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What do the world of business and the kingdom of God have to do with one another? Is business a totally secular realm, different from the kingdom of God? If I go into business, how can I see God in the midst of doing the difficult and challenging work of competing in the market?
Business is simply helping people make use of creation. Peter Drucker (surprised to quote him two weeks in a row!) says that business is not about profit. “If we want to know what a business is, we have to start with its purpose. And the purpose must lie outside the business itself.” He goes on to say that there is only one valid purpose of a business: “to create a customer.” In other words, the purpose of business is to get things of value to people who do or would want them.
When God created human beings, he did not want them to sit passively and watch the fruit grow on the trees. He said, “Fill the earth and subdue it!” As humans increased, some method of exchange would have been necessary. Thus, business as described here would have been a necessary part of the creation order. It is not evil, even though people can misuse it just as they do other good things such as eating, religion, sex, and relationships. Obtaining resources and pooling them together is in itself a good thing.
This is how the Apostle Paul wanted people to think of their work and their businesses. He said, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Col. 3:23–24). This means that all honest labor is in itself good. It is work for the Lord. If you are running a chair lift in Gatlinburg, repairing a go cart in Pigeon Forge, or monitoring a water slide in Sevierville, you are doing God’s work. All honest labor is in itself valuable to God. He loves things that bless others and make the world productive for human enjoyment and service.
All that said, there is another reason why business is important. We learn about this from a woman named Lydia. Consider in this text Paul’s mission, Lydia’s conversion, and Lydia’s support.
Paul’s Mission
The Apostle Paul traveled throughout the Mediterranean world to share the good news that Jesus was raised from the dead and exalted to bring forgiveness and new life to the world. He established communities or churches that were committed to seeking the God of Israel through Jesus Christ.
He made several journeys. We read about the first one in Acts 13–14. Luke recounts the second of these journeys beginning with this chapter. Up until this chapter, Paul had traveled through the continent of Asia (not to be confused with the Roman province of Asia). Luke writes:
Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas (Acts 16:6–8).
As you read in the text, God was moving Paul toward Troas. The map below shows how this move toward Troas moved Paul closer to Europe.
While at Troas, Paul had a vision. “During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us'” (Acts 16:9). Immediately after that, Paul crossed the Aegean Sea and wanted over to Macedonia in Europe, concluding that God had called them to preach the gospel there.
Once he set foot on European soil, he made his way along the Roman road to a town called Philippi. Philippi was the central town in the region. It was a Roman colony. This means that it was a town that followed a pattern that was used throughout the Mediterranean world and designed by the Romans. It was populated with former Roman soldiers and consisted of Roman citizens. Like most Roman colonies, it was intensely patriotic toward Rome.
Lydia’s Conversion
There were Jews in this city but not many. Paul’s practice in each city he visited was to go to the synagogue on the Sabbaths and there, as a celebrated Rabbi and teacher. It would be sort of like Tim Keller or John Piper dropping in. If they were willing to speak, we would invite them to preach. Once there, he would proclaim the good news of God’s grace, love, and renewal through Jesus Christ.
However, in Philippi, there must not have been a synagogue. Instead, some Jewish women gathered by a river for prayer. Paul met with them and shared with them the good news about Jesus.
Among these people was a woman who had come to Philippi from Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer “in purple.” It is not surprising that Lydia was from Thyatira. Thyatira was a place in Asia Minor where people had learned the art of dying, that is, coloring cloth, as we learn form Homer and inscriptions from the town.
Purple dye was very expensive and usually found only on the robes of rulers or the rich. Purple dye was generally derived from shellfish. So, it appears that Lydia was a well-to-do business woman.
When Lydia heard the message, she responded to it. We should note how the text explains this,”The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message” (Acts 16:14). Why do people respond to the message of Christ? It is because the Lord opens their hearts. It is a work of divine grace. It is a gift. So, when we go out and tell people about Jesus, we should not think it is all up to us. It is God’s work to open the hearts of people. We give the message; God opens the heart. And so, Lydia became one of the first, if not the first convert to Christianity in Europe.
Note that Lydia believed, and the members of her household were baptized. Baptism is an outward sign of our commitment to Jesus. It is also God’s assurance that He forgives us and accepts us as His sons and daughters. Here is an instance where the household was baptized. You will find this sort of “household” language in the book of Acts. I believe that it points back to the Old Testament pattern of whole houses being devoted to the Lord. It is one reason why we practice the baptism of infants of young children. Just as in the Old Testament, whole households, including infants, received circumcision, which Paul calls the seal of the righteousness of faith, so God wants baptism, which is the new seal of the righteousness of faith, to be given to the children of believers.
Lydia’s Support
At any rate, Lydia responded immediately with a desire to bless others in the same way that she had been blessed by turning to Christ. She said to Paul, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord . . . come and stay at my house” (Acts 16:15). In that way, she gave support to the Apostle Paul and to the work of the Gospel.
There is an interesting follow up to this point in the book of Philippians. Philippians is a letter that Paul wrote to this very group some time later. He wrote a letter to the church in Philippi that included Lydia and the Philippian jailer.
In that letter, Paul says that they had sent him a gift to support him. “I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it” (Phil. 4:10). This church had already been a constant source of support to Paul:
Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need (Phil. 4:15–16).
It’s not hard to believe that Lydia’s generous spirit and resources were behind the generosity of this church.
There is an important qualification that Paul makes in that passage that I think is important for us. He was not concerned so much about the money, which he knew God could supply. What He was interested in was them getting involved in God’s kingdom. “Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account . . . They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God” (Phil. 4:17b–18a). He wanted them to use their resources to partner with God in the work of restoring the world to wholeness.
And that’s what you can do, too. You may not feel that you can speak or refute people who oppose Christ. You may not be able to Pastor, and not everyone is called to that. But you can give. You can partner with God by giving your resources to support the work of the church in the world.
I believe God will supply the needs of Evergreen Church and our new building, but I don’t want you to miss the opportunity to be involved in what God is doing. So, I urge you to give. Many of you do, and I thank you for that. It is a great blessing to see how many “giving units” we have and the generosity of their gifts. Let me encourage you to do so more and more. Let me encourage you who are not giving to partner with God by starting to give.
Let me give you some wisdom in how to do it. One principle of money (as it is of time): you either tell money where to go, or it will tell you where to go. You have to be deliberate. One principle I’ve heard commonly is: “Pay yourself first.” This means, save for the long-term first. Put it away where you can’t get it. I add to this: “Pay God first.” Give to Him a portion of what He’s given you. If you don’t have actual cash, you can give online by going to the main page of this web site.
This is how God wants you to get involved. Choose an amount or a percentage to given, even if it’s $20 or 1%, and start giving. Get involved with what God is doing like Lydia did. That’s how you can serve the Lord. We need people who will work, make money, and give to the Lord’s service. This is one major way that God provides for the work of His kingdom, and He wants to enlist you as part of that.
God is doing a work to bring restoration and redemption to the world, and he’s partnering with people like Lydia to bring that about. That’s what he did with Lydia, and that’s what He will do with you.
If you haven’t given before, it may seem scary. You may not think you can do it. I have found over and over again that you can’t out-give God. He always pays it back. And never forget that it is ultimately God who provides for you. Remember these beautiful statements from the Scriptures: “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (2 Cor. 9:10–11). “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever” (Phil. 4:19–20). Amen.
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Photo by Sean Pollock on Unsplash