THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT   <br><br>   

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 7-1-18   <br><br>   

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LESSON TITLE: “LYDIA”   <br><br>   

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WELCOME   <br><br>   

      TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES, WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST, RAY SULLINS.   <br><br>   

      WHAT A PRIVILEGE WE HAVE THIS MORNING TO JOIN TOGETHER IN THE STUDY OF GOD’S LIVING WORD. WE WELCOME YOU TO OUR PROGRAM AND WE THANK GOD THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO BE WITH US TODAY. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TOGETHER THIS MORNING TO GLORIFY OUR CREATOR. MAY WE EACH DO OUR PART TO MAKE THIS TIME ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT AND ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. NOW, LET’S APPROACH OUR FATHER’S THRONE IN PRAYER.   <br><br>   

      PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY AND THE MANY GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE. WE THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN AND TO BE SERVANTS IN YOUR KINGDOM. AND FATHER, WE THANK YOU BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ALL BLESSINGS COME FROM YOU, ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS AND ALL PHYSICAL BLESSINGS. AND FATHER, WITHOUT YOU WE WOULD BE NOTHING, WE WOULD HAVE NOTHING, AND WE WOULD HAVE NO HOPE. FATHER, THEREFORE HELP US TO LIVE EVERY DAY AS LIGHTS IN THIS WORLD THAT OTHERS MIGHT KNOW YOU THROUGH US SO THAT IN THE END WE MIGHT ALL BE RECIPIENTS OF THE GREAT BLESSINGS AND REWARDS THAT ARE ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH YOUR SON JESUS CHRIST. IN HIS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.    <br><br>   

      THIS MORNING WE WANT TO START OUR SONGS OF PRAISE WITH A SONG THAT REMINDS US OF HOW MUCH GREAT LIFE IS WHEN GOD IS ON OUR SIDE. SO, WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE TOGETHER SING, “BLUE SKIES AND RAINBOWS!”   <br><br>   

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DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS   <br><br>   

      AS WE LOOK AROUND THE WORLD TODAY WE SEE THAT A LACK OF RESPECT FOR FELLOW MAN SEEMS TO INCREASE EVERY DAY. PEOPLE SEEM LESS AND LESS CONCERNED WITH COMMITTING VIOLENT CRIMES OR WITH DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES TO ACCOMPLISH A GOAL OR TO ACQUIRE SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT. HOW SAD IT IS TO CONTINUALLY SEE THE MORAL DECAY IN OUR COUNTRY AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. WHAT COULD BE THE PROBLEM IN ALL OF THIS?  IS IT DIFFICULT TO FIGURE OUT WHY ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE GOING ON?     <br><br>   

      WELL, NOT REALLY AND I SURELY KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM IS: GOD. BUT YOU MIGHT STILL ASK, “WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP DOING SUCH BAD THINGS OR WHY DO AWFUL THINGS HAPPEN IN OUR DAY AND TIME.  AND AGAIN I SAY THE ANSWER IS GOD. AS OUR SOCIETY AND THE WORLD SEEMS TO DECLINE IN SO MANY WAYS, ASK YOURSELF THE FOLLOWING QUESTION: “HAS THE WORLD SEEMED TO EMBRACE GOD MORE OR LESS OVER THE PAST CENTURIES?” IN MY OPINION, I THINK WE CAN SEE THAT OUR COUNTRY HAS CONTINUED TO EMBRACE HIM LESS AND LESS AS THE YEARS GO BY. IN FACT, AS WE LOOK OVER THE PREVIOUS YEARS AND GENERATIONS, IT SEEMS LIKE LITTLE BY LITTLE IT ALMOST BECAME WRONG TO EVEN MENTION GOD OR BRING HIM UP IN MANY SETTINGS. TOO MANY HAVE BEEN FAR MORE CONCERNED WITH OTHER PEOPLE’S FEELINGS AND IN HOW THEY MIGHT BE PERCEIVED THEMSELVES. THEREFORE, GOD HAS CONTINUALLY BEEN PUT ON THE BACK BURNER!   <br><br>   

      WHAT ABOUT OUR HOMES TODAY? WELL, I MIGHT FIRST ASK IS THERE REALLY SUCH A THING ANYMORE? FAMILY TIME AND HOME LIFE HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH SPORTS ACTIVITIES, TELEVISIONS, AND COMPUTERIZED GAMES, ELECTRONICS. ARE WE EVER GOING TO WAKE UP AND REALIZE WE NEED TO GET BACK TO GOD? WHAT ABOUT OUR SOCIETIES VIEW OF THE MARRIAGE, THE FAMILY AND HOME? DOES IT MATCH UP WITH WHAT GOD WANTS ANY LONGER? WHY NOT ASK THE WORLD WHAT A HOME IS TODAY AND YOU WILL FIND THAT THEY WILL EXCLAIM IT TO BE ANYTHING THAT PERTAINS TO COHABITATION, REGARDLESS OF GOD’S WILL ON THE MATTER.     <br><br>     

      IN FACT, EVEN THOSE WHO CLAIM TO STILL LOVE GOD TODAY AND FOLLOW HIM ARE BEING CAUGHT UP IN THESE AWFUL TRENDS. WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE CHRISTIAN HOME? WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO PUTTING GOD FIRST IN ALL THINGS? AND WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO TRULY STANDING UP FOR JESUS? BRETHREN AND FRIENDS, IT’S AGAIN TIME TO PUT GOD FIRST IN ALL THINGS. WE MUST AGAIN TURN TO HIS WORD AND BECOME STUDENTS OF THE BIBLE. AND WE MUST OPEN UP OUR MOUTHS FOR GOD, FOR WE ARE HIS VOICE IN A LOST AND DYING WORLD. WILL YOU DETERMINE TODAY TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION OR TO CONTINUE TO BE A PART OF THE PROBLEM? ISN’T GOD WORTH OUR EVERY EFFORT?    <br><br>   

      TODAY WE WILL CONTINUE OUR SERIES ENTITLED, “WHAT SHALL WE DO.”  OUR SPECIFIC LESSON THIS DAY FOCUSES ON THE LIFE OF “LYDIA.” SO STAY WITH US AFTER OUR NEXT SONG I WILL RETURN WITH THIS LESSON FROM GOD’S WORD. IT’S NOW TIME TO JOIN IN OUR SECOND HYMN OF THE MORNING, THE NAME OF THE SONG, “I LOVE THY KINGDOM LORD.”   <br><br>   

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      LESSON   <br><br>   

      RAY SULLINS   <br><br>   

      WE'RE SO GLAD YOU HAVE CONTINUED WITH US THIS DAY AS WE GO TO GOD'S WORD AND LOOK AT ANOTHER LESSON IN RELATIONSHIP TO OUR STORIES OF CONVERSION FROM THE BOOK OF ACTS AND WE HAVE REALLY BEEN ASKING THAT QUESTION OURSELVES AND IN CHALLENGING OTHERS WITH THAT QUESTION: WHAT SHALL WE DO? MANY ASKED THAT QUESTION IN THE NEW TESTAMENT TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT IS REQUIRED OF A PERSON IN ORDER TO BE SAVED? AND SO WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO TOGETHER IS FROM THE VERY DAY OF PENTECOST WHEN THE CHURCH WAS ESTABLISHED IN ACTS CHAPTER 2, WE'VE LOOKED AT WHERE MEN AND WOMEN WERE SAVED THAT DAY BUT THEN FROM THAT POINT ON WE'VE ALSO LOOKED AT SIMON THE SORCERER, WE'VE LOOKED AT THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH, AND LAST WEEK WE ALSO LOOKED AT CORNELIUS. AND ALL OF THESE INDIVIDUALS INCLUDING EVEN PAUL, WHO WAS SAUL, REALLY SHOW US THAT THE SAME MESSAGE WAS ALWAYS PROCLAIMED. SOMEONE NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND WHO JESUS WAS, THEY HAD TO BELIEVE IN THAT, MAKE THAT CONFESSION WITH THEIR MOUTH, DETERMINE THAT THEY WOULD TURN AWAY FROM SIN AND REPENT OF SINS, AND THEN THEY HAD TO BE BAPTIZED.    <br><br>   

      THE STORY TODAY IS NO EXCEPTION EXCEPT TODAY WE FOCUS ON A GODLY WOMAN WHICH IS A GREAT STORY FROM ACTS 16. WE LEARN THE STORY OF A WOMAN CALLED LYDIA. AND WE DON'T REALLY LEARN A LOT ABOUT LYDIA BECAUSE THERE ARE ONLY A FEW VERSES BUT REALLY IT'S INTERESTING TO ME THAT WITHIN JUST A FEW VERSES HOW MUCH WE REALLY DO LEARN ABOUT THIS GREAT SISTER. AND THIS GREAT FOLLOWER OF GOD. IF YOU'LL NOTICE WITH ME THERE IN THE BOOK OF ACTS 16 BEGINNING IN VERSE 11 THERE IS A SETTING THAT IS PLACED UNDERSTANDING THAT IN THE SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY OF PAUL WHICH WAS PROBABLY AROUND 50 A.D. IS THE TIMEFRAME. NOTICE WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE THIS. IT SAYS:   <br><br>   

      “THEREFORE, SAILING FROM TROAS, AS WE RAN A STRAIGHT COURSE TO SAMOTHRACE, AND THE NEXT DAY CAME TO NEAPOLIS, AND FROM THERE TO PHILIPPI, WHICH IS THE FOREMOST CITY OF THAT PART OF MACEDONIA, A COLONY. AND WE WERE STAYING IN THAT CITY FOR SOME DAYS. AND ON THE SABBATH DAY WE WENT OUT OF THE CITY TO THE RIVERSIDE, WHERE PRAYER WAS CUSTOMARILY MADE; AND WE SAT DOWN AND SPOKE TO THE WOMEN WHO MET THERE.”    <br><br>   

      IT IS QUITE INTERESTING AS WE BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND THAT WITHIN THE MISSIONARY JOURNEY THAT AS THE CALL OF PAUL TO GO TO MACEDONIA, TO FINALLY GO TO THE GREEK NATION, WAS REALLY BEING ACCOMPLISHED NOW AS HE CROSSES, AS WE SEE HERE, THE SEA AND HE ENTERS INTO WHAT WE WELL KNOW TO BE THE CITY OF PHILIPPI, A LARGE CITY. A FAMILIAR CITY BECAUSE IT WAS NAMED EVEN AFTER AN EMPEROR AND THE FAMILY OF THAT EMPEROR. AS WE THINK ABOUT PHILIPPI THOUGH, WHAT'S ALSO SIGNIFICANT IS THAT IN PHILIPPI EVIDENTLY THERE WAS NOT A VERY HEAVY INFLUENCE OF JEWS VERY MUCH UNLIKE WHAT WE FIND IN SOME OF THE OTHER BOOKS OF THE BIBLE. IT SEEMS LIKE THAT THERE WASN'T EVEN MAYBE ENOUGH MEN TO HAVE A SYNAGOGUE THERE. GENERALLY IF YOU HAD AT LEAST 10 FAITHFUL JEWISH MEN WITHIN ANY GIVEN CITY, YOU THEN WOULD BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH THE NEEDED PRAYER SERVICES AND SUCH THE REQUIREMENTS OF A SYNAGOGUE AND THEN WITHIN THE CITY YOU WOULD HAVE A SYNAGOGUE. AND IF YOU REMEMBER WITH ME, WAS IT NOT SYNAGOGUES THAT EVEN PAUL HIMSELF USUALLY WENT TO FIRST WHEN HE CAME TO A CITY? DON'T YOU FIND IT INTERESTING THAT HE DOES ACTUALLY GO TO A SYNAGOGUE HERE? AND IN FACT, ON THE DAY OF THE SABBATH WHEN HE WOULD GO TO A SYNAGOGUE TO PERHAPS KNOW THAT THE JEWS WOULD BE THERE THAT HE MIGHT BEGIN TO PREACH AND TEACH TO THOSE WHO ARE AROUND THAT HE DID NOT GO THERE BUT RATHER, AS VERSE 13 SAYS HE WENT OUT OF THE CITY TO THE RIVERSIDE. THAT ALSO TELLS US THAT PERHAPS IT WAS EITHER CUSTOMARY OR AT LEAST THE CASE THAT IF THERE WAS NO SYNAGOGUE, THAT SOMETIMES JEWS WOULD ASSEMBLE NEAR MAJOR WATERWAYS OR RIVERS IN ORDER THAT THEY MIGHT AT LEAST PRAY ON THE SABBATH AND WORSHIP THEIR GOD PRIVATELY EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NOT AN ORGANIZED TYPE OF WORSHIP OR AN ORGANIZED PLACE OF WORSHIP LIKE A SYNAGOGUE AVAILABLE.    <br><br>   

      WHATEVER THE CASE, WE DO KNOW THAT THERE WERE THOSE THERE AT THAT PLACE, INCLUDING THAT PAUL AND THOSE WITH PAUL WENT DOWN TO THE RIVER FOR THE VERY PURPOSE OF BEING ABLE TO PRAY AND TO WORSHIP ON THE SABBATH. IT WAS HERE THAT THEY ACTUALLY FIND WOMEN WHO MET THERE. SOME GO FURTHER AND THEY SAY, ‘WELL, PERHAPS BECAUSE MAYBE WOMEN WERE NOT ALLOWED IN WITH MEN AT TIMES IN THEIR WORSHIP, THAT PERHAPS THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE THE WOMEN WOULD OFTEN GO WHEN IT MIGHT'VE BEEN WELL KNOWN WITHIN THE CITY.’ PERHAPS THAT ALSO COULD BE THE CASE. WE DO KNOW THAT THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN HERE FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND MIGHT'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND OUT MAYBE WHAT WAS THE CUSTOM OF THE JEWS OR IF THERE WERE MANY JEWS IN THAT CITY OR WHAT TOOK PLACE AMONGST THE JEWS.    <br><br>   

      BUT WHATEVER THE CASE, WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT STILL PAUL AND THE OTHERS WENT DOWN THERE AND THEY FOUND THESE WOMEN AND THEY BEGAN TO PREACH TO THEM. NOW LET'S LOOK AT VERSE 14 BECAUSE WE NOW SEE THAT AMONGST THESE WOMEN AND THESE WOMEN WHO HAVE GATHERED TO PRAY THEMSELVES AND TO WORSHIP, THERE'S THIS WOMAN CALLED LYDIA. LYDIA, WHO MOST LIKELY IS NOT A JEW BECAUSE OF WHAT WE ALREADY SEE HERE, BUT NO MATTER WHAT SHE AT LEAST IS SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN GOD, PERHAPS IS A PROSELYTE OR MAYBE HASN'T EVEN GONE ALL THE WAY INTO HER FAITH OF JUDAISM, OR AT LEAST WHAT WE WELL KNOW IS THAT SHE'S GOING TO TAKE TIME OUT OF HER DAY ON THE SABBATH TO PRAY TO GOD. AND SO THAT TELLS US SOMETHING ABOUT HER FAITH. WE ALSO SEE HER STAND OUT BECAUSE NOTICE THAT SHE'S NOT ALONE. IT SAYS THERE VERSE 13 THAT THEY SAT DOWN AND THEY SPOKE TO THE WOMEN WHO MET THERE. THERE WERE WOMEN ACTUALLY WHO WERE MEETING THERE AND WHAT WERE THEY DOING AGAIN? THEY WERE PRAYING AND THAT WAS THEIR CUSTOM. SO THESE WOMEN WERE COMING THERE AND ASSEMBLING AND PRAYING AS THOSE WHO WERE PRAYING TO THE GOD OF THE JEWS AND THEY WERE AT LEAST IN SOME WAY TRYING TO WORSHIP GOD BASED ON WHAT THEY UNDERSTOOD ACCORDING TO THE OLD LAW. AND NOW THAT AGAIN, AS WAS REQUIRED BY THOSE WHO WERE JEWS, IS SOMETHING THAT PROVED TO US THE FAITH OF THESE INDIVIDUALS. BUT WHY DOES SHE STAND OUT AMONGST THESE WOMEN WHO HAVE GATHERED NOW TO PRAY? IT SAYS THERE IN VERSE 14, “A CERTAIN WOMAN NAMED LYDIA HEARD US.” YOU SEE, THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT HER TO WHERE SHE WAS REALLY ATTENTIVE. SHE REALLY WAS LISTENING. SHE REALLY HEARD. YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU EVER SPOKEN SOMEWHERE MAYBE BEEN TALKING TO SOMEBODY AND SOMETIMES YOU CAN JUST TELL WHEN SOMEONE'S REALLY LISTENING OR NOT? SOMETIMES YOU CAN TELL WHEN YOU'RE SPEAKING BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE MIGHT FALL ASLEEP. OR SOME PEOPLE MIGHT BE DAYDREAMING OR ARE REALLY NOT ACTING LIKE THEY REALLY RESPOND TO ANYTHING YOU SAY. IT IS SOMETHING YOU CAN TELL. IT'S QUITE INTERESTING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT HERE THAT AS WE HAVE RECORDED BY LUKE WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE WITH PAUL HERE AS HE WAS TEACHING THESE WOMEN THAT SHE WAS VERY ATTENTIVE. SHE WAS HEARING AND RECEIVING AND INTERACTING. AND THAT IS WHAT TRUE COMMUNICATION IS.    <br><br>   

      WHAT DO WE ALSO LEARN ABOUT HER? SHE WAS A SELLER OF PURPLE FROM THE CITY OF THYATIRA. THIS IS WELL SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THE IDEA THAT SHE IS A SELLER OF PURPLE TELLS US, NOT ONLY SOMETHING ABOUT WHERE SHE'S FROM BUT ALSO IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE TYPE OF MATERIAL THAT SHE IS SELLING. THINK FOR A MOMENT THERE ABOUT THE CITY OF THYATIRA. IT REALLY WAS INSIGNIFICANT AMONG OTHER CITIES OF ITS DAY. BUT A CITY NONETHELESS THAT WAS KNOWN FOR ITS PURPLE DYE. THIS PURPLE DYE WAS MADE OUT OF WHAT WAS CALLED THE MATTER ROOT AS WELL AS WHAT WAS CALLED MUREX AND WHEN THESE WERE USED THEY OFTEN WOULD BE ABLE TO DYE CLOTHS IN A WAY THAT THE DYE OR THE COLOR WOULD STICK TO THE CLOTH. SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT DYE A CLOTH BUT WHEN YOU WASH IT, IT FADES. IT COMES OUT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GARMENTS HERE THAT WERE BEING DYED AND IT WAS ADHERING AND STAYING ATTACHED. THE COLOR WOULD STAY ATTACHED TO THE CLOTH. AND SO IT WAS KNOWN FOR CLOTH MAKING AND DYE. AND SO HOW INTERESTING THAT THIS WOMAN HERE WHO UNDERSTANDS THIS EVIDENTLY WAS ABLE TO ACQUIRE THIS CLOTH AND REALIZES THAT PERHAPS SHE'S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SELL A LOT IN A SMALL CITY AND SO WHAT DOES SHE DO? SHE GOES TO PHILIPPI, A LARGE CITY, AND WHAT IS SHE DOING THERE? SHE'S DOING BUSINESS, SHE IS A SELLER OF PURPLE. PURPLE WAS ALSO A COLOR THAT WOULD'VE BEEN DESIRED BY MANY PEOPLE BECAUSE IT USUALLY SHOWED A TYPE OF WEALTH OR ROYALTY. AND SO SHE AGAIN WOULD'VE HAD MAYBE THOSE WHO HAD MEANS AND EVIDENTLY SHE HERSELF HAD MEANS BECAUSE, NOT ONLY DID SHE COME FROM ANOTHER CITY WHERE SHE MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE A HOME, BUT SHE ALSO HAS A HOME HERE AS IS INDICATED.    <br><br>   

      SO WHAT IS THE NEXT THING THAT WE LEARN? IT SAYS THERE AFTER IT SAYS THAT THEY WERE THERE WORSHIPING OR PRAYING AND THAT, “SHE WAS A SELLER OF PURPLE IN THE CITY OF THYATIRA.” IT CLARIFIES AS WELL THAT SHE WAS ONE WHO WORSHIPED GOD. SO SHE WAS A BELIEVER WHO WAS TRYING TO IMPLEMENT WORSHIP TO THE TRUE GOD, THE GOD OF HEAVEN. AND IT ALSO SAYS THERE THAT THE LORD OPENED HER HEART. WHY WAS SHE SO ATTENTIVE AND INTERESTED? BECAUSE SHE HAD A DESIRE TO LEARN BUT ALSO BECAUSE GOD KNEW THE TYPE OF WOMAN SHE WAS AND KNEW THAT SHE WOULD BE A GOOD AND A BENEFICIAL WORKER IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND IN PHILIPPI. AND THEREFORE IT SAYS THAT THE LORD OPENED HER HEART TO HEED AND TO HEAR AND AS WE'VE SEEN HERE SHE HEARD US TO HEAR WHAT PAUL SAID AND TO RESPOND TO THAT.    <br><br>   

      AND SO WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME? WELL, VERSE 15 IS CLEAR, “AND WHEN SHE AND HER HOUSEHOLD WERE…” WHAT? BAPTIZED. WELL DO YOU THINK THAT THEY HAD TO REPENT? CERTAINLY THEY HAD TO REPENT. IF YOU DON'T REPENT, YOU'LL PERISH. JESUS SAID THAT. WELL CERTAINLY THEY HAD TO CONFESS THE NAME OF JESUS. YOU CAN'T BE SAVED WITHOUT CONFESSION, ROMANS CHAPTER 10 VERSES 9 AND 10. BUT NOTICE THAT IT SAYS EVIDENTLY AFTER THEY DID THESE THINGS AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THEY WOULD FOLLOW WHAT PAUL SAID WHAT DO THEY DO? THE SAME THING PAUL DID. ANANIAS TOLD PAUL, “WHY ARE YOU WAITING? ARISE AND BE BAPTIZED AND WASH AWAY YOUR SINS.” AND NOW IN VERSE 15 IT SAYS, “AND SHE AND HER WHOLE HOUSEHOLD WERE BAPTIZED.” YOU SEE THIS WOMAN UNDERSTOOD AS SHE HEARD THEM AS THE LORD OPENED HER HEART THAT SHE MIGHT HEED THE THINGS. WHAT IS IT THAT SHE SEES? THE SAME THING THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH SAW. THE SAME THING THAT SIMON THE SORCERER SAW. THE SAME THING EVERYBODY HAS SEEN, THAT WHEN SOMEBODY WANTS TO OBEY THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, YES, THEY MUST CONFESS THE NAME OF JESUS AND REPENT BUT THEY MUST ALSO BE BAPTIZED IN WATER. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT SHE DID. NOT ONLY HER BUT HER HOUSEHOLD WHICH SHOWS THAT SHE HAD A POSITIVE EFFECT AND INFLUENCE ON HER HOUSEHOLD THAT THEY RESPECTED HER AND THEREFORE ALSO RESPECTED THE MESSAGE THAT SHE GAVE FROM GOD AND THAT SHE WAS RECEIVING AND HEARING HERSELF FROM GOD AND ACTING UPON.    <br><br>   

      NOW, THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE FIND HERE THAT IS REALLY QUITE INTERESTING AS WELL. THE LATTER PART OF VERSE 15 IT SAYS AND WHEN THIS TOOK PLACE AND THEY WERE BAPTIZED, “SHE BEGGED US, SAYING, ‘IF YOU HAVE JUDGED ME TO BE FAITHFUL TO THE LORD. COME TO MY HOUSE AND STAY.’ SO SHE PERSUADED US.” AGAIN, A LADY EVIDENTLY OF MEANS. SHE'S GOT FAMILY THERE NOW WHO IS ALSO RESPONDED WITH HER, SHE HAS A HOME THERE, SHE NOW HAS A ROOM TO INVITE SOMEONE TO HER HOME THAT THEY MIGHT EVEN STAY WITH HER. SHE MUST BE IN A VERY PROFITABLE BUSINESS. BUT ALSO WHAT WE SEE HERE IS THAT SHE WAS HOSPITABLE. OH, I THINK SOMETIMES IN THE CHURCH EVEN IN RELATIONSHIP TO WHAT WE SEE UNDER THE OLD LAW AND THE JEWS WE'VE LOST OUR HOSPITALITY. WE'RE NOT AS INTERESTED IN PEOPLE COMING INTO OUR HOMES OR GOING TO THE HOMES OF OTHERS AND SPENDING TIME AND FELLOWSHIP TOGETHER AS CHRISTIANS. WE SEE LYDIA, THE FIRST THING SHE DOES IS SAY THAT I WANT THESE MEN TO COME HOME WITH ME AND I WANT TO HEAR MORE AND MORE AND MORE FROM THESE WHO HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT IN A MIRACULOUS WAY. YOU SEE, SHE KNEW SHE WANTED HER FAMILY, SHE WANTED HER FRIENDS, SHE WANTED OTHERS TO HAVE THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY AS YOU WANT TO SHOW THAT LOVE AND HOSPITALITY THAT A CHRISTIAN SHOWS BECAUSE WHAT HAS SHE JUST FOUND? SALVATION! SHE'S FOUND SALVATION AND SHE SHARED IN THE THINGS OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST WITH THOSE WHO LOVE GOD AND THE GOSPEL ITSELF.    <br><br>   

      ONE FINAL THING THAT WE FIND IN THE TEXT WHICH IS ALSO SIGNIFICANT AFTER THE STORY OF THE PHILIPPIAN JAILER. IT IS THERE AT THE VERY LAST VERSE OF CHAPTER 16 AFTER THEY GET OUT OF THE JAIL AND WE'LL DISCUSS THAT NEXT WEEK. BUT NOTICE WHAT VERSE 40 SAYS, “SO WHEN THEY WENT OUT OF PRISON THEY ENTERED THE HOUSE OF LYDIA; AND WHEN THEY HAD SEEN THE BRETHREN, THEY ENCOURAGED THEM AND DEPARTED.” WHAT WAS GOING ON AT LYDIA'S HOUSE WHILE PAUL AND SILAS WERE IN PRISON? THEY WERE PRAYING, THEY WERE PRAISING GOD, THEY WERE WORSHIPING, THEY WERE ASKING GOD'S DELIVERANCE. AND THERE IT IS THAT SAME PLACE THAT PAUL AND SILAS RETURN TO AFTER PRISON BECAUSE WHAT DO THEY KNOW ABOUT LYDIA?  ONE OF GREAT FAITH. ONE OF GREAT FAITH. ONE WHO NOW IS REALLY A PILLAR IN A WAY OF THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA ITSELF AND HOW SIGNIFICANT THAT IS BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE READ IN PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER 4 VERSE ONE. THAT THERE WERE MANY DEVOUT AND FAITHFUL PEOPLE IN PHILIPPI. MAYBE ONLY 10 YEARS AFTER WHAT WE FIND HERE TOOK PLACE ON THE MISSIONARY JOURNEY. IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE PERHAPS LYDIA WAS STILL A PART OF THAT. AND THEN LATER IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION WHAT DO WE READ IN CHAPTER 2? THE CHURCH OF THYATIRA WHO SHOWED LOVE AND GOOD WORKS. YOU SEE HOW GREAT OF AN EFFECT THAT THIS WOMAN MIGHT'VE HAD ON THE CHURCH IN HER AREA NOT ONLY IN A PHILIPPI BUT IN THYATIRA.    <br><br>   

      WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO SPREAD THE CHURCH? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO FOLLOW JESUS? ARE YOU LIVING IN SUCH A WAY AS YOU WILL BE SAVED THIS DAY?   <br><br>   

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      CLOSING COMMENTS   <br><br>   

      LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. I HOPE AND TRUST, THAT TOGETHER WE HAVE ALL BENEFITED FROM THIS SERVICE TO OUR LORD. LET ME ALSO INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY LORD’S DAY MORNING AT 7:30 AS WE GIVE THIS TIME TO OUR CREATOR.    <br><br>   

      NOW LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON? MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A FREE CD OF THIS PROGRAM? POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR FREE BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSES? NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:    <br><br>    

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      HOW ENCOURAGING IT IS TO SEE MEN AND WOMAN OBEY THE GOSPEL PLAN OF SALVATION THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF ACTS. FURTHERMORE, WHAT A GREAT WOMAN OF FAITH LYDIA WAS, FOR GOD, HERSELF, AND OTHERS. ARE WE STRIVING TO SHOW FORTH OUR FAITH BEFORE ALL IN THIS WORLD LIKE LYDIA DID?   <br><br>   

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