his obsession. One Sunday was a picture-perfect day for golf. The sun was out, no clouds in the sky, and the temperature was just right. The preacher was in a quandary as to what to do. The urge to play golf overcame him. He called his assistant minister and told him that he was sick and could not attend church. Then he packed up the car, and drove three hours to a golf course where no one would recognize him. Happily, he began to play the course.

An angel up above was watching the preacher and was quite perturbed. He went to God and said, "Look at the preacher. He should be punished for what he’s doing." God nodded in agreement.

The preacher teed up on the first hole. He swung, and the ball sailed effortlessly through the air and landed right in the cup three hundred and fifty yards away. A perfect hole-in-one. The preacher was amazed and excited. The angel was a little shocked. He turned to God and said, "Begging Your pardon, but I thought you were going to punish him." God smiled. "Think about it -- who can he tell about that shot?"

Is it possible that a preacher would miss church for a game of golf? Or for something else: fishing, hunting, a ball game, etc. Possibly. Depending on the preacher. And why would he do such a thing as that? BECAUSE PREACHERS ARE ONLY HUMAN, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE!

Have you heard that phrase used before by anyone? "I did thus and so but it’s just because I’m only human."

Is that an excuse or an admission? I think many people use that expression as an excuse for any wrongdoing or error in their life. And it is true that preachers are just human like everybody else. But honestly, don’t we generally expect a little more from the preacher? That is, don’t we expect him to be more faithful, more committed, more serving, more dedicated than anybody else? We probably do expect more from the preacher but that doesn’t mean it will happen.

ILL.- For example, we’ve heard the stories about preachers who in the ministry for money, etc. Senator Charles Grassley from Iowa has raised questions about tax issues with some TV ministries.

Religion has nothing to do with it, Grassley says. "This is a tax issue," he says. The powerful top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee earlier this month sent detailed letters to six mega-ministries that are exempt from paying federal taxes, asking about their fundraising and use of donations.

For example, Grassley wants to know for what tax-exempt purpose some have bought a $30,000 malachite round table, and spent $11,219 on a French clock, $19,162 on Dresden vases, and a $23,000 commode.

Whether these and other TV preachers are guilty of financial abuse or not, does this excuse them because they are only human? I don’t think so.

Also, one of the problems of being in front of people is the temptation to receive praise. Some televangelists seem to often "eat up" this praise to the point where some almost act like they can do nothing wrong.

In our text we have Paul and Barnabas doing something good by the power of God and the people wanting to give them the credit for it. Paul was quick to say, "We are only human like you."

He was honestly trying to get the people to realize that it was God who deserved the glory and not him.

PROP.- From this text, let’s think about what we "humans" can do in life and the proper attitude we should have.

1- We must do good

2- We must be humble

3- We must expect some opposition

I. WE MUST DO GOOD

ILL.- The story is told about a fellow who opened a delicatessen in a block that boasted two salami salons. One promoted his line of baloney with this line of baloney: “Finest in the world!” The other delicatessen declared, “Best in the Universe.” The last put up a sign reading: “Nicest in the neighborhood!”

What about you? Are you the nicest person in the neighborhood? Are you kind and courteous toward others?

8In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. 9He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

God used Paul to bring healing to the lame man. Paul was God’s instrument of kindness or of doing good. There have been times when I wish that I could bring physical healing into a person’s life but that has never happened. However, just because God doesn’t heal someone through my prayers it doesn’t mean I can’t still do good to people in some form.