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Sermon Notes of Rev.Dr.I.J.W.Oakley (10-10-1999 Guisborough Evangelical Church)
Some events in history prove to be important turning
points. Things are never the same again. This is true, among many other things,
of sea voyages, c.f. the persecution by James I of godly men, led to the voyage
of the Pilgrim Fathers on the Mayflower in 1620. From this came the important
American colonies on the other side of the Atlantic, ultimately leading to the
USA in 1776.
But that voyage was not half so
serious and important as one taken in 52AD by four men – Paul, Silas, Timothy
and Luke. They travelled from Troas to the mountainous island of Samothracia,
and from there to Neapolis. Then they journeyed 10 miles inland to Philippi. The
Gospel had arrived in Europe. So far it had been confined to Asia (though the
Ethiopian Eunuch would have taken it to one country in Africa). Following this
voyage, the Gospel reached Europe, and from there it would spread far and wide.
Paul began his work in Philippi.
It was an important city, a Roman colony, where veterans of the Roman army
settled. It was like living in Rome itself, for they wore Roman clothing, spoke
Latin, obeyed Roman laws, and were exempt from taxation. It was near an
important crossroads, and had a famous school of medicine.
Luke records three conversions – one by the riverside, one by the roadside, and one by the fireside. Very different people were involved, but the needs of each were met in Christ. That is the wonderful thing about the Gospel – the basic spiritual needs of every man are met in Christ. Though outwardly different, and though the Gospel comes to us in different ways, and though our experience of God’s power is different, each has an individual testimony, but the Gospel takes each one as he is, and we all reach the same end – Christ. Here is salvation, forgiveness, new relationship with God, new divine life, new end, new management and authority. Our background, education, age or job does not matter. The only thing that matters is that we belong to Christ, are saved by Him and under His authority.
On Paul’s arrival at Philippi he enquired about the
Jewish synagogue, because he came to speak to the Jews first. The absence of a
Jewish synagogue indicates that there were not 10 Jewish males to form one.
There may have been many women, but they did not count. In the absence of a
synagogue, the Jews would meet for prayer in the open air and near the river or
the sea. So Paul and his party went to the riverside, one mile NE of the city,
and met the women praying there.
Paul sat down and spoke to the
women there about the Lord. This was the first sermon preached in Europe, and it
was in conversational style, at a prayer meeting. There were only a few women
present, hardly a promising start – but big oaks come from little acorns, as
here.
Lydia was the leader. She was a
businesswoman, a seller of purple from Thyatira. The purple dye came from
shellfish, and was very costly. Purple was a favourite colour with the Romans.
Purple trimming around the white toga was desirable. It was the colour often
worn by prominent ladies, and used in rugs and tapestries. The rich, the state
officials and Emperors loved purple. Lydia was a successful businesswoman, and
had a large enough house to accommodate the missionary team. It was in her home
that the new church was formed (Acts 16:40). She was capable, successful, well
off, with servants.
She was also a seeker. Evidently
she was proselyte, a convert from paganism, attracted by the Jewish moral
standards and the holy character of the Jewish God. She kept her new religion
faithfully, observing the Sabbath and using it for prayer. No doubt she read the
Old Testament Scriptures. What a fine sort of person – successful, well to do,
capable, good character, God-fearing, sincere – but something was missing. She
had some light, but more light was needed. She was not satisfied spiritually.
There are others like her in
Acts, e.g. Cornelius, and the Ethiopian Eunuch. They too were people to be
respected, upright, sincere, genuine, good at their job, but with something
missing, not quite complete. We all have people like this in our families and
colleagues like this at work. Admirable people, but without Christ and all He
can be and do for them. They have not found that secret of life – that can
only be found in Christ, not in morality or religion.
“O Christ, in Thee my soul has found
And
found in Thee alone
The
peace, the joy I sought so long,
The
bliss till now unknown.”
Only Christ can say, He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35). He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things (Psalm 107:9). Fullness of life, peace of heart, assurance and spiritual satisfaction come only when we can say, For me to live is Christ (Philippians 1:21).
However diverse may be
testimonies to conversion, God always works with two instruments – His Word
and His Spirit. These two are always present. With Lydia, The Lord opened her
heart to respond to Paul's message (Acts 16:14).
There are certain things which
must be taught. The mind needs to be instructed. Certain facts about man’s
condition and God’s answer need be explained. A man needs to know he is a
sinner. A man needs to know that his sins put him in the wrong with God. A man
needs to know that God is holy and righteous, and reacts to sin in judgement and
condemnation. A man needs to know he cannot help himself, for God demands
perfection. The Good News makes sense. God has acted in love, God has dealt with
that sin, God sent His Son to be the substitute, and on the grounds of His
death, God can forgive, pardon and accept the man who turns from His sin, puts
his whole trust in Christ to save, and makes Him Lord and Master.
For what I received I passed
on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to
the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). Faith comes from hearing the
message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17).
But hearing is not enough. The power of God is also necessary. The Lord must act
to give understanding and produce a response. We often stress that man is
responsible to open the door of his heart to the Lord. But there is a sense in
which the Lord opens the heart.
The result was that Lydia heard,
was gripped by and responded to the Gospel. The Lord was at work in her heart,
i.e. the centre of her personality, her mind, feelings and will. The heart must
be touched, for it is the wellspring of life (Proverbs 4:23). For as
he thinketh in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7 A.V.). The heart is
naturally closed to the Gospel by sin. The intellect resists the truth, the
emotions do not love, and the will is not obedient to the Gospel. It is the Lord
who makes this change. It is He who opens the heart, removes prejudice, awakens
desires, illuminates the mind, and creates a personal concern for the message.
The Gospel makes sense, it meets our needs.
The Christian makes a deliberate
and definite acceptance of the Saviour. He turns from his hateful sin, leans on
Christ, depends on Him, longing to follow Him and be like Him. Only God can
create this change. The preacher announces the message. He can be earnest and
sincere. He can bring reasons, state the case, but only the Lord can move the
heart. The preacher can be used to create temporary interest, but only Christ
produces lasting and spiritual change.
A drunkard once came up to
Wesley and declared himself to be “one of your converts”. Wesley replied,
“You must be, because you are not one of God’s.” There is something that
only God can do. He can cause the deaf to hear, the blind to see, and the dead
to live. No amount of sermonizing and preaching can do this. No one can come
to me unless the Father who sent me draws him (John 6:44).
Is this an excuse for laziness and indolence? Augustine said, “If you are not drawn by God, pray that thou mayst be drawn.” God always responds to that prayer.
The first thing, as so often in
Acts, is that conversion is at once followed by baptism. The inward response and
the outward demonstration are always together. The two always came together in
Gospel preaching: Repent and be baptised (Acts 2:38). It was not an
optional extra a few years later. The New Testament teaches that it is the next
step after a response. Taking an open and public stand for the Lord takes
courage, but Lydia took it. She publicly burnt her boats. There was no going
back now. Her household followed her, such was the effect of her witness. This
may have included children, but they must have been old enough to make a
conscious decision for Christ.
Lydia’s conversion affected
her home. When she opened her heart, she opened her home. It soon became the
place for the believers to worship. They went to Lydia's house, where they
met with the brothers (Acts 16:40). One of the marks of conversion at that
time was the person’s substance and home becoming the Lords. The New Testament
puts stress on hospitality (Romans 12:13, 1 Peter 4:9), for it is practical love
for God’s people. Lydia set the tone for the whole church. Paul later wrote
that the Philippian church was the only one that sent him gifts and support;
hence they were his joy and crown (Philippians 4:1:14-16).
There was the social effect of
Lydia’s conversion also. The Gospel has radically altered the status and
standing of women. Thanks to Christian influence, where in the past women were
just men’s slaves, they became men’s companions and equals. Lydia became the
first woman in Europe to receive the new honour and dignity and respect which
the Gospel bestows on women, and which influences society still.
The Gospel has changed all relationships in the home, work place and society, and the different attitude to women is only one of these changes. Sangster made a list of the effects the Gospel would make if it were received by the nation:
· Pay old debts
· Reduce sexual immorality
· Disinfect the theatre
· Cut divorce rate
· Reduce juvenile crime
· Lessen prison population
· Improve output and quality of work
· Give high sense of destiny to the nation
· Make us invincible in war of ideas
· Give peace and happiness to the nation
Lydia was one of millions of men and women who have proved the Gospel is the power of God to Salvation for everyone who believes. Do you know its power in your own life? Have you passed from death to life? Do you have assurance that you have been forgiven? Can you say there is no condemnation awaiting you? Can you say for me to live is Christ? Do you know for certain where you will be after death?
