November 16, 2010 (Acts 18-19, I Corinthians 1-4)

Things haven't changed much. Back in the early church a lot of the persecution came because of business, and because of how Christianity would affect those businesses. I don't think I ever really thought of it before that 'clearly'. Here's the passage from Acts:

^{Acts 19:23} About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way. ²⁴ It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy. ²⁵ He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows:

“Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. ²⁶ But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province! ²⁷ Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!"

What about today? What businesses would be affected if people were Christians? A lot of "new age" authors would be out of business; pornography publications/internet sites would be out of business (and I say that only if Christians were walking as they should - I once heard a statistic that when Christian conferences came into towns, the hotels made more money on their x-rated movie channel than at any other time); etc. As I was trying to think of other areas, it was actually hard. I think we Christians have so become like 'the world' that we aren't making that big of an impact by living any differently. The early church had a very powerful effect on the culture as explained in this passage:

^{Acts 19:17} A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored. ¹⁸ Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. ¹⁹ A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars. ²⁰ So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.

And now we come to Corinthians. Paul's goal was to focus on Jesus and on Jesus alone. And he tells them that human wisdom will never bring us to Christ, but only follow the cross of Christ can do that.

^{I Corinthians 1:24} But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.²⁵ This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.

²⁶ Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. ²⁷ Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. ²⁸ God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. ²⁹ As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

³⁰ God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. ³¹ Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”

^2:1 When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and brilliant ideas to tell you God’s secret plan. ²For I decided to concentrate only on Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. ³ I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. ⁴ And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. ⁵ I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.

May our message be just as simple.