“About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, ‘Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.’” Acts 19:23-27
Devotional Thought For The Day
It is hard to say how many times Christianity has threatened the business, commerce, and wealth of those involved in idolatry and other great evil. We tend to think simplistically about Christian faith and life, as though it has to do only with beliefs and our own personal morality [our life of true and genuine love]. Of course the goal of advancing the good news of the kingdom is not to denude others of their income or wealth, but rather to bring all under the gracious and merciful lordship of Jesus our Savior, that they may have life, life in abundance, and eternal life. It is not God’s fault that such grace and goodness threatens the reign of ignorance and evil. Indeed, it is the glory of His love that He cares enough about us to rescue us from such futility and to bring us back to life through the gospel. Likewise, it is His character to be unalterably opposed to all evil – that of false belief, that of fraudulent profit and commerce, and that of immorality. All business and wealth building that relies upon ignorance of God and evil are obviously threatened by the advancement of God’s kingdom.
It is no different in our day and time. In America we have emphasized freedom – even freedom to engage in a variety of immoral behaviors. Business is built up around these immoral behaviors, whole industries develop, and income and wealth are derived from “servicing” these immoralities – pornography, gambling, drugs, abortion, etc. When people are brought to repentance and the knowledge of God’s great love in Christ Jesus, these businesses lose customers. Likewise, people who have been reclaimed to goodness and decency recognize the evil and destructive nature of such activities and seek to eradicate them. Legitimate businesses and activities may also become so greedy for growth and gain that they interfere with and erode Christian faith and God’s ministry of love to us – scheduling activities on Sunday mornings so that Christians have to decide between worship and Bible Study or some sport or recreational activity or even shopping. Those who work in these otherwise legitimate businesses may be pressured to work on Sunday or lose their job – so that it becomes difficult for them to choose church over work. This also is a great evil of our time – to lure or threaten people away from the gifts of God provided through His Word and Sacrament.
This may seem complex to us on the surface, but it is a rather simple choice. If we understand the great value of God’s gracious love and salvation then we will allow nothing whatsoever to stand in the way of our receiving these gifts in worship and giving our thanks and praise to God. As we look to the future – the coming kingdom of God and the judgment on those who reject His love – we understand what is at risk, and the great evil of denuding people of these gifts. It becomes quite easy to discern what decisions are reasonable and in our best interest, and what goodness and decency dictate for a healthy society. As was the case in Ephesus, those who are fully committed to idolatry and ignorance of God, and those whose livelihoods are enmeshed in promoting such idolatry will demand the right to continue their business – and may do all they can to resist and persecute Christians, dear children of God. Such is the nature of the war between good and evil, between God and the devil, in this temporal and fallen world of sin. But we should understand that God and goodness came first, and have priority; the infection of sin came later and does not really have legitimacy among human beings. Indeed, it has no lasting future.
Unless people of the Way, believers in the Lord Jesus, dear children of God, understand these dynamics and devote themselves more fully to the kingdom of God, there will be no battle – evil will win and more and more people will drift to idolatry, and become so entrenched in it that they will resist the advance of the kingdom of God. It may be too late for the wake-up call to move many Americans, but within the church the warning should be heeded. God is rich in mercy, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin – unless we refuse and reject His gracious love. If we value His love and the goodness it brings to humanity, we should reflect this in our behavior and also in our advocacy of God’s kingdom, even though this will put us at odds with those who are ensnared in darkness and those whose income and wealth depend upon bringing others into their darkness. God will surely watch over us and protect us as we follow Jesus in the Way, and it is surely a good thing to engage this battle regardless of the earthly consequences.
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, our temptations to evil and idolatry are not as stark as in ancient times; the enemy is far more subtle today. We believe that we can somehow strike a balance between faithfulness to You and some participation in things that lure people away from Your kingdom. We choose not to see how this encourages evil and threatens the spiritual health of our fellow believers. Grant us forgiveness, and keen understanding of what is at stake, so that we become more resolved and willing to engage in the battle of bringing Your kingdom to others. Amen.