Synopsis
Weak, fallible, and sometimes contentious, they were just ordinary people. Could the Lord actually use them?
Lydia was only the first of many converts to the Christian faith in Philippi. The new religion attracted quite an assortment of individuals--slaves, masters, Jews, Gentiles, wealthy, and penniless. Yet the believers were supposed to be unified in Christ--equal--no matter their class, gender, and race.
Easier said than done! Those in the volatile first-century Greco-Roman society sometimes got along better with the new believers than they did with each other. Driven by personality conflicts and misguided ambition, heated quarrels splintered the group into warring factions. Only God could salvage this wreckage.
Trudy J. Morgan Cole's skillful touch transforms the New Testament narrative of Lydia and the people of Philippi into a vibrant story of challenges and triumphs. You know, of course, the dual problem and solution to their irreconcilable situation: "Let this mind be in you, which is also in Christ Jesus..."
Review
It was fascinating to learn about the first-century Christians in a novel setting!
Lydia was a widow merchant who sold purple cloth. Her only son and child, Epaphroditus, was expected to take over his mother's dye shop, but his real dream was to travel and preach the gospel. He does end up traveling and preaching the gospel at the end of the book.
Euodia was a young slave girl who was possessed by demons and then was freed in the name of Jesus. She was so passionate and fiery about Jesus and her faith in Him.
Reading about Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke in a novel was really interesting. Paul was very serious. Luke was quiet, but a deep thinker.
Clement was the lead guard at the jail, his wife's name is Syntyche. They believed in false gods until they discovered Jesus Christ.
Some of the book was Biblically based, from Acts 16 and the book of Philippians. I really liked reading the stories in a novel!
The church in Philippi did have problems, disagreements and arguments, (like every church) however I liked the way that it was handled in the book. Paul asked them to put their differences aside, and love one another- even if they didn't always see eye to eye.
This book is about first-century Christians, learning how to become like Jesus Christ and how to love and get along with one another. It's a story of how God can use everyone- poor, rich, slaves, doctors, and common people to do His work.
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