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LYDIA THE BUSINESS WOMAN Based on Acts 16:11-15by Glenn PeaseWe may not see them very often, but they are out there in the world, and they havealways been there, and in our day there number is increasing. I am not talkingabout UFO's but about those women who are wise in the ways of the world of wealth,and, thus, are rich and successful women of business. Murial Siebert, for example,the superintendent of banks for New York State where she supervises the managementof 4 hundred billion dollars in our nations largest state banking department. Shewas the first woman to attain this kind of power in the financial world. She wasthe first female member of the New York Stock Exchange, and she owns her ownbrokerage company. Vera Newmann, the Jewish grandmother, who is co-chairman ofVera Industries with retail sales over 100 million. She made the first designersigned articles, and the top selling designer sheets. Her merchandising vice-president and executive vice-president are both women. Joan Cooney is head and co-founder of the multimillion dollar Children's Television Workshop, which producesSeseme Street and Electric Company. Her commitment to Christian principles areimportant to her, and those values play a major role in the work she does inteaching children on TV. She is and honored and respected business woman. Thesethree I mention, out of numerous contemporary examples, have something in commonwith Lydia the business woman of the Bible. They are all single for one reason oranother. Lydia was likewise single. She represents the millions of women who havebeen thrust by circumstances into the world of business. We don't know if she wasa widow, or divorced, or never married, but it was a matter of survival for her,as well as many others, to use their gifts to become successful in the world ofbusiness. Corrie Ten Boom learned watch making, and she became so good at it shebecame Holland's first licensed female watchmaker. When women discover their giftsthey can be successful in any endeavor.We do not know how rich Lydia was, but the evidence we have suggests that she wasquite successful. She was a seller of purple goods from the city of Thyatira. Wefind her far from home in the city of Philippi. She was a traveling sales woman ofthe ancient world. Not only is her business one that takes her over a wideterritory, but it is one that provides well for her and her household, for she hada good size house there. She invited Paul and the others to come and stay at herhouse. It was obviously a large and lovely home able to accommodate more than herown family. Lydia was obviously selling some of that purple stuff, and doingalright in the business world. Ancient accounts tell us that this purple she soldwas used by royalty and the upper classes, and so she was dealing with the moneypeople of her day. She was one of those women who put her whole heart intoeverything she did. We want to focus on her heart as we see it functioning inthree ways. First let's look at-I. HER OBEDIENT HEART. The only reason we even know about Lydia is because, inspite of her being a busy business woman, she closed up shop on the Sabbath andjoined some other ladies for a prayer meeting by the river. She put God beforegold in her value system. There are only women referred to, and so we see therewere others like Lydia - women who had no place to go to worship, for there was nosynagogue or church. This little group of women by the river provided the base forthe beginning of Christianity in Europe. God led Paul to this ladies prayermeeting, and out of it came the first convert in Europe, and the first church inEurope. Paul did not look at this group and say there is nothing here but women sowe just as well move on until we find a more important group. God led Paul toLydia because she was woman with an obedient heart. She lived up to the light shehad. She was a Gentile who by some means had heard of the God of Israel, and shewas convinced He was the true God, and she worshipped Him. God honors those who
 
obey the light they have received by sending more light. The reason Lydia receivedthe Gospel from the Apostle Paul is because God knew she would respond to thisgood news as she had to the previous light she had been given.The book of Acts is filled with stories of resistance and opposition to theGospel, but remember there is also the other side. Many have hearts where theseeds sprouts immediately, and there is the fruit of faith. We need to prayconstantly that God would lead us to people whose hearts are prepared like that ofLydia. There are many like her in the world, and the majority seem to be women.Women are more likely to have hearts that are obedient and ready to respond to theGospel. We ought not to assume that all unsaved people are ungodly. Lydia was avery godly person. She believed in God and worshipped Him, and sought to liveaccording to His law. She was all of this before she was saved by faith in Christ.She had a good head on her shoulders, and she knew a good deal when she saw it.She knew opportunity was knocking and she did not hesitate to open the door. Thisleads us to look at the second point which is,II. HER OPENED HEART. There are several terms to describe the experience of beingsaved in the New Testament. One can be born-again, or redeemed, or converted. Butthe most gentle description of salvation is that of Lydia's experience where theLord opened her heart, and she gave heed to the message. She believed andresponded by trusting Christ as her Savior, and then she was baptized. There is nodescription of a conversion anywhere that is so simple as that of Lydia's. What ablessing there is to the millions of believers who come into the kingdom of Godmore like Lydia than like the Apostle Paul. We so often promote the radical andexciting conversion of people like Paul that we give the impression that this isthe real experience to expect. The lights flashing from heaven, the vision ofChrist, the radical experience of being blinded and then restored, are held up asthe norm. Most of the testimonies that make it into print are the Paul typetestimonies because they are exciting, and they proclaim the grace of God loudly.This is alright as long as we get things in a proper perspective. The reason thereare radical conversions is because people have gone so far off the path that theonly way to get them back is by means of a radical conversion. This type ofconversion exalts the grace of God, but it is no credit to the one experiencingit, for it is a sign that they were far from the kingdom in their rebellion.Lydia did not need a radical conversion like Paul, because she never rebelled andwent astray. She was a sinner in need of a Savior, but she did not need to beknocked to her knees and blinded. All she needed was to hear the truth of God'slove, and of the gift of His Son, and her heart was opened. God had to dynamitethe door open on Paul's heart, but Lydia's heart was available to God. God merelytouched it gently and the door swung open, and Christ entered her heart by faith.Paul's story is more exciting and interesting reading, and we would all rathermarvel at the message of his conversion than hear dozens of commonplacetestimonies like that of Lydia. But the fact is, the ideal conversion is likehers. To never go far into the depths of sin and rebellion, but to stay in therealm of the honest seeker whose life style is not far from that of the truebeliever is the way God wants it, and the way that is best for the world and forall concerned. Thank God for the Lydia type heart so easily opened because it isnot warped by a wild life of sin. Thank God also that His grace is sufficient fora Rahab the prostitute, and the woman at the well, who lived in immorality. Butrejoice if your conversion is the more simple and gentle kind like that of Lydia.This is the more common conversion that we see in millions of children and youngpeople who have not experienced a life of sin. Many Christians like Lydia are madeto feel unimportant because they were not wild rebels into gangs, night clubs, andthe drug scene. These are the conversions that sell books, but the kingdom of Godis built primarily out of those who are more like Lydia, and it is folly for themto feel bad for not living such a wild life that their conversion is more
 
spectacular. We do not see Paul expecting anyone to have a radical conversion likehis. He is delighted when God simply opens the heart of a person, and they quietlyenter the kingdom by simple faith.It is of interest also that her heart was opened as she sat by a river listeningto Paul share the Gospel. Many of fisherman loves this text which shows you canworship God by the river as well as in a church. But we note also that there is nofishing gear involved in this account, and there were no churches to go to at thatpoint. New Testament Christianity is, however, an outdoor faith. There were nochurch buildings and so people had their conversion experiences in outdoor places.Zaccheaus was in a tree, Paul was out on a road, the Ethiopian Eunuch was in achariot in the desert, the Philippian jailer was in a jail leveled by anearthquake, and the thief was on a cross. All of these conversions remind us thatthe Holy Spirit is not limited to the church building. Nobody has to come tochurch to come to Christ. People can open their hearts to Christ at work, at play,out in a boat, or while driving to work or home. The settings are endless. We needto be reminded of this so we do not go through life limiting God to the church asif the only place people can come into the kingdom is there. Don't spend your lifetrying to get people to church only. The wise way to is take the church, or themessage of the church, to them where they are. Jesus did not say let all the worldcome to church. He said for the church to go into all the world. God can and willopen hearts anywhere where people are given the opportunity to respond to theGospel. He does not dwell in buildings made with hands, but is ever available toopen the hearts of those who are ready to believe. Don't wait for people to cometo church to share the love of Christ. Note also that God opened her heart, butshe listened, believed, and responded by getting baptized. We see clearly thecooperation of God's Spirit and the human will. There is no point in asking whichgets your hands cleaner-the soap or the rubbing? It is obvious that both worktogether, and so also the Spirit of God and the will of people. Don't try toseparate them, for God desires human cooperation. Her open heart led her to openher mouth also, for she shared her experience with others, and especially with herown family. We do not know how old her children were, but they were old enough tolisten to the Gospel, and to follow their mother in public commitment by beingbaptized. Lydia was the spiritual leader in her home, for she was a single parent,and she shows that a woman can be an excellent parent to her children without apartner.What a contrast this story is from the great mass evangelism of Peter at Pentecostwhere 3,000 were baptized. Here we see this little family ceremony with one womanand her children, and possibly a servant or two. One is not better than the other,for both are beautiful, and both bring rejoicing in heaven. But the fact is, thislittle family baptism is the more typical experience throughout history. Mostpeople who come to Christ and give their testimony in baptism do so in smallgroups, and not in crowds. Many are all alone like the Ethiopian Eunuch out in thedesert with Philip. I think God intends it to be this way so that the testimony offaith is more personal. Nobody could doubt that Lydia and her household weremaking a commitment to be Christians. She was well known, and many of her personalfriends would be there at the river to watch her give this public testimony. Herobedience set an example that, no doubt, had an impact on many other lives in thatcommunity. God opened other hearts through her openness to obey, and take an openstand for Christ. Being a part of the business community enabled Lydia to have agreater impact. It is of great value when Christians have lines of communicationwith the non-Christian world. Business is often the key link of the Christian tothe non-Christian, and we need to see its value. Lydia, no doubt, sold her purpledie to pagans who used it to make curtains for their pagan temples, and garmentsfor their idols. Profits from these sales would go to help build the church ofChrist in that community. Through business the Christian and the non-Christian arelinked. The Christian in business is constantly serving the non-Christian. For all
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