Acts 19:23 -20:1
The gospel does not interfere with business unless the business is wrong. When it is right, it is really a part of Christian living as is attendance at prayer meetings. We may serve God as acceptably on Monday at our common work as we do on Sunday in our religious worship. But there are kinds of business which do not harmonize with Christian living. If the business be sinful, we cannot be diligent in it and at the same time be serving the Lord. The gospel made no small stir in Ephesus, it is said, because it was in conflict not merely with the worship of Diana, but with a profitable business which the worship of the goddess had built up. Wherever the gospel goes it makes a great deal of stir. Wicked men do not like it because it interferes with their life or with their methods of business.
This opposition to the gospel took an organized form in Ephesus. A man named Demetrius seems to have had a sort of monopoly of the Diana shrine business. At least he was prominent among those who were engaged in this business. So he called a meeting of the workmen of his craft, and said to them, “Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.” Here we see at once the secret of the opposition to Christianity. Paul’s preaching was damaging the business of these men. If he were allowed to go on preaching, soon nobody would believe in the goddess or care to worship her, and the result would be that no more little shrines could be sold. Anything that touches men’s pockets is apt to be opposed by them. There are instances of this same spirit in our modern days. Note how the rum dealers of all grades hate Christianity, because it preaches temperance and tries to rescue men from the power of strong drink. Christianity declares open war against all evil, especially against every influence that debauches and destroys human lives and wrecks homes, and destinies.
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