Transcript

Distinguished Producer

Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Paul of Seattle.

Podcast Introduction

Today is Gospel Saturday and we’ll read Acts 13-14. I’m calling today’s episode “How To React To Rejection.”

Comments on Acts 13

We see the beginning of Paul’s first missionary journey in chapter 13. It’s important to note that Paul and Barnabas did not begin this journey based on their own ideas. They were called by the Holy Spirit to this work. And then, the church at Antioch fasted, prayed, laid hands on them and sent them on their way.

Everything was done according to the leading of the Lord.

And yet, they did not have success in every place. Far from it, in fact. But notice what they did in verse 51, after they were run out of Antioch of Pisidia. “So they shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection and went to the town of Iconium.” In shaking the dust off their feet, they were saying they didn’t want to take anything of that city with them. They didn’t take the rejection of the people of the city personally, and they didn’t doubt God’s call on them. They just moved along to the next town. 

Too often, beloved, when we feel called to do something for the Lord, we begin with stars in our eyes. We think that if God has called us, then we will have nothing but success. And when resistance comes, or when we experience what we interpret as failure, we withdraw from the work, thinking that we must have misinterpreted God’s call, because if He was in it, we would have success. 

To be sure, maybe we did misinterpret the call. Often times, we do get excited about something and think that our enthusiasm is from God, when actually it’s just our own emotions. That discussion is for another day.

The takeaway here, beloved, is that even when we are doing God’s will, or perhaps I should say, especially when we are doing God’s will, we should expect resistance. Why? Because the enemy does not want the cause of Christ to advance. We are in a spiritual battle when we are laboring for the Lord. But we are not in the battle alone. If God has called us, He is with us. And if He is with us, if He is on our side, if He is for us, who can be against us? In other words, it doesn’t matter if we have opposition, because God’s purposes will always prevail. Sure, there may be skirmishes, but those are the times when we should rejoice, because it is then that we have confirmation that we are on the right track.

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 13 NIV; Ch. 14 NLT

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Transcript

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STEVE WEBB – 0:00
We’re on the right track.

INTRO S12E311 – 0:09
Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, and podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. Thanks for joining me today. Thanks for inviting me into your life. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year and it’s Gospel Saturday and we gonna read Acts 13 and 14. I’m calling today’s episode, “How to React to Rejection”. The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e311. If you want to email me, send it to st***@*************ia.com. Let’s begin.

ACTS 13 (NIV) – 0:44
Acts, chapter 13. (1) Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. (2) While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (3) So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

(4) The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. (5) When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.

(6) They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, (7) who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. (8) But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. (9) Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, (10) “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? (11) Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. (12) When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

(13) From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. (14) From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. (15) After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”

(16) Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! (17) The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country; (18) for about forty years he endured their conduct in the wilderness; (19) and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan, giving their land to his people as their inheritance. (20) All this took about 450 years.

“After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. (21) Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. (22) After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’

(23) “From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised. (24) Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. (25) As John was completing his work, he said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for. But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’

(26) “Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. (27) The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. (28) Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. (29) When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. (30) But God raised him from the dead, (31) and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.

(32) “We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors (33) he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:

“‘You are my son;
today I have become your father.’

(34) God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said,

“‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’

(35) So it is also stated elsewhere:

“‘ You will not let your holy one see decay.’

(36) “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed. (37) But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.

(38) “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. (39) Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. (40) Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

(41) “‘Look, you scoffers,
wonder and perish,
for I am going to do something in your days
that you would never believe,
even if someone told you.’”

(42) As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. (43) When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

(44) On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. (45) When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.

(46) Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. (47) For this is what the Lord has commanded us:

“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

(48) When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

(49) The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. (50) But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. (51) So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. (52) And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

ACT 14 (NLT) – 7:18
Acts, chapter 14. (1) The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. (2) Some of the Jews, however, spurned God’s message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. (3) But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. (4) But the people of the town were divided in their opinion about them. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.

(5) Then a mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them. (6) When the apostles learned of it, they fled to the region of Lycaonia—to the towns of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area. (7) And there they preached the Good News.

(8) While they were at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. He was sitting (9) and listening as Paul preached. Looking straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed. (10) So Paul called to him in a loud voice, “Stand up!” And the man jumped to his feet and started walking.

(11) When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, “These men are gods in human form!” (12) They decided that Barnabas was the Greek god Zeus and that Paul was Hermes, since he was the chief speaker. (13) Now the temple of Zeus was located just outside the town. So the priest of the temple and the crowd brought bulls and wreaths of flowers to the town gates, and they prepared to offer sacrifices to the apostles.

(14) But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting, (15) “Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings—just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. (16) In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, (17) but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.” (18) But even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them.

(19) Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. (20) But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

(21) After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia, (22) where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God. (23) Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. (24) Then they traveled back through Pisidia to Pamphylia. (25) They preached the word in Perga, then went down to Attalia.

(26) Finally, they returned by ship to Antioch of Syria, where their journey had begun. The believers there had entrusted them to the grace of God to do the work they had now completed. (27) Upon arriving in Antioch, they called the church together and reported everything God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, too. (28) And they stayed there with the believers for a long time.

COMMENTS – 10:49
Well, Beloved, we see the beginning of Paul’s first missionary journey in chapter 13. And it’s important to note that Paul and Barnabas didn’t begin this journey based on their own ideas. They were called by the Holy Spirit to this work. And then the church at Antioch, fasted, prayed, laid hands on them, and sent them on their way.

Everything was done according to the leading of the Lord.

And yet, they didn’t have success in every place, far from it, in fact. But notice what they did in verse 51, after they were run out of Antioch of Pisidia. Scripture says, “So they shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection and went to the town of Iconium.” In shaking the dust off their feet, they were saying that they didn’t want to take anything of that city with them. And they didn’t take the rejection personally. And they didn’t doubt God’s call on them. They just moved along to the next town.

Beloved, too often when we feel called to do something for the Lord, we begin with stars in our eyes. We think that if God has called us, then we’ll have nothing but success. And when resistance comes, or when we experience what we interpret as failure, we withdraw from the work thinking that we must have misinterpreted God’s call, because if he was in it, we would have success.

Well, sometimes yes, that’s true. We do misinterpret the call. Oftentimes, we just get excited about something. And we think that that enthusiasm is from God, but actually, it’s just our own emotions. Well, that discussion is for another day.

The takeaway here, Beloved, is that even when we are doing God’s will, or perhaps I should say, especially when we’re doing God’s will, we should expect resistance, because the enemy doesn’t want the cause of Christ to advance. We are in a spiritual battle when we’re laboring for the Lord. But the thing to keep in mind is, we are not in the battle alone. If God has called us, he is with us. And if he’s with us, if he’s on our side, if he’s for us, who can be against us? In other words, it doesn’t matter if we have opposition, because God’s purposes will always prevail. Sure, there may be skirmishes, but those are the times when we should rejoice. Because it is then that we have confirmation that we’re on the right track.

You have a comment? What do you think? Let me know at lifespringmedia.com/s12e311. Tomorrow is Epistle Sunday, and we’re going to read I Peter 1 through 3.

BOOST! – 13:19
And now, as the French say, it is time for le boost.

VALUE-FOR-VALUE – 13:29
Lifespring Family Berean brother Paul of Seattle comes in today as our Distinguished Producer with his weekly $22.22 donation. Thank you, Brother Paul, I appreciate you. God bless you.

And you know, the value-for-value model is what helps keep the Lifespring Family Audio Bible going. There are no advertisers, but bills still need to be paid. And there are three ways you can help: time, talent or treasure. Yeah, we’re getting close to the end of the season. August 30 will be our last reading. That’s just 53 days away. But that’s still 53 more days that I need your support, if you’re receiving value from the show. And if you’re not receiving value, I’m kind of curious as to why you’re here. So with 53 days left, we’ve got our eyes on the finish line, but I’m asking you to help the show to finish strong and not just stumble over the line. Let’s make the final 53 days a sprint to the finish, okay?

If it’s been a while since you donated, or if you haven’t donated yet, please pray about sending a gift. The amount’s up to you as always, ask yourself how much the show has meant to you this year. This show’s number 311. There will be a total of 364 episodes. Well, if you’ve been listening all season long, you must be getting some value from the show, right? What’s that value? 10 cents an episode? 50 cents? $1 an episode? $2? $10? It’s different for everybody and that’s okay, that’s good. But whatever your amount is, all I ask is that you pray about it. See what the Lord leads you to do. Then go to lifespringmedia.com/support and donate there. I’ll thank you and I think the Lord will bless you.

ON THIS DATE ON CHURCH HISTORY – 15:19
On this date on church history, July 9, the year 381–we’re going way back–the man who would become the first Patriarch of Constantinople, a man by the name of Nestorius was born. He was deposed for heresy by the Council of Ephesus in 431, for teaching that Jesus had two natures and two persons rather than two natures in one person. So I guess he believed that there were two Jesus’s. Yeah, I’d call that heretical.

And then, on July 9, 1962, 250 Protestant and Orthodox delegates from 81 countries attended the first World Institute on Christian education in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

PRAYER REQUESTS – 16:09
Prayer requests. You might remember that yesterday we prayed for Kirsty’s husband, Seth, and her daughter, Eliza, who have COVID. Well, just after I uploaded the show yesterday, I got another email from her saying that, now, she and her son Ezra are having symptoms, too. Well, Kirsty, I’m sorry to hear about that. You’re on the prayer list.

And Anonymous in Orlando sent in a prayer request. They said, “My feet are hurting, stiff, daily abuse through the many years of working. I also have arthritis, and I still have to work.” And just as an aside, Anonymous, I’ll be in your neck of the woods this week, in just a few days, when the Lovely Lady LeeAnn and I visit our new granddaughter. We’ll only be there for a couple of days. But maybe next time we can meet up for a cup of coffee or something. Wouldn’t that be fun?

CLOSING PRAYER – 16:54
All right, let’s pray. Our heavenly Father, we love you, Lord, and we thank you for your steadfast, faithful love and patience with us. We thank You for Your Word. And the example we read today of Paul and Barnabas when the people of Pisidia didn’t receive the message of the gospel. Help us Lord to understand that it’s the Holy Spirit’s work to change hearts and minds. It’s not ours. Our job is just to give the message. After that it’s up to the hearer and you. Lord, we understand this intellectually, but help us to understand it in our hearts, too, so that we don’t get discouraged when people don’t accept the message of the gospel when we give it to them. Some sow the grain, others water it and others harvest. That you involve us in your work at all is a blessing, so we thank you for whatever role you do give us.

I pray for Kirsty and her family, now, that this round of COVID would quickly be over and done with in their home and I pray that the symptoms would be mild and that it would be a fast recovery for all four of them.

And Lord for Anonymous in Orlando, I pray that you would bring healing and relief to their feet, Lord. Chronic pain can be so discouraging. And I pray that you would just touch those feet now and even give a fresh lightness to their step. And for the arthritis, I know that it can show up in many places in the body. So I pray that you would bring relief there as well, and even healing. You are the great physician and we know that there’s nothing that you cannot do. And you tell us Lord that we have not because we ask not. So I’m asking in Jesus name that you would heal Anonymous in Orlando right now. We believe that you can do it. But above all, we ask that Your will be done, and we will give you praise for it. I pray this in Jesus name, amen.

Beloved, if you have a prayer request or if you have a praise that you’d like to share with the Lifespring family, please go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. I’ll pray for you in my private prayer time and we’ll pray together on the show, prayer.lifespringmedia.com.

OUTRO S12E311 – 18:59
If you have a comment on the show, go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e311. Or send me an email at st***@*************ia.com. Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise work behind the scenes. Kirsty doing the newsletter, Sean of San Pedro doing the chapters. And if you don’t have a Podcasting 2.0 enabled podcast app, go get one at newpodcastapps.com, Then you can see Sean’s work, and also you’ll be able to see Denise’s work because she does the transcripts and transcripts show up on most of the Podcasting 2.0 podcast apps. Thanks to those of you who stream sats and send boosts. You guys are awesome. And thanks to those of you who send in weekly or monthly donations. And for those of you that have sent gifts at other times, I appreciate each one of you and I pray that God will bless you. You truly are a blessing to me. I’m so thankful for each one of you. And I thank every single one of you that are listening to my voice right now. You are part of the Lifespring family and I’m so glad you’re here. I’m so glad you’ve made this show a part of your life. Support the show if you receive value from it at lifespringmedia.com/support.

And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb.

Bye.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai
Corrected by Denise