Lydia the Church Planter

The sermon explored the life of Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from Thyatira who appears in Acts 16:13-15, and who holds the remarkable distinction of being the first convert to Christianity on the entire continent of Europe. Her story is not simply a footnote in the book of Acts -- it is a powerful testimony to what God can accomplish through a person whose heart is open and willing. Lydia was not a prominent figure by the world's standards, and she was not even where she might have been expected to be. Yet because she was actively seeking after God, she was ready when the Holy Spirit moved. Her home became the first church on European soil, making her not only a convert but a church planter. Her example challenges each of us to examine how attentive and available we are to the call of God in our own daily lives.