DISSEMENATING GOD’S GRACE TO WHOMEVER WHEREVER
Did you hear about the grocery store owner who put up a sign that read: “Eggplants – 25 cents each, 3 for a dollar” . . . Customers complained that they should get 4 for a dollar! So, each one who complained got 4 for a dollar. The owner of a shop next door came over and said, “Why don’t you fix the mistake on your sign?” “What mistake?”, asked the grocery store owner, “Before I put up that sign, no one ever bought more than one eggplant.”
Which goes to show that if you have something worth selling or sharing, a lot depends on how you present it to your prospects. The grocery store got the attention of prospective buyers, engaged them in conversation, then disseminated to them more than they had initially thought they would get.
Not that we should press this analogy too far and go so far as to say that a bit of trickery is okay for disseminating the gospel, we would do well to realize that when we come upon folks who need what we have to offer, the manner with which we present it to them has a lot to do with whether they “buy” into what we are “selling”.
A Rule of Thumb practiced by Paul for disseminating God’s grace was simply “to whomever wherever” in a convincing manner so that they want what you have to offer.
There must be, on the part of disseminators of the gospel, effort put forth to reach others . . . an enthusiastic embrace of opportunities . . . an encounter of the kind that has as its motive the “selling” of the gospel – such as the encounter which occurred near the city of Philippi down by the riverside - Acts 16:6-15 . . .
With God as their Father, Jesus as their Savior, and the Holy Spirit as their constant companion, these disciples of discernment and distinction embraced an unusual opportunity to disseminate God’s grace to whomever wherever!
They did not go everywhere for a very good reason: The Holy Spirit prevented them! How grateful we should be that our efforts are monitored by our Paraclete (the Holy Spirit sent by Jesus to go alongside us)! Q: Have there been times in your life when you wondered why a door was closed . . . your plan did not work out? Then it struck you: My way, or my plan, was not according to God’s plan or purpose. So, accept it and move on!
Moving on to a seaport town where commercial trading enticed merchants from all over the world, God’s messengers waited until they received further word from the Lord – and, while they waited and prayed, Paul had a vision in which he received the Macedonian call: “Come over and help us!”
Folks, it is so true: When God closes one door, He opens another . . . which, if responded to by faith, inevitably leads to greater and mightier things than anyone ever imagined. Which tells me: God can do anything but fail! Q: How long did it take Paul and the other missionaries to answer the call? “Immediately . . . at once . . . without delay” -- they got ready and responded -- by faith.
By faith --- Abel . . . Enoch . . . Noah . . . Abraham . . . Isaac . . . Jacob . . . Joseph . . . Moses . . . What more shall I say? Time does not permit me to tell about all the others who were commended for their faith . . . Even so, God had planned something better! And folks, Paul and his company of the committed knew first-hand what that something better was!
By faith --- in response to a vision given to Paul by the God of the saints of the Old Testament – these three missionaries made a bee line effort to go to the Macedonian city of Philippi located on the southern coast of Europe. They arrived on a Friday, and spent the night there.
On Saturday morning - the sabbath - they got up bright and early to pray. Looking for a quiet place outside the city, they followed a path that led them down by the river where they came upon a gathering of women from the (United Methodist Church) whose Circle of friends were engaged in spiritual matters . . . whereupon these men were invited to join the ladies for coffee and conversation.
One of the devout women (whose name might just as well have been Helen) no doubt had been led there by the Spirit of God so that she would be in that place at that time for such a time as this.
God has a plan for every individual who has come to Him for salvation and who by faith has committed his or her life to Christ as Savior and Lord.
God’s plan for this “Lydian woman” – so called because she hailed from the town of Lydia located in the region of Thyatira in the province of Asia Minor - was to use Lydia as a vessel for disseminating the gospel to Europe!
As a wealthy businesswoman – owner of a prosperous dye company, also owner of a house – Lydia most likely had moved to Philippi because of its prime location for doing business, but, while there, obviously had become friends with several Jewish women through whom she had become attracted to Judaism.
See how God works in and through people and their situations to bring about that which is best for those who love the Lord! Never doubt God’s plan and timing for those whose heart’s desire is to serve the Lord!
Gifted with discernment – ability to determine right from wrong . . . intent to do good versus harm – Lydia had joined herself with a company of God-fearing Jewish women – as it turns out, as a prelude to something better that was yet to be!
Listening intently to the sharing of the gospel by the apostles, Lydia’s heart was opened by the Lord whereby she discerned that they were telling the truth . . . they had been with Jesus . . . their paths had crossed by divine appointment.
Thus, Lydia became the first European convert to Christianity - a distinction second only to that honorary distinction of sonship! Lydia was now a “son of God” (theologically speaking) and, as such, “heir and joint-heir with Christ”.
Q: Who better than a businesswoman to encounter the gospel of Christ so that she in turn goes about the Father’s business of disseminating God’s grace!
Lydia’s discernment (that the effort made by these disciples of Christ, to come over to Macedonia to share Good News with a European woman, whose heart had been prepared by the Spirit of God to receive God’s truth, and that the crossing of their paths for this encounter had been arranged by the God of Judaism) opened her mind and heart to hear the truth of God and to respond accordingly – repent . . . believe . . . receive Christ as Savior and Lord. Quietly with no fanfare!
With her new distinction as child of God welcomed into the Family of God, Lydia stood ready, willing and able to embrace any opportunity that might come her way, for sharing the joy of her salvation with others – in her own household and beyond.
Dissemination of God’s grace, first by her example of baptism in obedience to our Lord’s command, then by exhortation of the gospel in word and in deed, no doubt became the hallmark of Lydia’s daily life - as indicated by her heart’s desire to be faithful unto the Lord.
Apparently Lydia’s joy became infectious . . . spread to those around her - to the extent that the threesome of Paul, Timothy and Silas felt “persuaded” to stay at her house!
Let me make a confession . . . No one persuades me like the ladies in my life – my wife, my daughter, my grand-daughter, my sister . . . Ladies, use your power of persuasion constructively, instructively, positively - as unto the Lord!
To do so may require you to exert some effort . . . embrace an unexpected opportunity . . . encounter the “stranger within thy gates” . . . and at that point - infectious joy emanating from your walk with the Lord in light of His Word sheds glory on all around you so that it is caught by whomever wherever! Amen.
