Sermon Tone Analysis

THE START OF SOMETHING BIG

(Acts 16:11-15)

January 1, 2023

Read Acts 16:11-15 - This is "The Start of Something Big" bc here is the 1st convert to Xnty in Wester Civ.

And God's sovereignty is all over this event.

God has directed P&S to Europe.

And the very first convert there is Lydia - a woman.

What is the message?

Inclusiveness.

The gospel of JC knows no ethnic, geographical, gender, political or class barriers.

It is for everyone.

A few years ago some historians were asked why against all odds, Xnty came to define western culture.

They noted first of all that Xns died well.

Rather than wipe it out, persecution fueled Xn growth.

As Tertullian said around AD 200, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church."

But 2nd, the scholars noted, Xns were inclusive.

Until that time religion was localized.

Not Xnty.

It's for everyone.

It is for the worst of the worst as well as for the best of the best.

So, as the gospel invades Europe for the first time, let's see how God's sovereignty works with human choice to bring salvation.

I. Obedient Messengers

A few weeks ago we saw God funnel P&S to Troas.

Then, 11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis."

Neapolis Philippi's seaport, 120 miles across the Aegean from Troas.

From there, P&S went 10 miles north to Philippi.

Luke may have attended medical school there.

It was named after Philip II of Macedon (Alex's father).

When Octavian (Caesar Augustus) and Mark Antony defeated Caesar's assassins, Brutus and Cassius, in AD 42, the city was made a Roman colony with special privileges (like self-government, lowered taxes, landownership) and Roman citizenship --- highly prized and playing a part in our story later.

It was a fertile region with active gold mines -- known as "Little Rome" in that district.

The Greco-Roman orientation of the city is shown by the fact that 80% of the inscriptions found from the period in Philippi are in Latin as compared to only 40% in another Roman colony - Pisidian Antioch.

Jewish influence appears to have been minimal.

The critical point here is that had P&S not gotten to Philippi, the gospel would never have come to Europe: Rom 10: 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?

And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?

And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent?

As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" . . .

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."

Pretty clear, isn't it?

People come to faith by hearing the gospel from others who know it.

Faith begins with obedient messengers bringing the Word to places it has not yet penetrated.

Prior to Paul, Lydia was "a worshiper of God" (14).

She revered Yahweh, but was not a Jewish proselyte.

Yet she knew nothing of Jesus and His atoning death!

But as her heart reaches out to God, God re-directs the greatest evangelist of his time to her very doorstep.

And Paul obeys.

It's God orchestrating but using faithful messengers.

Faithfulness to God's call may take us to the far corners - or it may take us next door.

Either way the privilege of being partners with God is priceless!

For Lee Strobel it was a fellow-worker.

After accepting Christ, Lee invited the guy to Easter service.

The guy said he was an atheist, but Strobel said, "I know, but we could celebrate Jesus' resurrection together."

The guy said, "Jesus never rose from the dead?"

So Strobel, fresh off a two-year study on the subject said, "Well, actually, there is some pretty good evidence that He did."

The guy showed blew him off, and Strobel continued to pray for him.

Years later, at a conference, a man approached and said, "I want to thank you for the spiritual influence you had in my life."

Strobel said, "Fine, but who are you?"

Turned out he was a floor-tiler.

He said, "One day, near Easter, I was in an office next door to where you invited this guy to church and gave him evidence for the resurrection.

He didn't give a rip.

But on my hands and knees next door I was thinking, 'I need God.' Next Sunday I took my family to church and we all came to faith in Christ."

The moral -- you never know how God will use your message, but we can be sure He'll reward obedience.

II.

Open Hearts

Paul's pattern was to go to the synagogue, preaching to Jews first everywhere he went.

But not here.

Why? Bc there was no synagogue.

Maybe the community was small, or maybe they'd been banished.

In AD 49 Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome.

Perhaps "Little Rome" followed suit.

But Paul heard of some women who met on the Sabbath beside the Gangites (Gang-ites) River to pray, read and discuss the OT.

As a traveling rabbi, he was warmly welcomed.

Then, 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." Purple was royal and rare.

Purple dye came from the secretion of shellfish (molluscs), and it took 8,000 of them to produce one gram of the purple dye, so purple goods were extremely expensive.

That was Lydia's business.

She came from Thyatira, famed for producing the purple dye.

Now she operated from Philippi and her large home indicates wealth.

So, there she is - knowing Yahweh, but knowing nothing of Jesus the Messiah.

Paul had been sent by God to fill that gap.

Even this first step away from paganism was prompted by God.

Rom 3:11: "No one understands; no one seeks God." God turned her heart toward Himself when she first heard about Him.

Now, as Paul completed the story of redemption by identifying Jesus as the Messiah and Redeemer who died and rose again to pay for her sin, the Lord completed this work of faith.

14) "The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul."

Paul didn't open Lydia's heart; Lydia didn't open her own heart.

God opened her heart.

Salvation is of the Lord!

The Bible drives this truth home time after time.

Acts 13:48: "And when the Gentiles [in Pisidian Antioch] heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed."

Appointed by whom?

By God, of course.

No one comes to Christ except God calls them.

Jesus Himself says in Jn 6:44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him."

Those outside of Christ are "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph 2:1).

Dead - unable to respond until and unless God breathes new, spiritual life into that person as He did with Lydia.

But tho God opened her heart, Lydia still had to "pay attention to what was said by Paul."

God's sovereignty and human responsibility are so often set like this, side by side, without explanation.

And while we can do nothing about His work, we can choose for or against Him.

Jesus persistently said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Lu 8:8).

As God opens your heart; you must respond.

His sovereignty is enacted through our response to His grace.