Lydia
It is hard for us to realize how openly evil, the old heathen world was.
Idols….and the demons behind such worship….ruled the minds and hearts of these….they were captives of great and powerful darkness.
And jealousy for their idols….was rampant. The Romans were especially afraid of the Gospel….for it taught that the gods made by hands, were not real…
Riots, beatings, and imprisonment awaited those who came to give the good news of everlasting life through Christ.
Ephesians 2:2-3 “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”
The gospel message was not just a change….of one God for another….
….but the good news of Christ Jesus’ salvation to the world….which brought a remedy to the source of their sin…..the separation of the person from the True and Living God…
….and gave them opportunity for the establishment of an abiding and loving relationship, between Him and those who, in faith, received this word of reconciliation:
2 Corinthians 5:19-20 “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
I mention all of this, because though a few believers are named in the scriptures….yet there are many who, in the midst of persecution, were courageous in standing with Christ Jesus…and with His servants.
Acts 16:6-7 “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the Word in Asia (Asia Minor…or where Turkey is now),
After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.”
Paul had gone out on his second missionary journey….with the goal of visiting the churches that had been started on the last journey.
Once they had done that, they felt they should branch out into some new territory….and since they had preached in part of Asia Minor by the Sea, they wanted to go up north and preach there. But they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit.
(Now, Acts is a book of the Acts of the Holy Spirit in the Believers.
If you will look, the Holy Ghost is mentioned forty-four times in the book. His power, and guidance…..His peace and joy….
…..was the reason that the Gospel was spread from the one hundred and twenty gathered to be filled with the Spirit, in Jerusalem…..to thousands later….all the way to Rome…the center of the known world.)
Paul then thought that they should go to another area….but the Holy Spirit had other plans:
Acts 16:8-9 “And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; there stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.”
Once they received the instruction…..they went immediately to Macedonia.
(Notice how many different ways the Holy Spirit was leading: from the “forbidden”…to “suffered them not”….to a vision….all to lead them on in the work.
And the Holy Spirit speaks to each of us in various ways: by the inner Voice, by the Word, by a message,….and even by circumstances we have been put into.
When He is in charge….He will let us know….and we will know.)
There was no synagogue in Philippi….and several days pass while they walk around the city, waiting for guidance and opportunity…
But when the Sabbath day comes….they go out of the city to a river….
….there Jewish women would gather for prayer.
Paul and his companions wait till they are asked to speak….
….and then they preach Christ Jesus.
This is a small door of opportunity….yet Paul does not snub it because it is small….but uses it to speak of Christ.
Acts 16:14-15 “And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of by Paul.
And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us,”
At Philippi, a woman named Lydia “attends to what Paul says.”
In other words….she really listened to the scriptures Paul quoted….and what he said about Christ.
She becomes born again….and is baptized, right there at the river….
….quite a testimony before the others gathered.
Lydia is a merchant woman.
She is a seller of purple….whether the color in dye, or the fabric already dyed….
…this would have given her a good living.
And though she has a house in Philippi, she is from Thyatira, which is in Asia….the very place they could not go!
So the very first convert in Europe, is from Asia!
And the Lord moves her heart to open her house to Paul and his companions.
They opened the way of salvation to her….and she opens her doors to them.
(remember they had been in the city several days….moving in and out of the crowds…waiting for the leading of the Spirit)
She gave them a place to pray, and a place for the new believers to meet.
(We know in Philippi, that Paul and Silas are dragged before magistrates, beaten with rods (one of three times for Paul), and placed in prison….
The reason? They would have no alliance with evil.
A demon-possessed girl is a slave of fortune tellers….she gives predictions and they are often correct.
She starts to follow Paul and his companions…and say, “These are servants of the Most High God, which show the way of salvation”
If Paul would do nothing….he would be accepting her…and the devil’s “help”.
(Remember, when evil spirits declare Jesus to be the Son of God, when He was here….He silenced them, and cast them out. Light and darkness can not abide together.)
So Paul accepts the fact of the battle with evil….for he would not let this continue…and grieve the Holy Spirit.
He commands, in Jesus name for the demon to come out….knowing full well there would be consequences.
Dragged, hurriedly judged, beaten, imprisoned….those were the consequences.
I also want to mention….Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. They could have skipped this treatment….if they had just spoken up.
But they did not refuse the persecution others might be subject to,….for Jesus sake. They identified with the believers….then, and to come….rather than Rome.
I want to mention here, that all the prisoners and the guard, after they are put in prison, would have heard Paul and Silas prayers to an invisible God….One, who they said, was with them!
Then these men sang praises!…to this God, for His Will, and Presence!
What kind of a God is this?
What a testimony!
And we know that God answered their prayers of subjection, by an earthquake….again what a testimony….
…and at the very least the guard and his family were born again.
Only when the magistrates were going to sneak them out, because they knew the mob judgement was wrong….did Paul speak up about their citizenship.
And this was to make them consider their actions for future time.)
I mention all this,…..for all this time Lydia is faithful….taking care of the other companions of Paul….for Jesus sake….even in the midst of anger and persecution.
She did not know what was going on…..or how her house would fare in all this….
….yet she remained faithful to the Lord…..and his servants.
She was from Thyatira, and she could have easily have left, to go back….away from any persecution…..but she didn’t.
She stayed and made a place for the believers.
And when Paul and Silas are released….they go to her house….and encourage the believers….for now there was a church in Lydia’s house. The Philippian church.
Acts 16:40 “And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them and departed.”
Years later Paul writes this church:
Philippians 1:1-6 “Paul…to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are a Philippi….
Grace to unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.
Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy.
For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
Christ Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, will not leave any saint….or stop working with or in any saint….till He has performed….or finished the work He started.
(If you count the named believers, from Acts through the rest of the Bible….there are slightly over one hundred, which the Holy Spirit has put in the sacred record.
Over one third of those are women…..helpers of the gospel….in the midst of persecution and trial…..Lydia was one of these.
But there were thousands more….who were faithful to Christ Jesus….that were not named here.
Yet there is a record….where every name….every deed….every faithful help is written before God.
Let us all strive to hear, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant….you have been faithful in a few things….enter into the joy of thy Lord.”)
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 