These are the notes from Richard's Week 2 sermon at St Mary's plus Questions at the end for discussion

First Century Acts for Twenty First Century Apostles

Sermon 2: Conversion

Acts 15.6-15: Lydia and Paul

Two thousand years of Christian history sparkles with accounts of those whose conversion was the most significant moment in their lives; and so can recall it minutely. Conversion Narratives of 

C S Lewis - In the Trinity Term of 1929 I gave in and admitted that God was God and knelt and prayed

John Wesley - In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's Preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter to nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust Christ, Christ alone for my salvation.

Martin Luther - I felt myself absolutely born again. The gates of paradise had been flung open and I had entered. There and then the whole of scripture took on another look to me.

Leo Tolstoy - Suddenly I heard the words of Christ and understood them and life and death ceased to seem to be evil, and instead of despair, I experienced happiness and the joy of life undisturbed by death. 

All share a sense of a sudden turning. Smitten by Holy Spirit. The heart and the will working in tandem.

Such moments held up as normative and something to which we should aspire. Possible inadequacy if this is not something we have experienced.

As such, conversion can seem like a scary word – charismatic, not a ‘St Mary’s’ word.

However sudden conversion experiences are not the norm. c.f. the emphasis on explaining Saul’s (St. Paul’s) experience. This shouldn't prevent us from embracing ‘conversion’ as a foundational Christian experience and concept. It’s about change, changing one’s beliefs, changing to a godly life. For some that happens suddenly, for some it might take a lifetime. To pretend that it is only for the charismatics is to ignore the possibility of that change in ourselves or others around us.

Story of Lydia provides a model that we might relate to more.

Context – Paul was at a low ebb. Everything seemed to be going wrong. The Lord Jesus had sent him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, but his mission was fizzling out. First there was that argument with Barnabas over John Mark and the sundering of their long partnership. They had both said things they had regretted. And now every path in Turkey seemed blocked. He and the young Timothy had had to hurry through Phrygia and Galatia and Mysia. Every synagogue, every house, every door was closed to them. No-one seemed to want to hear. And as for Bithynia, well that was a no-go area from the start.

Paul found himself in Troas with nowhere left to go. He had run out of people to meet and he had run out of ideas. He had feared that this was the end of the road. All those hopes of doing the Lord’s will and expending himself for the gospel throughout the empire ending in a small town in Turkey.

And then there was that dream; somehow the spirit spoke and everything changed. Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, Athens, Rome Gospel took flight again. Crossed another boundary to Greece and heart of Greek speaking world. And from there easy step to Rome and heart of everything, centre of world.

Holy Spirit takes charge and the gospel takes flight once more.

Philippian context – Roman colony; only a small Jewish community and no synagogue; Paul puts himself at a meeting place; Lydia a foreigner and a business woman – an unlikely starting point? – God has always dealt with the unlikely.

Process of conversion in Lydia –

a)                  Lydia already God fearing; foundations have been laid – unlikely that Richard Dawkins would experience sudden conversion! (you never know, you never know)

b)                  Paul and his words act as the catalyst – someone needs to speak the words of grace or live out the gospel ; who is or has been that person for you – responsible for conversion , for change – may be more than one?

c)                  Holy Spirit instrumental; he opened the way for Paul to reach Philippi; he opened the heart of Lydia; was her heart ‘strangely warmed’? Are there times when you can point to the Holy Spirit working in your life to move your Christian story on?

d)                  The part played by baptism; sign and seal of our new birth. The words (I turn to Christ), actions (drowning old) and symbols (darkness to light) in baptism all reinforce ‘conversion’. Most of us won’t remember our baptism or what it was all about. But we have all been baptised, have all received something that is an important part of conversion.

e)                  Ongoing Formation: Lydia asks Paul to stay with her: Conversion as a lifelong experience; not a single moment; growing into ‘the measure of the fullness of the stature of Christ’

If serious about mission and taking part in God’s goal to reach out to his world, then there is a need to be serious about the conversion of others. Conversion as not just a word about the past but a promise for the future.

Need to think about how we can play our part in someone else’s conversion through being a catalyst – being that person who twenty years on someone might say ‘I would never have been a Christian if it hadn't been for the kindness that …showed me when I was really down; or the welcome given and the interest shown in me when I came to church. Don’t turn down those opportunities to be that catalyst

through prayer (might think my strong days are over; we can all pray for the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those we love, that their heart might also be ‘strangely warmed’,

through baptism (N.B. a baptism here is something in which we all share),

through ongoing influence – those who are young in faith of our community or family and friends.

Questions

1. What do you understand by the word ‘conversion’?

2. Is conversion an experience or concept to which you relate? Have you or someone you know had some kind of ‘conversion experience’ similar to Saul or Martin Luther or John Wesley?

3. Paul met Lydia at the riverside, where people naturally gathered. Where are the riverside places in your own locality?

4. Can you point to the five factors of Lydia’s conversion in your own story or the story of others?

5. We know no more of Lydia. Use your imagination to continue her story.

Paul's notes and questions from his week 3 sermon at Blackford and Wedmore

First Century Acts for Twenty First Century Disciples

Sermon Three (Holy Trinity and St Mary’s) – Peter’s dream (Acts 11v1-18)

Summary of Sermon:

·         The unfolding challenges if the 1^st century church from reading Acts –  e.g. leadership and persecution

·         Also the great challenge of ‘inclusivity’. Who’s ‘in’ and on what terms. Who’s saved?

·         Peter being asked to justify the baptism of Roman centurion Cornelius and his household by apostles back in Jerusalem.

·         Are they concerned about trying to hold the community together?

·         Or are they letting a narrow parochial vision hinder God’s saving purpose?

·         ‘Tuning in’ to God’s saving purpose takes time and needs prayer, reflection, listening and experience of the ‘other’.

·         Caution over reading the Bible in a narrow literal way but in the light of God’s prompting through experiences – as with Peter.

·         The only judge is Jesus, we can never determine who’s ‘in’ or who’s ‘out’.

·         The Book of Acts is full of the diversity of those called to be God’s people.

Resources: www.inclusive-church.org

Questions for Reflection or Discussion

1.       Should a desire for Christian unity and communion across denominations or different cultures influence our church’s views on ‘inclusivity’?

2.       In what ways might our church try to ‘tune in’ to God’s saving purpose for the community in which we are called to serve?

3.       Do our experiences and encounters with others influence the way we interpret and use Scripture? If so, in what way?

4.       Be honest, how judgemental of others are you? When was the last time you made a judgment about someone you then regretted?

5.       ‘Inclusivity’ of churches is a massive topic ranging from disabled access to church buildings to provision of hearing loops to the attitude to people with learning difficulties to welcoming of a convicted paedophile to whether the church would ‘permit’ a gay youth worker. Try listing the different questions you may ask in considering ‘Is my church inclusive?’ [Think of all the possible ways individuals or groups may feel excluded or even just ‘uncomfortable’]

6.       Is seeking to be ‘inclusive’ always a Gospel imperative? When might it not be?

7.       Can being too ‘inclusive’ lead to some feeling ‘excluded’? Think how this might occur.

Acts 11.1-18

Peter’s Report to the Church at Jerusalem

11Now the apostles and the believers^* who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. ²So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers^* criticized him, ³saying, ‘Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?’ ⁴Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, ⁵‘I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. ⁶As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. ⁷I also heard a voice saying to me, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” ⁸But I replied, “By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.” ⁹But a second time the voice answered from heaven, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” ¹⁰This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. ¹¹At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. ¹²The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, “Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; ¹⁴he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.” ¹⁵And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. ¹⁶And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁷If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?’ ¹⁸When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, ‘Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.’

This is Paul's sermon from Blackford and Wedmore on 4th October

First Century Acts for Twenty First Century Disciples

Sermon Three (Holy Trinity and St Mary’s) – Peter’s dream (Acts 11v1-18)

As the story of the early church unfolds, as we read through Acts, it faces quite a few challenges. Challenges about leadership and challenges from persecution. Probably not unexpected for the beginnings of a new community that was proving quite controversial to the established order of the day.

But one of the great challenges it faced was that of, what we might call today, ‘inclusivity’. Who’s ‘in’ (and on what terms should they be ‘in’) and who’s ‘out’? Questions not just about membership of the organisation but, much more importantly, salvation itself.

The short passage we have heard this morning retells the story of Cornelius’ conversion that has already featured in some detail in the previous chapter.

Peter, now back in Jerusalem, is being called to account by his fellow believers for his actions in baptising Cornelius and his household. Cornelius was a good man. He had been searching for and even praying to God. He had been generous to the poor. But that wasn’t really the point.

Cornelius was a Gentile, who remained firmly outside of the Jewish faith. Not only that, he was a military commander of the hated Roman army of occupation.

The question to Peter, now back in the centre of the church, back in Jerusalem, from his fellow apostles and believers was straight to the heart of the matter: ‘Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?’

‘Justify to us, the sort of people with whom you are prepared to sit down and share table fellowship.’ ‘With whom are you prepared to break bread?’

It is easy to criticise Peter’s questioners as being over legalistic. Too concerned about keeping the correct dietary codes. But we should remember that Peter, himself, was originally hesitant about his encounter with Cornelius. Their concerns may spring from, not from wanting to exclude as such but, a desire to hold together the fragile infant community.

We can see many echoes of this in our own times, with a desire to be very cautious, on issues such as women’s ministry and sexuality, for fear that our communion, our community may fracture. Our relationships with our fellow Christian denominations and inter-faith partners will grow colder.

With whom are we prepared to break bread? Or maybe the question should be: ‘who is capable of salvation?’ Peter’s encounter with Cornelius gives us some startling insights to that question. Let’s just pick up on a few of them.

‘The Spirit told me….not to make a distinction between them and us’. Peter is referring back to the amazing dream he had. As he recalls earlier: ‘God has shown me I should not call anyone profane or unclean’. Peter seems a bit surprised that God’s call to him, to be part of God’s saving work, should take him in this particular direction – to the home of the ‘unclean’.

But Peter shouldn’t have been surprised. God hadn’t just changed his mind. As far back as Abraham, God was saying, about him, Abraham, and his descendants, ‘in you all the families of the earth will be blessed’.

Peter, and his fellow apostles, seem to have got wrapped up in a sort of religious parochialism seeing the world as split between the ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’. God’s purpose in this story is to get his church ‘on side’. To tune in and be part of his work of salvation.

That can be a ‘messy’ and longwinded process. This requires us, that is ‘us’ as a community, to be open and listening to God. And that may take some considerable time – God’s time, not our desire for neat instant certainty. It’s that unfolding process of ‘visions’ or ‘dreams’, prayer, reflection, listening to others, experiencing the hospitality of the ‘other’ through which the Spirit leads Peter on to this unexpected course.

Just think, in Church history, how long it took us from believing slavery was part of God’s ordained order for mankind, supported by Scripture, to knowing the opposite.

It is also interesting to note that Peter only turns to Scripture after he has been guided by his many experiences. That’s not to deny the centrality of Scripture ‘in tuning’ into God purpose but really to question a total reliance on a literal reading without giving room to our experiences.

Peter speaks of Cornelius’ household: ‘If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us’… and here he is referring to having witnessed the gift of the Holy Spirit being poured out in them through their ‘speaking in tongues and extolling God’…’who was I [he said] that I could hinder God?’ And so he did not withhold the waters of baptism.

We see this often in Acts, the will of God being seen in the form of something quite wonderful -experienced rather than understood direct from a Biblical text. We could say that we are being asked to read Scripture in the light of God’s prompting in often ‘messy’ and unexpected events and the people we meet.

So often it is issues of inclusivity – who’s ‘in’ and who’s ‘out’ – who are the ‘saved’ and who are the ‘damned’ – that are judged on a very narrow and literal view of Biblical text. That’s not the way the Word is working through the events of Acts.

Peter seems to sum everything up in a few remarkable words spoken after his experiences in the household of Cornelius. They are words that have inspired me ever since I first heard them and helped me on a journey back to faith. ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality’ [10.34].

It is so incredibly easy to fall into the trap of thinking as the ‘Chosen ones’ – God’s elect. And by extension to consider those who fall outside our framework of beliefs and doctrines, or even lifestyles and customs, are not of the ‘chosen’. There are many labels by which the excluded have been given over the years – ‘conservative’, ‘liberal’, heathen’, ‘Jew’, ‘gay’ or ‘divorced’.

Sometimes it is spoken aloud, sometimes it may be so subtle that even those within the ‘chosen’ do not even acknowledge or realise it. But it’s still there. This all too human desire to exclude the ‘other’.

Peter’s, great revelation as a result of his experiences, is that it is Jesus alone, and no other, who is ordained by God as ‘judge of the living and the dead’ [10.42]. To believe or act otherwise, directly or implicitly, to become a ‘judge’ of who is ‘in’ and who is ‘out’ is a great blasphemy and a great sin.

Reading through the whole Book of Acts, or just reflecting on the examples of Lydia, whom we encountered last week, and Cornelius this week, it is amazing the great rainbow diversity of people whom God calls to be among His people. Have we, the church of today, lived up to that openness to embrace the Gospel’s radical message of inclusivity?

Paul Kingdom 4 October 2015

Sermon 2: Summary and Questions from Wendy

First Century Acts for Twenty First Century Disciples

Sermon Two (Allerton) – Lydia’s Conversion (Acts 16v6-15)

Summary

Paul was obedient to The Lord and went to Philippi where he met Lydia. 

Lydia was a dealer in purple cloth. This was expensive as the dye came from the juice found in minute qualities found in shellfish. 

Lydia was not Jewish but believed in God. She was what the Jews called a 'God fearer'.

Philippi did not have a synagogue so the people met by the river to pray. 

We are told Lydia had her heart opened to hear the Holy Spirit. 

Paul was also in a good place as he had heard and obeyed God. 

Paul spoke and Lydia responded. She was converted and was then baptised along with her household. 

If a person has an open heart and a desire to hear they are ready and waiting and expectant to hear the prompting of others and God. The Holy Spirit convicts them. 

I was converted as an adult. 

Key was that I was seeking, had an open heart and knew I wanted to find the love of God I saw in others. 

So we challenge ourselves as the family of God in this place. Will people know us by our love? Or will they see divisions, disharmony and grumbles? 

As a church are we ready to receive others into the family of God? 

Does it all start by being open to the Holy Spirit? 

If so let us allow him to work in us. 

Questions

1.      How were both Paul and Lydia prepared for their encounter?

2.      Are we willing to meet with people outside the church building? 

3.      Have we words of encouragement for those who are seeking?

4.      Are we seen as a people of love and forgiveness? 

5.      Are we prepared to change within and allow the Holy Spirit to melt and mould us so we may be better prepared? 

6.      Can we say or sing the following with confidence and expectancy? 

“Spirit of the living God, Fall afresh on me. 

Melt me, mould me, fill me, use me. 

Spirit of the living God, Fall afresh on me.”

Sermon 2: Wendy's sermon given at Allerton church

Acts 16 6-15 Conversion.  27 September, Allerton

We are thinking today about conversion.

We hear about Paul and a woman called Lydia in the city of Philippi.

Lydia was a dealer in purple cloth and the dye for purple was made from a juice found in minute quantities in shellfish.

So it was very expensive, worth its weight in silver it was said.

Lydia was not Jewish, but she believed in God.

She’s what the Jews knew as a ’God fearer’ - someone who worships in the synagogue, but hasn’t converted completely.

Philippi, did not have a synagogue. The people met at the river on the Sabbath to pray. Paul found Lydia by the river.

Now, we are told Lydia has had her heart opened by the Holy Spirit. This enabled her to hear the message of God.

Paul was also in a good place. He had heard God and went where the spirit called him.

So – Lydia was converted. She had an open heart, the right words were spoken, she responded and was then baptised.

If a person has an open heart and a desire to hear – then they are ready, just waiting for the right words or actions to touch their hearts. The Holy Spirit convicts them. 

So there I could leave it. But no, there is surely more.

We have been asked to think about conversion today.

In our Home group we talked about personal testimony and how powerful it can be. We have talked about how we may draw people into the church. 

So a little of my journey – my conversion. The whole story would take too long. Here are the pithy facts. Some of you know some of it – but there is reason for saying it again – with a slightly different slant.   

I was living in Malawi a county in Africa with my husband and then two children. Life was good. Lots of friends, lots of fun. But I began to notice a few of my friends seemed different.

Difficult to say how – just different.

There was an Anglican church in the town of Zomba where we lived. One day, a neighbour called and gave me a copy of the parish magazine. I put it down. Then one day I picked it up. I just knew I had to go to church.

So I started a pattern of going to Evensong on my own. I began to sink into the rhythm of the service. 

I became curious. I invited the parish priest to our home. I was full of questions. We talked and talked.

Life went on. But something was tugging at me. My friends who I knew to be Christians, had something I did not have. And I wanted it. But how?

I continued to go to church. I then had a neck injury. It was really quite bad.  These friends said they were praying for me. 

And so to cut a very long story short, I was actually healed of what was in fact a serious neck injury.  I was new to such things. So what now?

I know I wanted to be like my friends. I wanted to have what they had. It seemed like a sort of peace – even when things were going wrong and an abundance of love. 

I had not been baptised as a child so I was baptised. I knew it was a special happening.

What next?

Well, I was then confirmed by Bishop Arden, a great character. He lived some distance from Zomba but we arrived and had a lovely tea with him and his wife on their lawn. Then he put on his full robes and the words of confirmation were spoken over me.

When he touched my head I felt a shock of warmth going through me.

I did not fully realise what had happened.

I was dazed and I remember the Bishop smiling and saying ‘The Holy Spirit had moved mightily. You now have work to do.’

Still I did not really understand the full implications.

And so it was that over the next weeks and months it became obvious to all and to me that something really had happened to me.  

It was as if I walked on air and people said I looked radiant. That was the start – a glorious start of my Christian journey.

That was my conversion.

I was seeking. I had an open heart for something that I did not really understand. But I saw something in others.

That something was LOVE.

Now, here are the tough questions.

How does the church look today? Do we see Love?

The church at all levels is made up of people. 

As such, we all fall short – we all sin.

Are we able to be open and honest one with another if there is hurt or pain?

Can we see the others point of view?

Can we say sorry? Can we forgive?

How well do we love? 

Sadly, very sadly, some of the actions within the workings of the church in general fall short to that which is expected in the world of work.

That is not good enough. Who will join us if that is seen? 

How we deal with our shortcomings and failings will have an impact upon the whole.

It is not unusual to hear someone say – “Oh well, that’s the church for you”. As if to excuse actions that fall short of love.

That is not good enough.

How can we possibly draw others in if they do not see love?

Will they know us by our love?

It was love that I saw.

We know there is a hunger for spirituality in the world out there. People are looking, and seeking.

Will we draw them to us?

Will they be drawn to Jesus through us?

Do they see the love of Jesus in us? 

Are we ready for them?

Will we hear the desires of their heart?

So – how to convert others?

It happened to Lydia. It happened to me. It has happened to countless others.  It will go on happening.

It happens to young and old alike. No age barrier. 

Are we praying for more to join us? 

What more might we do?

The Holy Spirit is the one who brings that love of God into us and others.

 So, let’s start with us. Are we willing to allow him to change us too?

To melt us and mould us to be better people for him.

I would like to end today with handing over to God.

May we please sing – or if you prefer just listen to the words of Spirit of our Living God.

Spirit of the living God,

Fall afresh on me.

Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mould me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me

So let’s be still.

Let the words be sung. 

Let God be God.

May he show us how to love. Amen

Sermon 2 Notes and questions from Paul's sermon

First Century Acts for Twenty First Century Disciples

Sermon Two (Holy Trinity and Christchurch) – Lydia’s Conversion (Acts 16v6-15)

Summary of Sermon:

·         The unlikely (impossible?) encounter between Paul and Lydia.

·         Controversy in the early Church about conversion of non-Jews could have prevented it.

·         Paul’s desire to stay in Asia Minor on his missionary journey could have prevented it.

·         But the Holy Spirit had other ‘ideas’ and Paul followed the calling across the sea to another continent – Europe and to the Roman colony of Philippi.

·         Lydia defied the culture of her time. She was a successful, independent businesswoman. And she was a ‘European’ gentile as well.

·         God’s grace can break down such barriers of race, background and geography to enable such an encounter to happen.

·         Lydia was also someone seeking a spiritual dimension to her life. She joined faithful Jews at their meeting place by the riverside as part of this search.

·         The impossible meeting became possible through the work of the Holy Spirit.

·         But Lydia did not just need to hear the words of Paul, she also needed to know that they were the Truth.

·         ‘The Lord opened her heart’ and she knew the Truth of his words – an ‘incarnational moment’ when Lydia’s humanly longing is met by God’s grace. Is this so with all conversion experiences?

·         Lydia then responds with ‘risky’ hospitality that leads to her home become the Christian centre of Philippi (and Lydia its leader???)

·         Lydia the ‘typical’ potential convert with a restless Spirit of longing leading her to the ‘riverside’. As Christians are we prepared to follow the Spirit to meet her there?

Questions for Reflection or Discussion

1.       The Holy Spirit twice prevented Paul and his companions from following their intended missionary journey. Is the Holy Spirit trying to prevent our church from doing things in a certain (possibly well-worn and trusted) way? What might it be and how might we know?

2.       Lydia was materially successful but searching for a spiritual fulfilment. She was probably someone outside of any faith tradition. Do you know of any Lydia’s within your community or friends? What has the church got to say to them and how might it say it?

3.       Paul encountered Lydia not in a ‘church’ or synagogue building or even the home of a ‘believer’ but by the riverside. Where might be the ‘riverside’ places for our church?

4.       Lydia’s response to conversion was risking her status, business or worse by extending hospitality in her own home to potential ‘undesirables’. Is risk taking part of our calling? If so, are you or your church prepared to take risks and what might those risks be? 

This is the text of Paul's sermon on 'Conversion'.

First Century Acts for Twenty First Century Disciples

Sermon Two (Holy Trinity and Christchurch) – Lydia’s Conversion (Acts 16v6-15)

‘A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us’.

And so we are told of one of the most amazing conversation stories of the whole Bible. Amazing because of the improbability of it occurring. Amazing because of who was involved. Amazing because of its consequences.

Think about how unlikely this encounter between Paul and Lydia was to occur. Look back to the previous chapter of Acts and the great controversy about whether or not converts should be sought outside of the Jewish community and if so on what terms they should be admitted.

We will be considering that controversy later in the sermon series but this story, the conversion of Lydia, has much to say about inclusion and exclusion when it comes to the followers of Christ and with whom we should share the Good News.

If we then think of the journey of Paul and his companions through what we now call Asia Minor and twice the Holy Spirit intervening to prevent them taking the wrong course. And eventually Paul having the vision that prompts him to journey to a place outside of his world. To cross the sea into a new continent. To bring the Good News to Europe.

As we read those verses of Acts this morning, I am sure we cannot help but think of others in our time who are making the unexpected journey across the dangerous seas to Europe, in many cases to the modern state of Macedonia, to follow their own dream of hope born out of the horrors of their broken homelands.

Paul followed his vision, his dream, and was convinced he needed to make that journey. The journey that leads to this encounter with Lydia.

The story of Lydia and her conversion is an embodiment of a great truth. That God’s saving grace will destroy the barriers that cause divisions between people.

She is such an unlikely ‘candidate’ for conversion on Paul’s missionary journeys both by reason of background and geography.

Lydia is not a Middle Eastern Jew but a European Gentile. She owns her own business and has her own home. She is not defined by reference to her husband, father or brother – she is very much her own woman. She is a ‘dealer in purple cloth’ from Thyatira – a city known for its textiles. Purple cloth would be destined for the rich and the powerful – the Roman elite. And there would be a great number of them in this Roman colony of Philippi.

She, no doubt, would have had daily contact with the rich and famous of that city and beyond.

This self-sufficient, successful business woman may look like an ideal candidate for a convert in the 21^st century. In the context of the patriarchal and tribal 1^st century her conversion was a startling example of how counter-cultural the Gospel is.

And so these two individuals, Paul and Lydia, are brought together, outside of the city, beside the river at what is described as a place of prayer. Maybe there was no synagogue in the city so that is where those of the faith met. But the less formal prayer space was fortuitous. For it meant the encounter between the teacher Paul and this Gentile woman could take place.

But Lydia, the successful businesswoman, would never have arrived at this meeting place had she not been someone in search of a spiritual dimension in her life. She is what we would now describe as a ‘seeker’ – someone who knows there is something beyond their material world and are seeking the Truth. Maybe the religious practices of her own family, her own people, did not provide her with what she was seeking. Maybe she began to get a glimmer of something from these informal gathering of the Jewish community of Philippi.

The riverside, and not the synagogue building, or church building, provided the space for this seeker to explore her journey of faith.

Then the amazing encounter with Paul. Looking back on both their journeys to that point we could almost say it was an impossible encounter – yet it did happen. It happened not because of them but through the work of the Holy Spirit at every stage. Making the impossible become possible.

But hearing the words of Good News from the mouth of the evangelist is only one part of the process of conversion. Lydia not only needs to hear the words but to know that she is hearing the Truth. It is the Holy Spirit who not only permitted her to hear, but, more importantly, to receive and to understand. ‘The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul’.

This is the very heart of the story. The point where the longing heart of this faithful woman – longing to seek some truth in her life – meets the grace of God. We may call it a ‘Jesus moment’ – a moment of incarnation - when both the human and the divine are entwined.

Maybe, with hindsight, if we look back at conversions, possibly our own or others, whether that be a long journey or a moment of brilliant light on that journey, we can see the same. Our steps being guided and our hearts opened by the Spirit.

But it doesn’t stop there for Lydia. She and her household are baptised. And she issues an invitation to Paul and his companions: ‘Come and stay at my home’.

It may sound like a simple act of hospitality. But, as the host Lydia was at risk of being accountable for the actions of her guests. And as we see later on, when Paul is in Thessalonica, this can be a dangerous position in which to be.

Lydia was prepared to take that risk and by doing it, she turned her home into the new spiritual centre for the entire city and we can presume she becomes its spiritual leader. We may even say that her house became the base for the spread of Christianity throughout Europe. Maybe women bishops aren’t quite as novel as we thought!!!

In Lydia we can see so many potential converts. She is searching for something more in life, something beyond the material success she has apparently achieved. She is longing for something more because there is a restless Spirit stirring within her. A restless Spirit that no doubt we all possess. Lydia allowed that Spirit to lead her to the river bank. The role of every Christian, and that could be you or me, is to allow the Spirit to lead us there to meet her.

Paul Kingdom 27 September 2015

Richard Neill Sermon 1 - Questions for Reflection or Discussion

1. Are we open enough about a desire that our church grows numerically, or is this something from which we shy?

2. Can the church grow without evangelism?

3. What do you understand is meant by the words ‘mission’ and ‘evangelism’?

4. Why is it important to think in terms of ‘The God of Mission has a Church’ rather than ‘The Church of God has a Mission’.

5. What are the key elements of Peter’s sermon?

6. Many of Peter’s hearers are said to respond positively and to experience conversion. What is particularly powerful about his message?

7. What elements of the picture of that early church can you point to in your church? In what ways do we fall short?

8. Is there a time that you have been moved by an evangelistic sermon or event? What was it about it that had an effect on you?

9. Are we dependent on the Holy Spirit for our evangelism and mission?

10. Should we pray for renewal?

11. ‘Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you.’ (1 Peter 2.15) What would you say to someone who was asking why you are a Christian?

“First Century Acts for Twenty First Century Apostles”

Sermon 1 – Mission and Evangelism

Acts 2.22-47

We are in need of growth, and by ‘we’ I mean we the Church in this country and also ‘we’, Holy Trinity/Christchurch; and by growth I mean two things also – growth downwards, putting down deep roots that tap into the riches of faith, or to change the metaphor and use a parable of Jesus, building strong foundations that can withstand what is thrown at us and capable of supporting strong building.

The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world. You can see it in Dubai and it is extremely graceful - all 830m of it. But you can’t see all of it. What you can’t see is the 50m depth of foundations that enable that great height to be reached. Much of the cost was probably expended on that fifty metres also.  That kind of growth is important for it is about deepening spirituality.

But we need to grow outwards also, grow numerically. And that might make us feel a little uneasy. Yet shying away from that issue is part of our defensive strategy. Without growth there will be less opportunity to affect the social change that we long to see as part of that prayer ‘thy kingdom come’. How can God’s kingdom come  if there aren’t enough of God’s people to fashion the bricks for him to use? We need to grow.

Part of what we need her is a cultural shift to looking at how we are as a church through the lenses of ‘growth’, in both senses.  A recent well used phrase puts it well. We should be saying that  ‘The God of mission has a church rather than the church of God has a mission.” In other words mission is not another activity that we do but the very essence of the church and that needs a shift of self understanding of the church at local and national level and needs to be tackled by priests and leadership teams by leading, teaching and example. So here we are, doing some teaching, putting some building blocks down, starting to dig those foundations. Hopefully this sermon series will be a part of that shift, a link in a chain.

Why Acts? Well maybe because the Acts of the Apostles starts with just 11 men and unknown number of followers very naturally engaged in mission and starts too with a rather unlikely mission field of a society openly hostile to Jesus (they had just crucified him) and a wider empire teeming with alternative philosophies and gods, an empire which was not very tolerant of those who working to affect a kingdom where the emperor definitely not in charge. There were many obstacles and through it all, this mission grows. And so Acts charts the spread of the gospel across the Mediterranean. It shines a light on a fledgling church trying to establish itself and rising to the different challenges both internal and external; so I believe that the Acts of these first century apostles can reach out and connect to us their twenty first century counterparts – what should Christian leadership look like, what happens when Christians disagree about what God might want for his church, does welcoming everyone and moving with the times mean that Jesus’ message is being watered down.

We begin, appropriately with Peter, Jesus’ best friend, the one on whom Jesus famously promised to build his church and with Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, a classic evangelistic call. Peter seizes the moment, grabs the opportunity to be an agent of God’s mission and grow more followers of Jesus.

The first thing I am struck by is that this is Peter speaking, Peter, whose last words in Luke’s gospel to which Acts has been written as a sequel, were used to deny that he knew Jesus; Peter the rough fisherman who was always putting his foot in it, grasping the wrong end of the stick or impulsively jumping to conclusions; A friend of mine once memorably called him ‘less Peter the rock and more Peter the blancmange’. And yet here he is standing up before a large crowd not far from where Jesus was crucified and just a few weeks later to speak confidently and coherently about the one whom he knew now to be the Messiah.

What has made the difference? – Nothing more and nothing less than the transforming power of the Holy Spirit of God.

Our brothers and sisters in Christ up the hill at Bagley have been praying for and seeking, for some while now, renewal through the Spirit across the Cheddar Valley. In a sense from their eyrie, looking down on the whole valley, that makes sense. But also they know that any transformation of lives or of society can only come about through the renewing power of the Spirit.

And do you know that when we come to our mission and evangelism that’s good news – we don’t have to do evangelism on our own – phew! We do so in the power of Spirit. It’s the Spirit that can use our wobbly personalities and inadequate words to make a difference.

The second thing to glean from Peter’s sermon is the importance of preparation. In one sense his words are entirely impulsive but one another level they have been a lifetime in coming. He has prepared for his sermon by those years following Jesus understanding and not understanding, prepared by learning from his desertion and later forgiveness, prepared by his investiture. Peter is able to dig deep into his experience for what he says.

So too with our mission, the words, the actions, the connections are far more likely to come if have done our preparation, if we know the scriptures well, have spent time in prayer, understood our failings, prepared the ground. A little of what I was saying earlier about depth of foundation.

Joke – Justin Portal Welby

Peter’s sermon was aimed fairly and squarely at a particular group of people in a particular place at a particular moment of history. He knows that he is addressing Israelites, Jews, steeped in the story of their people and able to grasp the different theological terms and concepts. Peter’s mission is culturally bound and ours is also. What might be the appropriate way to evangelize the people of Blackford/Theale, the people you know? There is no one size fits all evangelism and a hard hitting expository sermon with a call to conversion at the end, such as peter gave is probably not the tool of choice now. Those who make up the church fringe may respond to more imaginative and innovative worship; those who once attended but have drifted away may respond to relational evangelism in genuine friendships; those with minimal experience of church may be attracted by the quality of community and its engagement with the all round needs and interests of ordinary people

One important missionary tool is that of an attractive church community. The postscript to Peter’s sermon gives that wonderful little sketch of the nature and character of that first group of Christians, that first church community. It’s so attractive that the church has been trying to live up to it ever since and mostly failing.

There’s something about genuinely attractive communities that is …well…genuinely attractive. If a community reflects the kindness, the questioning and the radical challenge of Jesus, people are likely to come and ask what is going on.

Finally all Peter does, in a sense, is tell the story of Jesus and interpret it for his listeners. He tells them of a miracle worker, who was crucified both by human wickedness and because of God’s plan and who was raised from the dead like no other before; and that all of this points to him being God’s chosen one.

I bet that you have family stories that are retold and retold. Our kids are already bored I’m sure at hearing about Granny Neill’s Lenten penances or when Uncle Will got stuck in the freezer or Aunty Wendy’s far too clever Burmese cat. None of us seem to have a problem in recounting a good story. And one of the great pleasures I have is listening to a couple who have been together a long time try to recount a story – you know how it is - the prompts, interruptions and interjections, the misremembrances. I think it is all because none of us like to miss out on telling the story ourselves.

So why is it that we clam up when it comes to telling our family story? We have a fantastic story to tell, the story of the one invested with God’s power, the one crucified and risen, the one whose death is invested with representative power; the greatest story ever told.

Do you tell it?

Few of us have the particular gifts of being an evangelist; but all Christians are witnesses. You probably don’t feel that you are a charismatic giant who changes lives by power within you, you may not be a great preacher whose words convert three thousand in a day, but I doubt that Peter felt that either; but you do have a story to tell, the same story as Peter and it does have power.

St Peter again, this time in his letter ‘Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you.’

Richard Neill    06 September 2015