A Creative Retelling Of The Story of Lydia
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Dear Friends,
Dear Friends,
At the church I attend, the theme for this month's preaching is "Minor Appearance - Major Impact" and I had the joy and privilege to preach on Lydia from Acts 16:11-15, 40. There is not much about her in these verses, but I enjoyed studying about her and her life using various Bible commentaries and other books.
From my studies, I decided to give a creative retelling of her to help my listeners understand a little more about her time and for her character to become more real to us.
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Here it is in more detail than I had time for on Sunday. I have included the truth from Scriptures, things I learned from my studies and a touch of imagination. You may like to imagine yourself as one of her visitors.
"Welcome to my home, come in, sit yourself down, make yourselves at home. I hear you want to know my testimony, how I became a follower of Jesus Christ.
To do that, I need to start from the beginning, because it was God's plan that I come to a saving faith in Jesus, even before I was born.
I'm a Gentile and was born in Thyatira, in the Roman province of Lydda. People call me Lydia because of my birthplace.
I grew up in a loving family, just me, my Papa and my Mama. My Papa had wanted a son, someone to take on the family business, but that was not to be. My Papa ran a very successful business selling purple cloth. As a child, I loved to go to the marketplace with him, visit the market stalls and observe him as he ran his business from one of the stalls. Wealthy and important people would buy from him. They are the only ones who are able to afford it. It's such an expensive and luxurious cloth.
I learnt so much from my Papa. Mama said I could talk the hind leg off a donkey, something she said I’d inherited from Papa. I easily struck up conversations with others and over time became very efficient at selling our cloth and making a deal. When Papa noticed my genuine interest in the business, he taught me all he knew, deciding he would hand it over to me, his only heir, when the time came.
As a child, I knew something was missing in my life. I kept searching and was introduced, by my Jewish friends, to their God – The One True God. I soon found that worshipping him filled what was missing in my life. There was nothing I loved more than to meet with them in the synagogue to worship my God and to be taught the Scriptures.
But then, in my late teens, my Papa announced we would move to Philippi. The business had grown and become so successful, he said, that it was time to move. Philippi is an ideal place to trade from because it is the commercial centre of Macedonia. Mama and I had no say in the matter. Papa was the head of the family and where he led, we followed.
It was hard to say goodbye to my friends and harder still to learn that there was no place for Jews and God-fearers to worship in Philippi. Despite its importance, Philippi had no synagogue, as there were not enough Jews living there. (A place needed a minimum of ten male Jews in order to have a synagogue.)
I didn't realise it at the time, but God was at work in my life and in my circumstances.
Despite finding it hard to adjust to a new home, I found my trust in God deepened as I learned to depend on him more. I spent time alone with him, just worshipping him and praying. As important as the family business was to me, God meant even more. He had first place in my heart, and yet I still felt there was more he wanted for me, I just wasn't sure what.
As there was no synagogue, I would often go outside the city and down to the river to worship. It was there I met other God-fearing women. It was wonderful to join with like-minded women to worship God. We shared together, encouraged and supported each other and together we grew in our knowledge and love of God. Over the years as my faith in God grew deeper, the women came to look on me as their spiritual leader. I sensed this was what God wanted for me and that perhaps this was the reason he had brought me to Philippi. Most of the time I felt fulfilled and satisfied worshipping God and in my work. Yet I still hungered for more, for a deeper connection to God.
My only sadness during this time was the death of my parents. I missed them so much. Home felt so empty without them, despite having a household full of servants. My Papa had amply provided for me, I wanted for nothing, in fact, I had more than enough. I knew the business inside out having worked alongside Papa for years. I was respected by those who came to trade with me and had a reputation for integrity, one whose word could be trusted. And so, the business continued to flourish. For me, it was a sign God was pleased with me and was blessing my life.
It was during one of my worship times down at the river with God and my friends I first met Paul and his companions. Paul shared the truth about Jesus – that he is the Son of God, the Messiah. He told us the good news that Jesus had come to show how much God loves us and to take the punishment of our sins on himself. That Jesus died to save us, and that three days later God raised him from the dead and he is alive now and in heaven.
I knew in my heart as Paul spoke that this was just what I had been hungering for, how I could have a deeper connection with God. Then and there I knew what I was to do. Just as Paul explained to us, I accepted Jesus as Lord of my life and immediately knew the indwelling of his presence. I can't fully describe to you how I felt. It was something I'd never experienced before – I felt free, completely loved, totally known and accepted, a peace deep within and a sense of wholeness.
Paul talked not only about believing but also about being baptised. I knew then this was the next step for me. We were already on the riverbank, what better time to obey the command to be baptised but right now? I was not usually so impulsive, there was no place for being impulsive when running a business. But this felt so right. I sensed an urging in my spirit, as though God's Spirit was talking to my spirit.
I surrendered to the urging and was baptised. And it wasn't just me that day, my household also believed and was baptised with me. The joy we all felt was indescribable.
I encouraged Paul and his companions to stay in my home. I wanted to hear more about Jesus. It meant so much to me that I could open my home to them and share all that I had with them. I told them my home was their home and they were welcome here any time.
I encouraged other believers and those who were searching to come to my home that they too could learn from Paul's teaching.
I now understand what God's purpose for me is and why I came to Philippi. I am able to bless others with all that God has blessed me with. We, the Philippian believers, regularly meet in my home. My home no longer feels empty. There's plenty of room for everyone. It is our church, our place of meeting, we sing songs of praise, teach one another and share our spiritual gifts.
Not only that, I am able to glorify God as I go about my business and have the privilege and opportunity to share the good news with so many people.
Of course, being a follower of Jesus is not always easy. We witnessed the terrible way Paul and Silas were treated by an angry mob and by our city officials. But by their example, they showed us it is possible to keep following Jesus despite any persecution and suffering we may face. Before they left our town, they spent one last day with us, encouraging us to keep going and not give up.
Paul also told us he intends to write to us when he can, to share with us some more teaching.
We may be young in the faith but we have the Holy Spirit who teaches and ministers to us and through us. My fellow believers are my family to me. we are connected by our love for Jesus and for God our Father. I long for others to know him as such and for you to join me in being his child. I long for others to know Jesus as I do, to experience the wonder of his presence with us each and every day."
There are three things we can learn from Lydia:
1. God was first in Lydia's life.
Even before she knew Jesus, God was an important part of her life. She met with other women believers at the river to worship and pray. When she came to know Jesus as her Saviour, God became even more important to her as is evidenced by her actions. I think it's fair to say nothing came between her and her relationship with God, not even her business.
Like Lydia, we need to make God first in our life if our lives are to have major impact.
2. Lydia had an open heart and mind to hear and respond to God.
God opened Lydia’s heart as she listened to Paul, so she was able to hear and respond to the good news. Her faith is followed by action as she is then baptised.
God equipped Lydia so that she was a person of influence and leader at home, at work and in her faith. She was Europe's first convert. This opened the way for the good news to spread not just in that region but all of Europe. She had a large part to play in the growth of the church in Philippi.
You may say you’re not a leader but God equips us to be leaders and influence others for good. We can do this at home, with our families, at university and at work. We can lead by example, by standing up for what’s right and good, by encouraging, supporting and challenging each other to grow in our faith.
If our lives are to have major impact like Lydia’s then we need to make sure we are available to hear God’s voice and respond to him.
3. Lydia used her God-given gifts to fulfil her calling.
- Hospitality: she welcomed Paul and his companions as her guests, the new believers met in her home. Her home became a centre of Christian fellowship in Philippi. She generously welcomed others into her home.
- Work: her work gave her plenty of opportunities to glorify God in the way she conducted her business, she also had opportunities to share her faith with those she came into contact with.
- Money: she used her money as a way of serving God. She was amongst those who provided Paul with financial help (see Philippians 4:15-16)
Lydia’s life had major impact because she used the gifts God had given her to fulfil his purpose for her. These gifts included her home, her business, her wealth, her spiritual gifts, such as hospitality, leading and giving.
If our lives are to have major impact like Lydia’s, then we need to use our spiritual gifts, our natural abilities, all that we have, to fulfil our calling.
Your life and mine can be one of major impact too when we:
- Have God at the centre of our life
- Have an open heart and mind to hear and respond to God
- Use the gifts God has given us
To Think About:
Have I chosen to make God first in my life? How important is worship and prayer to me and does my life reflect this?
Have I let anything in my life come between me and God? Are there any changes I need to make?
Do I make myself available to hear from God and respond to him?
Am I using my God-given gifts to fulfil God's purposes for me?
Vicki
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