Life Lessons from the Chief of Sinners
Open Your Heart
Acts 16:11-15
Introduction
Romans 10:10-11 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
It is amazing that it is Paul who writes these words. We first met him as a persecutor of the church. He refers to himself as the “Chief of Sinners”. We have been studying his life and gaining some Life Lessons from the Chief of Sinners.
-Discern the True Hope found in Jesus Christ
-Accept the Lord Jesus
-Partner up for the mission of sharing Jesus
-And today: Open your Heart to Jesus.
We join Paul on his travels during his 2nd Missionary journey. Companions on this journey were Silas, Timothy, and Luke. Joining him later along the way were Priscilla and Aquilla. Verses 6-10 tell us that he was directed by a vision of a man from Macedonia calling for him to come there. The Holy Spirit directed Paul to a major city in Macedonia named Philippi.
Philippi was named for Philip, father of Alexander the Great. That area was known for the gold and silver mines; a well traveled trade route that led to a port on the Adriatic sea. Economic wealth; a Roman colony, Philippi was a large city. The city was not religious, and there was no Jewish synagogue where Paul might preach. On the sabbath, he went outside the city gate and down by the river where there might be a place of prayer.
Acts 16:11-15
11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day toNeapolis,
12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days.
13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.
15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed up are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”
The life lesson we learn from the Chief of Sinners is to Open Your Heart to Jesus.
1. Open Your Heart to God’s Direction (Acts 16:13)
Paul was directed to go to Macedonia, the city of Philippi. Everywhere Paul went, he had the mission to share the news that had changed his life - Jesus is Lord! Philippi was a big city with a lot of people, no synagogue - so he could not approach this in the way he usually did. On the Sabbath he went to a place where he might find some believers to talk to - and he did.
How can we pursue God’s direction for our lives? Jeremiah 10:23 I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
Four Ways to Follow God’s Direction.
-The Word. Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
-The Lord. John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
-Prayer. Philippians 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
-With Thanks. Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
When I am directed by the Word to have the attitude of the Lord, asking Him to Help me, Giving Him Thanks in
everything, I will be opening my heart to God’s direction.
2 Thessalonians 3:5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
2. Open Your Heart to God’s Opportunity (Acts 16:13b-14)
Paul found an amazing opportunity to expand the kingdom.
Lydia: Everything we know about Lydia is found in 4 verses
-She was a business woman. She sold purple cloth from the city of Thyatira.
-She was a wealthy woman / a home owner. The cloth she sold was worn primarily by kings and the very rich; it was very expensive. Barclay: This purple dye was gathered drop by drop from a certain shellfish and was very costly to dye the wool used to create fabric.
-She was a worshiper of God. Lydia had no church, no synagogue, just a prayer meeting by the river on the Sabbath day. “Her opportunities were meager but she religiously embraced such opportunities as were within her reach.” (Chappell)
As Paul taught these women about Jesus, an amazing thing is said about Lydia that is not said about anyone else
in Scripture. “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” (Acts 16:14). This occurs no where else in the Bible; a bit of mystery. The Lord opens our hearts when we, in faith, listen to His word, accept it as the guidance we need.
What a marvelous opportunity to reach an influential woman for Christ. If God directs our paths, then he will lead us to those who seek and desire to know about Jesus. Paul was brilliant, well known, adventuring for Jesus - he
could have had a bad attitude about that little prayer meeting down by the river. But God was directing him, so he had opportunity.
3. Open Your Heart to God’s Work (Acts 16:15)?
Lydia and her household was baptized, and God kept moving! She brought the gospel to her household. She urged Paul and companions to stay at her house. The church began to meet in her home. Reflecting back on his time in Philippi, Paul wrote,
“…You Philippians know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. … I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, …” (Philippians 4:15-23).
Lydia was the first convert to Christ in Europe. The ultimate outcome of this one conversion was nothing less than the remaking of the world. (Chappell)
When Paul opened his heart to God’s direction, he met a woman with an open heart to bring Christianity to Europe!
When we open our heart to God’s work, we set in motion so many good things. When Christ has our heart…. Every kind thing we do could change the world. Whether it’s teaching Sunday school, bringing food to the hurting, comforting the grieving, loving the fallen, serving in the church, instructing the lost, speaking kind words, reaching out to the fallen - we do not know what we may set in motion!
Conclusion
Life Lessons from the Chief of Sinners.
-Discern the True Hope found in Jesus Christ
-Accept the Lord Jesus
-Partner up for the mission of sharing Jesus
-And today: Open your Heart to Jesus.
Romans 10:10-11 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
Will you open your heart to the Lord today?
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Video of this message will be available on our YouTube Channel located at
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Discussion Questions from Acts 16:11-15
1. How can we know the difference between living by God’s direction or under our own direction? Have you ever felt God directing you into an uncomfortable moment/situation?
2. Why do you think Jeremiah said, “I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.” Jeremiah 10:23?
3. What are some ways that Paul demonstrated an open heart towards God in this text?
4. Paul’s common practice was to go to the synagogues and talk about Jesus. Since there was no synagogue in Philippi, he went to the river. Where should we go today to look for opportunities to talk about Jesus?
5. Of the things we know about Lydia, what impresses you the most? What is a way you would like to be more like her?
6. Lydia was a successful business woman of some wealth. How can wealth / success be a barrier to opening our heart to the Lord? How do we overcome those barriers?
7. Other than specifically initiating conversation about Jesus, how do we / you open doors for those conversations?
8. In the sermon, one of the ways of following God’s direction was to pray about that (Philippians 4:6). What kinds of things should we be praying for in terms of helping others to open their hearts to the Lord? Our own hearts?
