Bad for Business!

Every time I read Acts, I always think about these verses in Acts 19. The verses talk about a silversmith named Demetrius. Lets take a look at Acts 19:24-27...

For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; (v. 24)

Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. (v. 25)

Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands; (v. 26)

So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. (v. 27)

Now really it wasn't Paul that was the one bad for business but it was really the message that Paul was preaching. And even though Demetrius was boo hooing that Diana was being destroyed, really his problem was he was the one losing out (his money). This scripture makes me think of a few examples...

The first example is after Martin Luther was converted a prostitute came to him and said, "It is I." The thing was Martin Luther was a changed man. Sure he still was himself but things were different. Martin Luther responded, "But it is not I." The prostitute was losing out because Martin Luther was changed.

The other example is of a local preacher in our area who was a drug addict before being saved. A month or so ago he preached at my grandpa's church and he talked about how when he was saved everyone was so happy because he was saved no longer doing the drugs, no longer stealing, and no longer out late at night. The one that sold the drugs to him was now losing out because he was a changed man!!!

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17