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Acts 16:9-15
Sixth Sunday of Easter C (First Lesson) May 17, 1998
Acts 16:9-15
During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him,
"Come over to Macedonia and help us." [10] After Paul had seen the vision, we
got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the
gospel to them.
[11] From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on
to Neapolis. [12] From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city
of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
[13] On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find
a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.
[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. [15] When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited
us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said,
"come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.
(NIV)
Acts 16:6-15 (Paul proceeds to Macedonia, The conversion of Lydia)
The removals of ministers, and the dispensing the means of grace by them, are in particular under Divine conduct and direction. We must follow Providence: and whatever we seek to do, if that suffer us not, we ought to submit and believe to be for the best. People greatly need help for their souls, it is their duty to look out for it, and to invite those among them who can help them. And God’s calls must be complied with readily. A solemn assembly the worshippers of God must have, if possible, upon the sabbath day. If we have not synagogues, we must be thankful for more private places, and resort to them; not forsaking the assembling together, as our opportunities are. Among the hearers of Paul was a woman, named Lydia. She had an honest calling, which the historian notices to her praise. Yet though she had a calling to mind, she found time to improve advantages for her soul. It will not excuse us from religious duties, to say, We have a trade to mind; for have not we also a God to serve, and souls to look after? Religion does not call us from our business in the world, but directs us in it. Pride, prejudice, and sin shut out the truths of God, till his grace makes way for them into the understanding and affections; and the Lord alone can open the heart to receive and believe his word. We must believe in Jesus Christ; there is no coming to God as a Father, but by the Son as Mediator.
(Matthew Henry Concise Commentary)