Coping with setbacks
(Acts 13:1–12)
Mike Taylor
30 January 2011
The dirtiest footballers in the Bible
Saul and Barnabus
The dirtiest footballers in the Bible
After they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands
on [Saul and Barnabus] and sent them off (Acts 13:3, NIV)
A place and time of blessing
Sailing to Cyprus, preaching the word
In the will of God, successful
So the moral is …
Spend time worshipping God
And everything will work out
Just fine.
(Acts 13:1-5)
(a very short sermon)
So the moral is …
Spend time worshipping God
And everything will work out
Just fine.
(Acts 13:1-5)
ScreeeeEEEEEECH!
An evil wizard!
(v6b-8)
Setbacks happen …
Unpredictably, at any time
?!
What were Paul's thoughts?
What were Paul's thoughts?
A. It's a rebuke from God!
“We must have done
something wrong – but what?”
What were Paul's thoughts?
A. It's a rebuke from God!
B. It's opposition from Satan!
“Resist it! Fight it!
Don't let it stop us!”
What were Paul's thoughts?
A. It's a rebuke from God!
B. It's opposition from Satan!
C. It's a test from God!
“Is this some kind of test?!”
What were Paul's thoughts?
A. It's a rebuke from God!
B. It's opposition from Satan!
C. It's a test from God!
D. That's just life.
“Ho hum.”
What causes setbacks for us?
What causes setbacks for us?
A. It's a rebuke from God!
B. It's opposition from Satan!
C. It's a test from God!
D. That's just life.
We can't always tell which.
What causes setbacks for us?
A. It's a rebuke from God!
B. It's opposition from Satan!
C. It's a test from God!
D. That's just life.
These were the options when
our London church plant failed.
What causes setbacks for us?
A. It's a rebuke from God!
B. It's opposition from Satan!
C. It's a test from God!
D. That's just life.
These were the options when
Intermittent wipe didn't work.
What causes setbacks for us?
A. It's a rebuke from God!
B. It's opposition from Satan!
C. It's a test from God!
D. That's just life.
Whatever the cause, they are
tests from God anyway.
What would Jesus do?
It's a serious question
What would Jesus do?
You son of the devil, full of every
sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy
of all that is good! Will you never
stop perverting the true ways of the
Lord? Watch now, for the Lord has
laid his hand of punishment upon
you, and you will be struck blind.
You will not see the sunlight for
some time.
What would Jesus do?
What would Paul do?
What would we do?
What would we do?
You son of the devil, full of every
sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy
of all that is good! Will you never
stop perverting the true ways of the
Lord? Watch now, for the Lord has
laid his hand of punishment upon
you, and you will be struck blind.
You will not see the sunlight for
some time.
How Paul handled other setbacks
Then the Jews stirred up the
influential religious women and
The leaders of the city, and they
incited a mob against Paul and
Barnabas and ran them out of town.
– Acts 13:50–51
How Paul handled other setbacks
Then the Jews stirred up the
influential religious women and
The leaders of the city, and they
incited a mob against Paul and
Barnabas and ran them out of town.
So they shook the dust from their
feet as a sign of rejection and
Went to the town of Iconium.
– Acts 13:50–51
How Paul handled other setbacks
Paul and Silas travelled through the area of
Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit
had prevented them from preaching the word
in the province of Asia at that time. Then
coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed
north for the province of Bithynia, but
again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them
to go there.
– Acts 16:6–8
How Paul handled other setbacks
Paul and Silas travelled through the area of
Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit
had prevented them from preaching the word
in the province of Asia at that time. Then
coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed
north for the province of Bithynia, but
again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them
to go there. So instead, they went on
through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.
– Acts 16:6–8
What Paul did this time
You son of the devil, full of every
sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy
of all that is good! Will you never
stop perverting the true ways of the
Lord? Watch now, for the Lord has
laid his hand of punishment upon
you, and you will be struck blind.
You will not see the sunlight for
some time.
What Paul did this time
You son of the devil, full of every
sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy
of all that is good! Will you never
stop perverting the true ways of the
Lord? Watch now, for the Lord has
laid his hand of punishment upon
you, and you will be struck blind.
You will not see the sunlight for
some time.
Why was Paul harsher than us?
Some possible answers …
1. He was an apostle, we're not.
Why was Paul harsher than us?
Some possible answers …
1. He was an apostle, we're not.
2. That was then, this is now.
Why was Paul harsher than us?
Some possible answers …
1. He was an apostle, we're not.
2. That was then, this is now.
3. We should be more like Paul in this
passage.
Why was Paul harsher than us?
Some possible answers …
1. He was an apostle, we're not.
2. That was then, this is now.
3. We should be more like Paul in this
passage (but less like him in others).
Why was Paul harsher than us?
The real answer …
1. He was an apostle, we're not.
2. That was then, this is now.
3. We should be more like Paul in this
passage (but less like him in others).
Three little words …
How should we interpret
difficult bible passages like this?
With honesty and humility.
How should we interpret
difficult bible passages like this?
With honesty and humility.
Applies to:
The withering of the fig tree
How should we interpret
difficult bible passages like this?
With honesty and humility.
Applies to:
The withering of the fig tree
The parable of shrewd steward
How should we interpret
difficult bible passages like this?
With honesty and humility.
Applies to:
The withering of the fig tree
The parable of shrewd steward
God's sovereignty vs. our free will
How should we interpret
difficult bible passages like this?
With honesty and humility.
Applies to:
The withering of the fig tree
The parable of shrewd steward
God's sovereignty vs. our free will
Interpreting days of creation
I'm blind!
Are you blind, ref?!
I'm blind!
Now Elymas faces his own setback.
How will he respond?
As Paul did when he was blind?
And finally ...
When the governor saw what had happened,
he became a believer, for he was astonished
at the teaching about the Lord.
– Acts 13:12
He responded to the teaching about the Lord
rather than to the miracle.
Signs exist to point the way to something.
Coping with setbacks
(Acts 13:1–12)
Mike Taylor
30 January 2011