117: Roger Lewis - The Gracious Spirit of Generosity

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:00

   Welcome to the Good Christadelphian Talks podcast. I'm Levi. And I'm Chris. Thank you so much for joining us this week. On this podcast, we select one talk a week to help each one of us get the Bible in our daily news feed. We post at the start of each week for you to listen with a short intro beforehand to kind of set the stage for the talk you're about to hear. And now let's hear more about this week's talk. This class is by Brother Roger Lewis. I don't have a date on it, but it was uploaded only recently-ish in the last couple years to Christadelphianbibletalks.com. The title is The Gracious Spirit of Generosity. And this class is a really cool study that I very much enjoyed, tracking the possible effect of Lydia throughout the acts and the recorded details we have of the Philippian ecclesia. Roger does a classic, I would say to him and his style, job of adding detail to the character. Some is logically summed out by him, but not everything is like a strict interpretation of the Bible, but still it's all harmless and I think actually beneficial to flesh out the possible story of Lydia and her character and the example that she sets for us. So again, I found this class and whole series to be a really, really a valuable study. So this is the gracious spirit of generosity.

2. 1:52

   A couple notes is this was the sister's class of the study weekend that he was hosting. So he mentions that. And also he asks a lot of questions, which this might just be me personally. I guess I should check with someone before saying this, but it's a little bit jarring when you're listening to a class because he does a good job waiting in silence for an answer to come back when he's asking a question. So just so you know, that's what's coming up. This class was a suggestion and we thank you all so much for the suggestions that you send us. It is a huge help. So please send in any suggestions for other classes that you have. So here is Roger Lewis, the gracious spirit of generosity.

3. 2:33

   They are special effort concerning the Jerusalem Poor Fund. And for those that aren't members of the Enfield Ecclesia, what we're actually doing in the course of our studies is looking at the story of the Jerusalem Poor Fund under the title of Paul the Arms Bearer. And in particular, we're looking at the lessons of the 2nd of Corinthians chapters 8 and 9, which are really two special chapters in the 2nd of Corinthians that we believe the apostle wrote to encourage the Ecclesias of Achaia that they might give generously to the Jerusalem Poor Fund. And the very spirit of these chapters we might find to be in fact the spirit of Lydia herself. You'll notice in the first section of the 8th chapter an appeal for enthusiastic support and the spirit of grace and of selfless giving brought forth by various examples which the apostle uses. In the 2nd part of the chapter, he stresses the need for cooperation together, mutual sharing in the things of the truth. And he brings forth examples of care and of earnest zeal that were shown by others in that same work. In the 9th chapter, he's going to go on to stress the need for a liberal contribution to the fund and to exhort the brethren that they might prepare carefully and give liberally to the things of the collection. And finally in that chapter, he's going to deal with the blessings and the benefits that would be accomplished in the fund and how God in turn is able to bless those who have been generous-hearted in their work in the truth.

4. 4:14

   And you know, sisters, those particularly are the very characteristics of Lydia that we're going to come across in our study today. The principles of enthusiastic support, of selfless giving, of mutual cooperation, of earnest zeal, of liberal contribution, of generous-hearted hospitality. All of those things are the very spirit in the story of Lydia of the Ecclesia of Philippi. Now, what we've been looking at in our studies is particularly the work of the apostle in the region of Achaia in terms of those two epistles.

5. 4:53

   But just reviewing what we've looked at so far, we find in fact that the apostle in each of his labors and each of his missionary journeys focused in particular on a certain region. And so the first missionary journey, for example, came into the region of Galatia. We know that he came through Cyprus here, the red line, up into the region of Galatia. And there the ecclesias of Antioch, of Lystra, of Derbe, of Iconium were formed in the course of the apostles' first preaching campaign.

6. 5:27

   And from thence, of course, he returned to Antioch in Syria over here. And then the second campaign, he came through this region again of Galatia. But this time, he came right across to the coast of Asia, to Troas, and then into the region of Macedonia. And the second journey really focused on Macedonia and Achaia. And there the ecclesias of Philippi, of Thessalonica, of Berea, of Athens were formed, of Corinth, and perhaps of Sencria also at that stage. And from thence, the apostle came back to Ephesus and from there to Jerusalem, and then back to Antioch, which was really his home ecclesia.

7. 6:08

   In the third preaching campaign, the apostle started from the same place, this time in the green, from Antioch, but came straight across to Ephesus and spent the best part of three years preaching the truth, this time in Asia. And it was only at the end of the third campaign that he came into Macedonia and Achaia to complete the collections for the Jerusalem Poor Fund, which is the subject of our study, and then came back out through that region, came down the coast and from thence to Jerusalem in order that he might present the Poor Fund.

8. 6:41

   So each of the journeys of the apostle focused on a particular province or area. So the first preaching campaign was spent mainly in Galatia. The second preaching campaign was spent largely in Macedonia and in Achaia. And the third preaching campaign in the main was spent in the region of Asia. And in each of those areas where the apostle labored, we believe that there were sisters who ministered to his needs in those various places. We often think that we don't read much about sisters, and yet when we actually look at the record carefully, we find that they were there in all the areas where the apostle labored. Let's just have a look at some of them by way of illustration there. So you see, in the region of Galatia, we know of course that there was Lois and Eunice. What ecclesia did they come from, by the way? Can anyone remember?

9. 7:36

   Which ecclesia did they come from? You say it out loud. Yes, it was from Lystra, where Timotheus of course himself was, his mother and his grandmother, who were in the Galatian ecclesia of Lystra. In the region of Macedonia, we know of course that Lydia was to be found, as we're going to find her today, in the ecclesia of Philippi, as was Iodius and Syntyche, also of that ecclesia. Down in the region of Achaia here, the province of Achaia which started here, there was Damaris of the ecclesia of Athens, we know from Acts 17. There was Chloe, who was of the ecclesia of Corinth, and also Phoebe, who was of the ecclesia of Sencria. So we know of several sisters in that region, and of course, not to forget Prisca, who was notable in her support of the apostle in their labours in Ephesus, the area of Asia. So in each of the areas where the apostle laboured, there were sisters who supported the apostle and laboured with him. Well, we're going to focus in the main today then on the story of Lydia, and take our chart from Acts 16, which we will now turn to in order to see what the Spirit says concerning this particular sister. So in Acts chapter 16 then, we come to the story of the conversion of this woman, Lydia. Well, what are we told about, I suppose it's true that every story has a background, and it's important to get the background to the story of Lydia as with anybody else. So here's the background, and we might in fact go a little bit further back than our reading,

10. 9:17

    we'll go back to the sixth verse of Acts 16. It says, now, when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia, so let's just stop and think about that. In fact, perhaps I should really put a map back on, shouldn't I? So let's just put a map back on and see what happened here in terms of the apostles' movements at this time. So we're told in the sixth verse, when they'd gone throughout the region of Galatia, so here he is here, they were forbidden of the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. Now, which direction is Asia in from where the apostle is? He's in this area here. In which direction is Asia?

11. 10:08

    North, south, east or west? It's west, isn't it? That's right. Well, that is if we assume that west is that. Was it west that way in Australia as well as New Zealand? This is the region of Asia here, so he was intending to travel westwards into Asia, and we're specifically told, aren't we, in the sixth verse, that he was forbidden of the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. Well, there was no point going east, because they'd already spread the truth through this region. There was no point going south, because they'd end up in the water. So the only other place that the apostle could go, of course, was north. So in fact, he moved in a, well, a slight, perhaps a north, northwesterly direction, but certainly travelling north. And we're told in the seventh verse, after they were come to Mycenae, a little further to the north, they assayed to go into Bithynia. But the Spirit suffered them not.

12. 10:59

    Where's Bithynia, by the way, on that chart, on that map? Anyone like to have a stab? Where is Bithynia? Anyone know where the region of Bithynia is? Well, Bithynia is this area up here, this province up here, to the north. So they assayed to go now, northwards, into the region of Bithynia, but we're told that the Spirit suffered them not, verse 7.

13. 11:26

    So the apostle had laboured in Galatia. There was no point going east, there was no point going south. He could really only either go west or north. He tried to go west, the Spirit said no. He tried to go north, the Spirit said no. So where do you go? So, of course, we know that, in fact, he went straight between the two.

14. 11:45

    He went north-west and ended up on the coast here at Troas. And when he came to Troas, in verse 8 it says, they, passing by Mycenae, came down to Troas, and a vision appeared to Paul in the night, and there stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him, saying, come over into Macedonia and help us.

15. 12:03

    I suppose it's all the way we read the story, isn't it? Have I read that the right way? Good Bible study is all about good Bible reading. So maybe in the context of what we're told in verses 6 and 7 and 8, we should read verse 9 perhaps that way. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night.

16. 12:19

    There stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him, saying, come over into Macedonia and help us. You see the point? Because he wasn't allowed to go to those other places. Come and help us. And as soon as, of course, the apostle had heard those particular words, then he knew where he should be going.

17. 12:38

    And so he was going to travel from Troas across into this province here, which was in fact the province of Macedonia, on the basis of the vision of the man, verse 9. Now, the apostle was a very decisive person. We're told in verse 10 that he really did feel that. You see how verse 10 is so definite?

18. 12:57

    After he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. You see how decisive the apostle was. As far as he was concerned, this was the answer that he'd been waiting for. And so immediately we endeavoured, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called.

19. 13:21

    There's a sense of urgency in that story, isn't there? Verse 11 says, Therefore, loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracea, and the next day to Neapolis, and from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia. You know, we can almost sense a degree of urgency in this particular voyage.

20. 13:42

    Read verse 11 again. Therefore, loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracea. The Jerusalem Bible translates that a straight run. There was something very swift about this particular journey. We came with a straight one to Samothracea, and the next day to Neapolis, and from thence to Philippi. How long did it take then?

21. 14:02

    How long did it take to go from Troas to Philippi? Reading from the record there of verses 11 and 12. Any thoughts on that? How long? How long? How long did it take? Two days. Two days? Quite right. Yes, I think it was on the second day. Loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracea, and the next day to Neapolis, and from thence to Philippi.

22. 14:39

    Neapolis, of course, is on the coast. It's the port facility, and you go inland from there, a journey of some miles, in order to get to Philippi. But they certainly would have done that on day two. Now, have a look at Acts chapter 20. This is later on, and now Paul's travelling on exactly the same journey.

23. 14:57

    It just so happens that he's going in the opposite direction. He's going this time from Philippi to Troas, coming the other way. Now, look how long it takes them in Acts chapter 20 and verse 6. And we sailed away from Philippi, after the days of unleavened bread. By the way, you can't sail from Philippi, because Philippi is actually inland.

24. 15:18

    So, when he says we sailed away from Philippi, he really does mean that they've gone down to Neapolis, which is the coastal port. And we sailed away from Philippi, after the days of unleavened bread, and came to them to Troas in five days, says the record. But it only took two days in Acts chapter 16 to get over there.

25. 15:39

    It took five days coming in the other direction. I believe that the Spirit blew behind the sails on that boat in Acts 16. The apostle says, we've got to get there, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel. And that sense of urgency in Acts 16 is taken up in the very fact that it's as if the boat sped across the water.

26. 15:58

    In just two days, they'd arrived there. It was a wonderful thing. Coming back to Acts 16, we're told, therefore, that having reached Philippi so swiftly that they were there in that city, which was a colony. And verse 13 says, and on the Sabbath, we went out of the city by a riverside where prayer was wont to be made, and we sat down and spake unto the women which resorted thither.

27. 16:20

    So here now the apostle found those women of a spiritual mind and of a spiritual disposition who were assembled by the riverside for prayer. And it says, verse 14, and a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us, whose heart the Lord opened that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

28. 16:48

    A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira. You know, one of the things that's always intrigued me about this story is the paradox of Lydia's conversion. You ever stop to think about this? Why was the apostle not allowed to go west or north? And the answer is because he had a vision.

29. 17:14

    And the vision was, well, what was the vision? Tell me the details of the vision. A man of Macedonia said, come over and help us. And when he got there, do you know what actually happened? It wasn't a man at all. It was a woman that he converted. And she wasn't from Macedonia at all.

30. 17:37

    It says that she was of the city of Thyatira, which is in Asia. The very place, verse 6, where he'd just been forbidden to preach. Now, isn't that interesting? A man of Macedonia said, come over and help us. But when he got there, it wasn't a man. It was a woman, and she was from Asia.

31. 17:55

    Isn't that remarkable? I believe there's a reason why Lydia's conversion was recorded for us in this way. There's a reason why she's there in the story at this time. And by the time we've finished our considerations this morning, hopefully we'll be able to appreciate more fully why the story of Lydia's conversion is brought forth in that way that almost seems to be a paradox.

32. 18:20

    Well, we're told in this verse that she was a seller of purple. The record doesn't say exactly what that means when it says that she was a seller of purple. And there could be at least two different ways of taking that idea up. It could be, for example, that she was a seller of the dye or of the fabrics that were so dyed.

33. 18:43

    For example, the Jerusalem Bible says a certain woman named Lydia who was in the purple dye trade. says the Jerusalem Bible. But the Revised Standard Version says a seller of purple goods. The New English Bible says a dealer in purple fabric. So it could have, in fact, been both. She may have been both a trader in the dye.

34. 19:14

    And by the way, where did the dye come from? I don't know where the purple dye came from. Sorry? A grub? You mean as in the cochineal insect? Now, it wasn't actually in the main from a grub, but it was from an animal. Yes, it was from a sea, a shellfish known as Murex trunculus.

35. 19:37

    And the city of Thyatira was famous, in fact, for that particular purple dye. It was very expensive. The thing we do know about this dye, about this cloth, as it was very expensive. It was the sort of cloth that nobility would buy. It wasn't cheap. It was the highest quality. So when it says that she was a seller of purple, either purple dye or purple goods, she obviously was a woman of considerable wealth because if you had purple goods, purple fabric, rolls of cloth, you would need really quite a lot of money to hold stocks for that sort of thing.

36. 20:13

    And she didn't just have stocks because we're told in verse 15, she had a house. Where was the house? Well, it must have been in Philippi. Come into my house. So she had a house in Philippi. But she's actually of the city of Thyatira, says verse 14. And the implication is that she actually lived there.

37. 20:31

    She had a house probably in Thyatira as well. But this is her Macedonian house. And she's got stocks that she carries. And she hasn't just got a house, verse 15, she's also got a household. So she's got servants that work for her. She's got men that can carry the cloth. She's got ladies that help her to sell in the marketplace.

38. 20:52

    She's got a whole household of people with her. You know, you read these verses carefully and you really feel that Lydia was perhaps a woman of considerable wealth. She had houses, she had stocks, she had servants. She was probably a woman of considerable substance. And that makes all the more amazing her spirit and attitude, doesn't it, in this particular story.

39. 21:18

    You know that we're told in the epistles to Thessalonica that the ecclesias of Macedonia experienced quite a lot of persecution. When people came into the truth in the Macedonian ecclesias, they suffered from persecution both by Jew and by Gentile. Now, here's a woman who's very much a member of the business community. And you've got to be careful what you do and what you say and with whom you associate.

40. 21:46

    It would have been so easy, wouldn't it, for Lydia to say, well look, you know, I've got a lot at stake here, I've got a lot of money tied up in my business and I've got to be careful. You know, if I'm too open in proclaiming my association with this sort of thing, it could be detrimental to my marketplace activities.

41. 22:01

    You know, you've got to be sensible about these things. It didn't bother Lydia, did it? You see verse 13, when the Sabbath day came and prayer was wont to be made, she was there. And I think the lesson that we learn from that is that Lydia would not allow her business activities to interfere with her attitude to the truth.

42. 22:25

    that's an important thing, isn't it? It didn't matter what business activities she had or how important they were or how wealthy she might have been. The truth was the most important thing. And it didn't matter to Lydia whether she was associated with the other woman at prayer or with the, you know, it was actually probably quite dangerous being publicly associated with the Apostle Paul.

43. 22:49

    He was a man who was condemned, beaten, scourged, kicked out of cities. And to be associated with him was an act of great courage especially for someone in the business community. It didn't worry Lydia. The truth comes first, doesn't it? In everything. And we'll find that if we put the truth first that even business activities can sometimes strangely prosper in spite of ourselves because God is pleased to bless us if the truth is put first.

44. 23:18

    That was the spirit of this woman, wasn't it? See what it says in the 14th verse. It says, a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira which worshiped God heard us, whose heart the Lord opened. That's an interesting phrase, isn't it? Whose heart the Lord opened. And you see, I think the lesson that comes out of that is that it really doesn't matter how important we are or think we are.

45. 23:49

    it doesn't matter how wealthy we are. God calls us not the other way around. Sometimes we think that we've found the truth. No, we haven't. God found us. And God calls those whom he will call according to his sovereign will and sovereign joys. And it didn't matter who Lydia was, the Lord opened her heart, says the record, and her conversion, despite her own attitude, is attributed ultimately to God himself, because it is God who chooses those whom he wishes to be associated with the hope of the truth.

46. 24:33

    She attended unto the things which were spoken of, Paul, says verse 14. And when she was baptized and her household, she besought us, verse 15, saying, if ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come unto my house and abide there. And I think there's another lesson that emerges from that too.

47. 24:51

    You see what she says? When she was baptized in her household, she besought us, saying, if ye have judged me to be faithful, come unto my house. You know, here's a woman with tremendous ability and tremendous resources, but she also had the spirit of humility, didn't she? If ye have judged me to be faithful.

48. 25:12

    There was nothing presumptuous or domineering about Lydia. Capable woman she might have been, but she wasn't forward in the promotion of herself. If ye have judged judged me to be faithful. There's a lovely spirit of humility about her, isn't there? Now look what she does say in this verse. Oh, this is very interesting to see the story.

49. 25:34

    Now, you see, it says that she said two things to the apostles. First of all, it says, she besought us, saying, if ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there. and she constrained us. Two different words. She besought us. She constrained us. Now, the first word, besought us, is the word parakaleo.

50. 26:03

    Now, what does parakaleo mean? Anybody know? Paraklesis. Ecclesis. Ecclesia. Parakaleo. What's parakaleo mean? Anybody know? Sorry? Yes, to call, klesis, kaleo, to one side. Para, to call alongside or to call to one side. It's actually a very tender term, isn't it? It's the word used for excitation too, isn't it, in the New Testament.

51. 26:37

    It's a word, it's quite a tender word, isn't it? It sort of denotes the idea of comfort, to call along one side, call to one side. Come along, come here. So that you can extend comfort or help to somebody. It's quite a soft word, really, isn't it? Parakaleo.

52. 26:55

    And the second word is really quite different. The second word she constrained us is parabyatsamai. And it means, this is the literal meaning of it, to force, contrary to nature, to compel by entreaty. Oh, this is a much stronger word. The first word is very gentle. She called to, called them to her side.

53. 27:21

    The second word is very strong. And she compelled us by entreaty. Now the thing is, why the change? Why the change from a gentle word to a strong one? And by the way, when it says she compelled us, I don't think that, it's saying that Lydia was a bossy woman. I don't think she did anything that was, you know, that was domineering, as far as the apostle was concerned.

54. 27:42

    But there's a little story here. And I think that this is what the story is in this verse. You see, what happened was, Lydia said, oh, look, she says, it's been so wonderful having this time with you, Paul, and learning the truth. She says, now look, she says, I know you're going to be here for some time.

55. 27:56

    Why don't you come and stay at my place? I've got plenty of room, really. I've got room aplenty for you and those that are with you so that you can get on with the work of the truth. The last thing you should be worrying about is practical things. Come and stay with me while you're here.

56. 28:09

    And then you can devote your days to the work of preaching the truth. It's been so wonderful. And you know what Paul said? Paul said, well, look, thanks very much, Lydia. It's very nice of you to offer, but look, I've got a bit of a policy here that when I go around the ecclesias, I prefer to look after myself.

57. 28:28

    And that's always been my approach. In fact, later on, he says, doesn't he, in Acts chapter 20, he says at the end of his speech in Acts 20, he says that ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities and to them that were with me. He preached in the day and he sewed tents at night.

58. 28:45

    Preferred not to be chargeable, didn't he? And so he said to Lydia, look, it's awfully nice of you, but he said, look, we'll go and find something. In fact, he says, look, Timothy and Silas are out at the moment trying to find lodgings for us in the city and Luke and I will go down there shortly and we'll fix up something for ourselves.

59. 29:00

    It'll be fine. She said, no, she says, look, she says, I've got plenty of room. You come and stay with me. He says, no, look, thanks very much, but we'll try and sort something. She says, you're staying at my place. Now she says, I'll have no more of that. She took them by the elbow, she bought them, she says, there's your bedroom there, there's Luke's, there's Silas's.

60. 29:16

    Now she says, let's have no more arguments, tea times in half an hour. And she compelled us, says Luke, who's writing the story later on.

61. 29:26

    There's a lovely spirit, you see, she just overflowed with that spirit of hospitality. She says, look, she says, I'm having no more of that. You're coming. You see that phrase, she constrained us.

62. 29:40

    I think that comes from an Old Testament story. Come and have a look at this. Second of Kings, chapter four. Remember this story in the second of Kings, chapter four. It's in the days of Elisha. Elisha was running around, busy in the work of the truth. Verse, remember these words? Verse nine. Second of Kings four, verse nine.

63. 30:05

    And she said unto her husband, behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God. Second of Kings four, verse nine. I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passes by us continually. Let us make a little chamber. I pray thee on the wall and let us set from there a bed and a table and a stool and a candlestick and it shall be when he cometh to us that he shall turn in further.

64. 30:26

    So here's another man of God. It's not the apostle Paul this time. It's Elijah the prophet. And there's another great woman. It's the great woman of Shunem. And she sees the great, the same need in the man of God that things might be provided for him. And so she says, let's do these things to her husband.

65. 30:41

    You see the spirit with which she did it in verse eight. Now, it fell on a day that Elisha passed to Shunem where was a great woman and she constrained him to eat bread. That's the very term in Acts 16, isn't it? And she constrained us, it says. See what the margin says in the second of Kings four?

66. 31:05

    She laid hold on him. She grabbed Elisha by the elbow, wheeled him inside and says, now you sit down and eat that bread there.

67. 31:14

    And so here we have two great women who both see, they both come into contact with a holy man of God and they perceive that there's a need for that person who's busy in the work of the truth that some practical ministration might be made for them. And she constrained him. I think that's the very, where that very phrase is taken up by the, by the writer of the Acts, Luke, concerning the spirit of Lydia.

68. 31:37

    Isn't that lovely? It was the spirit of the great woman of Shunem was an overflowing spirit of generosity that Lydia had. And she always had that right from the beginning. Now, so let's just come back to Acts 16 for a moment then. So verse 15 says, when she was baptized and her household, she besought us, saying, if you've judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there.

69. 32:10

    And she constrained us. Actually, I think Moffat's probably captures the sense of the two Greek words. Moffat says, first word, she begged us. Second word, she compelled us. And that's the spirit. And you've got to read that story in between, don't you, to see how the apostle had tried to argue and Lydia had gently but firmly overruled him and taken him into her house.

70. 32:39

    You know, brothers and sisters, that's the only woman that Paul ever allowed to do that for him. There was something special about this sister. Now, who were the foundation members? This is almost a trick question, but who were the foundation members of the Ecclesia of Philippi? Who were the foundation members of this Ecclesia at Philippi?

71. 33:21

    The founding members. They're all in this chapter. And to make you really think, there's four of them. Four foundation members of the Ecclesia of Philippi. Who are the four foundation members? There's Lydia. And the jailer.

72. 33:43

    No. Luke. Yes. Now, that was a good one, wasn't it? Luke, because remember, Luke is going to stay here for the next seven years. And probably also to make the fourth, we would imagine the girl possessed of the spirit of divination who, having been cured by the apostle, she'd already said, hadn't she, verse 17, these men are the servants of the Most High God which show unto us the way of salvation.

73. 34:09

    And no doubt she also had become a member of the Ecclesia. So, there's the foundation members of the Philippian Ecclesia. And of all of those foundation members, who's the first foundation member? And really, the story is Lydia because she's the first recorded conversion as far as Macedonia and as far as Philippi are concerned.

74. 34:30

    Now, let's have a look at the spirit of the Ecclesia of the Philippians. Now, this is where we really get into some interesting material concerning the spirit of Lydia now being seen in this Ecclesia that she belonged to and of which she was the foundation member. Come and have a look now to see how the spirit of Lydia permeated the attitude of that Ecclesia.

75. 34:55

    Now, we come to the book of Philippians, to the epistle to the Philippians. Philippians 4. Philippians 4. And verse 16. Philippians 4. Verse 16. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. When Paul left Philippi in Acts 16, where did he next go? Anybody know?

76. 35:37

    Where did Paul go after he left the new Ecclesia at Philippi in Acts 16? Where did he go in Acts 17? Yes, he went to Thessalonica. He actually went to Amphipolis and Apollonia, which were two smaller places on the way. But the next main city was Thessalonica. So that's the next place he came to, to form an Ecclesia.

77. 35:58

    And we're told here in Philippians 4 and verse 16, for even in Thessalonica, he's only just got down the road a short distance, ye sent once and again unto my necessity. So, what we're told here is that when Paul left Philippi and travelled to Thessalonica, the Ecclesia at Philippi sent gifts to meet his needs on two separate occasions.

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    Now, come and have a look at the second of Thessalonians, chapter 3. And just have a look at the spirit of the apostle whilst he was at Thessalonica.

79. 36:33

    The second epistle in chapter 3 and reading from verse 7. Now, this makes the gift that had been received from Philippi all the more interesting. We're told in the second of Thessalonians, chapter 3, verse 7, for yourselves know how ye ought to follow us. For we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you, neither did we eat any man's bread for naught, but wrought with labour and travail night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you.

80. 37:10

    Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. So the apostle, whilst he was at Thessalonica, was very careful to ensure that he would not be chargeable to them, even if he had to labour night and day.

81. 37:33

    Why did he do that? Why was he so sensitive about that at Thessalonica? We're told really by implication in what he says in those later verses of that chapter. Why was the apostle so careful not to be chargeable to them?

82. 37:53

    Well, perhaps verse 11, For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busy bodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work and eat their own bread. So there were those in the ecclesia of Thessalonica at the time who were saying that we don't need to work.

83. 38:15

    And they were running around being busy bodies and the apostle said, look, he says, you know, even though we have the power to be chargeable to the ecclesias, that's the worst thing I could do at Thessalonica because I want to demonstrate to these people that we all have a responsibility to work with the labor of our own hands to provide for ourselves.

84. 38:34

    And so he says, I would not be chargeable to the ecclesia. And whilst he was there, one of the things that helped the apostle to keep going whilst he was at Thessalonica was two separate presents from Philippi.

85. 38:50

    Who do you think was the guiding spirit behind sending those gifts? Just imagine that Lydia would be one of those who would encourage that work in Philippi. She would say, look, let's send a gift to the apostle. He's only just down the road. Let's send a gift to the apostle. And down came a parcel.

86. 39:07

    And the apostle was ever so grateful because he was being very careful at that time not to be chargeable to the Thessalonians. If you come back to Philippians again in chapter four, but this time to the 15th verse.

87. 39:24

    So there are two examples of generosity from the Macedonians, but in particular from the ecclesia of Philippi. Now in Philippians chapter four and this time in verse five, it says, now ye Philippians know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no ecclesia communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

88. 39:54

    No ecclesia communicated with me. You'd like to have a guess what the word communicated is. What do you think the word communicated is? Sorry? Yes. Konoinia. to fellowship. No ecclesia fellowshiped with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. Now come and have a look at the second of Corinthians chapter 11 and we take up the story as to what did happen.

89. 40:22

    Philippians says, when I departed from Macedonia, no ecclesia communicated with me apart from you. When he gets down to Achaia, which was where he was going, we're told in the second of Corinthians chapter 11 and verse 9, second Corinthians 11 verse 9. And when I was present with you and wanted, I was chargeable to no man.

90. 40:47

    For that which was lacking to me, the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied, and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. So what we're told here is that when Paul left Macedonia and travelled to Corinth, that they again sent gifts at a time when he was destitute and in need of assistance.

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    Now, why do you think that the apostle wanted to be chargeable to no man this time in Corinth? I think it was a different reason to Thessalonica. In Thessalonica the problem was that there were busy bodies running around the ecclesia who weren't working. Why was the apostle anxious in Corinth not to be chargeable?

92. 41:37

    Perfectly correct, because of the Judaizers. Because there had already been criticisms hadn't there by the Judaizers about the way that Paul profited from his work, about how he was dipping his fingers into the contributions. And the apostle was very sensitive to money matters in this area because of the snide and malicious and hurtful comments of the Judaizers.

93. 41:58

    And so he says in verse 9 here, he says, I was chargeable to no man for that which was lacking to me, the bread and which came from Macedonia supplied. But they didn't come specifically, or sorry, they didn't come from Macedonia as a whole, did they? There was in fact only one ecclesia who supplied.

94. 42:20

    And that was Philippi. As we're told that in Philippians 4 verse 15, when I departed from Macedonia, no ecclesia communicated with me, but ye only. So when Paul says in the second of Corinthians 11 verse 9, that which was lacking to me, the brethren from Macedonia supplied, it wasn't from all Macedonia, it was only from Philippi.

95. 42:39

    They were the only ecclesia that helped provide for the needs of the apostle at that time. That's the spirit of Lydia, sure of that. That overflowing spirit of generosity that had been present with her right from the very beginning, come into my house, and she constrained us. And here are these parcels coming now all the way down to Corinth.

96. 42:59

    At a time when the apostle had great need of them, he was ever so thankful for those gifts from these people. In the second of Corinthians chapter 8, while we're in the second of Corinthians, for those that haven't been with us in our studies, what we've been looking at is the appeal of the apostle to the Echion Ecclesias to give generously for the work of the Jerusalem Poor Fund.

97. 43:21

    And what he does in the second of Corinthians chapter 8 and verses 1 to 5, is he actually brings out to them the example of the Macedonian Ecclesias as a good example to follow. So when Paul moved through the region promoting the Jerusalem Poor Fund, the Macedonian Ecclesias responded wonderfully despite their desperate poverty.

98. 43:46

    You see what it says in verse 2? how that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality, for to their power I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves, praying us with much entreaty the favour of sharing in the ministering to the saints.

99. 44:13

    And this they did not as we expected, but first gave their own selves to the Lord. That was the spirit of Philippi, wasn't it? And that's Lydia's spirit.

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     It was her spirit in that Ecclesia that gave so generously. I believe that Lydia influenced the attitude of the Ecclesia of Philippi right from this day. You know, when the fund was completed, each area, each province had delegates. There were two delegates from Achaia. there were two delegates from Asia. There were two delegates from Galatia.

101. 44:54

     And there were four delegates from Macedonia. Twice as many as any other province. Because they were twice as generous. And of all the Macedonian Ecclesias, the most generous was Philippi. And that's where Lydia was. Now, if we come back to the Philippians again, and this time to the fourth chapter again, but verse 10, we have now the fifth occasion of the generosity that was seen from this Ecclesia at Philippi, of which Lydia was the foundation member.

102. 45:37

     We're told in verse 10, it says, but I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again, wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Remember the apostles writing from prison, isn't he? Where is he now? The time he writes Philippians. He's in Rome, and he's in prison, and he's in need.

103. 46:05

     He was depressed in spirit, no doubt, at the time. And he was greatly cheered by a further gift from the Macedonians, and in particular from Philippi, that was sent this time now all the way to Rome itself, by the hands of Epaphroditus. You see what he says in verse 10, there's a lovely way that this is worded, I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me, and that was the spirit, wasn't it?

104. 46:30

     Your care of me hath flourished again. You know the word flourished there is a word used of flowers. That bloom in the spring. Vines translates it, blossomed again. Your care of me hath blossomed again, like flowers opening up. Not that you were lacking in care, but they lacked opportunity, says verse 10. It wasn't that the Philippians had ever forgotten the apostle, but up to this time they hadn't had opportunity to help him, but now Epaphroditus had got through with a gift, at great trial and cost to himself.

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     verse 11. And you know, the thing that the apostle says in verse 11 was, he didn't so much rejoice because they had learnt to satisfy his wants. The thing that really was appreciated by the apostle was their spirit of kindness for him. He says, verse 11, not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content.

106. 47:35

     He says, look, he says, that wasn't a problem to me. Whatever my deficiency was, he says, I could have borne that, but he says, the thing that greatly cheered me was your spirit of kindness and your care towards me that hath flourished again. Verse 14. Notwithstanding, he says, ye have well done that ye did communicate with my affliction.

107. 47:55

     You fellowshiped with my affliction. The RSV says, it was kind of you to share my trouble. How did they share his trouble? How did they fellowship with Paul's trouble?

108. 48:14

     By sending a gift. By giving of their own abundance to supply his deficiency that there might be an equality. apostle never forgot the gracious spirit of that particular ecclesia. Now, here's the thing. So here we have five illustrations of generosity in the story of the ecclesia of Philippi. Two gifts to Thessalonica, a gift at the time he was at Corinth, their generous contributions to the Jerusalem Poor Fund, gifts to him whilst he was in prison at Rome.

109. 48:55

     There was never an ecclesia as generous as Philippi. Now, was that Lydia's spirit or not? Well, I think that Paul gives us two clues in this epistle that tells us that it was Lydia, that it was Lydia's spirit above all that moved that gracious generosity. come back to Philippians chapter one. Two little clues that the apostle gives in this story that I think leads us to the conclusion that really it was Lydia who inspired that spirit in the ecclesia at Philippi.

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     Philippians chapter one and reading perhaps from verse three by way of connection. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.

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     Where did the apostle experience fellowship in the gospel from the very first day he was in Philippi? That's Lydia, isn't it? who was first converted and who having been converted constrained him to abide in her house? Why else would the apostle say in that verse I thank God for your fellowship in the gospel from the very first day?

112. 50:53

     What did you remember from that day? That was Lydia's conversion, wasn't it? The apostle never forgot that. And from that day forth that Ecclesia had always showed that spirit. Come and have a look at chapter 4 again in verse 15.

113. 51:15

     Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel when I departed from Macedonia no Ecclesia fellowshiped with me is concerning giving and receiving but ye only. From the very beginning of the gospel says the apostle. The beginning of the gospel where?

114. 51:39

     The beginning of the gospel in Philippi. Well how was the gospel begun in Philippi? The answer is with the conversion of Lydia. And I believe that that's why Lydia's conversion is first recorded in Acts 16. She was the first member of that Ecclesia. That's the way the record writes it up. Even to the point of it being a paradox that instead of a man of Macedonia it was a woman of Asia but she was the first person to come into the truth in that place.

115. 52:20

     And I think that those two little statements in Philippians are really Paul's salute to the spirit of this gracious woman in this Ecclesia. I thank God for your fellowship from the very first day and he says from the beginning of the gospel nobody else but you fellowship with me concerning giving and receiving.

116. 52:38

     Those have got to be allusions to Lydia don't they? When you think about it. Those two phrases. Come back to Acts 16. So the Philippian Ecclesia of all were the supreme givers to the enterprises of Paul. The supreme givers and the spirit of giving we believe came from its very first member the first recorded conversion Lydia and that's why she's there at the start of the story of the formation of the Ecclesia of Philippi.

117. 53:19

     See what it says in verse 15? When she was baptized in her household she besought us saying if you've judged me to be faithful to the Lord come into my house and abide there. So she invites the apostle into her house. Do you know how this chapter finishes?

118. 53:35

     Acts 16 verse 40 And they went out of the prison and entered into the house of Lydia and when they had seen the brethren they comforted them and departed. You know this story opens with Lydia inviting the apostle into her house. By the time the apostle leaves Philippi the whole Ecclesia's meeting in her house.

119. 54:03

     Why did they go to the house of Lydia? Because that's where the brethren were. We entered the house of Lydia and saw the brethren.

120. 54:12

     And her house which no doubt was large and commodious was now being the place where the ecclesial meetings were held. Such was the spirit of this woman. gracious generosity at all times.

121. 54:26

     And I believe that her spirit permeated the ecclesia of Philippi. They were the greatest of givers that the apostle ever experienced. And I believe that there was a reason why the apostle gladly accepted the gifts from this place. He never would have accepted the gift from Corinth if he was somewhere else would he?

122. 54:46

     He never would have accepted the gift from Thessalonica. But he would accept them from Philippi wherever he was he would accept them. Why was that? Because he knew that that ecclesia had given those gifts for the right reasons. That it was their spirit of genuine care for him. That they would never use it against him.

123. 55:10

     They would never make a point of reminding him about it. They would never make him feel that he was therefore in debt to them or somehow owed them something. They would never use it against him in terms of arguing about his work and the truth. This was the only ecclesia from whom he could safely receive those gifts knowing that they are given with the best of motives and with the purest of hearts.

124. 55:36

     That was Lydia's spirit. And from this ecclesia and from none other would the apostle Paul accept such presents. in the course of his journeys.

125. 55:52

     Now we don't have to be wealthy to show Lydia's spirit. We don't have to have purple cloth and houses in order to show that same spirit in life. We don't need large resources to have the same attitude because what was her attitude? it was the spirit of genuine care for others, wasn't it?

126. 56:20

     It's the person who perceives needs in others in ecclesial life. It's the person who wants to comfort. It's the person who stretches forth their hands to the sick and to the afflicted. person who finds time to listen to a tape or read a book to someone who's lonely or aged in the truth.

127. 56:46

     it's the spirit of overflowing generosity that asks for nothing back and expects nothing back in return for gifts freely given by the spirit of grace. Wasn't that Lydia's spirit? We don't have to possess much to still have that spirit. And I don't think that Lydia was a dominant person. I don't think that she was, as I said, bossy, and yet somehow her gracious spirit somehow filled that whole ecclesia until in the end the whole of the Philippian ecclesia was greatly generous.

128. 57:23

     That all came, I think, from Lydia and perhaps from Luke as well. So we can show that spirit in ecclesial life today, can't we? In showing care and sympathy and hospitality and generosity to one another, not just in material things, but perhaps even more importantly in spiritual things. And how many ecclesias are there where there are lots of people, lots of single brothers and single sisters, and even for that matter some married couples who desperately need somebody to come up to them and say, come into our house and abide there for the day.

129. 58:02

     Come and have a meal with us. There's lots of people in all ecclesias that still need that, aren't there? There's still tremendous opportunity for the Lydia spirit to be shown. Well, there's only really two verses on her, but there's just enough, isn't there, to somehow get the sense of the attitude of this woman who so greatly influenced her own ecclesia for good and who gladdened the apostle's heart.

130. 58:29

     You know, I can just imagine Paul saying, no wonder it says that, remember when Paul was going to try and leave from Corinth and catch a boat, remember, back to Jerusalem with the poor fund and his plans were thwarted by the Jews. You know what he decided to do? He said, well, look, we're going to miss Passover now.

131. 58:47

     Let's go back to Philippi. I wonder whose house he stayed in. Just imagine Paul coming back and slipping into Lydia's house and thinking, ah, home away from home.

132. 59:03

     But then the apostle didn't really have a home, did he? This was home. The house of Lydia and of others who ministered unto him. She was a wonderful woman and she influenced her ecclesia for good, as all of us can and should, by that same gracious spirit of hospitality. On that day when she besought him, saying, if ye have judged me to be faithful, come into my house and abide.

133. 59:37

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134. 59:53

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135. 1:00:12

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