Post by Zac Loh on Sept 22, 2009 3:20:45 GMT -5
Fellowship
Acts 16:14-15
Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us. (Acts 16:14-15)
I am deeply touched! I am deeply touched because this woman, this new convert, not only fellowshipped with Paul in words …but in deed …a real fellowship indeed!
Lydia was a seller of purple dye, an expensive item. She was probably well off. She was determined and persuasive. She had to host Paul. She was in deep gratitude to God for saving her. She was not an empty well. She was filled to overflowing action. And the natural response within sight was to take care of Paul.
The first test of our faith is our words (Romans 10:8-10). The second test of our faith is our actions. The Sinner’s Prayer must be followed by The Saint’s Proactive. It is voluntary action. Words and actions turn The Sinner into The Saint. How many people have remained Sinners because they didn’t follow-up their Prayer with Proactive?
Faith without action is dead. Fellowship without action is also dead. “Put your money where your mouth is,” I often heard being said. Words can be cheap. But action will surely cost us something. If we equate words with money, then words are like money which does nothing except when there is a transaction.
Am I talking about money? Yes, I am. But I am talking more than money. I am talking about the action that you are going to do for the brother next to you, for the sister across the street, for the church member who is struggling. Fellowship is more than talking over a meal. It is doing something to help.
I feel that there are people who are reading this, who are in the position to help someone within reach. You feel it. But you are afraid …what it will cost you. You are afraid of rejection. You are afraid of fear itself. It is easier to shrink to your original position, an enclosed safety.
But Christians are followers of Christ, not merely talkers of Christ. Demonstrate Christ by the leading of the Holy Spirit – help that someone in need.
It didn’t cost Lydia much to host Paul. And I don’t think Paul would be in any big trouble if Lydia didn’t help. But Lydia, for the sake of Lydia, had to do something. She confirmed her salvation by her proactive.
What is it that God is doing in your life? Follow-up and confirm with a voluntary action, your natural response to God.
Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. (2 Corinthians 8:1-5; underline mine)
Did you read that? The churches of Macedonia were freely willing. More than this, they implored Paul’s team to receive their gift. They were proactive.
It’s good to note that Lydia, who was from the city of Thyatira in Asia Minor, met Paul at the riverside of Philippi. Reading her life, we know that Paul was the first among many whom she eventually hosted. She had grown spiritually …which resulted in her continual giving!
Lydia, the new convert, a spiritual start-up, gave out of her abundance. We read that the churches of Macedonia gave out of their poverty. We see that the churches of Macedonia had gone a spiritual distance.
Please get me correctly, God does prosper His people. But there is nothing wrong with Christians who are poor (of course, this contradicts the extreme prosperity teaching which says that every Christian has to be rich!).
You NOTICE CLEARLY AND UNEQUVOCALLY that Paul commended the churches of Macedonia, and later expressed his affection and joy to the church in Philippi which was located in Macedonia (so, Philippi is considered one of the churches of Macedonia).
Paul did not dismiss their poverty. He commended them for giving generously even though they were poor. His fellowship with them entered into another level. Paul partnered with them in the gospel THROUGH THEIR GIVING.
The churches of Macedonia reminded me of the woman who gave all she had. Two mites were all she had. She gave out of her poverty (Mark 12:41-44).
What made the churches of Macedonia such givers? Lydia had a genuine conversion. The churches of Macedonia had genuine spiritual growth which led to this type of giving.
The churches first gave themselves to the Lord, and then gave their gift to Paul’s team by the will of God. The strength of their giving came from their relationship with God! And how did they know that they were giving by the will of God? They must have been close to God!
Spirituality and giving are directly connected. Money can be the most evil thing, or it can be the godliest thing – it depends on the person who owns and uses it.
Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. (Philippians 4:18)
In the vision which Paul had, a man was pleading to Paul to go to Macedonia (Acts 16:9-12).
Paul did not choose the people he ministered to, certainly not for economic reasons. He followed the leading of the Holy Spirit. In comparison to Lydia, the churches of Macedonia which came into being, later on, was below par economically. Paul knew how to be abound, and he knew how to be abased. He was not diverted for economic reasons.
Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, (Philippians 1:1-5; underline mine)
What transpired in such a fellowship? There is a special bonding, a partnership of Word and money/material. It is NOT peddling the Word of God. PAUL DID NOT PROMISE THEM RICHES. But he promised as the messenger servant of God, that God will supply all their NEED according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. (Philippians 4:15)
There are many Pauls out there, servants of the truth …there are many missionaries and missionary teams …and there are many givers …some give out of abundance …some give out of poverty.
There is nothing wrong with having abundance. And there is nothing wrong if you are not as rich as some folks.
But there are sacrificial givers today that I want to recognize. I want to commend you.
You did not give so that you can get something. You gave because you love God. The Holy Spirit moved you. You have love for the brethren. You release without expecting anything back.
I want to promise you, just as Paul did: that GOD WILL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEED ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES IN GLORY BY CHRIST JESUS.
Gold is like dust in the streets of heaven (if there is actually dust!).
God will supply, God will provide, whether your need is $1 or $10,000,000.
Acts 16:14-15
Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us. (Acts 16:14-15)
I am deeply touched! I am deeply touched because this woman, this new convert, not only fellowshipped with Paul in words …but in deed …a real fellowship indeed!
Lydia was a seller of purple dye, an expensive item. She was probably well off. She was determined and persuasive. She had to host Paul. She was in deep gratitude to God for saving her. She was not an empty well. She was filled to overflowing action. And the natural response within sight was to take care of Paul.
The first test of our faith is our words (Romans 10:8-10). The second test of our faith is our actions. The Sinner’s Prayer must be followed by The Saint’s Proactive. It is voluntary action. Words and actions turn The Sinner into The Saint. How many people have remained Sinners because they didn’t follow-up their Prayer with Proactive?
Faith without action is dead. Fellowship without action is also dead. “Put your money where your mouth is,” I often heard being said. Words can be cheap. But action will surely cost us something. If we equate words with money, then words are like money which does nothing except when there is a transaction.
Am I talking about money? Yes, I am. But I am talking more than money. I am talking about the action that you are going to do for the brother next to you, for the sister across the street, for the church member who is struggling. Fellowship is more than talking over a meal. It is doing something to help.
I feel that there are people who are reading this, who are in the position to help someone within reach. You feel it. But you are afraid …what it will cost you. You are afraid of rejection. You are afraid of fear itself. It is easier to shrink to your original position, an enclosed safety.
But Christians are followers of Christ, not merely talkers of Christ. Demonstrate Christ by the leading of the Holy Spirit – help that someone in need.
It didn’t cost Lydia much to host Paul. And I don’t think Paul would be in any big trouble if Lydia didn’t help. But Lydia, for the sake of Lydia, had to do something. She confirmed her salvation by her proactive.
What is it that God is doing in your life? Follow-up and confirm with a voluntary action, your natural response to God.
Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. (2 Corinthians 8:1-5; underline mine)
Did you read that? The churches of Macedonia were freely willing. More than this, they implored Paul’s team to receive their gift. They were proactive.
It’s good to note that Lydia, who was from the city of Thyatira in Asia Minor, met Paul at the riverside of Philippi. Reading her life, we know that Paul was the first among many whom she eventually hosted. She had grown spiritually …which resulted in her continual giving!
Lydia, the new convert, a spiritual start-up, gave out of her abundance. We read that the churches of Macedonia gave out of their poverty. We see that the churches of Macedonia had gone a spiritual distance.
Please get me correctly, God does prosper His people. But there is nothing wrong with Christians who are poor (of course, this contradicts the extreme prosperity teaching which says that every Christian has to be rich!).
You NOTICE CLEARLY AND UNEQUVOCALLY that Paul commended the churches of Macedonia, and later expressed his affection and joy to the church in Philippi which was located in Macedonia (so, Philippi is considered one of the churches of Macedonia).
Paul did not dismiss their poverty. He commended them for giving generously even though they were poor. His fellowship with them entered into another level. Paul partnered with them in the gospel THROUGH THEIR GIVING.
The churches of Macedonia reminded me of the woman who gave all she had. Two mites were all she had. She gave out of her poverty (Mark 12:41-44).
What made the churches of Macedonia such givers? Lydia had a genuine conversion. The churches of Macedonia had genuine spiritual growth which led to this type of giving.
The churches first gave themselves to the Lord, and then gave their gift to Paul’s team by the will of God. The strength of their giving came from their relationship with God! And how did they know that they were giving by the will of God? They must have been close to God!
Spirituality and giving are directly connected. Money can be the most evil thing, or it can be the godliest thing – it depends on the person who owns and uses it.
Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. (Philippians 4:18)
In the vision which Paul had, a man was pleading to Paul to go to Macedonia (Acts 16:9-12).
Paul did not choose the people he ministered to, certainly not for economic reasons. He followed the leading of the Holy Spirit. In comparison to Lydia, the churches of Macedonia which came into being, later on, was below par economically. Paul knew how to be abound, and he knew how to be abased. He was not diverted for economic reasons.
Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, (Philippians 1:1-5; underline mine)
What transpired in such a fellowship? There is a special bonding, a partnership of Word and money/material. It is NOT peddling the Word of God. PAUL DID NOT PROMISE THEM RICHES. But he promised as the messenger servant of God, that God will supply all their NEED according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. (Philippians 4:15)
There are many Pauls out there, servants of the truth …there are many missionaries and missionary teams …and there are many givers …some give out of abundance …some give out of poverty.
There is nothing wrong with having abundance. And there is nothing wrong if you are not as rich as some folks.
But there are sacrificial givers today that I want to recognize. I want to commend you.
You did not give so that you can get something. You gave because you love God. The Holy Spirit moved you. You have love for the brethren. You release without expecting anything back.
I want to promise you, just as Paul did: that GOD WILL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEED ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES IN GLORY BY CHRIST JESUS.
Gold is like dust in the streets of heaven (if there is actually dust!).
God will supply, God will provide, whether your need is $1 or $10,000,000.