Lydia's Heart

TEXT:  Acts 16:11-15, 40

INTRODUCTION:

A.      NOT A LOT SAID ABOUT LYDIA.

B.      WHAT IS SAID IS A LOT.

I.      DEFINITION OF TERMS:

A.      LYDIA, A WOMAN OF THYATIRA, SELLER OF PURPLE,

          WORSHIPPED GOD( usual designation of a proselyte ) 1rst EUROPEAN CONVERT?

B.      THE BIBLE HEART.

          1.       Intellectual processes( Heb. 4:12;  Mar. 2:8;  Matt. 13:15; Rom. 10:10 ).

          2.       Emotional processes( Matt. 22:37;  2 Sam. 6:16 ).

          3.       Processes of the will( 2 Cor. 9:7 ).

          4.       The Heart is the Entire Mind!

C.      THE LORD OPENED HER HEART, HER MIND TO HEAR PAUL'S WORDS.

II.     WHAT DID GOD USE TO OPEN LYDIA'S HEART?

A.      THE SWORD OF THE LORD.

          1.       The Lord has a glittering sword  ( Deut. 32:36-43 ).*

          2.       The captain of the Lord's host  had drawn sword ( Josh. 5: 13-15 ).*

          3.       The army of Israel used the Lord's sword ( Judges 7:20 ).

          4.       God's Sword is his word ( Eph. 6:17;  Heb. 4:12;  Rev. 2:16 ).

          5.       To be able to wield the sword it must first cut ( Acts 2:37 ).

B.      A COMPELLING MESSAGE( 1 Cor. 15:1-4;  1:21-24;  2:2 ).

C.      COMPELLING PROOF( 1 John 1:1-4;  John 20:30-31 ).

III.    A HARD HEART IS NOT EASILY OPENED.

A.      ISRAEL'S HARD HEART( Heb. 3:7-11;  Mark 3:4-5;  Matt. 19:8-9 ).

B.      THE GENTILE HEART( Rom. 1:21-23, 28 ).

C.      WE ARE WARNED AGAINST REFUSING TO HEAR( Heb. 3:12-14 ).

D.      COULD WE GO THIS FAR?( Heb. 6:4-6 ).

CONCLUSION:  RESULTS OF PEOPLE'S HEARTS BEING OPENED.

A.      LYDIA WAS BAPTIZED( vs. 15 ).

B.      3,000 JEWS ON PENTECOST( Acts 2:41 ).

C.      THE SAMARITANS( Acts 8:12 ).

D.      WHAT ABOUT YOU?  HAVE YOU RECEIVED HIS WORD?

James Dunigan