Character Studies #11 - Lydia

“Lydia – The First Christian Businesswoman”

Photos in God’s Album Series

—Lydia, of Philippi—

Acts 16:11-15, 40

INTRODUCTION:

In Acts 15:36 we learn that Paul and Barnabas were preparing for a 2^nd missionary journey. However, they had a sharp disagreement over whether to take John Mark with them again. Barnabas said YES, but Paul said NO! So, the solution they came up with was to form two teams: Barnabas took John Mark with him and headed for Cyprus, and Paul chose Silas as his partner. 

Acts 16:1

·       Paul and Silas picked-up Timothy from Lystra. They began ministering in Eastern Turkey (Asia Minor) but were forbidden by the Spirit to preach in Western Asia.

·       At Troas (1:8) Paul had a night vision from the Lord.

·       Verse 11 – Based on that they took a ship from Troas to Neapolis in Greece, then went 10 miles inland to Philippi (verse 12). 

N.B. The words “they” and “them” are used until 16:10, suddenly changing to “we” and “us.” Evidently, Luke joined them at Troas to continue the journey, forming a team of at least 4 men (Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke). 

TRANSITION:

Philippi was a large Greek city named for Philip of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great.

·       When it was taken over by the Romans it became a Roman colony, largely populated by retired soldiers.

1.    The city’s inhabitants had all the rights of Roman citizens.

2.    They were free from imperial taxation.

3.    The city was granted the privilege of self-government.

·       Philippi was called “a leading city” of the province.

·       This is the first inroad of the Christian message into Europe.

·       Here at Philippi, we meet the 1^st European convert to Christianity. Her story is brief, but rich in content.

·       Acts 16:11-15 – 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. 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. 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. 

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 12 – After their arrival in Philippi, Paul and his team waited “for some days.”

·       They were waiting upon the Lord for directions.

·       They were studying the situation, talking to people.

·       They were looking for Jews as a place to begin. They probably asked around until they got a tip on this group prayer meeting down by the river.

·       N.B. Life is made up of commonplace incidents, seemingly insignificant, but through which God’s plans and purposes are realized. Paul, et al, went to that prayer meeting not knowing who would be there.

Observation: To form a synagogue in any city there had to be at least 10 mature Jewish men. Evidently there was not even this tiny quorum in Philippi, so a few women met together down by the river every Sabbath to pray and discuss spiritual things. One of the women there that day, who heard Paul and his colleagues testify and preach, was LYDIA, the main character in our story today.

Lydia – 

·       We do not know much about her history or personal life, but we can draw some important conclusions from the biblical text.

·       She was a special woman whose social, moral, and religious reputation was evidently beyond reproach. However, she also had a great need in her life. The fact that she was at that riverside prayer meeting tells us that she was searching for something to meet her heart’s need. 

I. What did Lydia have? = a lot!

A.    She had a unique story – (But doesn’t everyone?) She was a Gentile woman from Thyatira, a city in Western Turkey located about 60 miles NE of Ephesus in Western Turkey. So, how did she get to Philippi? She was possibly the widow of a merchant.

B.    She had a name – Lydia may have been her real name, or perhaps a nickname like Scotty or Tex. (Because Thyatira is in the province of Lydia.) She also had a certain “name” (i.e., reputation) in the community. (cf. Isaiah 43:1b “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine!”)

C.   She had a business – She was an importer and seller of purple cloth as well as costly garments and other expensive items for wealthy clients. She probably ran the business out of her home, which was more culturally acceptable for a woman, or she may have had a merchant business in the city.

Observation: There were two major centers of the dyers trade: (1) The city of Tyre, on the Phoenician coast; and (2) Thyatira in Western Turkey. In both places the trade was controlled by closed guilds with secret processes. The purple dye used in Tyre was extracted from murex seashells. The more reddish-purple dye from Thyatira (also called “crimson”) was obtained from the madder root. Lydia was a wealthy woman dealing only with the “cream” of society.

D.   She had a home – She was probably a widow, having inherited the business from her husband at his death. Turkish society allowed for such things because the dyers were a family guild, almost like the Mafia. She apparently had children and ran a household, including servants.

E.    She had a religion – Although a Gentile, she had become a convert to Judaism. Verse 14 calls her a “worshiper of God” (or “God-fearer,” a technical term – cf. 10:2 Cornelius; 13:43; 18:7). She had a knowledge of Jehovah. She kept the Sabbath. She prayed. She worshiped. She practiced her religion although she lived in a heathen city. She took time out of her busy schedule to seek after spiritual things because she wanted to know God more personally. She was not satisfied merely with business and wealth. She had discovered that these things can never satisfy the deepest longings of one’s heart. 

II. What did Lydia lack?

·       What she lacked can never be satisfied with things! People often sense a lack in their lives and try to fill the vacuum on their own with money, power, sex, drugs, fame, boats, fast cars, etc.

·       Lydia probably did not know what was lacking until she heard Paul speak. What was lacking in her life is revealed by what she so readily received. She lacked Christ in her life and she received the Gospel!

·       N.B. In her searching, the prayers of Lydia and the other women reached to the very throne of grace. They were seeking the Lord. God answered by sending Paul and Silas to share the Good News with them. God hears and answers prayer. He sees our need and knows when we reach out to Him in faith. 

III. What did Lydia receive?

A.    She received the messengers, Paul, and Silas (et al).

·       She listened, she liked them, and she had a good impression of them, which was very important.

B.    She received the message from God’s Word.

·       She may have been unique in her acceptance on that day, for it is reported as if it was an exception. Apparently, she was the very first one to trust in Christ and for this is singled out here. The disciples had already been there for “some days” with no response from anyone until Lydia became a believer, making her the first European convert to Christianity.

C.   She received Jesus Christ as her Savior and Lord.

·       God supplied what Lydia lacked in the person of Jesus. He filled her life. 

Six (6) key elements in Lydia’s conversion: (N.B. Verse 12 is a mini sermon in just one verse.]

1.    Her seeking heart = She was a “worshiper of God” i.e., prepared soil ready for seed.

2.    Her listening ear = KJV “she heard us” NASV “she was listening”

3.    The Spirit’s work = “…the Lord opened her heart.” N.B. Preaching by itself cannot bring about regeneration. There must be an inner working and call by the Spirit of God.

4.    Her heart’s response = “to respond” = react.

5.    A clear message = “to the things spoken”

6.    Faithful witnesses = “by Paul” (and the others as well).

The Lord penetrated Lydia’s heart with conquering grace. He opened her heart and mind to understand the message. A flame was lit in her soul. She assimilated what she heard. She understood. By faith, she reached out her hand to the Christ that Paul preached about. She believed in Him. She was converted. It was just that simple! 

Lydia had been given much in this life. She was wealthy and influential. She already had the things that most people spend their lives trying to accumulate. Yet, when God got hold of her life, she began to use those things for the Lord. She submitted everything she had and was to the Lordship of Christ. Her life is touching proof of how much God can do through a person who has made Him the number one priority in life.

IV. What did Lydia give?

·       We are not left to wonder if her conversion was genuine. There was fruit. In fact, there will always be fruit from genuine conversion (cf. Galatians 5:22-23). 

·       Altogether too many Christians are reluctant about sharing their blessings (spiritual and material) with others and after a while they find themselves living self-centered, defeated, powerless lives. Not so with Lydia!

·       Notice that after her conversion she did not become a nun, or a full-time itinerant evangelist like Paul. She remained where she was in her same occupation, and became a faithful witness, being “light and salt.” God used her where she was! 

A.    She gave her family and household a radiant testimony - (Verse 15a).

Ø  She was baptized in obedience to Christ and as a testimony to others of her identification with Him. As a result, the members of her household were converted and baptized too. It is beautiful to see how a new convert often draws in others like a magnet (cf. “…and thy house.” in 16:30).

Ø  Why is this “magnetism” so often lacking in older Christians?

1.    Is it a lack of faith and spiritual vitality?

2.    Is it a lack of courage and obedience to speak out for Christ?

3.    Is it a lack of a consistent lifestyle that fits and corresponds with the testimony? 

B.    She gave the missionaries a home (Verse 15b).

Ø  According to verse 12 they had probably been staying in an inn, which were generally dirty places of ill repute that would only hurt their ministry. Lydia provided a quiet haven of hospitality for Paul, Silas, Luke, and Timothy so that they could continue their ministry in the area. Her home became the focal point of God’s work in Philippi. Notice that she did not offer this convenience as a service but begged it for a favor! She insisted, Paul says: “She prevailed upon us.” In Romans 12:13 Paul says that Christians should be “given to hospitality.” Peter says a similar thing in 1 Peter 4:9: “Be hospitable to one another without complaint.”

Ø  A Christian home should have an open-door policy to help people in need, but this is not always easy because it involves sacrifice. Paul and the other men left Lydia’s house one day and did not come back. She finally got word that they were in jail.

Ø  That must have caused great concern. Evidently, this was when her home became the recognized meeting place for the Christians in Philippi, as they gathered to pray for Paul and Silas’ release, the same way the believers gathered in the home of Mary to pray for Peter’s release from prison as recorded in 12:5-12.

Ø  Lydia was not even ashamed to welcome those two ex-cons, bruised and wounded, fresh out of jail, back into her home.

Ø  Read verse 40 - They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.

Ø  N.B. Hebrews 13:2, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” 

C.   She gave a church to the Philippian believers (Verse 40).

Ø  At first, they kept on using the riverbank as the locale for the work (cf. verse 16). They later shifted to Lydia’s house. Her home became a place for the Christians to gather for prayer, worship, study, and fellowship. Lydia’s home became a meeting place for the first Christians on European soil.

Ø  These were the Christians of whom the Apostle Paul later wrote in Philippians 4:1, “My brethren, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown.”

CONCLUSION:

Lydia’s story reminds us that when we share Christ with someone, we never know how God plans to use that person to do His work.

·       E.g., the man who led young D.L. Moody to Jesus

·       Or Billy Graham

·       Or Henrietta Mears

·       Or Billy Sunday 

Paul did not target Lydia for conversion. He merely shared the Gospel in the power of the Spirit and God did the rest. Her story also reminds us that God will use for His glory whatever we place in His hand—our home, our wealth, our children, our talents, our willingness to be used by Him and to be a blessing to others.