Lydia's Conversion Series

INTRODUCTION

Outline.

1. Lydia’s Hearkening unto Paul

2. Lydia’s Faithfulness to the Lord

3. Lydia’s Baptism into Christ

Introductory Remarks.

1. Our lesson today will discuss the theme: “Lydia’s Conversion.” What will be abundantly clear is that her “obedience to the gospel;” followed the same “pattern of conversion” as outlined in the Book of Acts. She heard the word of God, believed the things spoken, and was baptized with her entire household. Luke wrote of the saints at Corinth: “The Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized,” Acts 18:8. Paul and his company’s entrance into Philippi was due to their: “Macedonia Call to Help.” 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,” Acts 16:9. Lydia would be the first convert in Philippi. We will observe how her conversion reflected others, as outlined in the Book of Acts.

2. First, we will consider the circumstances by which Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened, attended unto the things spoken of by Paul and Silas. As was his custom, Paul sought out the synagogue on the Sabbath day to preach Jesus among the attendees. Because there was no synagogue, he learned that prayer was being made unto God by the riverside Gangas. Finding women there for prayer, he sat down with them and spake unto them the word of the Lord. A businesswoman named Lydia, seller of purple (dye and garments) in Thyatira, who worshipped God, heard them speak. We know that: “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God,” Romans 10:17.

3. Second, we will discuss how Lydia acquired faith in Christ while listening to Paul’s message from the scriptures. Luke wrote: “Whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which Paul spoke,” Acts 16:14. Both Paul and Silas sat down with them; and spake unto the women which resorted thither (there). They did not stand, in a manner, as lording over them. But they sat down with them; and spoke unto these worshippers, the word of the Lord. And the Lord opened Lydia’s heart, as she attended unto the words of Paul.

4. Lastly, we will describe how Lydia responded to Paul and Silas's words. Luke wrote: “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,” Acts 16:15. The teaching and preaching of the gospel of Christ; should lead the hearers: to faith and baptism, in obedience to the faith, Acts 6:7. This is a familiar theme throughout the Book of Acts: hearing, believing and baptism, Acts 2:37-41; Acts 8:4; Acts 8:12; Acts 18:8. With this brief introduction, let’s consider the first point in this lesson.

BODY OF LESSON

I LYDIA’S HEARKENING UNTO PAUL

A. On the Sabbath, we (Paul and Silas) left the city to join some women worshipers of God at the riverside. A small river named Gangas flows beside Philippi, a Roman colony and the chief city of that part of Macedonia. It was rebuilt about 400 years before this time by Philip, the father of Alexander the Great, who named the city after himself.

1. There was no synagogue in Philippi. On the Sabbath day, the worshippers met at the river and held a prayer service there.

a. These women were faithful worshippers of God in the Jewish faith.

b. There was no synagogue, but a few pious Jews, women at least in significant part, met on the river banks, some distance outside the city, for prayer. They recognized their need to “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy unto the Lord.”

2. We sat down. Paul and Silas sat down in their midst and spoke unto the women concerning the faith. Here, we mean the gospel of Christ.

3. Spake unto the women which resorted thither (there); either Jewish women or proselytes to the Jewish faith.

B. A certain woman: Luke mentions her in this conversion experience as the only woman gathered by the riverside for prayer.

1. Named Lydia. The woman’s name was Lydia, and she was there with her household members. Some assert that they were her young children and other family members. The text does not affirm this assertion.

a. Lydia. The name is Greek. She was probably a convert to Judaism.

b. This does not necessarily mean her children; it could include her staff or household attendance.

2. A seller of purple. She was a seller of purple. That is, either the cloth dyed purple or the dye itself. Purple was the fabric that made the robes for the nobles of Rome. Lydia was a businesswoman. She was a professional woman and religious.

C. The city of Thyatira. Her home was in Thyatira, not Philippi. The city of Philippi could have been one of her places of business. The church at Thyatira was one of the seven churches in Asia, Revelation 2:18. We might believe that Lydia was a faithful member of this congregation. Her faith in Christ began in the city of Philippi after faithful obedience to the gospel of Christ. The city of Thyatira,