If you want to know more about the churches that paul started, read the book of acts in the new testament part of your bible. The book of acts provides a detailed, orderly, eyewitness account of the birth and growth of the early church and the spread of the gospel immediately after the resurrection of jesus christ. Every woman introduced in the scriptures to any extent is in some way remarkable either for her virtues or her vices. Then you can be like lydia and share your happiness in jesus with your friends and family. The lord opened her heart to respond to pauls message. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading hidden in plain view.
The conversion of lydia walking thru the bible acts. The name, lydia, meaning the lydian woman, by which she was known indicates that she was from lydia in asia minor. Paul and his company go down to the riverside on the sabbath ac 16. If you want to know more about the churches that paul started, read the book of. His first european convert was a woman named lydia, a merchant who dealt in purpledyed goods. These women are not the stuff of sunday school picture books. But what a great impact was made by her encounter with the word of god at a humble river side prayer meeting.
The businesswoman lydia acts 16 article theology of work. Actus apostolorum, often referred to simply as acts, or formally the book of acts, is the fifth book of the new testament. Pauls custom was to find a synagogue on the sabbath ac. Summarize all we know in these few verses about lydia. The city so named, now known as akhissar, was in the roman province of asia, but came within the boundaries of the older kingdom of lydia, and it is probable that, like so many slaves and women of the libertinae class, she took her name from her country. Lydia, dorcas and phoebe, coworkers with the apostles. The book of acts is the record of that commission beingcarried out. In some cases they were led ahead and in some cases they were hindered and even prevented. Lydia was a worshiper of god but, like cornelius in acts 10, had not yet heard the gospel. Shes described as a dealer in purple from thyatira, a. We know she was from thyatira, a city known for burnished bronze and brass, and purple cloth. Lydia or even more simply the woman of purple, lydia is given other titles. Lydias story is found in the bible in the book of acts.
Because the lord opened her heart, it produced results in her life, in her family and in philippi that. Acts 16 niv timothy joins paul and silas paul bible gateway. We read of the evangelistic methods and message of the early apostles and preachers 3. Study 1 going through the book of acts words of life. Lydias conversion sermon by ron freeman, evangelist, acts. Undesigned coincidences in the gospels and acts revives an argument for the historical reliability of the new testament that has been largely neglected for more than a hundred years. Later we know that lydia s house had become a meeting place. The woman, lydia, was a faithful, godly woman who opened her home to those who needed shelter. Since lydias husband is not mentioned but she was a householder, scholars have speculated she was a widow who brought her late husbands business to philippi. While she was probably not among the elite of the city, luke does include several reports of prominent people accepting the gospel in the book. The lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by paul. The book of acts is peppered with stories of women that wouldve raised eyebrows in the 1st century and might still today. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. The story of lydias conversion is contained in two verses only acts 16.
Theyre real and theyre diverse household servants, tradeswomen, business leaders, intellectuals and theyre essential to the churchs. According to strabo, thyatira was a mysian town, but ptolemy, acts 16. Because the lord opened her heart, it produced results in her life, in her family and in philippi that neither paul nor lydia could ever have imagined. Lydia might be the first person in europe to convert to christianity.
Yet lydia is not some bystander who just happens to be mentioned in the book of actsshe is a woman of extreme importance in the life of the early churcha woman for whom everything changed with the spirit of god being poured out upon her. The tradition from the earliest days of the church has been that luke, a companion of the apostle paul, wrote the books of luke and acts colossians 4. The story of lydia in the bible is a great example of gods providence and his care for believers. Seller of purple in the book of acts learn religions.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Lydias conversion sermon by ron freeman, evangelist, acts 16. Lydia, woman of philippi, is the first book ive read by diana wallis taylor. A certain woman named lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of thyatira, one who worshiped god, heard us. Her story is told in the new testament book of acts, chapter 16. Lydia was a dealer in purple cloth and so she probably would have been a wealthy and well known person in the city of. When paul on his second missionary journey carried his preaching out of asia and into europe, he began at the city of philippi in macedonia north of greece. Paul recognised a godgiven opportunity for preaching the gospel to them. Lydia was a business woman who made and sold the expensive purple fabric, but she was also a worshiper of god.
He and silas, a christian from jerusalem, had visited derbe and lystra to follow up on the churches paul had established there on the 1st journey in lysra paul invited timothy to join his group and then luke. Luke records many examples of conversion in the book of acts e. Theyre real and theyre diverse household servants, tradeswomen, business leaders, intellectuals. Lydia home association was named after a woman in the bible recorded in the book of acts. Lydia is introduced in the book of acts, chapter 16 when she meets the apostle paul during his trip to europe with silas and other disciples of jesus. A dealer of purple cloth, she mingled with the wealthy of her day. Her trade was in demand by the rich and influential in the city. He and silas, a christian from jerusalem, had visited derbe and lystra to follow up on the churches paul had established there on the 1st journey.
Lydia seller of purple cloth bible character study. This may be an indication that whoever recorded her story was with paul in philippi, was an eye witness, and met lydia personally. May 20, 2018 yet lydia is not some bystander who just happens to be mentioned in the book of actsshe is a woman of extreme importance in the life of the early churcha woman for whom everything changed with the spirit of god being poured out upon her. For assurance of our own salvation, we can compare our own conversion experience with those in acts. Jan 02, 2020 the story of lydia in the bible is a great example of gods providence and his care for believers. Dec 10, 2012 lydia and her household were baptized, immediately, and then she begged paul, silas, timothy and luke to go to her house to stay. She was originally from the city of thyatira, in the roman province of asia, across.
Acts 16, new international version niv the bible app. Lydia s story is found in the bible in the book of acts. An undesigned coincidence is an apparently casual, yet puzzlelike fit between two or more texts, and its best explanation is that the authors knew the truth about the events they. The city so named, now known as akhissar, was in the roman province of asia, but came within the boundaries of the older kingdom of lydia, and it is probable that, like so many slaves and women of the libertin. Nothing more is mentioned in the bible about lydia after acts 16. A better title for this book is the acts of the holy spirit and because of this the book of acts is an unfinished book. Study 9 lydia of thyatira words of life ministries. The book of acts, also called acts of the apostles, does not specifically identify its author. After paul and silas began pauls second preaching trip, they came to lystra where they found a young man named timothy who joined them on. In our lesson today we are going to be discussing the theme. An undesigned coincidence is an apparently casual, yet puzzlelike fit between two or more texts, and its best explanation is that the. These werent lydias first words to the apostle paul. It is titled acts to emphasize that this book records the acts of the apostles through the work of the holy spirit. The businesswoman lydia acts 16 article produced by tow project our first story is about a woman in the northwest turkish town of thyatira, known for its guilds of craftsmen, especially the guild of the professionals knowledgeable in the production and sale of expensive purple dye.
Since lydia s husband is not mentioned but she was a householder, scholars have speculated she was a widow who brought her late husbands business to philippi. Its narrative supplies a bridge connecting the life and ministry of jesus to the life of the church and the witness of the earliest believers. Who was the seller of purple in the book of acts answers. She was a seller of purple from the city of thyatira, who worshiped god. The other women with lydia in acts may have been employees and slaves. Im sure that i would have liked lydia if i had lived back then and i cant wait to meet her one day when i join other believers in the kingdom of heaven. Devotions with scripture from acts today daily devotional. There was only one convert at first, a woman named lydia.
Later we know that lydias house had become a meeting place. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there. The woman, lydia, was a faithful, godly woman who opened her. Up until this point in his 2nd missionary journey paul had struggled to find a firm direction for his mission work. When paul and silas were released from a roman prison, they went to her house where they met with and encouraged believers. Lydias conversion in philippi on the sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. Acts of the apostles niv audio bible non dramatized youtube. One of those listening was a woman from the city of thyatira named lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. What will be abundantly clear is that her obedience to the gospel. After paul and silas began pauls second preaching trip, they came to lystra where they found a young man named timothy who joined them on their journey. Undesigned coincidences in the gospels and acts kindle edition by mcgrew, lydia, keener, craig. Acts 16 niv timothy joins paul and silas paul bible.
Lydia and her household were baptized, immediately, and then she begged paul, silas, timothy and luke to go to her house to stay. Lydia heard the gospel of jesus christ, and the bible says that god. Convinced of the truth of the christian gospel and believing that it was for everyone, she bore witness to her entire household and with her, they were all baptized. Luke, the author of acts, called lydia a seller of purple goods. Kjv the book of acts is the historical link between the. A model of service and hospitality acts 16 lifeway. Click here for an overview of the book of acts up until this point in his 2nd missionary journey paul had struggled to find a firm direction for his mission work. As paul was the first recorded gospel p reacher on euro pean soil, so lydia was the first recorded convert there.
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