Come By Macedonia and Help Us

From: Sept. 4 – 10, 2012 TOPIC: “Come By Macedonia and Help Us” Acts 16: 9-15

The apostle Paul had taken the gospel to many people. Now, God reveals himself to Paul in a vision at night and he sees a man begging him to come to Macedonia to help them. What Paul sees is a simple and common man crying to him to preach the gospel. It was like saying: "Come, preach to us as you have preached the Word of life to others." Do it to us also! That was Paul’s duty, to preach the gospel. For such reason that man was asking for help in order to receive the gospel. He knew his soul was enslaved and he wanted to be free of the chains that bounded him. The duty of preaching was Paul’s and the need for salvation was for that soul that pleaded to hear. It is as if he had told him: "Come as soon as possible; don’t resign yourself in praying for us but come now to us."! Well, this is when there are companions who feel the same as that person who had the vision. The interpretation and conviction of going to Macedonia was not only for Paul, but for Silas and Luke who also felt that together with Paul they were being called to take the gospel to Macedonia. Luke is the one to write here and says in Acts 16: 10 "After Paul had seen the vision (Paul), WE GOT READY AT ONCE TO leave for Macedonia, concluding that God HAD CALLED US for TO PREACH the gospel to them." All of them see it as an order from Heaven. Paul can understand that God is calling him for someone's salvation and obeys. His main characteristic was how obedient he was, Paul had always stood out because of his obedience towards God. Then, they were no longer human plans; he followed the divine instructions; this was best for him. They left for Macedonia right away to do what they had been asked. Paul followed Christ and his mates followed him. They all resolved to leave right away. God’s call should be carried out as soon as possible to not lose the opportunity and find ourselves guilty of wasting the occasion to save souls from eternal condemnation, even if it is only one person. They arrived at Philippi. It is said that the city of Macedonia was a colony of Italy (vs. 12). All who lived there had the Roman citizenship; they had had the same rights as if they were living in Italy. Philippi was founded in the year 356 BC by Philip the father of Alexander the Great. They arrived at the city and were there for a few days and it seemed as they had been received frivolously. After receiving a call so particular from God Himself, they possibly thought that they were going to be received with open arms. But it did not happen like that. Luke says, "... and we were in that city abiding certain days." Where was that Macedonian male who had appeared to Paul asking for immediate help? They did not see him anywhere. Let us know that Paul took the gospel to the Jewish first, but it was obvious that in that city there weren’t even ten Jewish males. That’s how many Jewish males were necessary to form a group in a synagogue. There was only a group of women there. They were united in prayer; well, they were worshipers of the true God, which is why they were gathered there on Saturday according to the Jewish tradition. Those women were outside the gates of the city near the river praying. Lydia was one of them and she indeed received Paul and his companions. Acts 16: 14: "One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message." For her it was an honor to receive a man who could help her get her name registered in the book of God. Lydia sold purple cloth, so she herself ran the business; it is most probable that she was a widow. She was from another distant city of Thyatira and God brought her to Philippi. Lydia was a woman who feared God and worshiped God. She was born as a gentile, but she worshiped and served the God of Israel and she was present at the meetings that other women had to pray and read the Scriptures. THESE WOMEN WERE WAITING FOR PAUL TO RECEIVE CHRIST! They needed the Savior because they were already seeking God and their need was to acknowledge their Savior and through Paul they were going to find Him. That necessity that had to be covered came thru a vision given by God. Lydia was attentively listening to the words spoken by the apostles to the group of women. The Lord opened her heart to be attentive of what Paul was speaking. God awoke her heart; well, a heart not converted is closed and fortified against Christ. In this way Lydia converted to the Savior and was baptized and also her family. How much disposition is seen in her conversion when she forces them to stay at her house and take advantage to learn everything possible! Lydia shows her gratitude to those who were instruments of God for the blessed change operating in her. As soon as her heart opened to Christ, she opened her home for to the ministers of Christ! At her insistence those men of God stayed at her house. Philippians 4:15-16 Therefore, Paul and his ministry companions did not see the Macedonian male, but Lydia was there, it was her who the Lord would save. With her the first fruits of Europe were harvested for Christ and came from the feminine sex. For her deliverance and service to the Lord there will always be an honorable mention of her over and over again. Let us be also ready to obey faithfully and take the gospel to those who are lost as Paul and his companions did. Let us also be as grateful as Lydia was, with a well-disposed heart and as helpful as she was, the woman who God, in His love and mercy, sent Paul to preach the gospel of salvation and eternal life. Amen.