7/26/13

From Gary... A little more contrast, please!!!


It is the rainy season in Florida, so every day, several times a day- it rains!!!  Most of the time the sky is a grey overcast after a rain (or so it seems, anyway), but sometimes you see things like the above picture.  And then, there is an obvious difference in surroundings. Jesus was with his disciples for 3 years and it took his death, burial and RESURRECTION for them to really get the message!!!  But, when they finally got it- WOW! This picture and the following song reminded me of the resurrection and how life must have seemed so radically different for Jesus' small band of followers on that wonderful day...

Easter Song
Words and music: Annie Herring © 1974 Latter Rain Music (ASCAP), Adm. by Sparrow Corp.
This song also appeared on Travelin' Shoes by Acappella, Hear It In Our Voice by The Acappella Company,  and The Acappella Project by Glad.
Swahili Translation: Richard Chowning
Lead: Gary Moyers
Lyrics:
(Swahili intro)
Verse 1:
Hear the bells ringin' (hallelujah)
Hear the bells singin' (hallelujah)
We can be born again
(Hallelujah)
Hear the bells ringin' (hallelujah)
Hear the angels singin' (hallelujah)
We can be born again
(Hallelujah)
The angels up on the tombstone (hallelujah)
Said He is risen just as He said (hallelujah, hallelujah)
Quickly now, go tell His disciples that Jesus Christ is no longer dead! (hallelujah)
Joy to the world!
He is risen
Hallelujah
He's risen
Hallelujah
He's risen
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
(Swahili Interlude)
Repeat Verse 1 (with double echo)
The angels up on the tombstone (hallelujah)
Said He is risen just as He said (hallelujah, hallelujah)
Quickly now, go tell His disciples that Jesus Christ is no longer dead! (hallelujah)
Joy to the world!
He is risen
Hallelujah
He's risen
Hallelujah
He's risen
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
(Swahili Outro)
Scriptural Reference:
"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.  Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."  Matthew 28:6-7
"He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'" Mark 16:6-7


For me, EVERY DAY ABOVE GROUND IS A GOOD DAY!!!  Why?  Because I have hope.  A hope that is not centered in my works to get to heaven, but on what Jesus has done for me.  The GOOD LORD IN HEAVEN knows all my faults and loves me anyway.  Its up to me to try to live the best I can and let Jesus help me with the rest.  It is like this...

I John, Chapter 1
 5  This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don’t tell the truth.  7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.  8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  10 If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 

Since we know that God doesn't play favorites (Acts 10:34,35), it naturally follows that what is good for me is good for you.  Turn once again to the risen savior and live this day just as if it was that first day after Jesus' resurrection.  You may not see dramatic clouds in the sky, but there will be a certain something special in your heart- I promise!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... He is Risen!

He is Risen!

In the early days when the Christian faith made believers gasp with wonder-filled joy—before it became simply a series of truths to be believed—Christians would greet each other not with “hello” or “how are you this fine day?” or “how good it is to see you”. No; their words would be something like: “He is Risen!”
The response wasn’t: “Fine thanks” or “things are going my way” or “everything is going well.” It was: “He is Risen Indeed!”
Whatever else might or might not have been the case—all else had to make way for this changeless and all-transforming truth: Jesus had risen from the dead, to die no more, Lord of All, and if that was true every other reality and every other person would have to come to terms with it. No interpretation of the world can be full and truth-filled that does not take that into account.
In the early years of the Revolution Stalin sent his charismatic and trusted Ivan Bukharin to Kiev to bully them into unbelief. For about an hour the atheist harangued the huge crowd with argument and ridicule and thinly veiled threats. When he was done and silence reigned, a priest went to the platform and said this, and no more than this, to the silent crowd: He is Risen! The vast assembly responded with one voice, like the sound of a massive wave thundering against a cliff face: He is Risen Indeed!
Checkmate!

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Jim McGuiggan... GOD'S YES IN JESUS

GOD'S YES IN JESUS

Ten times Pharaoh said "no!" to Israel but when God finally said "yes!" Pharaoh and his hordes melted. The Red Sea said "no" but God tore its jaws apart and shouted "yes!" down its throat and the Red Sea became obedient. The wilderness said a long and withering "no!" to Israel but God said a longer more powerful "yes!" and the wilderness became the road home. An Assyria horde of 185,000 said "no" to caged-up Israel’s plea and drove desperate Jerusalem to prayer and in the night God 185,000 times whispered a devastating "yes". Israel said "no" and God said a humbling and chastising "yes" as Israel went off into exile. Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome said "no" to God and his people but God said a fragmenting "yes" and scattered the ruins of these kingdoms across half the earth. Pilate and the Jewish nation said "no" to Jesus but God said a redeeming "yes". A whole creation spoke its "no" to God and at God’s powerful "yes" Christ’s tomb opened and a new creation began.
And so it is, the world speaking its powerful, ceaseless and scornful "no" to a feeble, vulnerable, self-despising, self-doubting church and God saying his gracious "yes". And as the Church moves toward glory the old, worn-out world passes away. And that reminds me again of Heine's description of a feast of the Olympian gods that Jesus gate-crashed. Here's how Heine describes it: "Then suddenly approached, panting, a pale Jew with drops of blood on his brow, with a crown of thorns on his head, and a great cross laid on his shoulders; and he threw the cross on the high table of the gods so that the golden cups tottered, and the gods became dumb and pale, and grew even paler till at last they melted away into vapor."
"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ." 2 Corinthians 1:20
When you can’t believe your ears because they hear the world’s "no" that threatens to deafen you to all else, when your poor heart is overwhelmed by humanity’s fearfully wicked "no," when your own sin, day and night, whispers "no" and when the very air you breathe seems to snarl "no," look to Christ. Go on, sit down for a while and as best you’re able, think only of him and the gospel about him. Listen, listen! hear him say "Yes!"

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Jim McGuiggan... Finally comes the poet


Finally comes the poet

In Passage to India Walt Whitman is speaking the praise of poetry and telling us how important it is because it sees the invisible in the visible and the glory in the ordinary. His agenda is his own but his words express well the Christian's sense of Jesus and how he offers an entirely new way to look at the world. Here's what Whitman says:
After the seas are all crossed,…
After the great captains and engineers have
     accomplished their work,
After the noble inventors, after the scientists,
     the chemist, the geologist, ethnologist,
Finally shall come the poet worthy [of] that name 
     The true son of God shall come singing his songs.

Whitman is celebrating the critical importance of poetry and the Christian would celebrate the vital importance of Jesus. For Whitman the poet would justify all the work of invention, power, skill, technology and industry—would give it all meaning and enable people to see the glory beyond the brute facts. The Christian would celebrate Jesus as doing all that Whitman says poetry would do and then he would do so much more than poetic vision could do. The poet would see what's there but Jesus is the one who invests reality with the glory that the poet in his better moments helps us see. Biblical poets do for us what Whitman's poet at his ideal best would do but biblical poets insist that apart from God as he is seen in and as Jesus there is no glory to be seen.
All our intellectual brilliance, our great advances in technology, our achievements in honourable endeavours, our inventions that make life easier for millions in each generation and whatever else—all these are the gifts of God but only the "Singer" (as Calvin Miller has taught us) can make sense of it all. Only the true Son of God can make all our possessions and advances something meaningful and something to sing about because he helps us to see that they're than what they are.
Only Jesus can take golden harvests and make them more wonderful than they are. Only Jesus can take two lovers and make them more beautiful than they appear to be. Only Jesus can take a child and show the child means the world to God (as Harold Shank has taught us). Only Jesus can take a little out of the way planet and make it The Visited Planet (as J. B. Phillips has taught us). Only Jesus in a prayer can make us see that the vast and lengthening corridors of deep dark space and the flaming and collapsing monsters we call stars are all in the hands of someone he called "Father" in Luke 10:21.
There's something profoundly comforting in all that and there's something in all that that allows us to look at the heavens and the earth with a new understanding and a new assurance of faith.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... The Conversion Of The Jailer (Acts 16:25-40)


                          "THE BOOK OF ACTS"

               The Conversion Of The Jailer (16:25-40)

INTRODUCTION

1. In Ac 16:25-40, we have another example of conversion...
   a. Commonly called "The Conversion Of The Jailer"
   b. Which included the conversion of his household

2. In Ac 16:30 we find a familiar passage...
   a. In which Paul is confronted by the Philippian jailer
   b. Who asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

3. This is a very important question...
   a. Salvation from sin is our greatest need - cf. Ro 6:23
   b. The answer must be according to the Word of God

4. The answer given is often limited to what is mentioned in Ac 16:31...
   a. Without consideration of all that is said in the context
   b. Without noting what is taught elsewhere in the Scriptures

[If one were to ask today, "What Must I Do To Be Saved?", how should we
reply?  Shall we limit our response to the words of Ac 16:31?  Well,
consider first of all...]

I. WHAT IS NOT MENTIONED

   A. THE NEED TO REPENT OF SINS...
      1. Yet Jesus wanted repentance to be preached in His name - Lk 24:46-47
      2. And so the apostles often preached the need to repent of sins
         a. As Peter did in his first two sermons - Ac 2:37-38; 3:19
         b. As did Paul in his sermon in Athens - Ac 17:30-31
      -- Shall we conclude that repentance is not necessary because it is
         not mentioned in the conversion of the Philippian jailer?

   B. THE NEED TO CONFESS CHRIST...
      1. Yet Jesus taught of the necessity of confessing Him before
         others - Mt 10:32-33
      2. And so the apostles often mentioned the importance of confessing
         Christ
         a. Confessing with the mouth the Lord Jesus leads to salvation 
            - Ro 10:9-10
         b. Confessing that Jesus is the Son of God leads to abiding in
            God - 1Jn 4:15
      -- Shall we conclude that confession is not necessary because it is
         not mentioned in the conversion of the Philippian jailor?

[We would be mishandling the Scriptures to suggest because repentance
and confession are not mentioned in Ac 16:31 that they are not necessary
to salvation.  But now let's consider...]

II. WHAT IS MENTIONED

   A. BELIEVING ON THE LORD...
      1. The jailer was told to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ - Ac 16:31
      2. This is consistent with what Jesus Himself taught
         a. Believing in the Son is key to having eternal life - Jn 3:36
         b. Unless we believe in Him, we will die in our sins - Jn 8:24
      3. And so the apostles often proclaimed the importance of faith in
         Jesus
         a. That one might have life in His name - Jn 20:30-31
         b. That believing with the heart leads to righteousness - Ro 10:9-10
      -- Faith in Christ is imperative to salvation, because of what the
         Bible says about it

   B. BAPTISM IMMEDIATELY...
      1. We notice that the jailor and his family were baptized 
         immediately - Ac 16:33
      2. Similar to what we read elsewhere in other cases of conversion
         a. The 3000 baptized on the day of Pentecost - Ac 2:41
         b. The Ethiopian eunuch was baptized as soon as he saw water
            - Ac 8:35-38
         c. Paul encouraged not to delay - Ac 22:16
      3. Why were they baptized immediately, even when it was after
         midnight? - cf. Ac 16:25,33
         a. Peter said it was for the remission of sins - Ac 2:38
         b. Paul was told it was to wash away sins - Ac 22:16
         c. Paul later wrote that it was a cutting away of the body of
            sins - Col 2:11-13
         d. Peter later wrote that it saves us through the resurrection
            of Christ - 1Pe 3:21
      -- When one sees what is revealed about baptism in the New 
         Testament, we can understand why it was received as soon as 
         possible by those who heard the gospel

   C. INCLUDING HIS HOUSEHOLD...
         1. Some appeal to the mention of "household" to infer infants 
            were included in the baptism
      2. Yet the text states that:
         a. Paul "spoke the word of the Lord...to all who were in his
            house", implying that all were able to listen and understand
            what was said - Ac 16:32
         b. The jailer rejoiced, "having believed in God with all his
            household"; i.e., everyone believed, implying the ability of
            all to believe what they heard - Ac 16:34
      3. There is nothing here to preclude what we have already concluded
         as necessary requirements to be a subject qualified for baptism:
         a. Repentance - Ac 2:38
         b. Whole-hearted faith - Ac 8:37
      -- Infants are incapable of faith and repentance, and nothing in 
         the text implies that infants were in the household of the 
         jailer

CONCLUSION

1. Why does Paul only mention faith in answer to the question in Ac 16:31...?
   a. Because the answer takes into consideration one's spiritual state
      or condition
   b. For the jailor, he first needed to be told to believe in Jesus
   c. For the 3000 on Pentecost, they already believed by the time they
      asked their question, so faith is not even mentioned (but implied
      nonetheless) - cf. Ac 2:36-37

2. What answer should we give to those who ask today, "What must I do to
   be saved?"...
   a. Our answer depends upon what the spiritual state or condition the
      person is in
   b. If they have yet to believe in Jesus, then the need to believe in
      Him - Ac 16:30
   c. If they believe in Jesus, then the need to repent, confess, and be
      baptized for the remission of their sins - Ac 2:38; 22:16
      Ro 10:9-10; Ga 3:26-27

3. Our answer should entail all found in the Word of the Lord...
   a. Paul proceeded to speak the word of the Lord to the jailor and his
      family - Ac 16:32
   b. Such evidently included the need to be baptized immediately - Ac 16:33

A proper answer to "What must I do to be saved?" will take into 
consideration both the spiritual state of the inquirer and all that
that the Word of God reveals on the subject.  

Have you responded to what the Bible teaches regarding salvation in
Christ...?


Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2013

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From Mark Copeland... Persecuted For Righteousness' Sake (Acts 16:16-25)


                          "THE BOOK OF ACTS"

             Persecuted For Righteousness' Sake (16:16-25)

INTRODUCTION

1. Jesus spoke of being persecuted for righteousness' sake... - Mt 5:10

2. The apostles of Christ certainly suffered much persecution...
   a. As Paul alluded to in his epistles - 1Co 4:9-13
   b. Paul especially endured much suffering for Christ - 2Co 11:24-25

[Such persecution came as a result of trying to live godly or righteous
lives (cf. 2Ti 3:12).  At this point in our study of Acts, we find an
example of Paul being "Persecuted For Righteousness' Sake"...]

I. PAUL EXPELS A SPIRIT

   A. THAT POSSESSED A SLAVE GIRL...
      1. She possessed "a spirit of divination" - Ac 16:16
         a. The Greek speaks literally of a "python spirit."
         b. The python was the symbol of the famous Delphic oracle and
            represented the god Apollo, who was believed to render 
            predictions of future events. 
         c. The serpent had thus become a symbol of augury, and anyone
            who was seen to possess the gift of foretelling the future 
            was described as led by the "python." 
         -- Polhill, J. B. (1995). Vol. 26: Acts. The New American
            Commentary
      2. She brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling - Ac 16:16

   B. THAT GREATLY ANNOYED PAUL...
      1. The possessed girl followed Paul and his companions on the way
         to prayer - Ac 16:17
      2. She would cry out "These men are the servants of the Most High
         God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation." - Ac 16:17
      3. This she did for many days, which annoyed Paul - Ac 16:18; cf.
         Lk 4:34,41
      4. Why was Paul annoyed ("grieved", KJV)?
         a. The acclamations may have been true in one sense
         b. But they were open to misunderstanding by pagan hearers
         c. The term "Most High God" was commonly applied to Zeus, and
            "the way of salvation" could also be misconstrued by Gentiles
            - Polhill, ibid.
      5. "The course pursued by Paul was the same with that of Jesus,
         who invariably stopped the mouths of demons when they attempted
         to testify to his claims. The propriety of this course will be
         apparent upon observing:
         a. "First, That to have permitted demons to testify for the
            truth would have convinced the people that there was an 
            alliance between them and the preachers.
         b. "Second, This supposed alliance would have caused all the
            good repute of Jesus and the apostles to reflect upon the 
            demons, and all the evil repute of demons to reflect upon 
            them.
         c. "If Christ and the apostles had given countenance to demons
            while telling the truth, they could have used their 
            endorsement to gain credence when telling a lie; and thus,
            believers would have been left to the mercy of seducing 
            spirits, fulfilling, with the apparent sanction of Christ, 
            the prophesy of Paul that, 'In the latter times men shall 
            depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and 
            teachings of demons, speaking lies in disguise, having the
            conscience seared with a hot iron.' (1Ti 4:1-2)
         d. "To guard against this result, it was necessary to exorcise
            all demons who ventured to speak in favor of the truth."
         -- McGarvey, J. W. (1872). A commentary on Acts of Apostles
      5. So Paul commanded the spirit to come out, and it did that very
         hour - Ac 16:18

[In exorcising the spirit, Paul was doing the slave girl a kindness, an
act of righteousness if you will.  But as Jesus implied, righteousness
can often lead to persecution...]
 
II. PAUL AND SILAS ARE PERSECUTED

   A. BY MASTERS AND MAGISTRATES...
      1. The slave girl's masters motivated by loss of profit - Ac 16:19-21
         a. Seized Paul and Silas, dragging them to the marketplace and
            the authorities
         b. Accusing them as Jews troubling the city, teaching customs 
            not lawful for Romans
      2. The magistrates (normally two per colony) motivated by the
         multitude - Ac 16:22
         a. As the multitude rose up together against Paul and Silas
         b. The magistrates tore off Paul and Silas' clothes, commanded
            them to be beaten with rods 

   B. WITH BEATINGS AND IMPRISONMENT...
      1. Beaten with rods - Ac 16:22-23
         a. Probably by lictors; lit., rod bearers (the "officers") - cf.
            Ac 16:35,38
         b. With many stripes; likely one of the three times Paul
            mentions - cf. 2Co 11:25
      2. Imprisoned with stocks - Ac 16:23-24
         a. Securely in the inner prison
         b. With feet fastened in stocks

   C. FOLLOWED BY PRAYER AND PRAISE...
      1. Despite pain of beaten skin, discomfort of fastened feet - 
         Ac 16:23-25
         a. They prayed, likely with thanksgiving - cf. Php 4:6-7
         b. They sang hymns to God (hymns are songs of praise and joy) 
            - cf. Ep 5:19
      2. Thus Paul and Silas rejoiced when persecuted for righteousness'
         sake!
         a. As Jesus told His disciples to do when persecuted - 
            Mt 5:11-12; Lk 6:22-23   
         b. As other apostles did they were persecuted - Ac 5:41
      
CONCLUSION

1. By precept, we're told how to respond when persecuted for 
   righteousness' sake...
   a. Jesus:  "Rejoice...be exceedingly glad; leap for joy!" - Mt 5:12;
      Lk 6:23
   b. Peter:  "Rejoice...glorify God" - 1Pe 4:12-16

2. By example, we're told how to respond when persecuted for 
   righteousness' sake...
   a. Pray, as Paul and Silas prayed to God in prison
   b. Sing, as Paul and Silas sang hymns to God in prison

May the example of Paul and Silas inspire us to keep the precept...!



Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2013

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From Mark Copeland... The Conversion Of Lydia (Acts 16:11-15)


                          "THE BOOK OF ACTS"

                  The Conversion Of Lydia (16:11-15)

INTRODUCTION

1. One of the best reasons to study Acts is to take note of the examples
   of conversion...
   a. In which the gospel was preached and people responded
   b. Noting what was preached, and how people responded

2. For today, many people in the name of Christianity...
   a. Preach a false gospel of Christ
   b. Or proclaim a false response to the gospel

[We have examined several conversions already in our study of Acts. Now 
we come to "The Conversion of Lydia", perhaps the first convert to Christ
in the continent of Europe...] 

I. OCCASIONED BY THE MACEDONIAN CALL

   A. PAUL'S VISION AT TROAS...
      1. He and his company had been making their way through Asia 
         (Turkey)
      2. The Spirit had limited their options - Ac 16:6-8
      3. In Troas Paul had a vision ("The Macedonian Call") - Ac 16:9
      4. Taking the vision as a call from the Lord, they depart for
         Macedonia - Ac 16:10

   B. PAUL'S ARRIVAL AT PHILIPPI...
      1. Sailing from Troas - Ac 16:11
         a. They sail to Samothrace, a small mountainous (5000+ ft.)
            island
         b. And then to Neopolis, seaport for the city of Philippi 
      2. Arriving at Philippi - Ac 16:12
         a. Foremost city of that part of Macedonia
         b. Made a Roman colony in 42 B.C.

[Arriving at Philippi, Paul and his companions (including Luke, note
"we") were staying in the city for several days (Ac 16:12).  On one of
those days, they went down to the river...]

II. THE BAPTISM OF LYDIA AND HER HOUSEHOLD

   A. AT THE RIVERSIDE FOR PRAYER...
      1. Paul and his company go down to the riverside on the Sabbath
         - Ac 16:13
      2. Paul's custom was to find a synagogue on the Sabbath - Ac 17:1-3
         a. To reason with Jews about Christ        
         b. Evidently there were not many Jews in Philippi, and no
            synagogue
         c. According to Jewish custom, at least 10 male Jews were
            required for a synagogue
      3. But women met at the river to pray, and Paul's company speaks to
         them

   B. LYDIA HEEDS THE WORD OF GOD...
      1. Lydia was a successful business woman - Ac 16:14
         a. A seller of purple (goods, dye), suggesting wealth on her
            part
         b. From Thyatira, a city of Asia (Turkey) known for its
            expensive purple dyes
      2. Lydia was a religious woman - Ac 16:14
         a. One who worshipped God
         b. Her name is Greek, so perhaps a convert to Judaism 
      3. She heard Paul, and the Lord opened her heart to heed what he 
         said - Ac 16:14
         a. In what way the Lord opened her heart is not stated
         b. But she "heard" what Paul was speaking - Ac 16:13,14
         c. We know that "faith comes by hearing the word of God" - Ro 10:17
      4. Through the gospel, one's heart can be opened to be receptive
         a. For the gospel is God's power to save - Ro 1:16
         b. It tells of God's goodness, that should lead one to repent 
            - Ro 2:4
      5. Lydia was willing "to heed the things spoken by Paul" - Ac 16:14-15
         a. I.e., to do or obey whatever Paul had said
         b. We can infer that it included baptism - cf. Mk 16:15-16; Ac 2:38
         c. For she and her household (family, servants) were baptized 
            - cf. Ac 8:12,35-38

[At this point, allow me to make some...]

III. OBSERVATIONS RELATED TO LYDIA'S CONVERSION

   A. RELIGIOUS PEOPLE NEED SAVING...
      1. Throughout Acts, the gospel was proclaimed to religious people
         a. The thousands of devout Jews in Jerusalem on Pentecost - Ac
            2:1-41
         b. The many Jews gathered on Solomon's Porch at the temple - Ac 3:1-26
         c. The Ethiopian eunuch who had travelled to Jerusalem to 
            worship - Ac 8:26-40
         d. Saul of Tarsus, a devout Jewish rabbi - Ac 9:1-19; 22:1-16;
            26:1-13
         e. Cornelius, a devout Gentile who feared God, prayed always
            - Ac 10:1-48
      2. Without Jesus, religious people are lost!
         a. He is the way, the truth, the life; there is no way to God 
            but through Him - Jn 14:16
         b. There is no other name but Jesus whereby one can be saved
            - Ac 4:12
         c. He is the only Mediator between God and man - 1Ti 2:5-6
      -- It is not enough to be religious; we need Jesus Christ as our 
         Savior!

   B. THE LOGICAL CONCLUSION TO GOSPEL PREACHING...
      1. In every case of conversion described in Acts with detail,
         baptism occurs quickly
      2. In most cases, after hearing just one lesson about Christ! 
         - e.g., Ac 8:35-38
      3. Referring to Peter's sermon on Pentecost, a respected Baptist 
         scholar wrote:  "Baptism is here a part of the proclamation of 
         Christ. In an Apostolic sermon it comes as its logical 
         conclusion.  An effort ought to be made to restore this note in
         our [Baptist] preaching." - Baptism In The New Testament, George
         Beasley-Murray, p. 393
      -- Indeed, the command of baptism needs to be restored to all
         gospel preaching!

   C. AN INDICATION OF FAITHFULNESS...
      1. In asking Paul and his companions to stay with her, Lydia asks 
         "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord..." - Ac 16:15
      2. What evidence was there to determine whether she was faithful?
      3. At the very least, her willingness to be baptized! - Ac 16:15
      -- Would not refusal to be baptized indicate a lack of 
         faithfulness?

   D. THE ISSUE OF INFANT BAPTISM...
      1. Some appeal to "household conversions" as evidence of infant
         baptism, such as:
         a. The conversion of Cornelius and his household - Ac 10:1-48
         b. The conversion of Lydia and her household - Ac 16:11-15
         c. The conversion of the Philippian jailor and his household
            - Ac 16:25-34
      2. The argument is that we may assume infants were present, but is
         that the case here?
         a. Lydia was a businesswoman, with no mention of a husband 
         b. She was from Thyatira, possibly in Philippi on business
            (though she did have a home)
         c. We can just as easily assume that her household was made up
            of servants, or at least children old enough to travel
      -- The burden of proof rests upon those seeking to support infant
         baptism, and the evidence in this case simply isn't there (nor
         elsewhere)

CONCLUSION

1. With the conversion of Lydia, we have...
   a. Perhaps the first gospel convert in the continent of Europe
   b. The beginning of the church at Philippi, which may have met in her
      home - cf. Ac 16:40

2. We also have an example of the Providence of God...
   a. Leading servants who are prepared to teach, to seekers who are
      praying
   b. As in the case of Cornelius, and the Ethiopian treasurer

3. Fulfilling the words of Jesus:  
   a. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for
      they shall be filled." - Mt 5:6
   b. "Seek and you will find" - Mt 7:7-8

Such individuals are like the man in The Parable of the Pearl of Great
Price:

   "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful
   pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and
   sold all that he had and bought it." - Mt 13:45-46

Lydia was a successful merchant, but she knew there was something much
more valuable than money.  Her worship and prayer gave her the
opportunity to hear the gospel, and she showed her faithfulness to God
by obeying the gospel immediately through faith and baptism (cf. Mk
16:15-16).  

How about you...?

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2013

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