Conversions come with conversation
Witness to the world: Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 49:19
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Action in Acts!
Action in Acts!
From the words spoken that proclaimed the church to come to the birth, to now the book of Acts has been all about action. As is becoming a Christian and living as a Christian, action from faith.
Action: Jesus spoke of what was to come (Act1:4-8)
Action: Holy Spirit poured out (Act2:1-4)
Action: Hearts pierced and direction given (Act2:37-39)
Action: Gospel spreads out; mission teams formed and take to the mission field
Action: Persecution happens, but faith wins!
Action: Mission reports given, new teams aligned and set out into the field again
Action: Holy Spirit withholds so gospel can go another direction.
(insert: Go into all the world picture here)
Reasons to study book of Acts
See birth of the Church
See the instructions given being taken out
See the history of the instructions spoken calling for response and the results
See good examples for the church today.
May we be diligent in our continued study of this awesome book to glean and apply from the examples given in the book.
(transition) There was very specific instructions given by Jesus who has all authority (Mt28:18) and we see the in (Mt28:19; Mk16:15)
Question: in looking at (Mk16:15) what are the instructions given?
Go into all the world, preach the gospel
oh wait, wait, context matters
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
Stop; slow down, speak of false gospel, perverted gospel that leads to false response (expand on this)
The book of Acts gives some great actions when it comes to the gospel and it is important that we learn from them.
So as a reminder lets look back and keep where we were and where we are going tonight in context
A new member of mission team (Act16:1-3)
A young disciple spoken well of in Lystra joins the mission team (Paul, Silas)
Team sets out (Act16:4-5)
They set out delivering the letter from Jerusalem and the churches were strengthened in the faith and continued to increase
(Transition) I think important we read the next few verses then will get to our passage tonight.
The Spirit withheld them (Act16:6-8)
6 They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; 7 and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them;
8 and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.
They were forbidden, there were not permitted by the Spirit to go to Asia, so now they turned directions
The Spirit (through vision) directed them (Act16:9-10)
9 A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
10 When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Question: What was the purpose they were going to Macedonia according to (Act16:10)?
To preach the gospel to them.
Team arrives in Philippi
Team arrives in Philippi
The gospel message, the good news was on the move again in obedience to the command given to “go” and the vision given “come to Macedonia.”
11 So putting out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis; 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony; and we were staying in this city for some days.
(Insert Pauls 2nd missionary trip picture here)
From Troas to Samothrace a mountainous island (it shows elevation of 5,000 ft) We know from scripture nothing more about Samothrace
From Samothrace they came to Neapolis (This is seaport for Philippi)
From Neapolis they jaunt over to Philippi (foremost city of that part of Macedonia)
Philippi is located 9mi inland from Neapolis
Philippi was a Roman colony (v.12). We have retirement homes retirement communities Philippi was a retirement colony for Roman military personal.
Philippi while it was not the political center of the region, that was Thessalonica, it was a leading city as thought of by the people. The Philippian people had much pride in the City and what it had to offer to the people.
(Transition): Again you may notice that the team now includes Luke due to the use of the word “we” (v.11, and 12) So now may we see what transpires in Philippi
Conversation leads to conversion
Conversation leads to conversion
While as we look at this section we may not know the exact words Paul and the team use, but we can see the results of the words used.
13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled.
14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
Now, gleaning from the scripture:
Question: what did the team do and where did they do it (v.13)?
They went outside the gate, began speaking, and they did it by a riverside.
Well, maybe we can discuss as we go here.
Let me ask a general question, not on your sheet, where did Paul normally go when entering a city to start speaking? (Synagogue)
It was Paul’s custom as you just mentioned to go to the synagogue on the Sabbath and to reason with the Jews about Christ. No better place than to speak to religious people about true religion which is only found in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
It has been said “religious people need Jesus (saving) too”
There is no mention of Synagogue here in Philippi. Some believe there were not many Jews there are there needed to be 10 faithful Jewish men to form a synagogue. Some believe it is just not mentioned but assumed there was for Synagogue’s normally were located by water so to make ceremonial cleansing easily.
you may have noticed that there is only women mentioned in the passage. It does not mean there were no men there but from Luke’s writing, he is pointing to the conversion of the woman, Lydia and the women better fit the explanation.
(Transition) Now the description maybe different, the details, or lack thereof, maybe different the outcome is what matters here.
14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.
Question: Who was listening, and where was she from (v.14)?
Lydia, as well as the other women whom Paul was speaking with back in (v.13). Lydia was from Thyatira.
Question: what more can you learn about this women from (v.14)
She was a seller of fabrics, she was a worshiper of God.
Lydia was a worshipper of God, a designation for someone who was not a Jew but worshipped the God of Israel but had not been converted as a proselyte.
Here is an interesting fact found in some commentary by Clinton Arnold. that of all the Jewish inscriptions in that era that mentioned God-fearers, 80% were women.
Question: What did the Lord do in (v.14)?
The Lord opened her heart to respond.
So, how the Lord opened her heart is not stated, but can we assume that it was by the words that Paul spoke? It was by the gospel message? For we know the power of the gospel (Act1:16), we know what the Word of God does, it brings faith (Rom10:17); the gospel speaks of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1Cor15:1-3) but it also tells of the goodness of God.
4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
(Transition) Repentance leads to action, or heeding the things said (v.14) and that is exactly what happens
Lydia’s conversion
Lydia’s conversion
Conversation leads to conviction, conviction leads to conversion and that is where we are now.
15 And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
well, maybe I need to put (vv.14-15) together so it is in better context.
14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. 16 It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling.
14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
Lydia a seller of fabrics, a worshipper of God listened in as Paul was speaking to other women and the Lord opened her heart to heed (put into action) on the things spoken of by Paul
Question: What did Lydia heed to (in other words do) (v.15)?
She, and her household were baptized.
There is no mention of her household being on the beach and hearing Paul, just they being baptized, so were they there and Luke did not feel necessary to mention it? Or did she heed and go tell and then they responded in like manner? Anyway about it this God-fearer woman who heard the gospel message obeyed the gospel message as did her household. See again:
Religious people need saving too!
Religious people on Pentecost heard then heeded the call to repent and be baptized (Act2:37-38; 41)
Religious people like Paul (Act91-19); Cornelius (Act10:1-48)
Without Jesus the religious are just as lost as the nonreligious people. For may we remember
All people need Jesus for He is the way (Jn14:6)
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
There is no other name to save except Jesus (Act4:12)
12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
He is our mediator between God and man (1Tim2:5-6)
5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.
You may not be a living testimony of Jesus Christ, but you are a living testimony of the power of His name and a life that is transformed because of heeding His words. And to those who have heeded He has saved, he Has given His Spirit and His word that we are His and He is coming back for us.
Drawing a logical conclusion to the preaching:
Conveying the gospel calls for action, heeding, obeying the gospel.
In book of acts the action that is exampled is baptism
Baptism that transpired immediately
In a book on “Baptism in the New Testament” by George Beasley-Murray regarding Act2 he says this:
“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 or (Baptist) preaching.”
Baptism needs to be apart of all gospel preaching as well as believe, confess, repent and obedience, but it should not be discounted, dismissed or not given its proper place. It is commanded, so we should heed the command.
(Transition) The results of the conversion of Lydia and her household (which since did not live there may only have consisted of her servants, etc) came hospitality. Let me put the verse back up here for there is more to glean from that verse.
15 And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
Question: There is a question and an invitation given to Paul (v.15) what are they?
If you find me/judge me faithful, come stay at my house.
Lydia’s faith was evident, knew it was evident and stepped out in her faith and asked, urged Paul and company to stay with her. - this will become a pattern for her and we will see that when we get to Act16:40.
If her faith was evident by her willingness to be baptized.
If her faith was evident by telling or leading her household to be baptized
Would it not be a lack of faith not to be baptized?
(transition) Now, just bear with me a few more minutes for some take this section to include infant baptism due to the phrase “her household” (v.15)
This is not the only place where there is reference to “household”
Cornelius and his household (Act10:1ff); also the Philippian jailer (Act16:25ff)
There is mention of even children in (Act2:39), but does that mean infant, child baptism?
The facts we know are this:
Lydia was businesswoman (seller of purple fabric)
She is away from home, her home was in Thyatira and she was here in Philippi on business.
There is no mention of a husband or children, so where do we have scriptural evidence of infant baptism here?
As to the act2 passage the promise is for all, to repent and be baptized, baptized with a purpose for the forgiveness of sins (Act2:38), an infant does not know sin. A child does not know the law which makes one aware of sin (Rom7:7).
The evidence here does not support infant baptism, but what it does support is our conclusion tonight
(insert- Baptism by immersion picture here)
There was a conversation that called for an action.
The action that was taken was baptism because of faith.
(invitation/encouragement) (Prayer) (Exit)