Handling Setbacks God’s Way

Handling Setbacks God’s Way

Luke 18:35-43

-Setbacks…faces them in life and all throughout life!

-(Webster’s) Setback = a defeat or a reverse.

-Life is of setbacks…they come in the form of stress, financial struggles, relationship problems, cancer and other health issues, depression/spiritual struggles, etc.

-Maybe you’re going through an especially hard thing in life right now (whether others know or not), I hope you’ll find encouragement from this passage that you can deal with those setbacks God’s way as you bring them to Jesus. 

I. Real (Luke 18:35)

–And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging

-You are likely not blind, but I can all but guarantee that you have some major setback in your life that gets in the way from time to time or more often than not.

–1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation (trial) taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

-You are not alone in your setback struggles…everyone around you has a struggle too!

II. Recognition (Luke 18:36-38)

And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

-Bartimaeus recognized that it was alone Who had the power to heal his issue!

-(Commentator, Joseph Alexander) This cry was an acknowledgement of misery, unworthiness, and helplessness, as well as strong confidence in Christ’s ability and willingness to help him.

-Bartimaeus began handling his setback in life God’s way by recognizing that Jesus is the Son of God (w/ God) and that Jesus alone had what he needed to solve this problem!

-Whether your obstacle is caused by your own sin or brought on by some other external factor, you must recognize that Jesus alone has what you need to get through this.

III. Resistance (Luke 18:39a)

– And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace:

-The people around him told him to be quiet!

-The certainty we need to embrace here: you and I have resistance all around us that tries to keep us from getting to Jesus!

1. Other

2. Materialism/worldly influence

3. Own flesh & wrong

IV. (Luke 18:39b)

–but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

-Because he chose to recognize Jesus for Who He is, there was a determination in Bartimaeus that just would not give up…not because of his own will-power, but because of what he saw in Jesus!

-You and I allow the crowd the quiet our faith at times and deter us from going to Jesus…but because our of Jesus is too small!

-(Helen Lemmel) Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth (incl. setbacks) will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.

V. Reliance (Luke 18:40-42)

–And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, LORD, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.

-God gets glory when we go to Him for specific things because it shows we’re relying specifically on Him!

-Jesus points out Bartimaeus’s reliance: thy hath made thee whole…

VI. (Luke 18:43)

– And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.

-As a result of what He in Jesus and now also because of Jesus’ work in his life, Bartimaeus chose to Jesus!

-When we get saved, our response of love to God’s love is to follow and serve Jesus.

-What is your response to Jesus’s grace in your life? Do you follow Him, or do you find yourself turning back to attitudes, actions and aspects of your former life before Christ?

Close:

-What setbacks are you in need of handling God’s way today?

-I hope you’ll realize you cannot handle them on your own and be encouraged to turn to Christ completely to take you through whatever you’re facing.