Lydia

Lydia: Business Woman and Woman of God

Today is Mother’s day, but more than just mother’s, I want to celebrate women in general. I believe that in the heart of all women is the heart of a mother, even if they never had the opportunity to be one.

God created women with open hearts for relationships and nurturing spirits. Mother’s have the awesome opportunity to pour themselves into their children and have great influence upon them. Other women, for various reasons, may not have that same chance,with children, however that same spirit and nature is usually poured out on others in a similar way.

It is unknown if the woman we are going to learn about today was a mother, though I believe she was. I believe it is possible that she was a widow and had made the most of it to make her way in the world. But more than anything, she loved and wanted a relationship with God. God heard the cry of her heart and sent the Apostle Paul.

Look with me at this story found in Acts 16:6-15.

Acts 16:6–15 NIV

6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. 12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. 13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Acts 16:40 NIV

40 After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.

Pray

I. Paul’s Journey (vv 6-12)

16:12. From Neapolis the missionaries traveled the 10 miles on the Via Egnatia, the Egnatian Road to Philippi, which Luke described as a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. Quite clearly Luke displayed pride in the city he came to love. Some say he grew up and attended medical school there. Philippi, originally named Crenides (“Fountains”), was taken by Philip of Macedon and renamed after him. In 168 B.C. Philippi became a Roman possession. After Mark Antony and Octavian defeated Brutus and Cassius, the assassins of Julius Caesar, near Philippi in 42 B.C., the city was made into a Roman colony. This gave it special privileges (e.g, fewer taxes) but more importantly it became like a “transplanted” Rome (cf. comments on Philippi in the Introduction to Phil.).

II. Lydia’s Conversion (vv 13-14)

III. Lydia’s House Church (vv 15-16, 40)

Conclusion

Lydia had a lot going for her. She was successful and an independent woman in a world where most woman had no real control of their lives. However, Lydia was hungry for a relationship with Almighty God. She was willing to use what she had to provide for those who served God and were seeking God even though it could lead her to lose it all.

She was a brave woman. An influential woman. But most of all, she was a God-fearing woman who loved Go