YOU ARE A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD
Acts 16:19-15
Acts 16:12 From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days.
13 On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. 14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. 15 She was baptized along with other members of her household, and she asked us to be her guests. "If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my home." And she urged us until we agreed.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation
FIRST CHURCH IN EUROPE
Paul and Silas were led by the Holy Spirit to take the Gospel to Europe
Acts 16:9 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!" 10 So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there
New Living Translation
They boarded a ship at Troas and headed to Philippi on the sea coast of Europe. God directs His ministers to dark places to bring the light of the Gospel. God prepares the place and the people to receive His Word.
Every believer has the responsibility to influence others in the Lord
On the Sabbath day as was Paul’s custom, he went seeking a place to worship and found a group of women in a prayer meeting on the sea shore.
It is probable that there was no Synagogue there, but the Word of the Old Testament had reached Philippi. It took 10 Jewish males to establish a Synagogue. The city in the midst of Idol gods and idol temples was a dark environment, but God allowed His Word, the Jewish Law to enter the hearts of a few.
13 On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. 14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God.
BACKGROUND ON LYDIA
The first question to ask, why did God think it was important to tell us Lydia’s occupation ? Purple fabric was a luxury commodity associated with royalty, priesthood and the elite. The purple dye was from the secretion of shell fish (murex mollusk ) It took thousands of shells to make one garment.
Lydia was from Thyatira(modern Turkey) the city known for dying cloth. The city was on the merchant trade route, ideal for spreading the Gospel. Lydia had relocated to Philippi.
Most likely because of her position as a business owner and community
Connections, Lydia was the leader of the prayer group. Since purple was an expensive cloth, her clients were well to do people. She did not allow her status or community connections to affect her worship and devotion to God.
Paul sat down with the women on the Sabbath and taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have no idea how long the meeting was or what scriptures Paul taught about Jesus but He got the attention of Lydia. God had prepared her heart to receive the Gospel.
THE LORD OPENS THE HEART OF BELIEVERS
Acts 16:14 As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. 15 She was baptized along with other members of her household, and she asked us to be her guests.
We can teach the Gospel, but it is God who opens the hearts of listeners to receive the Word. When we teach, we never know how many seeds are planted and who will respond. But the Word of God will never return void.
Issiah 55:11 so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
It is the work of the Lord to send His ministers out to preach the Gospel.
It is the work of the Lord to prepare the hearts of those He chose to receive the Gospel. It is the good work of man to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
We do not know whether Lydia was married, had children or servants. What we do know is that there were people living with her or close to her to call her household . She obviously was a strong worshiper of God for she influenced her household to accept Christ and to be baptized.
Paul and Silas started with a small group of women, but ended with a
Larger group from Lydia’s household. We should never worry about the numbers we teach because our sphere of influence spreads well beyond
who we see.
LYDIA’S GRATEFULNESS
Lydia was a generous and grateful woman. She persuaded Paul and Silas to stay with her. She was the first European convert and established the the
First Christian Church in Europe. She believed God, and God led her to believe in Jesus Christ. Her prayer group turned from a religious community to a Christian community.
LYDIA’S DEVOTION TO SERVE
Acts 16:15 "If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my home." And she urged us until we agreed.
The evidence of our Chrisian faith is found in our service to others in the name of the Lord. The text says she convinced Paul of her faith. She was insistent of her love for the Lord and her willingness to serve. She would not let Paul and Silas go away without honoring them as ministers of the
Lord Jesus Christ.
Lydia used her wealth to house the traveling ministers and to establish the first Christian church in Europe in her home. Some of us are called to be missionaries and some are blessed with income to support the church and missions.
THE STORY OF LYDIA HIGHLIGHTS THE MAJOR THEMES IN THE BIBLE
THE SOVEREIGN WORK OF THE LORD
THE MISSION OF JESUS TO REDEEM MANKIND
THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH; FAITH AND OBEDIENCE
BAPTISM, AN OUTWARD SHOW OF A SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
THE POWER OF A GIVING HEART; SPIRITUAL GIFTS
THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
FAITH IN ACTION; MISSIONARIES AND SUPPORTER OF MISSIONARIES.
GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSON; MEN AND WOMEN SERVE EQUALLY
THE POWER OF PRAYER WORKS MIRACLES
LYDIA’S STORY IS A TESTIMONY TO THE POWER OF PRAYER
LYDIA PRAYED AND THE GOSPEL WAS PREACHED TO HER
LYDIA PRAYED AND GOD OPEN HER HEART TO RECEIVE CHRIST JESUS
LYDIA PRAYED AND A SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION TOOK PLACE; FROM LAW TO GRACE
LYDIA PRAYED AND HER HOUSEHOLD CAME TO CHRIST
LYDIA PRAYED AND THE FIRST CHURCH IN EUROPE WAS FORMED
LYDIA PRAYED AND NEW RELATIONSHIPS ESTABLISHED
LYDIA PRAYED AND EXPRESSED HER GRATITUDE TO THE LORD
LYDIA PRAYED AND HER GENEROSITY WAS EXPANDED
LYDIA PRAYED AND HER MINISTRY GLORIFIED THE LORD
BECAUSE SHE PRAYED, A NATION IN THE DARK GOT A RAY OF LIGHT
SHE PRAYED AND MAY HAVE ENCOURAGED PAUL AND SILAS TO PRAY AT MIDNIGHT IN JAIL IN PHILIPPI AND AN EARTHQUAKE LED TO THE SALVATION OF THE JAILER
LYDIA’S ATTITUDE OF GRADITUDE
LYDIA WORSHIPPED THE LORD
SHE WAS A PRAYING WOMAN
SHE WAS PART OF AN ACTIVE PRAYER TEAM
SHE LISTENED TO PAUL AND SOUGHT OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDY THE WORD
GOD OPEN HER HEART
SHE ACCEPTED JESUS AS LORD AND SAVIOR
SHE CONFESSED HER FAITH TO PAUL AS A BELIEVER
SHE OPEN HER HOME AS THE FIRST CHURCH IN EUROPE
SHE WAS A LADY OF INFLUENCE
HER HOUSEHOLD WERE BAPTIZED
IT IS PROBABLE THAT HER PRAYER TEAM BECAME
BELIEVERS
AS A BUSINESS WOMAN, HER CLIENTS WERE EXPOSED TO
JESUS
SHE HAD A HIGH CLASS CLIENTEL
I SUGGEST SHE USED HER INFLUENCE AND CONNECTIONS
TO SUPPORT THE CHURCH
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