INTERACTIVE TEACHING/LEARNING GUIDE
Life Sentences (New Testament) - Week 8
Session Title: Lydia
Focal Passages: Hebrews 11:6
Life Sentence: “He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
Central Teaching/Learning Aim: In this session learners will examine the life of Lydia and will identify (1) how we might be willing to share our faith with people who are not like us, (2) how we might be more available to hear the voice of God and (3) how we might be more friendly and hospitable.
I. Hook
A. Share the following:
Hospitality House Helps Abused Women Feel Safe
One in four women in the United States is victimized by abuse in their lifetimes, Amy Weaver told Kiwanians Monday. The Hospitality House for Women executive director is determined to make such women and children as safe as possible; in fact, she said, it’s a labor of love.
“We provide shelter to adults and children, we provide them with therapy and counseling, and we promote public awareness,” said Weaver.
The mission of the organization is to provide shelter and services to victims of family violence in order to assist families in adopting a nonviolent lifestyle, promote public awareness of domestic violence, advocate for victims through activities which promote change and provide family violence prevention services.
The organization began in 1978 when a nun opened her home on South Broad Street and started letting victims stay with her.
“It has grown quite substantially from when it started. We served more than 600 people in our shelter just last year,” stated Weaver.
Chelsea Latta, "Hospitality House Helps Abused Women Feel Safe," Rome News-Tribune, Rome, GA, 12 July 2010.
Ask – Have you ever known someone who opened their home to an individual or a family in need? What risks did they take?
State – Today we will be talking about Lydia who, after her conversion, invited Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke to stay in her home.
B. Optional Method – Movie Clip – The Blind Side
Start: 20:12
Stop: 22:10
Synopsis: Michael Oher knows little about family; Less about football. What the homeless teen knows are the streets and projects of Memphis. Well-to-do Leigh Anne Tuohy knows little about his world. Yet when she and Michael meet, he’s found a home. And the Tuohys have found something just as life-changing: a beloved new son and brother.
In this scene Michael is homeless and the Tuohys take him into their home.
The Blind Side, Warner Bros Entertainment, Bil Netter, Andrew Kosove, and Broderick Johnson, Producers, John Lee Handcock, Director, 2010.
Ask – Have you ever known someone who opened their home to an individual or a family in need? What motivated them to be so generous? What risks did they take?
State – Today we will be talking about Lydia who, after her conversion, invited Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke to stay in her home.
C. Optional Method – The Right Place at the Right Time
Share – the following article from The Ottawa Citizen:
The Right Place at the Right Time
Queen Elizabeth and I shared, what for me was, a very special moment about 37 years ago, if memory serves correctly. Was it in May, June or July? In truth, I don't recall. What I do recall was then, I was a young mom out walking my little girl Erin in a stroller along Sussex Drive on a lovely quiet day when, to my delight, along came an open carriage ferrying the Queen from Rideau Hall to the Parliament Buildings.
I knew the Queen was in town at the time -- who didn't? But the crowds awaiting her appearance were on Rideau and Wellington Streets. We were far from the madding crowds. I hadn't planned on trying to see Queen Elizabeth; it was simply that our usual walk put us in the right place at the right time.
Wendy Tessier, "The Right Place at the Right Time," The Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa, Ont, 26 June 2010
Ask – Have you ever been in the right place at the right time?
State – Today we will be studying the conversion experience of Lydia. She regularly joined others in worship and prayer. We will discover how Lydia met Paul “at the right place and at the right time.”
II. Book
Utilize the Discussion Guide to examine the Scripture passages.
III. Look
A. Distribute the “An Example to Follow” handout and guide members to examine ways that they might follow the example of Lydia.
IV. Took
A. Say – Today we have seen that Lydia made herself available to hear God’s voice, that she influenced her household toward faith, and that she found a way to serve.
Ask – In what ways are you like Lydia? What can you learn from her example?
Say – Lets each choose one way that we will seek to know God better, one way that we can meet the needs of others and one person with whom we can share the Good News this week.
Close in prayer, asking God to help us fulfill our promises to him.
B. Optional Method – Hospitality
Consider the following case study:
One day you notice that a moving van has pulled up in front of the vacant house next door to you. There is a young man helping unload the van – he looks like he might be the dad of the family. Occasionally you see a young woman holding the door. You can tell that she is pregnant. Two small children are playing in the back with a small dog.
Ask your class the following questions:
1. What could be some of the needs of this young family (for today and for the future)?
2. How might you help meet some of those needs?
3. What are some things that you might do to help “open their heart” to the Lord?
Say – There are folks in need all around us. There are the “down and outs” and the “up and outs.” Think about someone that you know who needs your hospitality. What will you do to help? What will you do to help “open their heart” to the Lord?
Close in prayer, asking God to provide “divine appointments” for us as we seek to share His love with others.
DISCUSSION GUIDE
Teacher Copy
1. Review Acts 15:40-16:8. According to these verses, who was with Paul?
[Silas and Timothy]
2. Read Acts 16:8-10 and note the personal pronouns. How did the pronouns change between verses 8 and 10?
[“They” changed to “we,” indicating that the author of Acts joined Paul’s group.]
3. Why is this significant?
[Dr. Luke, the author of Acts, was an eyewitness to these events.]
4. Where did Paul and his friends go on the Sabbath? What did they expect to find there? (Acts 16:13)
[They went outside the city gate to the river. They expected to find people praying there.]
5. Whom did Paul and his friends talk at this place of prayer? (Acts 16:13)
[They talked to women who had gathered there.]
6. It was Lydia’s custom to pray beside the river. Where do you meet God?
7. What do we know about Lydia? (Acts 16:14)
[She was a dealer in purple cloth, originally from the city of Thyatira, and she was a worshipper of God.]
8. How did Lydia respond to Paul’s message? (Acts 16:14)
[She became a believer.]
9. Who opened Lydia’s heart? (Acts 16:14)
[God opened Lydia’s heart.]
10. Who influenced you to open your heart to the Lord?
11. Paul influenced Lydia to become a believer. Who did Lydia influence? (Acts 16:15)
[She influenced her household.]
12. What did Lydia offer Paul and his group? (Acts 16:15)
[She offered to let them stay at her home.]
13. What impresses you most about Lydia?
a. That she was a business woman at a time when few women worked outside the home.
b. That she was a regular worshipper.
c. That she was immediately receptive to the gospel.
d. That she led her household to the Lord.
e. That she was willing to make her home available to people she did not know.
f. Other ______
DISCUSSION GUIDE
Student Copy
1. Review Acts 15:40-16:8. According to these verses, who was with Paul?
2. Read Acts 16:8-10 and note the personal pronouns. How did the pronouns change between verses 8 and 10?
3. Why is this significant?
4. Where did Paul and his friends go on the Sabbath? What did they expect to find there? (Acts 16:13)
5. Whom did Paul and his friends talk to at this place of prayer? (Acts 16:13)
6. It was Lydia’s custom to pray beside the river. Where do you meet God?
7. What do we know about Lydia? (Acts 16:14)
8. How did Lydia respond to Paul’s message? (Acts 16:14)
9. Who opened Lydia’s heart? (Acts 16:14)
10. Who influenced you to open your heart to the Lord?
11. Paul influenced Lydia to become a believer. Who did Lydia influence? (Acts 16:15)
12. What did Lydia offer Paul and his group? (Acts 16:15)
13. What impresses you most about Lydia?
a. That she was a business woman at a time when few women worked outside the home.
b. That she was a regular worshipper.
c. That she was immediately receptive to the gospel.
d. That she led her household to the Lord.
e. That she was willing to make her home available to people she did not know.
f. Other ______
An Example to Follow
1. It is not clear whether Lydia was Jewish or a God-fearing Gentile. What we do know is that she came to this “place of prayer,” that her heart was attuned to God, and that she was earnestly seeking him. We observed this same attitude in the lives of Simeon and Anna in our study of a few weeks ago. Are you really seeking to know God better? What do you need to change?
□ be more faithful in my attendance in worship and Bible study / □ actively look for ways to minister to others□ make a new commitment to have a personal quiet time / □ spend more time praying
□ cultivate Christian friends / □ spend less time with friends who do not share my Christian values
□ Other ______
2. After her conversion, Lydia immediately invited Paul and his companions to make her home their headquarters. What could you do to help meet the needs of others?
□ volunteer my time at a local ministry / □ open my home to someone in need□ go on a mission trip / □ share the Good News with a lost friend
□ volunteer in the church nursery / □ other ______
□ become more consistent in giving to my church
3. Lydia influenced those in her household to become believers. With whom do you need to talk about their relationship to Christ?
□ a family member / □ a co-worker□ my neighbor / □ an acquaintance
□ other ______
THEE WORD FOR THE WEEK
Angels
Hebrews 1:14
Monday: Read 2 Thessalonians 1
· The Greek term translated “angel” means messenger. Angels are basically messengers or servants of God.
· In 2 Thessalonians 1:7 we see that they are messengers of His might.
· What are some times in Scripture that you can recall that His angels were messengers?
Tuesday: Read Psalm 8
· In God’s order of creation, God made man a little lower than the angels.
· Do you think it will always be that way?
· Things will be different later. Redeemed man, as part of the new creation will be higher than the angels. (1 Corinthians 6:3)
Wednesday: Read Luke 15:1-10
· What does verse 10 tell us about angels?
· What causes the most rejoicing for them?
Thursday: Read Daniel 6
· We see different times of angelic activity in Scripture.
· In verse 22, what did God send?
· What did the angels do?
Friday: Read Matthew 25:31-46
· When Christ returns who will accompany Him when He comes in glory and in judgment?
· How many angels will come with Him?
· Read Revelation 5:11. It gives us an indication of the number of angels.
EXEGETICAL – THEOLOGICAL – PEDAGOGICAL
(Exegetical: What it meant to the Hebrew believers back THEN)
The result of not having faith, of which two essential aspects were 1) the belief that God existed and 2) the belief that God rewarded those who sought Him . . . was that it was impossible to please God, (Hebrews 11:6).
I. The result of not having faith…was that it was impossible to please God, (11:6a).
II. An essential/necessary aspect of faith for one coming to God . . . was the belief that God existed, (11:6b).
III. Another essential/necessary aspect of faith for one coming to God . . . was the belief that God rewarded those who sought him, (11:6c).
NOTE: Lydia played a significant role in the establishment of the Church in Europe, in the city of Philippi, during Paul’s second missionary journey. Her experience as a seeker/worshipper of the true God illustrates the truth of Hebrews 11:6c. God rewarded her faith with the message of salvation through Jesus. We will look first at Acts 16 [we will begin with 15:36 to set the context], which records story of Lydia’s conversion and role in the establishment of the church in Philippi. Then we will follow along as Warren Wiersbe’s Life Sentences analyzes God’s sovereign work of grace among a group of seekers/worshippers.
I. The result of the sharp disagreement between Barnabas and Paul over John Mark, whether he should accompany them on a second mission after he had abandoned the work on the first mission . . . was that they separated from one another [after years of being on mission together] and Barnabas took John Mark with him to minister in Cyprus, (Acts 15:36-39).