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