"THE BOOK OF ACTS"
The Conversion Of Lydia (16:11-15)
INTRODUCTION
1. One of the best reasons to study Acts is to take note of the examples
of conversion...
a. In which the gospel was preached and people responded
b. Noting what was preached, and how people responded
2. For today, many people in the name of Christianity...
a. Preach a false gospel of Christ
b. Or proclaim a false response to the gospel
[We have examined several conversions already in our study of Acts. Now
we come to "The Conversion of Lydia", perhaps the first convert to Christ
in the continent of Europe...]
I. OCCASIONED BY THE MACEDONIAN CALL
A. PAUL'S VISION AT TROAS...
1. He and his company had been making their way through Asia
(Turkey)
2. The Spirit had limited their options - Ac 16:6-8
3. In Troas Paul had a vision ("The Macedonian Call") - Ac 16:9
4. Taking the vision as a call from the Lord, they depart for
Macedonia - Ac 16:10
B. PAUL'S ARRIVAL AT PHILIPPI...
1. Sailing from Troas - Ac 16:11
a. They sail to Samothrace, a small mountainous (5000+ ft.)
island
b. And then to Neopolis, seaport for the city of Philippi
2. Arriving at Philippi - Ac 16:12
a. Foremost city of that part of Macedonia
b. Made a Roman colony in 42 B.C.
[Arriving at Philippi, Paul and his companions (including Luke, note
"we") were staying in the city for several days (Ac 16:12). On one of
those days, they went down to the river...]
II. THE BAPTISM OF LYDIA AND HER HOUSEHOLD
A. AT THE RIVERSIDE FOR PRAYER...
1. Paul and his company go down to the riverside on the Sabbath
- Ac 16:13
2. Paul's custom was to find a synagogue on the Sabbath - Ac 17:1-3
a. To reason with Jews about Christ
b. Evidently there were not many Jews in Philippi, and no
synagogue
c. According to Jewish custom, at least 10 male Jews were
required for a synagogue
3. But women met at the river to pray, and Paul's company speaks to
them
B. LYDIA HEEDS THE WORD OF GOD...
1. Lydia was a successful business woman - Ac 16:14
a. A seller of purple (goods, dye), suggesting wealth on her
part
b. From Thyatira, a city of Asia (Turkey) known for its
expensive purple dyes
2. Lydia was a religious woman - Ac 16:14
a. One who worshipped God
b. Her name is Greek, so perhaps a convert to Judaism
3. She heard Paul, and the Lord opened her heart to heed what he
said - Ac 16:14
a. In what way the Lord opened her heart is not stated
b. But she "heard" what Paul was speaking - Ac 16:13,14
c. We know that "faith comes by hearing the word of God" - Ro 10:17
4. Through the gospel, one's heart can be opened to be receptive
a. For the gospel is God's power to save - Ro 1:16
b. It tells of God's goodness, that should lead one to repent
- Ro 2:4
5. Lydia was willing "to heed the things spoken by Paul" - Ac 16:14-15
a. I.e., to do or obey whatever Paul had said
b. We can infer that it included baptism - cf. Mk 16:15-16; Ac 2:38
c. For she and her household (family, servants) were baptized
- cf. Ac 8:12,35-38
[At this point, allow me to make some...]
III. OBSERVATIONS RELATED TO LYDIA'S CONVERSION
A. RELIGIOUS PEOPLE NEED SAVING...
1. Throughout Acts, the gospel was proclaimed to religious people
a. The thousands of devout Jews in Jerusalem on Pentecost - Ac
2:1-41
b. The many Jews gathered on Solomon's Porch at the temple - Ac 3:1-26
c. The Ethiopian eunuch who had travelled to Jerusalem to
worship - Ac 8:26-40
d. Saul of Tarsus, a devout Jewish rabbi - Ac 9:1-19; 22:1-16;
26:1-13
e. Cornelius, a devout Gentile who feared God, prayed always
- Ac 10:1-48
2. Without Jesus, religious people are lost!
a. He is the way, the truth, the life; there is no way to God
but through Him - Jn 14:16
b. There is no other name but Jesus whereby one can be saved
- Ac 4:12
c. He is the only Mediator between God and man - 1Ti 2:5-6
-- It is not enough to be religious; we need Jesus Christ as our
Savior!
B. THE LOGICAL CONCLUSION TO GOSPEL PREACHING...
1. In every case of conversion described in Acts with detail,
baptism occurs quickly
2. In most cases, after hearing just one lesson about Christ!
- e.g., Ac 8:35-38
3. Referring to Peter's sermon on Pentecost, a respected Baptist
scholar wrote: "Baptism is here a part of the proclamation of
Christ. In an Apostolic sermon it comes as its logical
conclusion. An effort ought to be made to restore this note in
our [Baptist] preaching." - Baptism In The New Testament, George
Beasley-Murray, p. 393
-- Indeed, the command of baptism needs to be restored to all
gospel preaching!
C. AN INDICATION OF FAITHFULNESS...
1. In asking Paul and his companions to stay with her, Lydia asks
"If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord..." - Ac 16:15
2. What evidence was there to determine whether she was faithful?
3. At the very least, her willingness to be baptized! - Ac 16:15
-- Would not refusal to be baptized indicate a lack of
faithfulness?
D. THE ISSUE OF INFANT BAPTISM...
1. Some appeal to "household conversions" as evidence of infant
baptism, such as:
a. The conversion of Cornelius and his household - Ac 10:1-48
b. The conversion of Lydia and her household - Ac 16:11-15
c. The conversion of the Philippian jailor and his household
- Ac 16:25-34
2. The argument is that we may assume infants were present, but is
that the case here?
a. Lydia was a businesswoman, with no mention of a husband
b. She was from Thyatira, possibly in Philippi on business
(though she did have a home)
c. We can just as easily assume that her household was made up
of servants, or at least children old enough to travel
-- The burden of proof rests upon those seeking to support infant
baptism, and the evidence in this case simply isn't there (nor
elsewhere)
CONCLUSION
1. With the conversion of Lydia, we have...
a. Perhaps the first gospel convert in the continent of Europe
b. The beginning of the church at Philippi, which may have met in her
home - cf. Ac 16:40
2. We also have an example of the Providence of God...
a. Leading servants who are prepared to teach, to seekers who are
praying
b. As in the case of Cornelius, and the Ethiopian treasurer
3. Fulfilling the words of Jesus:
a. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for
they shall be filled." - Mt 5:6
b. "Seek and you will find" - Mt 7:7-8
Such individuals are like the man in The Parable of the Pearl of Great
Price:
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful
pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and
sold all that he had and bought it." - Mt 13:45-46
Lydia was a successful merchant, but she knew there was something much
more valuable than money. Her worship and prayer gave her the
opportunity to hear the gospel, and she showed her faithfulness to God
by obeying the gospel immediately through faith and baptism (cf. Mk
16:15-16).
How about you...?
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2013
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