Women of the New Testamentનમૂનો

Day 5
Lydia

As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.
– Acts 16:14b (NLT)

The book of Acts tells us how the early church was working together to spread the good news about Jesus. At first, they stayed in their own country of Israel, but soon they started branching out and traveling to different places to tell all kinds of people about Jesus and what He had done for them.

There was a leader in the church named Paul who traveled to many different cities and countries to tell people the good news about Jesus. On one trip, Paul and some of his friends ended up in a city called Philippi, where they found a group of women who believed in God. The women met at the riverbank outside the city every week to pray together. One of these women was named Lydia. The Bible says Lydia had a business selling expensive purple cloth. She was a wealthy and influential woman in her community.

Paul and his friends sat down with the women and told them about Jesus and what He had done for them. The Bible says that as Lydia listened, “the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.” (Acts 16:14) Lydia believed in Jesus! She and her whole household were baptized, and she insisted that Paul and his friends come and stay at her home while they were in Philippi.

At that time, Christians didn’t have church buildings like we have today. All the people in Philippi who decided to believe in Jesus started meeting together in Lydia’s home to worship, pray, and learn.

Eventually, Paul and his friends had to leave Philippi, but the church kept meeting. Paul visited them a few more times and even wrote them a wonderful letter that is now a book in the Bible called Philippians. The Philippian church often sent Paul gifts to help him as he traveled and even went to prison for telling people about Jesus.

When Lydia opened her heart to the good news about Jesus and then opened her home to Jesus’ followers, it became the start of a whole new community of Christians. It was the first church in a city full of people who needed Jesus. In fact, it was the first church on the whole continent of Europe!

Lydia had just learned about Jesus, but right away, she gave what she had—her home—to be part of the mission to tell others about Jesus. No matter who you are, you can use what you have to be part of that mission, too.

Reflect: How can I use the gifts, resources, and opportunities God has given me to be part of His mission to tell others about Jesus?

Read: Acts 16:11-15, Acts 16:40

These are just a few of the important stories of women in the New Testament. Some other great stories include the woman at the well (John 4:1-42), the healed woman and the living girl (Luke 8:40-56), Priscilla (Act 18), and more.