I.        INTRODUCTION

A.      In about A.D. 50, the apostle Paul went into Europe on his second missionary journey to preach the gospel of Christ.

B.      The first place where he preached was the city of Philippi, and the first person to obey his message was Lydia.  Let us consider her story that we may learn from her example.

II.      LYDIA’S CONVERSION TO CHRIST

A.      In Acts 16:6-10, we read of Paul’s Macedonian call.

                                                             1.      On Paul’s second missionary journey from Antioch, he was prevented from preaching the gospel in Asia by the Holy Spirit.  Instead, he was called through a vision to go into Macedonia.

                                                             2.      Therefore, Paul and his companions made their way from Troas onto the continent of Europe for the first time, and they came to Philippi of Macedonia (Acts 16:11-12).

B.      Lydia lived in Philippi of Macedonia.

                                                             1.      Philippi was named for King Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great, in 356 B.C.

                                                             2.      The city had been made into a Roman colony by Augustus in 30 B.C., which meant that it governed itself and its citizens were granted the privileges of Roman citizenship.

                                                             3.      Philippi was a military outpost for Rome, and most of its citizens were retired Roman soldiers.  There were so few Jews in the city that there was not even a synagogue.

C.      Although very little is written of Lydia, we can understand much about her (Acts 16:14).

                                                             1.      Lydia was originally from the city of Thyatira.

a.       Thyatira was a major commercial center between Pergamum and Sardis in Asia in the Hellenistic district of Lydia.  The city was known for its dyeing works, and especially for royal purple fabrics.

b.       Thyatira was an intensely pagan city, and much of its commerce was intermingled with pagan worship.  Notice Revelation 2:18-23.

                                                             2.      Lydia was a seller of purple fabrics, which means that she was a merchant to the wealthy.  She was probably supplied from her contacts in her home city of Thyatira.

                                                             3.      Despite being from the pagan city of Thyatira, Lydia is described as a “worshiper of God.”

a.       This description is reminiscent of Cornelius, the first Gentile convert (Acts 10:2).  Lydia was almost certainly a Gentile, as Cornelius was.

b.       Despite living as a Gentile in the midst of a pagan culture, Lydia had learned reverence and fear for the living God.

D.      On the day that Lydia heard Paul preach the gospel, she was converted to Christ (Acts 16:14-15).

                                                             1.      Lydia was at the place of prayer on the Sabbath day.

a.       When there was no synagogue in a city, the custom of those who worshipped God was to gather by a river for prayer.

b.       Notice that this was a gathering of women who worshipped God.  The absence of men explains the lack of a synagogue (ten married men were required for a synagogue).

                                                             2.      She listened to Paul’s words, and God opened her heart to respond to the message.

a.       God worked through the word spoken (which was inspired by the Holy Spirit) to open Lydia’s heart to respond in submission to Him.

b.       Notice that the opening of Lydia’s heart was not so that she could believe (as Calvinists teach), but rather it was because she did believe (see Rom. 10:17).

                                                             3.      She and her household were baptized.

a.       As in the other examples of conversion in the book of Acts, this was water baptism in the name of Christ for the remission of sins (see Acts 2:38).

b.       Lydia became Paul’s first convert to Christ in Europe.

III.   APPLICATIONS

A.      God saves souls through the preaching of the gospel of Christ.

                                                             1.      The New Testament shows that one must hear the gospel before he can be saved.

a.       In the case of Lydia, it was when she heard Paul’s preaching that “the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.”  She was saved because she responded, she responded because she believed, she believed because she heard, she heard because Paul preached, and Paul preached because the Lord sent him.

b.       This is a perfect example of the process described in Romans 10:12-17.

                                                             2.      Therefore, we must preach the gospel in order to save others.

a.       No one will be saved simply because there is a church assembling in the community.  Souls will only be saved if that church sounds forth the gospel of Christ throughout the community.

b.       God has sent Christians into the world to preach (Mark 16:15-16).  If we fail to preach, then we break the chain of events that leads people to salvation (preaching – hearing – believing – obeying – salvation).

B.      Those who are seeking after God will find Him.

                                                             1.      Jesus gave us assurance when He said, “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened” (Matt. 7:7-8).

a.       Lydia is an excellent example of one who found God because she was seeking Him.

i.         Paul was sent by the Holy Spirit to Philippi.  Because she was at the place of prayer when Paul came, she heard the gospel preached and obeyed its message.

ii.        Her pursuit of God was rewarded with an opportunity for eternal life, and she took advantage by being baptized in the name of Christ for the remission of sins.

b.       She hungered and thirsted for righteousness, and the Lord gave her satisfaction, just as He promised through His gospel (Matt. 5:6; Rom. 1:16-17).

                                                             2.      Therefore, let us seek after God and others who are also seeking God.

a.       We who are Christians have found God through the gospel of Christ, and we have full assurance and confidence of our salvation.  We are also worshipers of God, and we should always be found at the place of prayer on the day of worship.

b.       Now we can become instruments of God to help others who are seeking Him by preaching the gospel.  God guarantees that those who seek Him will find Him, but would not we be blessed to be part of that process?

C.      A godly woman can do great works and have tremendous influence.

                                                             1.      We only know of Lydia through Acts 16, but we might speculate how this godly woman continued to affect other people.

a.       We know some of Lydia’s good works from this chapter.

i.         She was a worshiper of God who believed and obeyed the gospel of Christ.

ii.        Because of her influence, her household also obeyed the gospel and was saved.

iii.      In hospitality, she opened up her home to her fellow Christians and in support of their work in spreading the gospel in Philippi.  Even when the city turned against these men, she still supported them (Acts 16:40).

b.       We might speculate that she continued to serve Christ in this manner.

i.         Lydia was the first convert on record in the city of Philippi and therefore was an original member of the church at Philippi.

                                                                                                                                     1.      Paul’s epistle to the Philippians, written about twelve years later, indicates that the church there was strong and faithful and that they had continuously supported Paul’s work of preaching (Phil. 1:5-11; 2:12-13; 4:15-19).

                                                                                                                                     2.      It would seem logical to assume that Lydia would have been an integral part of the good work that the church at Philippi did.

ii.        It is also possible that she had an effect on her home city of Thyatira, for a church was established there at some point, even though there is no record of Paul going there (Rev. 2:18-24).

                                                             2.      All godly women may likewise exert influence upon others to the glory of God.

a.       May it never be said that women do not have work in the church.  Just because they do not take leadership roles over men (1Cor. 14:34-35; 1Tim. 2:11-12) does not mean that they cannot work for the Lord.

b.       The New Testament is filled with instructions and examples for the work of women in the church (Acts 9:36-39; 18:26; Rom. 16:1-6; Phil. 4:2-3; Col. 4:15; 1Tim. 5:9-10; Tit. 2:3-5; 1Pet. 3:1-6; 2John).  Lydia was certainly a worker for the Lord, and her example should be imitated.