Skip to main content

the House of Lydia

Acts 16:40
"And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed."

Don't underestimate Lydia's importance. She was one of the first Europeans to become Christian. She was an enthusiastic Christian. She made herself and her resources available to help the new and growing church. Her PURPLE business was very successful and gave her the wherewithal to help in many ways.

After verse fifteen, which we read yesterday, Paul and Silas cast out a demon from a young lady whom some wicked people used to make money. They had Paul and Silas arrested, beaten, and thrown in jail. The jail experienced an earthquake and Paul and Silas did NOT escape when they had the chance. The warden of the jail is then converted to Christianity and the judges come and set Paul and Silas FREE! 

When they got out of jail, where did they go? Today's verse, "And they went out of the prison, and entered into THE HOUSE of LYDIA: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed." 

Lydia’s house is believed to be the meeting place of Christian, as well as the home away from home for Paul and his party. Philippi became the center of Paul's evangelism for many years. Lydia's generosity made much of Paul's work possible. In Paul's writing, we read how much he cherished the assistance he was given in Philippi. Knowing this helps us understand that it is NOT TOO MUCH to imagine that Lydia took the Gospel to her hometown and started the church in Thyatira. If it wasn't her, it was her family. Her example is very INSPIRING!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Elisha’s example

1 Kings 19:19-21 "19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. 20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? 21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him." In Luke 9:54, after James and John sought to call down fire on a Samaritan village that rejected Jesus, they referenced Elijah, saying, “even as Elias did?” Jesus then taught three lessons about rejection: 1- Discipleship demands sacrifice, embracing hardship and forgoing earthly security. 2- Following Jesus requires immediate, un...
Post a Comment
Read more

I will make you

Matthew 4:19&20 "19 And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him." In our "Follow Me" series, we study Jesus calling His disciples in the Gospel of Matthew. By the Sea of Galilee, a thriving fishing hub, Jesus saw Simon and Andrew casting nets as humble fishermen. His disciples were ordinary workers, not wealthy or educated elites. Jesus approached them and said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Remarkably, they immediately left their jobs to follow Him. This brief exchange conveys a profound truth: Jesus says, "I will make you." Only God can transform us to accomplish His purpose. We should often pray, "Help me, God," seeking Jesus' guidance to follow His plan for our lives.
Post a Comment
Read more

God’s patience

2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." God did not immediately punish King Solomon when he allowed his foreign wives to build altars for false gods. Despite multiple compromises, God remained patient. Over time, Solomon’s endorsement of idolatry defied God’s covenant, leading to divine judgment, including the loss of the kingdom for his son. Some mistake God’s patience for indifference or inaction, but He follows His plan in His timing. If our nation, culture, church, or we ourselves stray like Solomon, we can repent and return to God’s path. And, should do so sooner than later! Amen!
Post a Comment
Read more